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Oppo Find X fails basic bend test, proving durability is not its strong suit

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By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Jul 27, 2018, 2:06 AM

Android

Groundbreaking, eye-catching, and… structurally flawed. That latter part is not what we expected to hear about the nearly bezelless Oppo Find X smartphone unveiled in Paris a little over a month ago, but the motorized mechanism hiding both the front and rear cameras always seemed like a risky design venture.

According to professional smartphone breaker Zack Nelson from YouTube channel JerryRigEverything, that risk hasn’t exactly paid off, at least from a durability standpoint. Ironically, Nelson was recently pondering whether his destructive job would become futile soon enough, as the vast majority of today’s high-end and even upper mid-range handsets have no problem acing his grueling torture tests.

The Oppo Find X does a solid job of resisting scratches itself, with a beautiful glass back, Gorilla Glass 5-protected AMOLED screen, no visible cameras, sensors or buttons on the front, and a couple of rear-mounted logos printed on the underside of the glass.

The metal sides and buttons are themselves as tough as you’d expect, the high-res display can withstand a decent 14 seconds of direct flame contact before exhibiting permanent white burn marks, but none of that can make up for the fact the Oppo Find X snaps in half if you apply enough pressure.

Right off the bat, it’s obvious the wiggly and jiggly motorized contraption is not designed with durability in mind, and unfortunately, neither is the phone’s frame. Zack Nelson has all the technical explanations you need, but in a nutshell, you’ll want to remember not to sit on this innovative bad boy or step on it after a drop.

It’s obviously better not to drop it at all, or buy a protective case as soon as possible. That is, if you’re lucky to reside in a country where one of today’s coolest-looking mobile devices is set to go on sale. And yes, that means we’re not suggesting you forget all about the Oppo Find X. You can still get it if you’re in love with that arguably stunning design, just remember it may not hold up as well as some of its more “conventional” rivals.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.

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