OnePlus Open In-Depth Review: A Foldable Phone That Deserves A Standing Ovation

OnePlus has entered the foldable phone market with a bang. Their first folding smartphone, the OnePlus Open, offers an exemplary experience that exceeds expectations. After spending over two weeks testing the device, I can confidently say the OnePlus Open deserves a standing ovation for what it accomplishes.

Design and Build Quality
At 11.9mm folded and 239g, the OnePlus Open is slimmer and lighter than you’d expect for a foldable. The vegan leather back provides a premium in-hand feel. The metal frame, Flexion hinge, and IPX4 water resistance give reassurance of durability. While large, the rear camera module blends into the design. Overall, the Open achieves a fit and finish unmatched in foldables.

Displays
The Open’s displays shine as its highlight feature. The 6.31-inch outer and 7.82-inch inner displays match leading specs: 2K resolution, 120Hz adaptive refresh, HDR10+/Dolby Vision support, and ultra-high 1200 to 2800 nit peak brightness. Visuals appear stunningly crisp and vibrant. The fold is barely noticeable. Touch responsiveness stays consistent across the fold. ProXDR makes full use of the high brightness for enhanced photo viewing.

Software Experience
OxygenOS 13 tailored for foldables rivals Samsung’s interface. App continuity between displays is seamless. The persistent taskbar for easy app switching is genius. Split screen with up to 3 apps works great. Tablet-optimized versions of OnePlus apps excel. The overall experience is highly intuitive and polished.

Performance
With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 16GB RAM, and UFS 4.0 storage, performance is blazing fast. OnePlus’ optimization shines in benchmarks and intensive gaming. Thermal throttling is well managed too. Battery life reliably lasts a full day despite heavy use. 67W wired charging juices up quickly. Wireless charging is missed but not a deal breaker.

Cameras
The triple camera system takes good photos and video, but doesn’t match the best camera phones. The main 50MP sensor captures nice colors and bokeh but soft details. HDR could be more consistent. The 32MP selfie overprocesses skin. The 3x telephoto zoom produces solid hybrid and optical magnification. Video stabilization and quality impress, but low light performance needs a boost.

The Bottom Line
The OnePlus Open delivers the most refined foldable phone experience yet. The displays are unmatched. Performance flies. Battery life is great. Premium build quality outdoes other foldables. OnePlus’ seamless software hits all the right notes. And the price undercuts Samsung. If you want a foldable done right, look no further than the OnePlus Open. Highly recommended!