The OnePlus Open marks an unexpected turning point in foldable phone development, arriving with the hardware polish typically reserved for third or fourth generation devices. Co-developed with OPPO, this debut foldable leverages extensive engineering expertise to deliver one of the thinnest and lightest book-style phones at 239 grams while maintaining a 4,805mAh battery and Hasselblad-tuned triple camera system. The device distinguishes itself through a practical 6.31-inch cover display with normal smartphone proportions rather than the awkwardly narrow screens found on competing foldables, plus an innovative Open Canvas multitasking system that allows three full-sized apps to coexist without cramped split-screen compromises. Testing reveals exceptional battery performance exceeding 11 hours in standardized benchmarks, making it the longest-lasting foldable available. The minimal display crease, achieved through a 69-component hinge design, surpasses Samsung and Google implementations in both tactile feel and visual imperceptibility. While lacking wireless charging and carrying only IPX4 splash resistance, the Open compensates with 67W fast charging that reaches 50% in 15 minutes, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage, and four years of Android updates. Critics position the hardware execution and software innovation as category-defining achievements that establish OnePlus as a legitimate foldable competitor.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Design and Build Quality

The OnePlus Open enters the foldable market with hardware refinement that challenges expectations for debut devices. At 239 grams, the phone weighs approximately the same as conventional flagship smartphones while offering dramatically more screen real estate through its book-style folding mechanism. This achievement stems from co-development with OPPO, allowing OnePlus to leverage years of folding phone engineering accumulated through the Find N series.^[2][3]

The Flexion Hinge represents the pinnacle of this collaborative advantage. Engineers constructed a 69-component mechanism that delivers one of the shallowest creases among all foldable phones, noticeably less pronounced than Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold series or Google's Pixel Fold. The hinge provides satisfying tactile feedback with a distinct snap when closing, creating a premium interaction that reinforces device quality. Long-term owners report the crease remains imperceptible even after months of daily use. Independent durability testing confirms the hinge withstands over one million folding cycles, with assessments demonstrating remarkable resilience even when bent backward beyond intended parameters.^{[11][4][2][7][3]}

The external design balances elegance with functionality. Available in Emerald Dusk or Voyager Black, the device features a prominent circular camera module bearing Hasselblad branding that establishes immediate visual distinction from rectangular Samsung and Google designs. OnePlus includes its signature alert slider, marking the first appearance of this physical toggle on any foldable phone, though placement high on the frame challenges one-handed accessibility. Ceramic Guard protection on the cover display provides scratch resistance, though users report superficial scratches appear from pocket carry. The IPX4 splash resistance rating provides basic protection against rain and spills but falls short of Samsung's IPX8 full submersion capability.^[8][2][3]

The thin 5.8mm profile when unfolded and 11.7mm when closed creates a pocketable form factor that slips easily into jeans without the bulk characterizing some competing foldables. The device flexes when bent backward in extreme stress testing but returns to proper form without screen damage or hinge failure.^[9][11][3]

Display Technology Prioritizes Practicality

The 6.31-inch external display fundamentally reimagines how foldable phones function when closed. Unlike Samsung's narrow panel with its cramped 23.1:9 aspect ratio, the OnePlus Open adopts a wider format that mimics traditional smartphone proportions. This design decision transforms the closed experience from a compromise into fully functional phone mode where apps display correctly and typing feels natural. The AMOLED panel delivers 2,800 nits peak brightness and 120Hz adaptive refresh rate with 240Hz touch sampling, ensuring smooth interaction and excellent outdoor visibility.^[4][5][3]

Opening the device reveals a 7.82-inch internal AMOLED display that surpasses Samsung's panel in total area. The nearly square aspect ratio creates ideal conditions for side-by-side app usage, with each half providing sufficient width for comfortable reading and interaction. Laboratory testing measures peak brightness at 1,158 nits on the main display and 721 nits on the cover screen, with excellent color accuracy producing Delta-E ratings of 0.14 in natural mode.^[2][3]

The minimal crease visibility emerges as a consistent praise point across reviews and user feedback. The shallow depression becomes imperceptible during active use, particularly when consuming media or working with multiple apps. Users emphasize this represents meaningful improvement over competing devices where the crease remains a persistent visual distraction.^{[13][14][2][7]}

Open Canvas Revolutionizes Multitasking

OnePlus introduces Open Canvas as its solution to the persistent challenge of foldable multitasking. Rather than forcing apps into increasingly cramped split-screen configurations, Open Canvas allows three applications to exist as full-sized windows arranged along the edges of the display. Users swipe horizontally to bring each app into focus while others wait off-screen, creating an interaction model that feels more like switching between virtual desktops than managing windows.^[3]

When simultaneous visibility becomes necessary, a gesture arranges all three apps across the center of the display in panels sized for comfortable viewing. This flexibility addresses core foldable phone tension, providing both focused single-app experiences and genuine multitasking without formatting compromises. Long-term owners emphasize the multitasking superiority cannot be overstated, with one user stating it surpasses "BOTH Samsung & Google which I owned multiple units".^[1][7][3]

The system allows saving up to nine multi-app presets for extreme multitasking scenarios. Users can maintain combinations like Instagram, Gmail, and YouTube as one preset, then switch to Chrome, Twitter, and gaming apps as another, with these configurations remaining in device memory for instant recall. The interface supports drag-and-drop functionality between apps, enabling users to add photos from the gallery directly into email compositions when running split-screen.^[3]

