At a look
Knowledgeable’s Score
Execs
- Sturdy, gapless hinge design
- Wonderful most important digital camera
- Huge cowl show
- Good battery
Cons
- No water-resistance
- No wi-fi charging
- Unreliable Bluetooth
Our Verdict
The Discover N2 Flip is one other incredible foldable, and the primary actual rival to Samsung’s Z Flip 4 within the West. Oppo has the sting on digital camera efficiency and construct high quality, and the aggressive UK worth might make this flip telephone difficult to withstand.
Value When Reviewed
Not out there within the US
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip has lengthy reigned (nicely, for a few years) the king of the foldable clamshell telephone. However now, with the European launch of the Oppo Discover N2 Flip, it might lastly have to surrender that crown.
Oppo’s first flip telephone – and third foldable total – takes carefully after Samsung’s newest Z Flip 4. However an improved hinge, extra succesful digital camera, and bigger cowl show make this a extra sensible possibility for many, helped by a extra inexpensive £849 price ticket – a minimum of within the UK.
The Z Flip 4 nonetheless has the sting on software program, and a sure je ne sais quois visible aptitude, however the gauntlet has been laid down – and Samsung has quite a lot of work to do to impress with this 12 months’s Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Design & construct
- Compact clamshell design
- Hinge closes fully
- No water-resistance score
Put aside the quilt display – we’ll get to that – and the Oppo Discover N2 Flip appears to be like an terrible lot like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4. I assume that both imitation is the perfect type of flattery, or that is the one strategy to make the flip design work proper now.
The Oppo is about the identical measurement – solely just a little bigger – with a equally sized 6.8in display when open, that closes in half to kind an ideal little sq. with its cameras down in a single nook.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
The place Oppo has a transparent edge is its hinge. This upgraded ‘Flexion’ hinge makes use of a waterdrop form on the hinge, which permits the display to fold fully shut with no hole – and reduces how apparent the display’s crease is within the course of.
We’ve seen this earlier than in a number of larger foldables, to not point out Huawei’s P50 Pocket flip telephone, but it surely’s a trick Samsung hasn’t managed but. The result’s a telephone that feels a lot sturdier than its most important rival, with a solidity that each protects the system from mud and provides a premium really feel.
It closes in half to kind an ideal little sq.
One minor draw back is that the hinge can solely maintain the display divulge heart’s contents to 110-degrees – so a contact previous the vertical level. That’s sufficient for many use circumstances, however the Z Flip 4 will keep put whenever you bend it additional, and at instances throughout video calls I discovered myself lacking that additional literal flexibility.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
One other space the place Oppo lags behind is that the Discover N2 Flip has no IP score for mud and water-resistance. The Z Flip 4 is IPX8-rated – which means good water-resistance, however no official mud safety – however the Oppo has no such score. The corporate says the telephone can survive splashes of rain and the like, however you may really feel nervous whipping it out within the tub.
In fact, sturdiness specs matter up to some extent, however the proof is within the pudding – nowhere extra so than with foldables. Oppo’s first gen Discover N is barely just a little over a 12 months outdated, and by no means launched exterior China, so nobody has sense of how lengthy this stuff final. You do a minimum of get a easy plastic case included within the field.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
For all of Samsung’s enhancements, there are nonetheless loads of tales of Flip and Fold 4 models failing lower than twelve months in, and anybody shopping for a foldable ought to go in with a level of warning: solely purchase one when you can afford for it to interrupt.
Whereas the Discover N2 Flip has a gold version in China, the place it first launched in late 2022, the worldwide version is available in a selection of black or purple. My black mannequin has a barely grippy, textured end to the glass physique that I’m a giant fan of, with a delicate sparkle, whereas the purple is glossier – a disgrace, since I in any other case want that color.
If you wish to evaluate them straight, I’ve to confess I want the two-tone aptitude of Samsung’s flip telephone, which makes the Oppo aesthetic really feel bluntly useful by comparability, however I can’t deny that is nicely put collectively piece of {hardware} that feels as slick as something on the market.
