OnePlus Open review: a fantastic folding that comes with a little catch

OnePlus Open review:.. There have been foldable phones on the market for a number of years now, but they have not yet reached the level of acceptance that is considered mainstream. It used to be that one brand, Samsung, had a significant amount of market share, at least in the United States, but this has changed over the course of the last several months and years.

The OnePlus Open was the company’s first foldable smartphone, which was released in 2023.

OnePlus Open review

Despite the fact that OnePlus is a relatively lesser brand when compared to companies such as Apple, Samsung, and even Google, the company nevertheless produces certain gadgets that are quite powerful. Among the Android phones that are now available for purchase, the OnePlus 12 is among the finest, and the OnePlus Pad continues to be a highly recommended tablet platform.

The OnePlus Open is the company’s first folding phone; how does it compare to other folding phones? Generally speaking, it’s very amazing to go through.

Regarding our review of the OnePlus Open,?

Our evaluation of the OnePlus Open was first published on October 19, 2023, which was after the phone had been released to the public. An additional look into the OnePlus Open was provided by Christine Romero-Chan in April 2024, and a new “six months later” piece was included below.

Six months after the launch of OnePlus Open?

Despite the fact that it was released in 2023, the OnePlus Open is still an outstanding foldable device that continues to perform well even in 2024. There is no doubt that it is still among the greatest foldable phones that are now available for purchase.

In the moment that I took up the OnePlus Open to review it half a year later, I was quickly reminded of the reasons why this was one of the finest phones, particularly for a foldable, that was released toward the end of the previous year. The OnePlus Open is exceptionally lightweight and pleasant to handle and operate, especially with one hand, despite the fact that it has a foldable form factor. Both of these characteristics are true. Because it is made of titanium alloy and has a Flexion Hinge design, it is far lighter than its competitors, which include the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Google Pixel Fold. In order to make it pleasant to operate with one hand, it is light enough, and the display on the cover is of a size that is comparable to that of a conventional phone. Even when I had it open and was using the inside display as well, I felt that it was a relaxing experience to navigate through the applications with only one hand.

When it comes to displays, the OnePlus Open really has some of the most impressive screens that I have ever used. According to what I indicated, the display on the cover is 6.31 inches, which is about equivalent to the size of a typical slab smartphone. This means that it does not feel too different to use, especially when using it with one hand. One of the things that irritates me about the Galaxy Z Fold series is that the cover screen is so tall and narrow. This makes the on-screen keyboard more cramped than it would normally be, which causes me to make a lot of typing errors when I use it. To my great relief, I do not have this issue with the OnePlus Open. This is because it utilizes the size of a standard phone, which is something that I really like.

What I like most, however, is the display on the inside. How come? I truly like the antireflective layer that is located on the inside display since it not only drastically lessens the amount of glare that is there, but it also makes the crease far less obvious in comparison to other products on the market. When you use the OnePlus Open outside in the sunshine, the antireflective coating is actually what makes all the difference. This is particularly true when you consider that the Open also achieves a peak brightness of 2,800 nits on both screens. Despite the fact that it does not have the jaw-dropping 4,500 nits that you will receive on the more recent OnePlus 12, it is still brighter than the majority of the other phones that are currently available on the market. I would say that the one disadvantage of the antireflective coating is that it will most likely cause you to see more fingerprints; however, this is something that can be easily removed by wiping it down every once in a while. In addition to this, the protective coatings also make the interior display more long-lasting.

Despite this, I continue to have some reservations about the Flexion Hinge. Because it uses fewer components than its competitors, it is lighter and simpler to open the smartphone flat without having to apply a lot of pressure, in contrast to the Pixel Fold. This is the most significant benefit of employing fewer components than rivals. However, it is still a double-edged sword since if you open the device and attempt to use it in clamshell mode at an angle of around 135 degrees or more, it will spring open completely flat without requiring a great deal of effort. It was really frustrating for me to attempt to view films while seated on my bed since I encountered this problem. To say the least, it was irritating. However, this is a specialized use case; if you do not intend to use the OnePlus Open in clamshell mode like that very often, then it is an excellent tool to have.

