The annual release cycle for smartphones often involves minor tweaks and upgrades, encouraging users with older devices to upgrade every few generations. Oppo, however, has deviated from this norm with its approach to folding phones. Following the October 2023 launch of the Oppo Find N3, the Oppo Find N5 arrived last month, showcasing a different strategy. While a planned US release as the OnePlus Open 2 was scrapped, leaving the US market to Samsung and Google, the Find N5’s limited release still highlights significant advancements in folding phone technology. This article explores four key features of the Oppo Find N5 that should become standard for all folding phones.
Ideal Form Factor and Design
The main display and lack of crease on the Oppo Find N5
The Oppo Find N5 boasts a near-perfect form factor and design. Its unfolded thickness of 4.21mm and folded thickness of 8.78mm make it comparable to non-folding flagships like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max. This is a groundbreaking achievement for a folding phone, making it easily mistaken for a traditional smartphone.
The thickness of the Oppo Find N5 when unfolded
The Find N5’s lightweight design, at 229 grams, further enhances its comfortable handling. This is noticeably lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the weight distribution across its larger surface area contributes to a more balanced feel. It’s also significantly thinner than the Z Fold 6, highlighting Samsung’s potential for even slimmer designs in the future, as demonstrated by the Galaxy S25 Edge and Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition. While the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is closer in design to the Find N5, it remains heavier and thicker, presenting opportunities for Google to refine its design.
Optimized Dual Displays and Stylus Support
The Oppo Find N5 folded with the screen closed
The Find N5 prioritizes both displays, featuring a large 6.62-inch Cover display and an expansive 8.12-inch main display. This approach stands out, as many folding phones often compromise the Cover display experience. The Find N5’s Cover display offers a high refresh rate, HDR support, and impressive peak brightness, rivaling flagship non-folding smartphones like the Oppo Find X8.
Oppo Find N5 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 front displays
In contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold offer smaller cover displays, which can feel limiting for users who prefer larger screens. Notably, the Find N5 also supports stylus input on both displays, a feature lacking in the Galaxy Z Fold 6. This dual-screen stylus support enhances productivity and creativity on the device.
Enhanced Battery and Charging
Slim USB-C Port on the Oppo Find N5
The Find N5 boasts the largest battery and fastest charging capabilities among folding phones. Its Silicon Carbon battery technology allows for a 5,600 mAh battery, significantly larger than competitors like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. This results in exceptional multi-day battery life.
Hero photo featuring the Oppo Find N5 inside a pink planter box
The 80W fast charging further elevates the user experience, offering rapid charging speeds. Compared to rivals, the Find N5 charges considerably faster, outpacing the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold significantly. This combination of a large battery and fast charging sets a new standard for folding phone power management.
Innovative Multitasking with Open Canvas
Three window split screen using Open Canvas on the Oppo Find N5
The Find N5 inherits the innovative Open Canvas multitasking feature from OnePlus, providing a superior large-screen experience. Unlike traditional Android multitasking, which can restrict app window sizes, Open Canvas allows users to seamlessly switch between apps, resize them, and view multiple apps simultaneously. This intuitive multitasking system significantly enhances productivity on folding devices.
Three window zoomed out split screen using Open Canvas on the Oppo Find N5
Areas for Improvement and Conclusion
The top half of the front display on the Oppo Find N5
While the Find N5 excels in many areas, there is room for improvement. The ultrawide camera, while adequate, falls short of flagship standards. Additionally, the 7-core Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, while prioritizing battery life, could be upgraded in future iterations.
A close up of the Oppo Find N5 thickness
Despite its limited availability, the Oppo Find N5 sets a new benchmark for folding phone design and functionality. Its innovative features, including the optimized form factor, dual-display design with stylus support, enhanced battery and charging, and the groundbreaking Open Canvas multitasking system, pave the way for the next generation of folding phones. The challenge now lies with competitors to adopt and build upon these advancements, ultimately benefiting consumers with even more refined and powerful folding devices.