Display screen & audio system
- Massive 3.26in cowl display
- Shiny and matt internal display
- First rate stereo audio system
There are two screens to the Discover N2 Flip, and funnily sufficient the one which doesn’t fold is arguably the extra attention-grabbing.
The three.26in cowl show on the telephone’s exterior is far bigger than you’ll discover on every other flip telephone proper now – whether or not Samsung, Huawei, or Motorola. Actually, hint your telephone historical past again and also you’ll discover it’s technically a bigger display than was on the primary ever Android smartphone, the HTC Dream – and solely a fraction extra compact than the first-gen iPhone.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
It additionally stands out due to the portrait orientation, which Oppo says was a deliberate selection to enhance usability. That’s most blatant whenever you use that outer display as a digital camera viewfinder for selfies – immediately it’s in the identical orientation because the digital camera itself – but in addition feels extra pure when flicking by way of notifications, scrolling your calendar, or checking the climate.
It’s technically a bigger display than was on the primary ever Android smartphone
In fact, you’ll spend extra time utilizing the internal display, which at 6.8in is remarkably comparable in measurement and really feel to Samsung’s providing. It’s an LTPO AMOLED panel with 1-120Hz dynamic refresh fee, so delivers high visible high quality, however with an additional edge: Oppo has added a matt, anti-glare end that each appears to be like incredible and makes the telephone simpler on the eyes.
Studying off this virtually appears like an eReader at instances, and from a visible aspect alone I’ve truly come to want this show to the shiny glass slabs on most different telephones. Although because the floor you work together with is plastic, it does decide up grease and fingerprints.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
There’s nonetheless a small crease after all, but it surely’s a delicate one: you may solely spot it when taking a look at an angle, not head-on (which is the way you’ll usually use the telephone after all). You may really feel it, however much less so than on most foldables, and it’s rapidly forgotten after a number of hours with the telephone.
I’ve additionally been pleasantly stunned by the stereo audio system included right here, that are punchier than you’d assume given how slight the entire telephone is. Don’t get me incorrect, these are nonetheless telephone audio system, with all the bounds that entails, however they get the job achieved.
Specs & efficiency
- Highly effective MediaTek chipset
- 256GB storage by default
- Wobbly Bluetooth vary
Oppo has geared up the Discover N2 Flip with MediaTek’s Dimensity 9000+ chipset. That’s not absolutely the newest flagship chip, but it surely’s nonetheless lower than a 12 months outdated and many highly effective for many functions.
Day-to-day efficiency is clean and fluid, with no stutter or slowdown in sight, and there’s sufficient horsepower to sport and take full benefit of that 120Hz show.
This isn’t absolutely the strongest telephone round – and it’s price noting that each Samsung and Motorola’s different flips are just a little extra highly effective – however solely extraordinarily demanding players or energy customers are prone to discover something to moan about.
The Flip has 8GB of RAM, which is pretty commonplace, however provides a extra beneficiant non-expandable 256GB of storage by default – double Samsung’s base storage for the Flip. There are not any choices so as to add extra storage although, in order that’s all you get.
Naturally 5G is supported, together with the standard array of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. I’ve discovered the Bluetooth irritating although – the vary appears to be restricted, which means I get interference and sign drops on my headphones even when the telephone is within the entrance pocket of my denims. That’s not an issue a contemporary telephone ought to ever endure from, and is the largest blemish to the general consumer expertise I’ve discovered.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
One nice contact is that the telephone contains ‘360-degree’ NFC, which means you should utilize the telephone to make contactless funds from nearly any angle when it’s closed.
This solely works for sure fee varieties, like getting into London’s public transport system, so that you’ll nonetheless have to open the telephone absolutely to pay in a store or restaurant, but it surely’s a handy time-saver when it does kick in.
Digicam & video
- Surprisingly succesful most important digital camera
- So-so ultrawide
- Common selfie digital camera – however you don’t want it anyway
Digicam high quality was lengthy held up as one of many key flaws of Samsung’s Flips, and whereas that was improved in final 12 months’s Z Flip 4, Oppo has nonetheless discovered room to 1 up its Korean rival.