And despite the fact that it is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU from the previous year, it is still amazingly quick and fluid in day-to-day usage. As a result of its 120Hz refresh rate, applications load quickly, scrolling is a breeze, moving between different applications is a joy, and its multitasking features allow you to breeze through anything without breaking a sweat. Additionally, the process of capturing images is quick, and mobile gaming is also handled very effectively. With 16 gigabytes of random access memory (RAM), the OnePlus Open is capable of handling everything you throw at it.

It has been many months since the debut of the OnePlus Open, which was met with a great deal of critical acclaim. This is without a doubt one of the most enjoyable foldables I’ve ever used, and it continues to be true even after many months have passed. If you are searching for a foldable smartphone that is of high quality, then the OnePlus Open is difficult to surpass, even in the year 2024.

A design for the OnePlus Open?

As is the case with previous OnePlus goods, the OnePlus Open has a design that is both sophisticated and industrial. This is one of the ways in which the brand distinguishes itself from its competitors. For the OnePlus Open, you can choose between two different colors: Emerald Dusk and Voyager Black. The Emerald Dusk version was provided to us for the purpose of this review.

The OnePlus Open features matte-frosted glass that is really pleasant to the touch and can be found on the rear of the device. In spite of the fact that it is quite simple to acquire fingerprints and smudges all over it, it is silky smooth. The Emerald Dusk hue is reminiscent of the Midnight Green color seen on Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro; however, the color changes and shimmers based on the angle at which it is viewed and the lighting conditions that are present. Whatever the case may be, it is a really gorgeous shade of green, which is not something that you normally see. In the event that you choose the Voyager Black option, the back cover is made of vegan leather instead.

Additionally, the location of the quite huge circular camera bump, replete with the Hasselblad logo, can be found on the rear of the device. In my view, it is a little bit too large, and it adds a little bit of weight to this side, which causes it to be a little top-heavy, especially when it is used in clamshell mode. On the other hand, this gives rise to a different issue, which I will discuss in the next section.

To put it simply, the OnePlus Open has a really pleasant feel to the touch.

The majority of foldables are on the heavier side, and the form factor has an impact on how the cover display is used. OnePlus, on the other hand, seems to have struck a decent balance with the Open, since the display on the cover is just 6.3 inches. Because of this, using the cover display is similar to using a standard smartphone, which is something that you won’t be able to experience with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 due to its tall and narrow cover display.

Additionally, OnePlus made the Open one of the foldables that weighs the least possible. This is due to the fact that OnePlus uses a unique alloy consisting of cobalt, molybdenum, and titanium as opposed to stainless steel, which is preferred by the majority of other smartphones in this category. There are just 239 grams of weight for the OnePlus Open, which is almost equivalent to the weight of an iPhone 14 Pro Max (240 grams). Competitors with a larger weight include the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, which weighs 253 grams, and the Google Pixel Fold, which weighs 283 grams. It is a little bit simpler to use the OnePlus Open for long lengths of time due to the fact that it is lightweight, particularly while one hand is on the cover screen.

The Alert Slider was reintroduced by OnePlus with the release of the OnePlus Open, and it can be found on the upper half of the phone (or the left side when the phone is open, respectively). For the purpose of ensuring that it is compatible with the 5.8mm compact folding body, the Alert Slider has been completely rebuilt from the ground up, including the Open. If you have previously used a OnePlus smartphone with the Alert Slider, you may have noticed that the button size has been raised and the center frame location has been altered to make it easier to use with one hand.

When I use the Alert Slider, I am truly experiencing it for the very first time, and I must say that it is a wonderful experience. I genuinely enjoy how much simpler it is to utilize the Alert Slider in comparison to the normal mute/silent toggle that is found on the iPhone 15 and earlier versions. This is mostly due to the fact that you can easily use it with only one hand.

Both the volume rocker and the power button/fingerprint sensor are located on the bottom half of the OnePlus Open, which is also the right side when the device is open. Without any issues, the fingerprint sensor has shown a satisfactory level of accuracy and speed.

This is the Flexion Hinge for the OnePlus Open.

