Oppo Find X2 Neo review: Premium smartphone that has its shortcomings

For whom is the Find X2 Neo worthwhile?

The latest technologies are now part of higher-end smartphones (just a shade below the flagship models), and it is only a matter of time before such features end up in more affordable models. The Oppo Find X2 Neo, which is currently equipped to handle the upcoming 5G standard, is no exception. 5G makes this particular Oppo smartphone future-proof, even though 5G network coverage in Germany remains sparse. In some phone contracts, however, the 5G networks of some large cities are already up and running. Thanks to the powerful processor, powerful speakers, and a really nice display, the Oppo Find X2 Neo also allows you to take full advantage of the new possibilities that 5G offers. Anyone who is interested in new technologies or is looking for a smartphone that will last them for the next few years should read on.

In the price comparison, you can decide between the blue and black colour variants. The price of the Find X2 Neo ranges between €600 ($686.50) and €650 ($743.80).

 

Here the Oppo Find X2 Neo convinces

Bright AMOLED screen at 90 Hertz

The very first time you turn on the Oppo Find X2 Neo, your eyes will be stunned by the 500 nits of brightness, as though you were staring at the sun. Of course, this is the impressive 6.5-inch AMOLED display in action, which extends across 90% of the front area of the smartphone.  Oppo has decided to place the punch-hole notch camera in the upper left corner of the device. Compared to the placement of the notch in the "Infinity Display" of the Samsung Galaxy S20, this punch-hole in the display is far less noticeable.

In films and videos, people and objects tend to be placed centrally in the camera image. As humans, we also have a tendency to veer toward establishing eye contact with another person anyway. As a result, I quickly forgot that there is a notch in the display of the Find X2 Neo when viewing videos. On top of that, when you look at the AMOLED panel, you are distracted by bright and vibrant colours at a refresh rate of 90 times per second.

Yes, you heard it correctly. The Oppo Find X2's display offers a refresh rate of 90 Hertz. This makes the operating system, which runs fast anyway courtesy of the Snapdragon 765 processor, look a bit more crisp than usual. The effect is more telling when you scroll through long lists or are enjoying mobile games in a better way with the high refresh rate. However, take note that a high refresh rate is a bane on the battery, as Oppo integrates an automatic control of this function into the operating system.

The screen has one drawback though: the resolution count. With a pixel density of 402ppi at a resolution of 1,080 x 2,400 pixels, this corresponds to a Full HD+ resolution the 20:9 display format. Since more content these days is being uploaded in high-resolution 4K on YouTube and Netflix, this makes the display somewhat deficient for the future. However, this is a grouse that is valid only on paper, because compared to the pOLED display of my Google Pixel 3XL, I like the screen of the Find X2 Neo better. You can't see more pixels if the display is too dark anyway.

Facial recognition and fingerprint sensor

Make no mistake about it, the screen of the Oppo Find X2 Neo has even more to offer. It can read your fingerprints, making it a secure way of verifying your identity when you pick up the handset. Placed in the lower segment right down the middle, a small symbol lights up when you unlock the phone. The entire process will take less than a second, where your finger will be scanned by a discreet light pulse after you place it in order to unlock your device. So far, it has proven to be a reliable and above all, fast biometric scanner, which is only topped by the facial recognition capability of this handset.

Read on: Oppo evolves to include smartwatches

For this review, I used the Find X2 Neo's facial recognition in addition to the fingerprint sensor security measures. This is a security combo that I highly recommend. The facial recognition works so fast that the smartphone unlocks without any hesitation whenever you look at it. The unlocking is signaled by a short vibration and an animation around the front camera.

Details

Such small details can be found in the entire operating system, which Oppo dubbed " Color OS". While exploring, you will discover small animations or details such as the wafer-thin, green trim in the phone's power switch in many places. An edge lighting also serves as a replacement for a separate notification LED. With this, the slightly curved edge of the phone will discreetly illuminate when there are incoming calls or other messages. Another detail that always makes me happy in smartphone reviews is this: the Oppo Find X2 Neo comes with a transparent protective cover. Thanks to the good fit, this is perfectly sufficient for rudimentary protection.

Quad camera works well under proper lighting, offers image stabilisation

The protective cover smoothens the back of the handset which is not completely flat due to the island that houses the quad-camera. Unfortunately, this smartphone does wobble a few millimetres back and forth without the cover when you let it lie down on its back. The quad-camera covers a focal length range from ultra-wide-angle to telephoto and offers a macro mode and optical depth detection for better portrait shots.

In combination with a neatly arranged camera island, taking pictures with the Find X2 Neo is fun. Along the way, you'll quickly think of the initial scenarios in which you can use functions such as the ten colour filters, HDR mode, and variable focal lengths. Especially with the ultra-wide angle mode that provides exciting shots of buildings while walking through the city, or placing people in a completely different light.