That isn’t to say that the Discover N2 Flip’s digital camera is among the greatest round – but it surely’s higher than earlier than, and the principle digital camera a minimum of is comfortably at flagship stage, even when it lacks the flexibility of slab flagship digital camera programs.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
That most important lens is a 50Mp, f/1.8 shooter utilizing a Sony IMX890 sensor – the identical one discovered within the current OnePlus 11. It’s able to some actually stunning photographs, with punchy and vibrant colors which can be generally just a little over-saturated however don’t veer too distant from being true-to-life.
My largest shock was the standard of photographs at night time
The sensor is large enough to even create a slight pure bokeh impact in photographs, with a very enticing depth of subject. Photographs additionally maintain up nicely whenever you bounce into the digital camera app’s default 2x zoom, with little lack of element – although at instances the color tuning does shift as you zoom.
My largest shock was the standard of photographs at night time – the Discover N2 Flip manages impressively deep dynamic vary, various gentle sources are dealt with fastidiously, and for probably the most half darkish spots stay darkish, however detailed – although it does fall sufferer to the frequent drawback of over-brightening the night time sky.
The 8Mp ultrawide is far much less spectacular, however nonetheless welcome as an additional possibility. It doesn’t deal with lowlight nicely, however in good lighting photographs are serviceable – simply count on flatter colors and a critical drop intimately.
Then there are selfies. You need to use the 32Mp punch-hole digital camera on the telephone’s folding display to take selfies, and outcomes aren’t unhealthy in any respect – higher than most on the market.
I’m just a little stunned it’s so good, as a result of Oppo’s clear pitch is definitely that you need to save this digital camera for video calls and the like, and as a substitute use the quilt show and most important digital camera to take selfies as a substitute.
That is barely extra fiddly – as huge because the outer show is, it’s nonetheless a fraction the dimensions of the principle display – however the portrait orientation makes it simple sufficient to border your self, and the principle digital camera is a wonderful possibility for selfie photographs, a step up even farther from the devoted digital camera on the inside.
Battery & charging
- All-day battery life
- Quick wired charging
- No wi-fi charging
Battery is the opposite space the place early flip telephones struggled, and Oppo clearly wished to keep away from studying that lesson the onerous manner.
With that in thoughts, it’s geared up the Discover N2 Flip with a 4300mAh battery – removed from the largest round, however throughout the similar realm as fashionable flagship slab telephones.
Over every week with the telephone I’ve discovered it usually lasts all day, as long as I don’t push it too onerous. A two-hour video name was sufficient to tank the battery early and power a night cost, but when I caught to Spotify, social media, and internet searching then I often ended the day with 20-30% left within the tank.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
In case you do have to run for a plug socket, the corporate has thrown in pretty quick charging. On paper the 44W wired pace is considerably quicker than both Samsung or Motorola provides, however in my take a look at it was solely sufficient to revive 59% of the battery in half an hour – the very same because the Razr 2022, and solely just a little quicker than Samsung’s telephone.
That will be OK, however the trade-off you make for that very barely quicker charging is that there’s no wi-fi charging included in any respect. I personally discover the flip telephone format completely suited to dropping onto a Qi charger and glancing at once in a while, so I do actually miss the choice, and don’t discover the wired providing quick sufficient to make up for the loss.
Software program & updates
- Loads of widgets and choices for the quilt display
- Foldable options aren’t fairly as clean as Samsung’s
- Lengthy-term software program help promised
There’s good and unhealthy to the software program aspect of the Discover N2 Flip.
Let’s begin with some good: total I believe Oppo’s ColorOS pores and skin (right here laid on high of Android 13) is among the higher choices round. It’s full of customisation choices, retains bloatware and advertisements gentle, and better of all it hardly ever appears to get in the best way of me truly utilizing the telephone.
I’m additionally impressed with how a lot the corporate has constructed into the quilt show. A few of the choices are commonplace: an always-on show, climate and alarm widgets, and fundamental digital camera controls so you may take selfies with the principle digital camera.