The Flexion Hinge was a product that OnePlus customized for the OnePlus Open. It is constructed on a single-spine design, which, according to OnePlus, enables greater integration between components and makes it more robust in comparison to the three-part spine that is used by other foldables. The Flexion Hinge decreases the total number of components to 69, which is much less than the more than 100 components that are found in rival foldables. This results in the hinge and the device as a whole being lighter.

Despite the fact that all of this sounds fantastic on paper, I discovered that the hinge of the OnePlus Open seemed a little bit more slack than the hinges of other foldables, such as the Google Pixel Fold. In fact, after you open the device beyond what would be considered an obtuse angle (about 135 degrees), it sort of automatically leaps into the completely open 180-degree position with very little to no effort being required. A difficulty arises from the fact that the hinge does not possess a great deal of rigidity, which prevents it from remaining open at any angle that you choose.

It is not clear to me whether this is due to the fact that the Flexion Hinge design involves a smaller number of components in its construction or if it is because of the enormous camera hump that makes that half a little bit top-heavy. However, if you are attempting to use the OnePlus Open in clamshell mode for viewing purposes beyond 90 degrees (for example, if you are seated with a table or surface that is lower than eye level, etc.), then you may have to deal with the inconvenience of constantly adjusting the viewing angle because it will simply spring open flat without much force.

The Flexion Hinge, on the other hand, makes it possible for the OnePlus Open to open up fully flat without requiring a great deal of pressure. This is the reverse of the Pixel Fold, which requires you to use some effort in order to open it completely flat, which is usually a little bit nerve-wracking.

When you look at it from the front, the crease is almost undetectable because of the antireflective inner display. This is in reference to the fact that it is entirely open. When you run your fingers over the center of the inner display, you can still feel it. However, if a visible crease would be the bane of your life, then I am pleased to announce that the OnePlus Open has a very limited number of creases. You are able to see it when you are looking at it from the side, but that is not how you would generally use it anyway.

An almost ideal hinge design would be achieved if the hinge could be made to be so robust that it could maintain its open position even when seen from an oblique angle.

Screens on the OnePlus Open

The OnePlus Open has a Super Fluid AMOLED display of 6.31 inches in size and uses LTPO 3.0 technology. You are provided with a resolution of 2484 by 1116 pixels, a pixel density of 431 pixels per inch (ppi), and an aspect ratio of 20:09. It achieves 1,400 nits of HDR brightness or 2,800 nits of peak outdoor brightness, which is 400 nits brighter than the Google Pixel 8 Pro. The dynamic refresh rate goes from 10 Hz to 120 Hz, and it reaches high dynamic range brightness (HDR) brightness.

A larger square 7.82-inch Flexi-fluid AMOLED with LTPO 3.0 panel display that has a resolution of 2440 x 2268 and a pixel density of 426 pixels per inch is used for the interior display. In addition to having the same brightness levels of 1,400 and 2,800 nits as the cover display, the dynamic refresh rate may vary anywhere from 1Hz to 120Hz.

Additionally, the display on the OnePlus Open cover is protected by a proprietary Ceramic Guard coating, which ensures that it is twenty percent more resistant to impact than the Corning Glass Victus that is often used on smartphones today. Protecting the Flexi-fluid display from the effects of physical impact is a layer of ultra-thin glass (UTG) and a layer of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) that are both present on the primary inner display. Last but not least, the top layer has an antireflective screen protector, which not only shields the screen from damage caused by wear and tear but also eliminates glare. Moreover, I feel that the antireflective coating contributes to the reduction of the visibility of the crease.

I have a tendency to use foldables most of the time, which means that the display on the cover serves as my primary screen. This is the case until I want more space for multitasking or other activities that are more effective when performed on a bigger screen, such as editing photos. I thought the display on the cover of the OnePlus Open was stunning; it has a high level of brightness, the colors are deep and vibrant, and the lettering is clear and distinct. The scrolling experience is both smooth and quick, thanks to the dynamic refresh rate of 120 Hz.

