Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6 is largely identical to what we saw last year (and the year before), but you'll need to shell out $1,899 to get your hands on one. That's a ridiculous amount of money towards a foldable, and if you're having second thoughts, there is a much better alternative available: the OnePlus Open.
The Open launched last October to much fanfare, and it combined a stellar design with top-of-the-line hardware, versatile cameras, and a large battery with 67W charging — better than any other foldable to date. The foldable debuted at $1,699, but you can get it for $1,299 right now as part of Prime Day, a sizeable discount of 24%. There really isn't another device that offers the same set of features at that asking price, so if you need an excuse to switch to a foldable, you now have one.
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I didn't like the Open initially; while the design and hardware was terrific, there were annoying software issues out of the box. Thankfully, those have been resolved after a few weeks, and when I switched to the foldable following its Android 14 update, it was almost an entirely different device. OnePlus added a ton of customizability, and you get plenty of useful multitasking features on the software side of things.
But my favorite thing about the Open is the size; the outer screen is just the right size, and while it is smaller than the Z Fold 6, it is wider — and as a result, much more usable. Both the inner and outer screens go up to 120Hz, and the panels are among the best you get in this segment.
You don't miss out on any of the basics either; the foldable gets IPX8 water resistance, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 along with AptX codecs, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage as standard, and a 4805mAh battery with 67W charging. The cameras are among the best of any foldable, and that includes the Z Fold 6. The main 48MP camera takes magnificent photos in just about any lighting, and the 64MP 3x optical zoom comes in handy if you need to get close to a subject.
✅Recommended if: You want a foldable with incredible hardware and outstanding cameras. Both the inner and outer screens on the Open are usable, and the hinge has a smoother articulation than what you get on the Z Fold 6. The crease in the middle of the inner screen isn't as noticeable, and the software has extensive customizability.
❌Skip this deal if: You want to buy a carrier-backed model instead of unlocked, and you need seven years of software updates. OnePlus doesn't have any carrier partnerships, and while the device has the requisite bands for use in the U.S., it may not connect to all carriers.
Ultimately, the Open is my go-to choice if you need a new foldable phone in 2024. It offers all the best qualities of the foldable design and form factor, and you get amazing cameras at the back with plenty of versatility. Outside of a few extras like dust resistance and longer software updates, the Z Fold 6 doesn't measure up to the Open in any meaningful way, and if you're using a regular phone and want to upgrade, now is the time to do it.
