OnePlus Open review

Trade in OnePlus Open

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Whenever I’ve evaluated a OnePlus device, the conclusion has been consistent: impressive specifications, but marred by shortcomings that prevent it from achieving top-tier status. However, this trend shifts with the introduction of the OnePlus Open, the company’s inaugural foray into foldable phones. The OnePlus Open is a game-changer that should grab everyone’s attention.

After nearly three weeks of using the OnePlus Open, capturing portrait photos with its Hasselblad cameras, and exploring its Open Canvas multi-tasking, I’ve grown to admire how much it accomplishes for a first-generation foldable. To illustrate, Samsung needed nearly five iterations to perfect a gapless hinge design with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 — the OnePlus Open achieves that and much more on its first attempt.

I’m not ready to reveal everything about how this foldable has impressed me, but as you’ll discover in my OnePlus Open review, it’s the unexpected standout that caught me by surprise. Yes, there are still areas for improvement, but this initial offering has significantly narrowed the gap in the realm of notebook-style foldable phones.

The OnePlus Open isn’t just a strong contender for the best foldable phone; it’s also among the best smartphones released this year.

ONEPLUS OPEN REVIEW: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

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The OnePlus Open is priced at $1,699, making it $100 cheaper than both the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Google Pixel Fold. Given OnePlus’ history of significantly undercutting its competitors, I was hoping for an even steeper discount.

What’s particularly intriguing is the trade-in offer that OnePlus has rolled out for the Open. They’re offering a $200 credit for trading in any phone, regardless of its condition. So even if you have an old Nokia candy bar phone that’s been tucked away for two decades, it still holds value. OnePlus has stated that this offer will remain valid throughout the product’s lifecycle, effectively bringing the cost down to $1,499 — an outstanding deal when you consider everything it offers.

Preorders for the OnePlus Open are currently available, with additional special offers through Amazon and Best Buy. The phone will be generally available starting October 26, and it comes in two color options: Emerald Dusk and Voyager Black.

The OnePlus Open offers a single storage option of 512GB, paired with an impressive 16GB of RAM. To put this into perspective, the 512GB variants of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Pixel Fold are priced at $1,919. This generous storage capacity further underscores the exceptional value that the OnePlus Open delivers.

ONEPLUS OPEN REVIEW: SPECIFICATIONS

ONEPLUS OPEN REVIEW: DESIGN

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While the Open is still bulkier than a standard smartphone, OnePlus has done an impressive job with its design. It’s neither as wide as the Pixel Fold when closed, nor as unusually narrow as the Z Fold 5 — striking a balance that feels just right in terms of size.

When unfolded, the OnePlus Open has the largest surface area of any foldable I’ve tested, but this isn’t an issue due to its superb build quality. Remarkably, it’s slimmer than both of its main competitors, measuring just 0.22 inches thick and weighing a mere 8.43 ounces. This sleek and lightweight design doesn’t compromise durability either, which is particularly notable because it boasts the best hinge design I’ve seen in a notebook-style foldable.

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The Flexion Hinge design delivers a satisfying snap when closing the device, while also significantly reducing the display crease. In fact, it’s noticeably less visible and less pronounced than the creases found on the Pixel Fold and Z Fold 5. The phone’s Emerald Green color further enhances its premium aesthetic, but there’s one aspect of the design that I find less appealing.

The camera bump on the back is substantial — even larger than the one on the OnePlus 11. While it does give the phone a commanding presence for photography, the sharp edges of the camera bezel make it somewhat awkward to hold, adding to its top-heavy feel. The uneven thickness between the upper and lower portions of the phone also makes it nearly impossible to type on the keyboard when the device is laid flat on its back.

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Despite these drawbacks, I still favor the design of the OnePlus Open over both the Pixel Fold and Z Fold 5, especially considering it also comes with an IPX4 rating. While this falls short of the IPX8 rating offered by those other foldables, having some level of water resistance is certainly better than none.