Unfortunately, the quality of the 8-megapixel sensor is not very good. The fact that the wide-angle lens can't be used in video mode is also a big omission. You can only use the 2x optical and the 5x hybrid zoom for videos. As it becomes more and more difficult to keep the image still as the focal length increases, you will benefit greatly from the Find X2 Neo's integrated image stabiliser.

Oppo Find X2 Neo

	Main camera	Telecamera	Wide-angle camera	Depth camera	Front camera
Megapixel	48	13	8	2	32
Focal length	26 millimetres	53 millimeters	115 degrees (field of view)	no information	26 millimeters
Sensor size	1/2"	1/3,4"	1/3,2"	1/5"	1/2,8"
Pixel size	0,8µm	1,0µm	1.4µm	1,75µm	0.8µm
Image stabiliser	Visual	Digital	Digital	Digital	Digital
Video resolution	Maximum 4K	Maximum 4K	-	-	Maximum Full HD
frames per second	4K: 30 / Full HD: 60	4K: 30 / Full HD: 60	-	-	30
slow motion	Yes	No	No	No	No

The image stabilisation is very impressive and can be adjusted accordingly. Oppo's "Hybrid Image Stabilisation" technology, merges an optical image stabiliser with electronic image stabilisation in order to keep the camera image steady even when walking or if you are shaking it intentionally. In Standard mode, the image is zoomed in a little bit for this purpose. In "Pro" mode, the field of view is enlarged.

Here, the Find X2 compensates for movements via the ultra-wide-angle camera and the stabilisation is almost seamless. However, I noticed image errors time and again, which are typical for electronic image stabilisation. Objects get a little stuck in the video during movements and are surrounded by a light veil.

All in all, the Find X2 Neo's camera also does an admirable job under good lighting conditions. You can see exactly what the results look like in our shared picture folder.

Quick charge function

Before I come to criticising this device, here is a brief word about the Oppo Find X2 Neo's quick load function. The Chinese manufacturer only broke its own record for recharging smartphones in July 2020, and the latest version of its SuperVOOC technology recharges batteries in just 20 minutes. The older version of this fast-charging technology is used in the Find X2 Neo.

The included power supply unit works with a maximum power of 30 watts and recharges the phone from 12 percent battery status to 100 percent within 45 minutes. Again, the smartphone continues to up the charm by including beautiful animations during the charging process. On the screen, you will see sparks from USB-C port at the bottom, making me feel as though the Find X2 Neo is alive!

Speakers and call quality

The Find X2 Neo's good loudspeakers also stand out in a positive manner. One speaker is located at the top while the other is placed to the right of the USB-C port in order to provide real stereo sound loud without having to compromise on quality. This makes the phone perfect for watching YouTube videos or movies without the need for an additional Bluetooth speaker.

The microphones that Oppo places on the smartphone are of similarly high quality. Together with the transmission standard " HD-telephony" I received many compliments for the good call quality when I secretly changed phones. It's nice that Oppo doesn't completely ignorethe main task of a telephone despite all the additional functions.

Here the Oppo Find X2 Neo disappointed

Quad camera in low light

As soon as the Find X2 Neo's quad-camera gets too little light, the image quality decreases dramatically. Oppo does integrate a night mode into the phone, and at first glance, it works quite well. In very dark environments, Oppo manages to obtain rich colours and sufficient light out of the subject by compositing several pictures together. However, the effect is lost when you zoom into the pictures.

The results are muddy with very poor details. An alternative to the normal night mode, there is a "tripod mode" in the Find X2 Neo. The smartphone confidently tries to compensate for your movements in a reliable manner so that it can perform a long exposure. Technically, this is very tough to achieve, because even the smallest movements will lead to blurring. After 30 seconds of waiting time, I ended up with a blurry result. Here, the high megapixel number of the main sensor seems to stand in the way of the Find X2 Neo. This is because the more pixels you place on a small sensor, the stronger the noise behaviour due to small pixels.

Vibration motor

Unfortunately, the vibration motor in the Oppo Find X2 Neo is a stumbling block for a smartphone of this stature. In quiet environments, it rattles along and when vibrations occur in quick succession, such as when entering data via the virtual keyboard, making the rattling sound very annoying. In addition, the vibrations are by no means concise, but very spongy. Despite the high price and the high manufacturing quality, the Find X2 Neo looks cheap as soon as it begins to vibrate.

Premium features missing

At a price of just under €700 ($803), the Find X2 Neo's specifications sheet lacks some premium features in comparison to other representatives in its price range. This Oppo phone doesn't have an IP certification, which ensures protection against water and dust. WiFi6, a faster Snapdragon 865 processor, and modern versions of RAM and memory are already offered on other models at a similar price point, not to mention dual-SIM function and expandable memory capability.

Most painfully, however, I miss the option of wireless charging, especially when Oppo has proven itself to be an impressive performer here. The manufacturer's AirVOOC technology is fast and reliable and would have been a good addition on the Find X2 Neo.