The size of the cover display is another aspect that I really love. My issue with the Galaxy Z Fold series has always been the uncomfortable tall and narrow cover screen, which makes it difficult for me to use since I have difficulties with the tight keypad in comparison to traditional phone sizes. This has been my problem with the Galaxy Z Fold series. Between the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Pixel Fold, which is both broader and shorter, the OnePlus Open is a decent compromise that falls somewhere in the middle. It seems to me that the cover display of the Open is more comparable to that of a contemporary glass slab phone, which ultimately makes it simpler for me to operate.

The show on the inside is likewise really beautiful. Despite the presence of the antireflective coating, the colors are vivid and saturated, the text is crisp, and the scrolling experience is completely smooth because of the 120Hz refresh rate. I also really like having the antireflective display since it is a huge help when I am using it unfurled outside in the strong sunshine.

In light of the fact that this was a problem with the Google Pixel Fold, it is wonderful to note that the OnePlus Open has alleviated the glare on the internal display. You should be aware that it has a tendency to attract fingerprints, which means that you may need to clean it off often.

What about the OnePlus Open’s software and performance?

It is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor from Qualcomm, an Adreno 740 graphics processing unit (GPU), 16 gigabytes of random access memory (RAM), and 512 gigabytes of storage space. OnePlus’s own operating system, OxygenOS 13.2, which is based on Android 13, is also included in the package.

The Open Canvas feature is one of the most important aspects of OxygenOS 13.2. This is a whole new method of multitasking with the OnePlus Open, and it was created from the ground up with the intention of enhancing day-to-day productivity by maximizing the efficiency of multi-window operations on a bigger screen.

When you utilize split-screen mode or do activities that involve many windows, you are not limited to the size of the display that you are currently using since Open Canvas allows you to avoid this limitation. It is possible to opt to extend and resize active windows according to your requirements, while the secondary window may slide in and out of the canvas whenever you like.

Additionally, the OnePlus Open comes with the capability to show up to three app windows simultaneously on the screen (either in split screen or floating mode), and it may do so in either the vertical or horizontal direction. It is also possible to freely move them around and adjust their size according to your preferences. Additionally, if you have applications that are all coupled together, you have the ability to store up to nine of them, which will spare you the trouble of having to do it each time.

OxygenOS 13.2’s Open Canvas also has a taskbar that is similar to a desktop and is located at the bottom of the screen. This taskbar is permanent, which means that it will remain visible even after a few seconds have passed, even while using gestures to navigate the system. You may quickly access current programs as well as applications that you have already set up on the taskbar.

My experience with the Open Canvas multitasking interface was that it was quite easy to understand and uncomplicated to control. There are visual indications that will assist you in determining where you may grab and resize windows, and the permanent taskbar will offer you efficient access to all of your programs, including the ones you use the most often, as well as recent apps.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 16 gigabytes of random access memory give the OnePlus Open a great deal of power. During the time that I was evaluating the software, I did not encounter any problems with its performance. I had a number of applications open at the same time, and each of them functioned normally. There was no stuttering while moving between applications or when utilizing split screens or floating windows.

Most of the time, I have used the OnePlus Open for my normal activities, which include organizing my calendar, checking social media, work messaging, personal and business emails, streaming Disney+ and music, shooting photographs, and playing some Diablo Immortal. I even utilized the OnePlus Open to design a digital invitation for my daughter’s forthcoming birthday party without breaking a sweat. The celebration is going to be held in December. Although it is possible for the phone to get somewhat warm when running games and applications that use a greater amount of resources, it has never reached a point where it is unpleasant to hold.

The power of the OnePlus Open is quite remarkable

Furthermore, the OnePlus Open is equipped with a function that enables you to increase the amount of RAM that is accessible on the smartphone. The RAM Expansion option allows you to utilize a portion of the available storage space to increase the amount of RAM that you have accessible, provided that you have sufficient storage space available. The option is activated by default, and it increases the amount of RAM by 4 gigabytes. To modify it, however, you may set it to 8GB or 12GB, or you can turn it off if you do not want it.

Considering that it is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and has a minimum of 16 gigabytes of random access memory (RAM), the OnePlus Open should have no trouble dealing with whatever you throw at it. Additionally, the Open Canvas feature makes it much simpler than ever before to multitask and increase productivity.