OxygenOS 13.2 provides a clean Android experience closer to Google's approach than Samsung's feature-dense One UI. While this minimalist design creates easy setup and intuitive operation, it sacrifices customization depth including options to adjust home screen grid density or maintain separate widget layouts for internal and external displays.^[6][2]

Camera System Leads Foldable Category

The Hasselblad partnership delivers the strongest camera performance available on any foldable phone. OnePlus selects Sony's LYTIA LYT-T808 sensor for the 48MP main camera, utilizing stacked pixel design that creates deeper light wells in a compact footprint. The triple camera array includes a 48MP ultrawide and a 64MP 3x telephoto with optical image stabilization, providing versatile shooting options.^[10][2][3]

Testing confirms the 3x telephoto matches the clarity of Google Pixel Fold's 5x optical zoom when capturing distant subjects. Daytime photography produces images with rich detail, abundant shadow information, and balanced exposure across challenging mixed lighting scenes. The main camera excels at landscape scenes and portrait mode, with improved Hasselblad Portrait Mode delivering depth-tracking that preserves fine details like fabric mesh patterns. The 48MP ultrawide maintains excellent quality outdoors under sunny conditions, producing pleasing compositions with slightly saturated colors compared to more neutral alternatives.^[10][3]

Video recording at 4K 30fps produces clean footage with strong detail retention, performing comparably to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 in side-by-side testing. The 3x telephoto zoom camera maintains impressive clarity during video capture, matching Google Pixel Fold's 5x optical performance.^[3]

The camera system's primary weakness emerges in low light conditions. Ultra low light scenes produce severely underexposed, muddy images with an odd orangish hue that happens more often than acceptable. While the Open handles high-contrast scenes in low light decently and captures faint stars invisible to the naked eye, it cannot match Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5's ability to draw out detail in extreme darkness. Users hoping for flagship-level computational photography in challenging lighting should temper expectations.^[3]

Performance Exceeds Daily Demands

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor paired with 16GB LPDDR5X RAM creates a performance foundation that handles any realistic workload. Geekbench 6 testing records scores of 1,087 single-core and 4,203 multi-core, while 3DMark Wild Life delivers impressive 84.8 fps at 14,157 points, surpassing both Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 5 in graphics processing.^[9][2][3]

Real-world usage reveals these benchmark differences as largely academic. The device cruises through three-app multitasking scenarios without hesitation, maintaining smooth animation and instant response regardless of application combination. Gaming performance remains excellent during extended sessions with minimal heat generation under sustained load. Users report the phone handles everything thrown at it with 16GB RAM providing substantial headroom.^[9][2][3]

The 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage provides ample space without expandability options, though few users approach this capacity during typical ownership. OnePlus includes minimal bloatware, avoiding the pre-installed applications that burden some Android devices. The system maintains responsive performance even with dozens of apps installed and multiple background processes active. USB-C video output enables screen mirroring to external displays, providing basic desktop functionality when paired with mouse and keyboard combinations.^[9][2][3]

Battery Life Dominates Foldable Category

The 4,805mAh dual-cell battery configuration delivers the best longevity among tested foldable phones. Tom's Guide battery benchmark testing records runtime of 11 hours and 45 minutes at 60Hz refresh rate, establishing the Open as the endurance champion and earning placement on their best phone battery life list. Real-world usage confirms these laboratory results, with users routinely achieving full-day operation with over six hours of screen-on time.^[12][2][3]

Battery performance benefits from usage patterns that favor the efficient cover display for routine tasks while reserving the larger internal panel for specific activities. Long-term owners emphasize battery life as very good overall, with the phone consistently reaching bedtime at approximately 10% remaining capacity after normal daily use.^[2][7][3]

Charging speed compensates for the absence of wireless capability. The included 67W SuperVOOC charger reaches 50% capacity in 15 minutes and 85% in 30 minutes, with full charge completing in approximately 41 minutes. This rapid replenishment means brief charging sessions during morning routines or lunch breaks provide substantial battery restoration. Users praise the fast charging speeds as superior to competing foldables.^[7][2][3]

The missing wireless charging feature represents the most consistent user complaint. For individuals with established Qi charging infrastructure at home, in vehicles, and at work, the wired-only limitation disrupts established habits and reduces convenience. The decision remains a meaningful compromise in an era where flagship phones routinely include wireless charging capability.^{[12][8][2][3]}

Long-Term Ownership Perspective

Extended use reveals the OnePlus Open maintains performance consistency over time. Long-term owners report the device continues running smoothly months after purchase, with regular software updates addressing issues and adding features. The March 2025 firmware update incorporates functions from the OPPO Find N5 including AI-powered photo editing tools, enhanced security with theft protection requiring biometric authentication, and performance improvements that reduce system footprint by 20% while freeing up to 5GB storage.^[7]

Users installing third-party cases with hinge protection from accessory suppliers find the phone remains well-protected during daily use. Those replacing default apps with Google alternatives gain access to additional AI features and enhanced experiences comparable to Pixel devices. The IR blaster remote proves more useful than initially expected, allowing control of televisions and appliances.^[7]

The practical cover display enables many users to rarely unfold the device, relying on the external screen for routine phone tasks while reserving the internal display for media consumption and productivity work. This usage pattern extends battery life and reduces hinge wear over the device lifespan. Users who previously owned Samsung or Google foldables emphasize the OnePlus Open feels more refined with superior materials and build quality. The device inspires confidence as a finely made product rather than feeling hollow or toy-like despite its light weight.^[12][7]