The OnePlus Open is the most affordable folding phone in the US today. It delivers superb hardware, excellent cameras, great software and few
OnePlus
Open – Starting at $1699The
OnePlus Open is the most affordable book-style folding phone
available in the US today. It delivers superb hardware,
excellent cameras, and great software, with few
compromises.Unrivaled valueSuperb design and buildBeautiful displaysExcellent camerasBlazing performance67W wired fast charging, charger in the boxClean and responsive softwareSharp,
bright display with 120Hz refresh×Fast
80W charging and included plug×Excellent
performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2×Alert
slider is backNo wireless chargingNo mmWave 5GNo pen supportA lot has changed in the folding phone landscape over the past 6
months, especially here in the US. While the rest of the world has enjoyed
a variety of flip- and book-style folding handsets for several years now,
Samsung’s pretty much been the only viable option here in North America.
But things started changing in June with the introduction of Moto’s $999 Razr+ and $699 Razr (2023), plus Google’s $1799 Pixel Fold.
Then, in July, Samsung refreshed its folding phone lineup with the Galaxy Z Flip5 ($999) and Z Fold5 ($1799), which – despite being fairly iterative
– are still regarded as the high bar in folding handsets. Enter
the OnePlus Open ($1699), a book-style folding phone co-developed with
parent company Oppo and sold in China as the Find N3. It’s the first time
both brands have launched the exact same handset.
On paper, the OnePlus Open beats the competition with a lower price, a
thinner and lighter design, better cameras, more base RAM and storage, and
faster charging. But we all know specs alone don’t make a great smartphone
experience, especially for a folding phone. So, what’s this handset like day-to-day? Does OnePlus’ latest have what it takes to compete with Samsung and Google’s
best? Find out more here in our full review…OnePlus Open Hardware And DesignBook-style folding phones are getting thinner and lighter, and while
the Pixel Fold is slim (5.8mm open, 12.1mm closed), it’s quite heavy
(283g). Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold5 is neither (6.1mm open, 13.4mm
closed, 253g). This is where the OnePlus Open shines. It’s both thin
(5.8mm open, 11.7mm closed), and light (239g). For reference, that’s
almost the same weight as last year’s iPhone 14 Pro Max (240g).
For the Open, OnePlus was able to achieve this without sacrificing
durability by using exotic materials like titanium, magnesium, cobalt
molybdenum, and zirconium-based alloys in the hinge and frame, plus carbon
fiber and Ceramic Guard glass – which is 20% more impact resistant than
Gorilla Glass Victus. The end result is a sleek and sturdy folding handset
with superb build quality and an IPX4 splash resistance rating.What further differentiates the Open from the competition is the
industrial design, which is simply outstanding. Not only does this
smartphone look stylish and feel premium, but the outer display’s 6.3-inch
size and standard 20:9 aspect ratio are familiar. So, instead of being
awkwardly tall and narrow like the Galaxy Z Fold5 or oddly passport-shaped
like the Pixel Fold, the Open’s form factor mimics a regular handset when
closed.
In addition to the fancy metal and glass construction, the Open comes in
two colors with two different accent materials – Emerald Dusk with a
frosted glass back (like our review unit), and Voyager Black with a vegan
leather back. But it’s the Open’s massive 2.25-inch diameter glass camera
pod that really sets it apart. This bump (or imaging mesa, perhaps?)
contains three Hasselblad-branded high-res shooters (48/48/64MP).