In terms of software, the OnePlus Open will be upgraded to four major versions of Android, and it will also get security updates for a cumulative period of five years. With the quality of the construction, this foldable should be able to serve you for a considerable amount of time.

In the OnePlus Open, cameras?

One of the most stunning features of the OnePlus Open is the inclusion of a triple-lens Hasselblad camera array on the back of the device. The primary camera is a Sony LYTIA-T808 “Pixel Stacked” sensor with 48 megapixels; the ultrawide camera also has 48 megapixels; and the telephoto camera has 64 megapixels and can zoom up to 120 times Ultra Res, as well as 3 times optical zoom and 6 times in-sensor zoom.

Due to the fact that this is a folding phone, as well as having two selfie cameras on the cover display, there are also two cameras on the primary display. While the camera on the inside display is just 20 megapixels, the cover display has a more amazing 32 megapixels for the selfie camera. In addition, the OnePlus Open comes equipped with the capability to take selfies with the back cameras, should you so desire.

The OnePlus Open has, up to this point in my testing, produced photographs that are rather stunning, which is not unexpected considering the specifications. The colors are vivid and vivid, but they are never oversaturated, which is something that I have encountered with Samsung cellular phones. A decent level of information is there in the images; the skin tones seem to be true; and there is very minimal shutter lag, which makes it a pretty excellent camera for taking pictures of movement. The fact that I was able to take some photographs of my daughter while she was swinging without the images being too blurry was an astounding feat in and of itself.

Portrait mode photographs may be zoomed in at a ratio of 1x, 2x, or 3x, and throughout my testing, I did not encounter any significant problems with the edge recognition. The bokeh in the backdrop of the photographs seems natural and is not overdone, which contributes to the images’ overall pleasing appearance. Selfies also turn out very well, but at first I noticed that there was a bit of an airbrush affect that made them seem more attractive. You have the option of turning this off if you so desire. With its huge sensors, the Hasselblad camera is also capable of producing photos that are satisfactory in low-light conditions.

There is also the capability of taking macro photographs with the OnePlus Open; nevertheless, the outcomes of these images were quite inconsistent. There were moments when I was under the impression that it was sufficiently focused for the macro photo, but it turned out that it wasn’t. As a consequence, the final product is rather fuzzy and out of focus. On occasion, it was crystal clear and quite crisp. When it comes to macros, I think it’s hard to find a better option than the iPhone 15 Pro.

A particular aspect that I would like to bring to your attention is the 120x Super Res zoom. The results were dreadful; it looks like a poor watercolor painting. I tested it out, and the results were what I expected. It is also quite difficult to achieve precision with it unless you make use of a tripod. This is due to the fact that your hand is continually moving, even if it does not seem to be doing so. OnePlus is able to claim that the phone offers this feature, but in reality, it is not something that users should be utilizing.

To a large extent, the cameras that come with the OnePlus Open are rather amazing. It is simple to capture high-quality action photos, and the images have a pleasing color balance and plenty of details. Expecting great macros or photos that can be used with a 120x zoom is not realistic.

Battery and charging: what about the OnePlus Open?

With a capacity of 4,805 milliampere-hours (mAh), the OnePlus Open has a battery that is somewhat higher than the 4,400 mAh that Samsung provides in the Galaxy Z Fold 5, but it is comparable to the 4,821 mAh that is found in the Google Pixel Fold. That the battery should be able to endure for more than one day of regular usage on a single charge is something that OnePlus asserts, and my testing demonstrates that this is the case.

In spite of the fact that I spent a significant amount of time on my OnePlus Open watching Disney+ episodes, the battery did not even begin to discharge after an hour of continuous viewing; in fact, it fell by less than ten percent within that time frame. In addition, I played Diablo Immortal for around half an hour, and the battery only fell a few percentage points. This was despite the fact that I did not have the graphics settings increased; rather, they stayed at their normal levels. Adjusting the performance of some games will have a greater impact on the amount of time the battery can last.

The OnePlus Open is equipped with SuoerVOOC fast-charging technology, which allows it to support charging rates of up to 67 watts. This is true even if you do not consume the device for more than one day, as claimed. In other words, you may go from having a 1% battery to having a 100% battery in a little over an hour, or, to be more specific, 42 minutes.

