The crease is nearly invisible and holds any angle you want.
In the long human pursuit of tools that bend to our lives rather than demanding we bend to them, OPPO has entered the foldable phone era not with hesitation but with hard-won conviction — six abandoned prototypes behind them and one remarkably resolved device in hand. The Find N, arriving in early 2022 at roughly €1,073 as a China import, represents a rare first attempt that earns its ambitions, offering the most refined foldable form factor yet seen while acknowledging that no debut is without its unfinished edges. It is a reminder that discipline in design — knowing what to discard before knowing what to keep — is its own kind of wisdom.
- OPPO scrapped six prototypes before committing to the Find N, and that ruthless patience produced the most crease-free, gap-free foldable hinge the market has seen.
- Where rivals like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 feel like tablets reluctantly folded shut, the Find N folds into a compact, premium object that actually fits the hand.
- The inner 7.1-inch display runs at a smooth 120Hz and the hinge holds at any angle between 50 and 120 degrees — turning the phone into a hands-free mini laptop on a desk.
- Software ambition is real but uneven: apps like Gmail adapt elegantly to split layouts, yet multitasking modes can't run simultaneously and some apps still stumble on the unusual aspect ratio.
- The outer screen is capped at 60Hz, the folded profile is thick enough to resist most pockets, and the device remains a China-only import — friction points that temper an otherwise striking debut.
OPPO arrived in Ireland just over a year before this review and quickly earned credibility — its Find X3 Pro won over serious critics while more affordable models moved in volume. Now the company has done something bolder: built its first foldable phone. It is not a tentative effort. Chief product officer Pete Lau revealed that six earlier prototypes were abandoned before this one was approved, and that discipline is visible in every detail.
Folded, the Find N feels like a compact, premium object — nothing like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3, which by comparison resembles a tablet forced shut. The 5.48-inch outer screen has an 18:9 ratio, thin bezels, and a rounded hinge that sits completely flush when closed, with no gap between the two halves. The rear material is soft and fingerprint-resistant. Unfold it and a 7.1-inch, 120Hz display opens up, rated to survive 200,000 folds. The hinge — the real engineering achievement — holds at any angle between 50 and 120 degrees, letting the phone stand hands-free like a miniature laptop. The screen crease is the least noticeable of any foldable currently available.
The software has been thoughtfully adapted. OPPO's music app splits lyrics and controls across the fold, while Gmail and Telegram automatically shift into two-window layouts. Multitasking tools like Dual Window and Floating Window are present, though they cannot yet run at the same time. ColorOS 12 runs over Android 11, with an Android 12 upgrade expected in early 2022, and includes small but welcome touches like screen-off gestures for controlling music or activating the flashlight.
The hardware is solid throughout. A Snapdragon 888 chip with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage handles everything without hesitation. The camera system offers five lenses, anchored by the same excellent 50MP sensor from the Find X3 Pro, with a handy feature that lets subjects preview themselves on the outer screen before a shot is taken. The 4500mAh battery with 33W wired charging lasts impressively long under ColorOS's careful management.
Limitations remain. The outer screen refreshes at only 60Hz. Both speakers sit at the bottom. Some apps still struggle with split-screen or the inner display's near-landscape ratio — problems likely to ease with future updates. The harder issue is physical: even with the best foldable form factor available, the Find N is still a thick object when closed, not one that slips easily into a pocket. At €1,073 and available only as a China import, it asks something of its buyers. But for a first attempt, it is genuinely impressive — and it makes you want to see what OPPO builds next.
OPPO arrived in Ireland just over a year ago and made an immediate impression. The company's flagship Find X3 Pro won over serious tech critics, while its more affordable models—the Lite, Neo, A54, and A53—moved in volume. Now, ahead of February's expected unveiling of its next flagship, the company has done something bolder: it has built its first foldable phone, and it works.
