Thefirst OnePlus phonewas an iconic handset that got the entire tech community excited about what a niche startup could do. OnePlus has now entered its second decade, which it marked with its first foldable phone — theOnePlus Open.
But instead of looking like a half-baked prototype, the Open feels much more mature, even beating the long-standing competition in several key areas like the display crease and software features. It’s so impressive that if I were to buy a foldable phone this holiday season, it would definitely be the OnePlus Open. And forBlack Friday, it’s down to its best price ever within a month of its official launch.
OnePlus Open
The OnePlus Open beats every other foldable phone in several key areas, which is all the more impressive considering it is the company’s first attempt at a phone with a flexible display. This super premium phone is available at a $200 discount, but you can save up to a further $1,000 with a trade-in, potentially making it as cheap as $500.
The OnePlus Open has been my daily driver ever since it came out, and I think I’d find it tough to go back to anormalphone now. It has become almost second nature to open the phone whenever I need the bigger display, say when I want to read or watch something. Even scrolling social media is a lot better on the larger display — photos and videos look much more immersive, making you want to open the inner screen more often.
Above all, OnePlus has made the best use of the foldable screen so far on any foldable. There are times when I need to use multiple apps at time, like when I need to drag and drop a file into a Gmail draft. For uses like this,there isn’t a better way to handle multiple apps on the screen than Open Canvas, which reimagines a usable area that goes beyond what’s visible on the screen. So, I can have up to four apps open simultaneously without the display looking cluttered.
But what makes the flexible display stand out visually is its crease — or rather the lack of it. You won’t find a deep groove in the middle of the inner screen; it’s neither visible nor felt on touch. It’s a far cry from what Samsung phones currently come with and even noticeable better than thePixel Fold’s slight crease. That speaks volumes about the Open’s product design, which makes it feel more modern and compelling than eventhe best foldable phonesout there.
That being said, it isn’t like the outer display is unusable; in fact, it’s quite the opposite of that. With a narrow outer screen on theGalaxy Z Fold 5, you are forced to switch to the inner display so that the apps don’t look oddly slim (and some Android apps end up looking worse on the wide inner screen). Thankfully, the OnePlus Open has a standard 20:9 OLED on the outside, letting me use my everyday apps as easily as on a standard phone. Moreover, its flat front display is an actual bonus over the curved panels used on most flagships that I appreciate having a ton.
There have been numerous instances where the phone drew a lot of positive attention.
Flip the phone over, and you will see its massive circular camera island, and it is there for a reason. OnePlus has used its best camera system ever on the Open, unlike the Z Fold 5, which is a step down from the bleeding-edge camera prowess of theGalaxy S23 Ultra. I enjoy using its 3x telephoto camera for crisp zooms, and portrait shots from the phone come out so well that it has become my default camera for clicking photos of people — many have even asked me to click their portraits from the Open, it’s that good!
That big camera also makes the phone recognizable in the street; there have been numerous instances over the last couple of weeks where the phone drew positive attention. Foldable phones are already pretty eye-catching, but the Open’s bold design makes it stand out even among its peers. If you like it when people take notice of your phone so that you can brag about your flashy new handset, you now know which one to get.
Before using the phone, I was a little worried about its ergonomics and weight since I don’t like heavy phones that strain my wrist. But the Open didn’t feel like that big of a change when I switched from theOnePlus 11, and that’s something considering it gets you a whole extra screen. And using the phone with one hand isn’t a problem either — my index finger rests right under that camera bump, giving it some extra support. However, the phone is definitely on the thicker side, so make sure you have enough space in your jeans pocket or purse.
The OnePlus Open officially launched last month for $1700, but for Black Friday, it is available at a hefty discount, bringing its price down to $1400 at Best Buy if you activate a line with them — it could be from any carrier.
On the other hand, OnePlus is offering an incredible trade-in deal on its own store. On top of a base $200 discount, you may snag up to another $1000 off by exchanging your current phone for the OnePlus Open. Considering how much better it is than the Galaxy Z Fold 5, the OnePlus Open is well worth the asking price and is one of the top deals we’ve come across this week for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
This is a fantastic time to gift yourself or your family and friends a new phone. You can look atthe Pixel 8 Pro, the Motorola Razr, the Pixel 7a, and a whole lot of other phones currently on sale. And, if you’re looking to pair your OnePlus Open with other OnePlus products,the Buds Pro 2 and the Pad are available at a nice discountas well, but you’d need to hurry up as these prices will last for only a few days.
