Oneplus Open Quick Review

The much-awaited OnePlus Open, OnePlus’ entry into the world of foldable smartphones, has finally made its debut. If the phone’s design seems oddly familiar, it’s because our exclusive first look at the OnePlus Open was spot-on. Now that the phone is officially here, join us for an in-depth and OnePlus Open quick review.

Also read: Exclusive OnePlus V Fold / OnePlus Open First Look: A Glimpse into the OnePlus Fold

OnePlus Open Review: Design

The OnePlus Open stands as a pinnacle of premium hardware in OnePlus’s product lineup. As expected, OnePlus has left no stone unturned in crafting a foldable phone that not only looks spectacular but also feels exceptional in your hand. Personally, I found the OnePlus Open’s form factor to be more user-friendly when compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. The wider front screen of the OnePlus Open empowers you to perform all the tasks you’d typically do on a flagship device without the need to unfold it.

Now, let’s dive into the design details. The OnePlus Open’s outer frame has elegantly rounded corners on the hinge side, seamlessly blending style with ergonomic functionality. This remarkable device is available in two distinct finishes. The ‘Emerald Dusk’ variant features a matte frosted glass back, akin to the shimmering aesthetics of most OPPO and Vivo phones. On the other hand, the ‘Voyager Black’ option offers a leather-like finish, perfect for those who appreciate the tactile feel of such materials. In both color choices, your attention will be immediately drawn to the large rounded camera island.

Having used the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 as my primary device for some time, I can attest that the OnePlus Open feels noticeably lighter, thanks in part to a 13-gram weight difference between the two. Additionally, the OnePlus Open boasts a slimmer profile compared to the Samsung Z Fold 5. The dimensions of the OnePlus Open measure 5.8mm (unfolded) and 11.7mm (folded), while the Samsung Z Fold 5 comes in at 6.1mm (unfolded) and 13.4mm (folded). OnePlus attributes this sleekness to its innovative Fexion Hinge.

What sets OnePlus apart is its utilization of a mere 69 components in its hinge construction, resulting in a more lightweight and slender device compared to its competitors. The hinge itself feels robust and should maintain its integrity over time. Notably, the OnePlus Open retains some fan-favorite features, including the alert slider and a power button housing a fingerprint sensor.

In terms of construction, OnePlus employs a blend of cobalt molybdenum alloy and titanium alloy for the phone, while the hinge’s spine plate is crafted from a zirconium-based amorphous alloy, typically used in creating artificial bones. OnePlus proudly claims an IPX4 waterproof rating for the OnePlus Open, assuring resistance to water splashes.

In conclusion, I found no grounds for complaint regarding the design of the OnePlus Open.

OnePlus Open Quick Review: Display

Samsung has long held the crown for superior displays, but OnePlus appears to have raised the bar, especially with its front screen. The OnePlus Open boasts a spacious 6.31-inch AMOLED screen on the front, featuring the cutting-edge LTPO 3.0 panel. Notably, this front display surpasses the iPhone 14 in size, allowing you to perform all your tasks without the need to unfold the phone.

And if that’s not impressive enough, you can unfold the device to reveal a massive 7.82-inch display, which once again outshines the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5’s primary screen. What sets the OnePlus Open apart is its minimized crease, which is only noticeable when viewed from an off-axis angle.

The primary display is a 2K panel offering a remarkable 2440×2268 pixel resolution and a pixel density of 426 ppi. This panel is sourced from Samsung and supports an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz, making it ideal for those sensitive to flickering. Both the primary and secondary displays feature a 1440 Hz Pulse-Width Modulation to ensure visual comfort.

When it comes to colors and display dynamic range, the OnePlus Open truly excels. The 10-bit panels provide complete coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut, delivering vivid and vibrant colors without any need for manual adjustments. Contrast levels are equally impressive. Both the inner and outer displays offer a typical brightness of 1400 nits, with the capability to peak at a dazzling 2800 nits in a smaller window. This makes it the brightest display ever seen on a smartphone, offering a truly delightful content consumption experience on both the front and inner screens. Additionally, both displays support Dolby Vision.