You may set a wallpaper from your personal picture, however higher is the set of interactive pets. Choose from a canine, cat, hen, hamster, or rabbit, and also you’ll get just a little furry or feathered pal who lives in your cowl show and spends their time studying, listening to music, or dozing off.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Interactivity is proscribed to a fast faucet to vary what they’re as much as, however that’s most likely for the perfect – you get all the great bits of a contemporary Tamagotchi with out the all-consuming stress that you simply’ll unintentionally kill them off.
What annoys me is that for all of the promise of this bigger cowl display, there’s an occasional lack of polish that will get in the best way.
Most annoying is the truth that when closed it’s garbage about recognising orientation. Whereas Samsung clearly determined there was a ‘appropriate’ orientation to the Z Flip 4 when shut, Oppo desires to have it each methods, letting you employ the telephone hinge-up or hinge-down. However half the time it could actually’t inform which manner it’s turned, leaving you taking a look at an upside-down notification or a hamster dancing on its head.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
I believe a part of the issue right here is the digital camera. Maintain the telephone within the apparent manner – i.e. able to flip open – and the lenses are on the backside proper, which creates a clumsy angle for photographs. Turning it the other way up – because the digital camera widget truly suggests – provides you higher framing, however unexpectedly it’s not able to open.
I don’t know what the elegant resolution right here is, and Oppo’s setup would most likely work higher if the telephone was just a bit higher at figuring out which manner up it’s. It’s so virtually there that these little nuisances each you greater than you assume they could.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Let’s finish on notice although: Oppo has caught as much as the competitors and is now promising 4 years of ColorOS function updates along with a fifth 12 months of safety patches, a match for Samsung and one up on Google.
That implies that in concept this ought to be supported right through to Android 17, with safety safety into 2028, so you need to have the ability to depend on this for years to return – as long as the {hardware} holds up too.
Value & availability
In case you’re within the UK, the largest draw of the Discover N2 Flip might be the worth tag: the £849 ticket worth is a full £100 cheaper than Samsung’s newest, and £210 cheaper than that telephone’s equal 256GB storage mannequin (although after all chances are you’ll now discover that telephone just a little under asking worth when you store round).
It’s even the very same worth as a brand new iPhone 14 – and that telephone doesn’t even fold or nuthin’.
Within the UK you should buy the Discover N2 Flip direct from Oppo, from Amazon, or from main networks, Carphone Warehouse, or shops like Currys.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
In Europe the distinction is much less stark, the place the €1,199 retail worth is definitely pricier than the Z Flip 4, and a direct match for its 256GB variant.
In both promote it’s an in depth worth match for the Motorola Razr 2022, however beats that telephone in total feel and look.
Sadly the US received’t get the Discover N2 Flip in any respect – Samsung can relaxation simple there for now – and the larger book-style Discover N2 received’t launch exterior China in any respect.
Take a look at our full information to the perfect Android telephones for extra choices, or the perfect Oppo telephones for extra from the corporate.
Verdict
The Oppo Discover N2 Flip is a fairly astonishing telephone – and I say that as a dyed-in-the-wool Z Flip fanboy.
I nonetheless assume Samsung’s telephone appears to be like slicker, and the combo of smoother software program, waterproofing, and wi-fi charging implies that on the similar worth I’d give the Z Flip 4 the sting.
However, within the UK a minimum of, they’re not the identical worth – and when it can save you £100-200 on the Oppo possibility, it’s onerous to beat. These minor gripes are simple to stay with, and the improved digital camera, quicker charging, and gapless hinge give this a number of benefits that might nicely win you over outright.
Proper now, this is a wonderful flip telephone, and the perfect worth one round. If Oppo can match Samsung’s polish, then subsequent time it round it would simply be the perfect – full cease.
Specs
- 6.8in, 120Hz AMOLED inside show
- 3.26in, 60Hz cowl show
- MediaTek Dimensity 9000+
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB storage
- 4300mAh battery
- 44W wired charging
- Cameras:
- 50Mp, f/1.8 most important digital camera
- 8Mp, f/2.2 ultrawide digital camera
- 32Mp, f/2.4 selfie digital camera
- 166.2 x 75.2 x 7.5mm (unfolded) or 85.5 x 75.2 x 16mm (folded)
- 191g
- Android 13 with ColorOS 13