The OnePlus Open represents a pivotal shift in the foldable market, successfully challenging the Samsung monopoly. By prioritizing a "normal" outer screen aspect ratio and revolutionary multitasking software called Open Canvas, it bridges the gap between smartphone and tablet more effectively than any predecessor. While it lacks wireless charging, its superior hinge design, elite camera system, and rapid charging make it a top-tier contender for power users.

The first time you hold the OnePlus Open, the most striking realization isn't that it folds—it's how much it feels like a standard flagship when closed. Unlike the narrow, "remote control" feel of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series, the Open employs a 20:9 aspect ratio on its 6.31-inch exterior screen. This is the sweet spot. It means your thumbs don't feel cramped while firing off a quick text, and apps don't look awkwardly squished. The materials used here—a blend of titanium alloy and carbon fiber—allow the device to weigh in at just 239 grams (for the Voyager Black model), which is lighter than an iPhone 14 Pro Max. The "Flexion Hinge" is a mechanical marvel, reducing the part count and creating a fold that is nearly invisible to the touch and the eye. After months of use, the hinge remains stiff enough to hold "Flex Form" angles for video calls, yet smooth enough to flick open with a satisfying snap. However, that massive circular camera housing on the back is polarizing. It’s a design statement that screams "Pro Camera," but it also means the phone never sits flat on a table and can feel top-heavy during long reading sessions.

Despite using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (now succeeded by the Gen 3), the OnePlus Open remains a speed demon. This is largely due to OnePlus's aggressive RAM management and the 16GB of LPDDR5X memory. In daily use, I’ve found that I can leave twenty apps open in the background and return to a game of Genshin Impact without a single frame drop or reload. The real magic, however, isn't just raw speed; it’s thermal efficiency. Even when rendering 4K video or multitasking across three apps, the device stays remarkably cool compared to its peers. The 67W SuperVOOC charging is a genuine lifestyle change for foldable owners. While Samsung users are tethered to a cord for over an hour, the Open goes from 1% to 100% in roughly 42 minutes. The lack of wireless charging is a sting, but the sheer speed of the wired connection mitigates the loss for most high-frequency users.

The "Open Canvas" software is the single best innovation in the foldable space since the invention of the flexible screen itself. Rather than trying to cram multiple apps into the physical 7.82-inch boundaries, OnePlus allows apps to "exist" off-screen. You can have two apps side-by-side and a third one tucked away to the right; a simple tap slides the third app into view while pushing another away. It feels like using a desktop with multiple monitors rather than a cramped mobile device. This fluidity removes the mental friction of multitasking. Furthermore, the transition between the inner and outer displays is seamless. If you’re navigating on Google Maps on the small screen and unfold, the map expands instantly without a stutter. It’s an intuitive experience that makes you wonder why every other foldable manufacturer hasn't adopted this logic.

Reliability is the elephant in the room for any $1,500+ foldable. OnePlus claims the hinge is tested for 1,000,000 folds—roughly 100 folds a day for 10 years. In the "real world" of Reddit communities and long-term user reports, the consensus is generally positive, but not without caveats. There have been isolated reports of the "black line of death" appearing on the inner screen, often linked to debris entering the hinge or extreme temperature fluctuations. However, the frequency of these reports doesn't seem to exceed the industry average for foldables. The "Ceramic Guard" on the outer screen has proven more scratch-resistant than typical Gorilla Glass Victus in my experience, surviving several "pocket dances" with keys. One long-term concern remains the IPX4 rating. It can handle a splash, but a drop into a sink or a heavy rainstorm is a potential death sentence, unlike the water-resistant Z Fold 5/6.

The OnePlus Open is a dream for the "Mobile Office" archetype. I’ve spent entire flights editing spreadsheets in the top half of the screen while keeping a Slack thread open in the bottom half and a YouTube video floating in the corner. For photographers, the Hasselblad partnership actually yields results here. The 3x periscope zoom is particularly impressive for portraits, providing a natural bokeh that doesn't look like "AI blur." For gamers, the inner screen is a canvas for emulators and high-refresh-rate titles, though the 1:1-ish aspect ratio does mean some letterboxing in modern 16:9 games. It’s also an exceptional e-reader; unfolding it to read a Kindle book feels remarkably similar to holding a high-end physical paperback.

After six months, the most common feedback from the community is that "going back to a normal phone feels like a downgrade." The battery health has held up remarkably well, still providing a full day of heavy use on a single charge. Some users have noted that OxygenOS updates can be slow to roll out compared to Samsung's monthly patches, and the lack of a robust first-party accessory ecosystem (like specialized stylus cases) is a minor annoyance. However, the hardware's thinness remains its greatest long-term joy. It doesn't bulk up your jeans, making it the first large-screen foldable that doesn't feel like a chore to carry every single day.