The world of foldable smartphones is rapidly evolving, and while Samsung has dominated the Indian market for years, a new contender has arrived: OnePlus. With the release of the OnePlus Open, the brand is ready to challenge the status quo in the premium segment. This device, unlike previous OnePlus offerings, delves into the ultra-premium category with a price tag exceeding ₹80,000, and promises a thrilling new experience for those seeking cutting-edge technology. In this detailed article, we dive into the OnePlus Open’s design, features, and key specifications, exploring why it’s poised to become a formidable rival to Samsung in India.
A Design that Makes a Statement
The OnePlus Open immediately grabs your attention with its sleek and sophisticated design. The Voyager Black model, with its faux-leather textured back and slate-grey matte finished frame, evokes a sense of retro charm, reminiscent of premium compact cameras. This aesthetic is further enhanced by a large, prominent camera bump, highlighting OnePlus’ commitment to exceptional photography. The Hasselblad "H" logo on the camera module is a clear testament to this focus.
The phone boasts a minimalist design with remarkably thin bezels surrounding both the outer and inner displays. The embedded selfie cameras on both displays, unlike the hidden cameras on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, further contribute to the sleek overall look. As for dimensions, the OnePlus Open stands out for its thinness and lightweight. When folded, it measures a mere 11.9mm thick, excluding the camera bump. Unfolded, it’s an incredibly slim 5.9mm, making it one of the thinnest full-size foldables on the market. Weighing in at just 239g, it’s significantly lighter than its Samsung counterpart, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which tips the scales at 253g. This combination of thinness and lightness is a testament to OnePlus’ engineering prowess, setting a new standard for foldable design.
Powerful Performance and a Cinematic Display
The OnePlus Open is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, a processor also featured in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. However, OnePlus has equipped its device with an impressive 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, expandable by up to 12GB, and a generous 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. These specifications are in line with expectations for a top-end foldable, ensuring seamless performance for demanding tasks and apps. While the imminent launch of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset promises even better performance and efficiency, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 remains a powerful engine, demonstrated by its exceptional performance in the OnePlus 11 5G.
Both the outer and inner displays on the OnePlus Open are captivating, employing OnePlus’ ProXDR technology along with LTPO 3.0 for a buttery smooth user experience. The outer display is a spacious 6.31-inch 2K panel with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate, offering comfortable regular use. The main folding display spans 7.82 inches and also boasts a 2K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, featuring an almost 1:1 aspect ratio for an immersive cinematic experience. Both displays offer a 240Hz touch sampling rate, providing rapid and responsive interactions.
A Focus on Photography
The OnePlus Open takes photography seriously, delivering a camera system unlike any other foldable on the market. The primary camera features a groundbreaking Sony LYT-T808 sensor with a 48-megapixel resolution and OIS. This innovative sensor utilizes dual-layer transistor pixel technology (or pixel stacked) to achieve a compact size while maintaining high performance. OnePlus claims that this technology will capture more light, resulting in exceptional image quality.
The telephoto camera is equally impressive, equipped with an OmniVision IV64B sensor featuring 3X optical zoom and the capability for up to 6X lossless zoom, reaching a maximum range of 120X. It also benefits from OIS for stable and sharp images. Completing the trio is an ultra-wide-angle camera with a Sony IMX581 sensor boasting a 48-megapixel resolution and an expansive 114-degree field of view. The autofocus feature enables impressive macro capabilities thanks to the camera’s larger-than-usual resolution. For selfies, the OnePlus Open includes two cameras: one with a 20-megapixel resolution and another with a 32-megapixel resolution, both featuring fixed focus.
Battery Life and Software Experience
The OnePlus Open is powered by a robust 4,805mAh dual-cell battery that supports 67W wired charging, providing rapid charging speeds. While the omission of wireless charging may disappoint some, it has likely contributed to the phone’s slim design. Running on OxygenOS 13.2, the software experience feels familiar to OnePlus users, offering the signature features they expect. Though somewhat surprising given the recent release of Android 14, the Open will reportedly receive an update to the latest Android version at a later date.
OxygenOS 13.2 brings several interesting features to the OnePlus Open, including a Recents Folder in the taskbar, allowing for easy copying and pasting between apps like a desktop computer. Another noteworthy feature is Open Canvas, which enables running multiple apps simultaneously.
A New Challenger Emerges
With the OnePlus Open, OnePlus is stepping into a new arena. This foldable smartphone, born from a collaboration with Oppo, is poised to shake up the foldable market. While OnePlus is relatively new to the foldable scene, their partnership with Oppo has equipped them to launch a strong competitor to Samsung’s dominance. The OnePlus Open’s innovative design, powerful specifications, and impressive camera system make a compelling case for itself.
However, it’s important to note that the OnePlus Open isn’t without its limitations. The lack of wireless charging is a notable omission for a premium device, and the absence of stylus support might be a dealbreaker for some. Additionally, the use of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor might become outdated with the upcoming release of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
These factors, along with OnePlus’ previous lack of experience in the ultra-premium segment, raise questions about the device’s overall performance and positioning. Can the OnePlus Open truly challenge the established dominance of brands like Samsung? Will it resonate with users accustomed to the features and price points of Samsung’s Fold series? The answers to these questions will emerge in the coming weeks as we delve deeper into the OnePlus Open in a comprehensive review.
The OnePlus Open represents a bold move for the brand, marking a departure from their previous strategies and demonstrating their ambition to compete at the highest level of the smartphone market. The device’s impressive design, powerful hardware, and innovative camera system undoubtedly make it a contender worth watching. However, its final success hinges on the user experience, balancing features, price, and overall appeal to overcome the formidable challenge presented by established brands like Samsung.