You can go from having a 1% battery to having a 100% battery in a little over an hour, or, to be more specific, 42 minutes.

You shouldn’t expect to be able to use a wireless charger to charge the OnePlus Open, despite the fact that it has a huge battery that can last all day and supports some rather rapid charging rates. Unfortunately, it does not enable wireless charging or reverse wired/wireless charging, which is a bummer given the price tag. Wireless charging is also no longer supported.

Full wireless connectivity as well as reverse wireless connectivity are both available with the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Despite the fact that the Google Pixel Fold does not enable Battery Share, it does offer wireless charging, but at a power level of just 7.5 inches.

Is the OnePlus Open available and what is its price?

Since October 26, 2023, the OnePlus Open has been available for purchase. One may place an order for it either directly via the OnePlus website or through stores such as Amazon. Either the Emerald Dusk or Voyager Black hues will set you back $1,700, and the only storage and RAM capacities that are included are 16GB and 512GB, respectively.

Considering that it is $100 less expensive than the other options available, the pricing is intriguing. There are basic variants of both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Google Pixel Fold that have less storage and RAM than the base models of the other two devices, which also start at $1,800 retail. Of course, it is not all.

A trade-in deal is now being offered by OnePlus, which allows customers to trade in any phone, regardless of its condition, in order to get a minimum discount of $200. This brings the price of the OnePlus Open down to at least $1,500. It is possible that you might get a discount of up to $1,000, depending on the phone that you trade in. This deal is not intended to be a limited-time presale promotion; rather, it will continue for the whole of the product life cycle for the OnePlus Open.

A judgment on the OnePlus Open?

Considering that it is OnePlus’s first effort at a foldable handset, the OnePlus Open is a remarkable product. In addition to being one of the most lightweight foldables available on the market, it is also a wonderful size when folded and unfolded. This is because the materials that are utilized, which include titanium, make it very lightweight. It’s possible that the OnePlus Open may convince you otherwise if you’ve been considering purchasing a foldable device because of its high weight.

The screens on the OnePlus Open are of high quality, and both of them look fantastic while they are in use. Because the cover display is 6.31 inches, which is comparable to the size of a typical smartphone, it is quite useful and does not require any sacrifices. Furthermore, the antireflective coating that is included on the inner display makes it far more useful in comparison to other foldables, such as the Google Pixel Fold, which has an inside display that is quite reflective. An additional benefit of this antireflective coating is that it helps to lessen the visibility of the crease.

In addition, the construction of the OnePlus Open as a whole is undeniably captivating. Emerald Dusk is a stunning shade of emerald that shimmers beautifully, and the Hasselblad camera array is what sets this phone apart from the rest of the competition. Therefore, if you are looking for a foldable smartphone that has a fantastic camera, the OnePlus Open is a really wonderful choice to consider. The Hasselblad camera is capable of producing some excellent photographs, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 engine and 16GB of RAM ensure that there is very little to no shutter lag.

It’s possible that the OnePlus Open will alter your perspective on foldables.

It is important to note that the Flexion Hinge is a double-edged sword. The nicest thing about it is that it makes it possible for the OnePlus Open to open flat without requiring a great deal of effort, much as the Pixel Fold does. On the other hand, using the Open in clamshell mode at any angle that is more than around 130 degrees may be a little bit unpleasant. In my experience, if you give that top half a tiny push or bump, it will completely spring open. This is the reason why this is the case. Using it in tent mode with the cover display is an alternative to using it in clamshell form, which makes it difficult to use if you want to view movies while it is propped up in clamshell mode.

Despite the fact that it has a few peculiarities, the OnePlus Open is, all things considered, a pretty good option for a foldable phone. Furthermore, the battery life should be sufficient to last you for a little more than a full day, and the 67W charging rates compensate for the absence of wireless charging ports. If you are in the market for a foldable device, you should take into consideration the fact that it is $100 less expensive than comparable products on the market.

The OnePlus Open is an incredibly welcome addition to the market for folding phones, which is showing signs of being more competitive than it has ever been before.