ONEPLUS OPEN REVIEW: DISPLAY

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In the specs department, the OnePlus Open takes the lead, surpassing its rivals in both size and resolution. It boasts a 7.82-inch Flexi-fluid AMOLED main display with 2K resolution (2440 x 2268) and a 6.31-inch Super Fluid AMOLED outer display (2484 x 1116). These screens are not only larger but also have higher resolutions than those on the Pixel Fold and Z Fold 5, reinforcing the Open’s more competitive pricing.

According to Tom’s Guide’s display benchmark test, the Open’s main inner display reaches a peak brightness of 1,158 nits, a level that I found to be adequately visible outdoors in my own experience. Although this is slightly lower than the Z Fold 5’s peak of 1,346 nits, it significantly outshines the Pixel Fold’s 1,000-nit brightness. The outer display, with a peak brightness of 721 nits, doesn’t reach the same level, but it’s comparable to the results from both the Pixel Fold and Z Fold 5.

AMOLED panels typically deliver vibrant color tones, but I found the default natural color mode on the OnePlus Open to be too subdued for my taste. To enhance the visual experience, I switched the display to Vivid mode, which made the colors pop much more on the screen. When I watched The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the visuals looked stunning on the expansive 7.82-inch inner display.

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My only concern with the OnePlus Open’s display is the Ceramic Guard covering the outer screen. Although OnePlus asserts that it’s 20% stronger than Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, I’ve already noticed several superficial scratches just from taking the phone in and out of my pocket.

ONEPLUS OPEN REVIEW: CAMERAS

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Although the camera hump on the OnePlus Open is quite prominent, the triple-camera setup from Hasselblad gives the phone a strong camera-centric focus. The rear camera array includes a 48MP main sensor, a 48MP ultrawide, and a 64MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. The telephoto lens offers a 6x lossless in-sensor zoom, with a maximum 120x Ultra Res Zoom available for extreme close-ups.

The camera app on the Open is well-equipped with features, including a dedicated Pro mode for manual photo controls, portrait mode, dual-view video, and a movie mode with additional manual settings. I also appreciate the ability to use the rear cameras for selfies or video recordings, utilizing the outer cover screen for easier framing. In terms of features and controls, the OnePlus Open is definitely on par with the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

The 48MP main camera performs well in good lighting conditions, producing quality comparable to the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 5. A shot of the beach boardwalk demonstrates excellent detail, contrast, and dynamic range. I actually prefer it to the Z Fold 5, which tends to over-sharpen images.

The 48MP ultrawide camera also delivers excellent results in bright outdoor conditions. It slightly enhances colors compared to the more subdued tones of the Pixel Fold’s ultrawide, but the results are still visually pleasing.

I was initially doubtful that the 64MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom could match the Pixel Fold’s 5x optical zoom, but it holds its own. While the Pixel Fold’s telephoto lens is marginally sharper, the difference is not significant.

The Open’s lossless zoom performs comparably to the Pixel Fold’s dedicated 5x optical zoom. I even managed to capture a detailed close-up of a harvest moon in the distance, showcasing a similar level of detail enhancement that Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra provides.

Macro mode is automatically activated when the camera is about 2 to 3 inches from the subject, but there’s an on-screen macro button to disable it if desired. The Open uses its ultrawide camera for macro shots, and the results are quite good. The details, like those on flower petals, are well-preserved with less background blur compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Taking selfies with the 20MP front camera is enjoyable, producing finer details than the Pixel Fold’s front camera. The OnePlus Open also effectively balances exposure between shaded areas and bright backgrounds.

The OnePlus Open features an enhanced Hasselblad Portrait Mode, claiming near DSLR-level depth-tracking. When comparing it to the Z Fold 5’s portrait mode, which tends to brighten shadows, the Open’s portrait mode provides more accurate exposure and better detail preservation, like the mesh pattern on a strap.

While the OnePlus Open may have the best camera among foldables I’ve tested, its performance in extreme low light lags behind its competitors. A reference shot of a tree in my backyard reveals significant underexposure and muddiness compared to the Z Fold 5, which captures more detail.