The Find N is not a tentative first effort. OPPO's chief product officer Pete Lau revealed that the company had abandoned six previous prototypes before arriving at this one. That discipline shows. When you hold the device folded, it feels like a compact, premium object—nothing like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3, which by comparison feels like a tablet that's been forced shut. The Find N's outer screen measures 5.48 inches with an 18:9 aspect ratio, thin bezels, and a rounded hinge that sits flush when closed. There is no gap between the two halves of the display. The metal frame wraps around both the screen and camera housing, while the rear is a soft, fingerprint-resistant material that feels expensive in your hand.
Unfold it and you get a 7.1-inch display with a 1792x1920 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The screen is durable enough to withstand 200,000 folds, according to OPPO. The hinge is the real achievement here. It can hold the phone open at any angle between 50 and 120 degrees, which means you can prop it up like a mini laptop and use it hands-free. The crease where the screen folds is the least noticeable on any foldable currently available. It's a genuine engineering accomplishment.
The software has been customized throughout. OPPO's music app splits across the fold, with lyrics on top and controls below. Gmail and Telegram automatically adapt to show two-window layouts. There are multitasking features like Dual Window and Floating Window, though it would be better if they could run simultaneously. The phone runs ColorOS 12 over Android 11, with an upgrade to Android 12 expected early in 2022. The operating system is highly customizable and includes useful touches like screen-off gestures that let you change tracks or activate the flashlight without waking the device.
The review unit came with 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, powered by a Snapdragon 888 processor. It's last year's silicon, but it's still high-end and handles everything without hesitation. The camera system includes five lenses total: two 32MP selfie cameras (one on each screen) and a rear setup anchored by the same excellent 50MP f/1.8 sensor found in the Find X3 Pro. The 16MP ultrawide and 13MP telephoto are less impressive. One useful feature lets you preview the rear camera on the front display, so subjects can see themselves in the frame before you shoot.
Battery life is strong. The 4500mAh cell supports 33W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, and ColorOS's battery management means the phone can last for days in standby. The fingerprint sensor on the side is fast and reliable.
But there are real limitations. The outer screen only refreshes at 60Hz, not 120Hz. There are just two speakers, both positioned at the bottom. Not every app works properly in split-screen mode, and some struggle with the unfolded display's almost-landscape aspect ratio. These are software problems that should improve over time as OPPO and app developers refine the experience. The more stubborn issue is that even with the best form factor on a foldable phone, the Find N is still a thick brick when folded—not something that slides easily into a pocket.
For a first attempt, this is genuinely impressive. It makes you want to see what comes next. The Find N costs the equivalent of €1,073 but is only available as an import from China.
Citações Notáveis
The company had abandoned six previous prototypes before arriving at this design— OPPO chief product officer Pete Lau
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why does the hinge matter so much? It's just the part that folds.
The hinge is where everything either works or falls apart. If the crease is visible, if there's a gap, if it feels fragile—the whole phone feels like a prototype. OPPO's hinge is nearly invisible and holds any angle you want. That changes how you actually use the device.
So this is better than Samsung's approach?
Completely different philosophy. Samsung made a tablet that folds. OPPO made a phone that happens to unfold. When it's closed, the Find N feels like something you'd actually carry. The Z Fold feels like you're carrying a folded tablet.
What about the software? Can you really use two apps at once?
Yes, but it's not seamless yet. Gmail knows to show two columns. Telegram adapts. But plenty of apps don't. That's not OPPO's fault—it's that the entire Android ecosystem is still learning how to think about foldable screens.
The outer screen is only 60Hz. That seems like a mistake.
It does. When the inner screen is 120Hz and the outer is 60Hz, you feel the difference. It's a cost-cutting choice that stands out. But it's fixable with a software update or a future model.
Is it worth €1,073?
If you can get it. The real problem is you can't—not easily. It's import-only from China. That limits who can actually buy it. But as a statement of what OPPO can do on the first try? It's worth paying attention to.