It’s worth noting that due to the inner display’s unusual aspect ratio of 1.0758:1, black bars may appear while viewing content. OnePlus also introduces a ‘Nature Tone’ option, utilizing an ambient sensor to automatically adjust display colors according to your surroundings.

Moving on to sound quality, the loudspeakers deliver an impressive performance. While they may lack a bit of bass for some preferences, the mids and highs are more than decent. What truly stands out is their volume, as the OnePlus Open features loudspeakers in all four corners when unfolded, providing a somewhat surround sound experience when positioned correctly.

OnePlus Open Quick Review: Software and Performance

Upon unboxing, the OnePlus Open runs on Android 13, featuring OxygenOS 13.2. OnePlus has meticulously optimized the software for the foldable experience, introducing notable features such as multi-window functionality. With this feature, you can seamlessly utilize three apps simultaneously, resizing and rearranging windows as per your preference. By swiping the screen with two fingers, you can effortlessly split the screen for added convenience.

OnePlus has also drawn inspiration from Samsung’s software, adding a fixed taskbar at the bottom. This taskbar serves the dual purpose of app pinning and displaying recent apps. It’s worth noting that the OnePlus Open is refreshingly free from bloatware, ensuring a streamlined user experience. While the software is robust, it may not match the stability of Samsung’s offerings. There are minor glitches in the always-on feature and app continuity. For instance, transitioning from using an app on the front screen to the large inner screen may not always be seamless.

Fueling the OnePlus Open is the formidable Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, widely regarded as one of the most potent chipsets available in the market. Our review unit impressively boasts 16GB of RAM and a capacious 512GB of storage. Furthermore, the RAM can be virtually expanded by an additional 12GB, bringing the total to a whopping 28GB.

While there is no provision for a microSD card slot to further expand the storage, the 512GB onboard storage should amply suffice, even for users who engage in extensive photography and 4K video recording.

The OnePlus Open performs exceptionally well in day-to-day usage, even when multiple apps are left running in the background. Its prowess extends to gaming, making it a versatile device that caters to a wide range of user needs.

OnePlus Open Quick Review: Camera

Much like most OnePlus flagships, the OnePlus Open boasts a triple rear camera system meticulously tuned by Hasselblad. This camera setup stands as one of the device’s standout features, evident from its distinctive design.

The impressive triple rear camera configuration consists of a 64MP telephoto lens, a 48MP wide lens, and a 48MP ultrawide lens, offering versatility to capture various scenes and scenarios.

My experience with the OnePlus Open’s camera has been somewhat of a mixed bag. While some images turned out incredibly sharp, others exhibited a softer quality. Similar to other OnePlus devices, the camera tends to apply a fair amount of processing, sometimes leading to over-sharpened images. The telephoto sensor, capable of up to 6x zoom, produces slightly softer images with softened edges compared to what you might typically expect.

Although you can zoom all the way up to 100x, it’s essential to note that the image quality may not be as sharp at this level, which is fairly standard. Nevertheless, you can still make out some details, which is a welcome feature. Achieving a well-framed image at 100x zoom may require steady hands or the use of a tripod.

The OnePlus Open’s performance in low-light conditions is not its strong suit. It doesn’t quite match up to the low-light capabilities of devices like Samsung, Pixel, or iPhones.

In the video department, the OnePlus Open can capture content at a maximum resolution of 4K@60FPS. Notably, it maintains a form of image stabilization even at 4K resolution. However, activating the super steady mode limits the video quality to 1080P@60FPS. Furthermore, the microphone performance is commendable, ensuring that your voice is captured with clarity and precision.

OnePlus Open Quick Review: Battery life and Charging

The OnePlus Open is equipped with a substantial 4805mAh battery, surpassing Samsung’s latest foldable by 405mAh. This impressive battery can comfortably see you through an entire day of usage, unless you engage in extended gaming sessions.

OnePlus Open Quick Review Verdict

The OnePlus Open emerges as a compelling option, flaunting superior and expansive displays that outshine its competition, the Z Fold 5. It also excels in build quality, effectively mitigating screen creases. Performance-wise, it competes at the top tier. OnePlus further secures an edge with remarkable battery life and rapid charging speeds. However, where OnePlus falls short is in software optimization and camera performance.