There's a growing market for foldables, and while Samsung has managed to build an early lead in this category with the likes of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Chinese manufacturers are turning their attention to this burgeoning category.
Xiaomi's Mix Fold 3 combines a svelte design with stellar cameras and gorgeous AMOLED screens, Honor's latest Magic V2 is a viable alternative to Samsung that's now available globally, and the OPPO Find N2 Flip continues to be one of my favorite devices.
The biggest issue with all of these devices? They're not sold officially in North America. That has led to Samsung running away with a sizeable chunk of the foldable market share, but with the introduction of the OnePlus Open, that's changing. The Open is now available in over 30 countries around the world, and it is one of the best foldable packages available today.
OnePlus Open: Review
I reviewed the OnePlus Open after using it as my main phone for over a week. There's plenty to like on the hardware side of things, but what I found to be the biggest differentiator is the size of the cover screen. The 6.31-inch outer screen is wider and much more easy to use than the narrow screen on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, and it makes a huge difference.
The design is also better than just about any other foldable today, and while it isn't the thinnest foldable around, it comes very close. A big part of what makes the Open so good is the hinge; it has the smoothest articulation of any foldable, closes fully flat, and there's no visible crease. Put next to the Galaxy Z Fold 5, the Open looks futuristic.
Battery life is also great, and I easily got over a day's worth of use consistently. It charges at 67W, and unlike Samsung, you get a charger in the box. The cameras are the best of any foldable I've used — including Samsung — and you get excellent photos and videos in just about any situation.
The internal hardware is the best of any phone, and the Open manages to handle intensive gaming without breaking a sweat. My only quibble with the device is that the software is missing a few features, and it is buggy at launch. If you need all the details, head to my OnePlus Open review.
OnePlus Open: Release date and price
OnePlus unveiled the Open on October 19, and the foldable is now available globally. It is sold in over 30 countries, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, and India, and that's great news if you've been waiting for a legitimate challenger to Samsung's foldables.
The Open is available in a single 16GB/512GB model globally, and that is available for $1,699 in the U.S. and ₹1,39,999 ($1,681) in India. While that's a lot of money, you're getting the 512GB variant as standard, and OnePlus managed to undercut Samsung by over $400.
OnePlus Open: Specs
OnePlus didn't leave anything out, and the result is that the Open is one of the best hardware packages you'll get right now. It is powered by Qualcomm's latest silicon, has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage as standard, three cameras at the back that are tuned by Hasselblad, a large 4805mAh battery with 67W charging, and an inner screen that goes up to an insane 2800 nits.
Here's a rundown of the hardware:
| Category | OnePlus Open |
|---|---|
| OS | OxygenOS 13.2, Android 13 |
| Inner Display | 7.82-inch 120HZ AMOLED, LTPO 3.0, 2440 x 2268, 2800 nits, Ultra Thin Glass |
| Outer Display | 6.31-inch 120Hz AMOLED, LTPO 3.0, 2484 x 1116, 2800 nits, Ceramic Guard |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 4nm |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 512GB UFS 4.0 |
| Rear camera 1 | 48MP f/1.7 Sony LYT-T808, 1.12um pixels, OIS, Dolby Vision video |
| Rear camera 2 | 48MP f/2.2 Sony IMX581, 0.8um pixels, 114-degree FoV |
| Rear camera 3 | 64MP f/2.6 OmniVision OV64B, 3x optical zoom, 6x in-sensor zoom, OIS |
| Selfie camera (cover screen) | 32MP |
| Selfie camera (inner screen) | 20MP |
| Ingress protection | IPX4 dust and water resistance |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Sub-6 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, dual-band GPS |
| Security | Face unlock, fingerprint sensor |
| Audio | USB-C, spatial sound, AptX, LDAC, LHDC codecs |
| Battery | 4805mAh battery, 67W fast charging |
| Dimensions (folded) | 153.4 x 73.3 x 11.7 mm |
| Dimensions (unfolded) | 153.4 x 143.1 x 5.8 mm |
| Weight | Voyager Black (239g), Emerald Dusk (245g) |
| Colors | Voyager Black (leather back), Emerald Dusk (glass) |
OnePlus Open: Bottom line
Overall, the OnePlus Open is a phenomenal offering. It has the best hardware package in this segment, and the cameras are right up there as well. The hinge is a huge differentiator, and I'm not kidding when I say that the crease is nearly invisible — that's a huge deal in daily use.
I also like the size of the cover and inner screens, the alert slider, multitasking features, and design aesthetic. Sure, the software is a bit annoying at times, but on the whole, this is the best foldable you can get at the moment.
With a stunning design, incredible hardware, invisible crease, stunning screens, and standout cameras, the Open is among the best foldables money can buy. Yes, there are a few software issues, but if you want a foldable that runs rings around Samsung, this is the one to get.