That said, the OnePlus Open isn’t entirely lacking in low-light performance. It performs reasonably well in certain scenarios but tends to exhibit an odd orange hue at night, which I hope OnePlus will address in a future update.

On the bright side, the Open handles high-contrast scenes in low light relatively well, capturing faint stars in the night sky that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye.

ONEPLUS OPEN REVIEW: VIDEO

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The OnePlus Open’s video recording capabilities are capped at 4K resolution with 60 fps, while slower frame rates are used for slow-motion videos, available at 1080p with 240 and 480 fps. As mentioned earlier, the video features offered are quite robust, competing well with those on the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

When comparing video footage of the beach shot with both the OnePlus Open and Galaxy Z Fold 5, their performance is nearly identical. The Open’s 4K 30 fps video captures rich detail, and its 3x telephoto zoom camera impressively matches the clarity of the Pixel Fold’s 5x optical zoom. I zoomed in on a CAT backhoe loader on a sandy mound at the beach, and the OnePlus Open’s clarity was on par with the Pixel Fold.

In low-light conditions, however, the OnePlus Open struggles to keep up with its competitors. Its footage is noticeably dimmer compared to the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 5 and exhibits more noise. Although not perfect, the Z Fold 5’s low-light video performance is more acceptable by comparison.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the OnePlus Open’s camera performance. The 3x telephoto camera rivals the Pixel Fold’s 5x optical zoom, delivering comparable detail and clarity. The main camera excels in capturing landscapes, portraits, and even some high-contrast low-light scenes, though there is still room for improvement. I didn’t expect the camera output to be as impressive as it turned out to be.

ONEPLUS OPEN REVIEW: SOFTWARE

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I’m indifferent to the aesthetics and feel of OxygenOS, the software skin on OnePlus phones that overlays Android. It’s functional, adopting a style close to vanilla Android without the extra embellishments seen in other custom Android interfaces.

What truly impresses me about OxygenOS 13.2 on the OnePlus Open is its multitasking capabilities. This is a key challenge for foldable phone manufacturers, as they strive to adapt their software for devices that are essentially mini tablets.

The standout feature here is Open Canvas, which enhances multitasking. After using it with many of my favorite apps, I believe it represents the best multitasking solution I’ve encountered on a foldable phone. It allows for the simultaneous operation of three apps, regardless of whether they are optimized for the larger main screen.

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In many ways, Open Canvas is similar to the multitasking features found on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Pixel Fold, where you can drag and drop apps onto the screen. However, what sets Open Canvas apart is its unique approach to displaying these apps. Most apps appear in their standard vertical format, but those optimized for full-screen mode remain in full-screen view. This dynamic “canvas” allows me to seamlessly adjust the layout, with full-screen apps shifting to the main screen when I select them.

This is undoubtedly the best multitasking experience I’ve encountered on a foldable phone. Additionally, it’s impressive that I can save up to nine multi-app presets for advanced multitasking. For instance, I’ve created a preset for running Instagram, Gmail, and YouTube together, and another for Chrome, Twitter, and Age of Origin. These presets are stored in the phone’s memory, so they remain readily accessible even when switching between different apps.

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The multitasking capabilities of the OnePlus Open significantly boost my productivity, particularly with features like the ability to drag and drop content between apps. For instance, I can run Gmail and the Photos app side-by-side, then swiftly drag a photo into an email I’m composing in Gmail.

Another unexpected feature on the OnePlus Open is its video-out function via USB-C. Unlike the Pixel Fold, which lacks this capability, and the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which offers it along with Samsung DeX, the OnePlus Open’s video-out function is more basic. While it doesn’t offer the full range of utilities found in Samsung DeX, it’s still a valuable addition. I can connect the phone to a monitor and use a mouse and keyboard, effectively turning it into a desktop PC replacement.

