OnePlus Open Review: Will it ‘fold’ under pressure or fly?

Let’s assume you have been waiting to buy your first foldable smartphone. There could be many reasons why you haven’t made the switch. It could be because you haven’t come across a convincing enough option or the price point just doesn’t justify the value. Enter OnePlus. It has built its brand on the title ‘flagship killer’ but that came with a promise of affordability, that clearly may not be the case here. However, OnePlus definitely plans to fight for the top spot among other foldable flagships with the new Open. So, let’s see if the OnePlus Open is the foldable phone you’ve been waiting for or if you’re better off buying just another standard-looking glass slab of a phone.  

OnePlus Open 16GB RAM/512GB Storage Price: Rs 1,39,999

Design

The OnePlus Open is late to the party but the design shows that the company has tried really hard to jump the queue in terms of refinement in the foldable segment. The design is not as tall as the Samsung Galaxy Fold series and at the same time it doesn’t exactly have the shorter passport-like dimensions. It is somewhat a sweet spot but that too has its own challenges. For one, the 1:1 aspect ratio is not very conducive to content consumption, be it OTT streaming platforms like Netflix or YouTube. The popular choice for content streamers remains a 16:9 aspect ratio.  

The overall build quality seems sturdy with mostly even gaps across the perimeter of the device. You don’t feel the need to slap a cover on the device but OnePlus does provide one in the box which is more adept at saving the phone from scratches, instead of massive falls. The leather-like texture on the back made me want to keep the cover off the device. 

One sore point of the entire design is the massive camera bump. OnePlus has opted for a sizeable circular camera cutout with a significant protrusion.  The shorter frame of the device makes it stand out even more. With the display open, the device bobbles on its back. But the same bump acts like a resting spot for your index finger, giving the phone a better grip. Now, let’s focus on what is good, in fact great. OnePlus Open has managed to minimise the crease on the fold significantly, enough for you to ignore it when in use. Compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, the OnePlus Open does a great job at making the crease very insignificant. 

The hinge is also one of the best we’ve tried. You can adjust the hinge at different angles and it does offer a satisfying snap every time you fold the device. Despite the hinge, there’s no protrusion when the OnePlus Open is folded. The device looks clean in both conditions. When it comes to ergonomics, the weight distributions seemed slightly top-heavy but the camera bump makes it easier to hold. The weight is also manageable at 239 gm. However, it takes some getting used to if you’re coming from a smaller device.  

Also read: OnePlus Open: Check, offers, specifications, other details

Display

If you’re opting for a premium foldable smartphone, one of the most important aspects you should look out for is the display. Fortunately, the OnePlus Open offers flagship-grade specs and experience. Both the 6.31-inch smaller display and the massive 7.82-inch display did a great job of delivering a flagship experience. Both displays get an extraordinary 2800 nits peak brightness, which makes the screen very legible outdoors. Viewing content on both displays is a pleasure. The loudspeakers complete the entertainment experience. Support for     Dolby Vision and the Cinematic ‘Reality’ Audio could make it your go-to streaming device.    

Camera

The camera setup occupies a good amount of real estate on the rear panel and we hoped OnePlus justified it by producing some great images and videos on the Open. So, let’s see if that’s true. 

There are a total of five camera lenses on the OnePlus Open- two selfie cameras (one on the secondary and one on the primary screen) and a triple camera lens with a 48MP Sony main sensor, 64MP telephoto lens and 48MP ultra-wide angle lens. You get a 32MP selfie camera on the secondary (smaller) screen and a 20MP selfie camera on the bigger (unfolded) display.  

The camera offers 0.6x,2x,3x and 6x magnification as default options. The camera app opened with the 2x lens as default for but I was mostly inclined towards 0.6x and 3x for my pictures. In typical OnePlus fashion, the images are extremely punchy, even in low-light situations. The HDR does a good job in dark situations but images often end up losing details trying to reduce noise. Even compared to other OnePlus flagships like the OnePlus 11, the OnePlus Open opted for a warmer and punchier tone. The telephoto lens does a great job at bringing out the depth in pictures, even in low light. Overall, the camera setup is promising on the OnePlus Open, especially when you just consider the foldable phone segment. OnePlus has tried to fix the one major issue other foldable phones face—the lack of a flagship camera setup.   

Sample photos: 

Performance

The phone is equipped with the latest and greatest chipset available to Android phones—Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The device did not witness any stutters of frame drops. The 120Hz display on both the cover screen and the main screen adds to the snappy experience. The transition from the cover screen to the bigger primary screen was also pretty seamless, despite multiple tabs. The UI has also been designed thoughtfully with a floating taskbar which can be pretty useful. The support for splitting apps on the main screen makes the foldable phone more productive. 

Gaming on the OnePlus Open was a delight. The bigger screen added to overall experience and the speaker quality as well as clarity completed the overall package. I tried games like Genshin Impact, Asphalt 9, BGMI and more and the phone could easily handle the best of configurations. The bigger screen makes you appreciate the details even more. 

Battery

The battery is a decent 4,800 mAh unit. The phone comes with a 67W fast charger in the box which can charge the device to 100% in under 40 minutes. As far as battery backup is concerned, it varies heavily on the use of the bigger screen. Pushing power through more pixels leads to quicker power consumption. However, with average browsing, gaming, streaming and work-related tasks, you won’t exhaust the battery during your work day. 

Verdict

The OnePlus Open is a definite contender for the top spot in the foldable segment. You get great displays, the camera doesn’t disappoint, and the overall performance is snappy. In terms of pricing, the OnePlus Open is priced competitively in comparison to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5. The 512GB variant of the Samsung Galaxy S Fold5 is priced at around Rs 1,64,999. Samsung charges a premium for the S-Pen compatibility and functionality as well as the class-leading display. However, OnePlus Open holds its ground firmly offering a compelling package. Further price cuts and sale discounts can make the Open a worthy ‘first foldable phone’. 

Also read: OnePlus Open launched in India: 5 things I like about the foldable phone, 2 things I don’t