OPPO Find X3 Pro vs Neo vs Lite

After the success of the OPPO Find X2 series, expectations were pretty high for the launch of the OPPO Find X3 series earlier this year. And now that we’ve had the opportunity to spend time with each device in the OPPO lineup, we’re happy to report they don’t disappoint. However, if you’re in the market for a new phone, you might be wondering what the differences and similarities are between the three handsets and which one will suit you best.

Here, we’re breaking down the key features of the OPPO Find X3 Pro, Neo and Lite to help you decide which is right for you.

These days, most smartphone flagship lineups start at around $1,200 and can reach well over $2,000 for the top-of-the-range device. What’s interesting about the OPPO Find X3 lineup is that it starts at just $749 with the Find X3 Lite. In the middle is the Find X3 Neo at $1,199, followed by the budget-busting Find X3 Pro, which retails for $1,699. All three are available on plans, though providers differ by model.

The OPPO Find X3 range is a somewhat strange one in terms of design. For the top-of-the-line Find X3 Pro, OPPO has gone for an ultra-sleek, futuristic curved backplate with a quirky camera bump that appears to emerge from the same single backplate.

The Find X3 Neo and Find X3 Lite, on the other hand, both sport a shimmery, textured matte backing (made from glass in the Neo, plastic in the Lite). Both are stylish and comfortable to hold.

Display-wise, each model offers a different screen size, refresh rate and colour profile. All, however, are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

The Find X3 Pro boasts an expansive 6.7-inch curved LTPO AMOLED display with a silky-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and the ability to display one billion colours - the first Android phone to do so, in fact.

On the Find X3 Neo, you’ll find a slightly smaller 6.55-inch curved AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support, while the Find X3 Lite rocks a 6.53-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and no HDR support.

This is where things get really interesting, making the differences in display and design between the models seem pretty inconsequential.

When the OPPO Find X3 Pro was first revealed, we were excited to try the new 3MP microscope lens - the first of its kind in a smartphone. Paired with a 50MP wide lens, 50MP ultrawide lens and 13MP telephoto lens, it makes for one of the best camera setups you’ll ever see in a phone. We were truly impressed with some of the results.

Though the Find X3 Neo swaps that microscope lens for a 2MP macro lens and the 50MP ultrawide to just a 16MP, it was still capable of producing some truly beautiful results worthy of any flagship.

It’s only when we get to the Find X3 Lite that things start to fall apart (even if just a little). Its 64MP/8MP/2MP/2MP camera array shares very little with its more expensive siblings. While it can take some decent shots in good lighting, the macro lens is a real let-down, with snaps looking noisy and washed out.

First, let’s start with the similarities. The OPPO Find X3 Pro, Neo and Lite are all 5G-enabled, support reverse charging, 65W fast charging and run OPPO’s ColorOS 11.1 (based on Android 11). All three also offer impressive battery life - while testing each, I was able to eke out up to two days of moderate usage.

Now, for the differences.

Unsurprisingly, the Find X3 Pro has pretty much every bell and whistle you’d hope for in a high-end phone. Think IP68 dust and waterproofing, 10W wireless charging and WiFi 6. It also houses a highly capable Snapdragon 888 5G chipset (the same found in the Samsung Galaxy S21 range), paired with 12GB of RAM, 256GB onboard storage and an Adreno 660 GPU. Together, it makes for an unbelievably snappy user experience.

As the middle child, the Find X3 Neo does miss out on some of the Pro’s juiciest specs. You won’t find waterproofing or wireless charging, which is a shame given the still-high RRP of $1,199. Still, you’ll get WiFi 6, last year’s flagship Snapdragon 865 processor and the same 12GB of RAM and 256GB internal storage. Performance-wise, it’s almost identical to its higher-priced sibling.

Given it’s less than half the cost of the Pro, it should come as no surprise that the Find X3 Lite comes with more than a few compromises. Like the Neo, there’s no waterproofing or wireless charging, but something it does have (that will make some people very happy), is the humble 3.5mm headphone jack. Under the hood, it runs on the mid-range Snapdragon 765G chipset with 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage. It’s nothing particularly special, but more than enough to handle your everyday tasks.

In the battle of the OPPO Find X3 Pro vs Neo vs Lite, which comes out on top? For most people, the Find X3 Neo is the best choice. Even though the Find X3 Pro is better in almost every way (one of the best, in fact), the $1,699 price tag is sure to scare off many potential buyers. Though the Neo doesn’t support wireless charging and has no waterproofing, it still very much holds its own against the Pro and is a great middle ground. The Lite, on the other hand, will best suit those on a budget - but honestly, there are better options in this price range, both from OPPO and other brands.