ONEPLUS OPEN REVIEW: PERFORMANCE

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True to its flagship status, the OnePlus Open is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which is also used in the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Interestingly, the OnePlus Open shows lower performance in GeekBench, scoring 1,087 in single-core and 4,203 in multi-core tests.

On the other hand, the Open excels in graphics processing, achieving impressive results in the 3DMark Wild Life Original Unlimited benchmark. It scores 14,157 and delivers the smoothest frame rate at 84.8 fps. This performance surpasses that of its main competitors, with the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 5 recording frame rates of 40.4 and 81.3 fps, respectively, in the same test.

Rendering video in Adobe Premiere Rush took longer on the OnePlus Open, clocking in at 68 seconds, compared to the Pixel Fold and Z Fold 5, which completed the task in 60 and 41.7 seconds, respectively. Despite these differences, the Open remained highly responsive with every task I tested, including intensive gaming sessions with Age of Origins while simultaneously managing Instagram.

ONEPLUS OPEN REVIEW: BATTERY

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From my experience, OnePlus flagship phones have consistently impressed me with their battery life, and the OnePlus Open is no exception. Despite its slim profile, the Open houses a 4,805 mAh battery, which has proven more than sufficient for a full day of typical use. By bedtime, the battery often hovers around 10%, whereas other foldables I’ve tested usually need a midday charge.

According to Tom’s Guide’s battery benchmark test, the OnePlus Open delivers the best battery life among foldables, averaging 11 hours and 45 minutes with the display refresh rate set to 60Hz. While this is still less than what’s offered by standard flagships like the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S23 Ultra, it outperforms the Pixel Fold’s 9 hours and 46 minutes and the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s 11 hours and 25 minutes in the same test. This performance makes the OnePlus Open the first foldable phone to make it onto our list of the best phone battery lives.

On the flip side, the OnePlus Open boasts impressive recharge times, thanks to its 67W wired charging. With the provided adapter, the phone can reach 50% charge in just 15 minutes and nearly a full charge at 85% after 30 minutes.

However, there’s a notable omission in the OnePlus Open that I’ve been hoping to see — wireless charging. While I understand OnePlus aims to keep prices competitive, the lack of wireless charging feels like a missed opportunity, especially given the $1,699 price tag.

The absence of wireless charging is likely to be a major drawback for prospective buyers. Although the wired charging is exceptionally fast, I’d be willing to accept a slightly thicker phone if it meant including wireless charging support.

ONEPLUS OPEN REVIEW: REVIEW UPDATES

• Aug 13, 2024: Rather than releasing a proper successor, the OnePlus Open Apex Edition features a brand new Crimson Shadow colorway paired with a vegan leather back casing. It also gets a boost to 1TB of storage and access to a VIP mode for better privacy.
• July 29, 2024: We captured over 200 photos between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OnePlus Open to see which is better for photography. We also graded both in 7 different categories in our proper Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs. OnePlus Open face-off.
• Nov 2, 2024: We put the OnePlus Open and Google Pixel Fold through a 7-round face-off to see which is the better foldable phone.

ONEPLUS OPEN REVIEW: VERDICT

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OnePlus has certainly made a strong debut with its first foldable, delivering a package that’s both satisfying and full of pleasant surprises. For a first attempt, OnePlus has achieved a premium design that feels and looks more refined than both the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 5.

While the premium design is undeniable, it’s crucial to highlight the impressive multitasking experience facilitated by Open Canvas. Although it shares similarities with the multitasking features of Google and Samsung’s foldables, the way Open Canvas dynamically adapts to accommodate three apps simultaneously stands out.

The OnePlus Open isn’t without its flaws, such as the camera’s underwhelming low-light performance. However, the device’s combination of a lower price, extended battery life, rapid recharge capability, and sleek design more than compensates for these issues. Moreover, the ongoing $200 trade-in credit brings the effective cost down to $1,499. Among notebook-style foldable phones this year, none have impressed me more than the OnePlus Open.

Source: Tom’s Guide