As the smartphone space evolves at a rapid pace, OnePlus continues to carve its own niche with changing times. OnePlus has consistently pushed the boundaries, sometimes surprising us with fresh ideas and devices that cater to ever-evolving needs. A foldable smartphone by OnePlus has long been fuelling the rumour mill and the time has finally come. The latest addition to the OnePlus arsenal, the OnePlus Open, is here and it is a promising one.
As we unbox this foldable by OnePlus, which marks a defining moment in the company's history of smartphone-making, here are our initial thoughts on what makes this phone worthy.
Key specs:
- Main display: 7.82" 2K Flexi-fluid AMOLED with LTPO 3.0, 120Hz
- Cover display: 6.31" 2K Super Fluid AMOLED with LTPO 3.0, 120Hz
- Camera: 48MP + 64MP (telephoto) + 48MP (ultrawide)
- Front camera: 32MP (cover), 20MP (main display)
- CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- RAM: 16GB DDR5X
- Storage: 512GB UFS 4.0
- Battery: 4805mAh with 67W SUPERVOOC
OnePlus Open: First Impressions
The unboxing experience is nothing short of an event in itself. The OnePlus Open arrives in a distinct package, setting the stage for what's to come. As you unlock this mini-suitcase, it reveals the star of the show—the OnePlus Open.
The device is available in two captivating colors: Emerald Dusk and Voyager Black. Emerald Dusk is a striking green hue that's exclusive to the flagship series, featuring a matte-frosted glass back. In the right lighting, this back panel shimmers with elegance, thanks to micro-beads and a textured surface. But our favourite remains Voyager Black, which has a rear cover made of vegan leather, exuding a sense of class and sophistication.
But OnePlus has done something remarkable with the OnePlus Open—it's exceptionally light and compact. Weighing in at an average of just 239 grams, it's in the same league as the iPhone 14 Pro Max (240g). When unfolded, it's a mere 5.8mm thin, and when folded, it measures a sleek 11.7mm. No one can really tell if its a foldable phone when your holding it in the hand. OnePlus has masterfully addressed the common critique of bulk that often accompanies foldable devices, making it feel super light in the pocket. What a relief.
Folding and unfolding the device feels remarkably smooth and durable. Plus, you don't feel the crease. Both the displays look beautiful and OnePlus has clearly put a lot of effort on the interface to make sure the apps are optimised extremely well to adjust to the new screens.
With an aspect ratio of 20:9 for the 6.31 inch display, I think onePlus has hit the sweet spot when it comes to putting that cover screen to better and more practical use. The secondary display is a lot bigger, measuring 7.82 inches diagonally. Both having 2K resolution fluid AMOLED panels with up to 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, it's just a visual delight. The apps are snappy and fit the screen properly, without any odd orientations.
Keeping its signature alive, OnePlus Alert Slider takes its place on the phone. But what's really impressive is how there's no gap, absolutely none, when the phone is folded. OnePlus has put a smart use to the bezel of the inner display and I just love it. Even when the phone is in unfolded state, it is as straight as a foldable can be.
Through relentless commitment to structural optimizations and material innovations, OnePlus has made a major stride in the design. The flat sides add to the appeal as well as the comfort of holding the phone.
The hinge of the OnePlus Open follows a single-spine architecture, which instantly feels sturdier. OnePlus has used lesser number of parts, lowering from the usual 100+ to a mere 69. No kidding! This reduction doesn't come at the cost of quality as we can feel the durability in the folding and unfolding mechanism, rather it contributes to a lighter overall device.
The display is protected by Ceramic Guard, a proprietary ion-exchange-treated glass-ceramic, which we will be testing carefully over the course of our review. OnePlus, however, says this technology makes the OnePlus Open more robust and enables a more compact design when folded. The latter we can vouch for.
The hinge has me really intrigued. One must feel just how smooth it feels to really know it what we're really talking about. OnePlus has used zirconium-based amorphous alloy, a material known for creating artificial bones in the medical field, for the spine plate in the hinge.
OnePlus's iconic Alert Slider finds its place in the OnePlus Open, making it even more convenient. This redesigned Alert Slider seamlessly fits the phone's 5.8mm compact folding body. One thing you'll notice in the phone is the positioning of the buttons on the side, which have been moved upwards or at least they feel so due to the phone's aspect ratio. If it wasn't for the muscle memory, we wouldn't know they are relocated. But in just a day, we were familiar with the power button and volume controls on the right. The power button also houses the fingerprint sensor, which works great.
The camera is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the OnePlus Open. The massive circular camera module is impossible to ignore, and it's not just for show. The device boasts a powerful triple-camera setup, which includes a 48MP main camera, a 64MP telephoto camera, and a 48MP ultra-wide camera. The inclusion of Hasselblad branding ensures that your photos will be nothing short of spectacular. For selfies, there are two options: a 20MP camera on the primary display and a 32MP sensor on the secondary display.
Under the hood, the OnePlus Open is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, along with a whopping 16GB of RAM and a generous 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The device is fueled by a 4805mAh battery and supports blazing-fast 67W SUPERVOOC charging via a USB Type C 3.1 port. It's worth noting that OnePlus includes an 80W power adapter in the box, but charging maxes out at 67W. Didn't expect that. But we'll dive deeper into the phone's overall performance over the coming days to assess if this makes any difference.
