A hundred million. If Counterpoint Research is right, foldable smartphones will cross the 100 million (annual global sales) threshold by 2027. Samsung has been the dominant player in the global foldable space and the Indian market is no exception. It’s why OnePlus’ first foldable has been generating a lot of buzz. Call it late-mover advantage, but the OnePlus Open seems to have done a lot of things right in the brand’s first attempt at a foldable smartphone. OnePlus has reimagined the cover display and nailed the form factor with a book-type foldable that feels great in your hand. The brand has leveraged it’s tie up with Hasselblad to give the camera performance a serious boost. And then there’s speed, OnePlus’ calling card.
Also read: To flip or to fold: Things to consider before buying your next smartphone
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the tried-and-tested option. Samsung’s Z Fold line, it’s larger, book-type foldable has been getting better with each iteration and the Z Fold 5 is a culmination of sorts. This device is a lot more rugged than its predecessors and delivers a great user experience backed with best of breed hardware. It’s an epic face-off between a seasoned campaigner and the new kid in town:
Design
This might boil down to personal preferences. We like how the OnePlus Open feels like a conventional smartphone in your hand. At 239 gm, it’s also marginally lighter than the Z Fold 5. Both devices are a tad slippery, given their unique form factor. It’s always a tough call on a back case. It adds to the heft and yet it’s much needed protection for devices that are in ultra- premium territory. Both brands claim that their hinge mechanisms are ready for the long run. The Z Fold 5 scores with its IPX8 water resistance. The Open offers IPX4 splash resistance. You need to handle both devices with kid gloves.
Display
We’ve always wondered why the cover display has not got the same love as the larger main display in the larger tablet-type foldable space. That’s one reason why the OnePlus Open has the edge in the battle of the immersive displays. The cover display isn’t just vibrant but very functional too. OnePlus also scores on the peak brightness levels (2800 nits for both displays). We shifted to ‘Open’ mode only while binge-watching or gaming or flipping through E-Books. The large 6.31-inch cover display is large enough for most daily tasks. The Z Fold 5 has a gorgeous main display with colours that pop. It’s the cover display that’s slightly cramped for texting marathons or typing long emails.
Camera
On paper, the OnePlus Open looks the more formidable mobile shooter. But it’s a different story in the real world. We prefer Portrait mode on the Open where the Hasselblad pedigree comes to the fore. Samsung has a distinct edge in lowlight scenarios and in the video department. In most other scenarios, it might be down to individual preferences in terms of the overall colour palette.
Battery performance
This is a tough call in a foldable shootout. Logically, OnePlus should have the edge given that it has the bigger battery. You’re also likely to use the main display (that drains battery faster) less frequently because of the more functional cover display. But it doesn’t always play out that way in everyday usage where use-case scenarios vary from one user to the other. Wireless charging is a puzzling omission on the OnePlus Open. This is now a standard feature we expect on all flagship phones. One the ‘Plus’ side, the Open comes with 67 W fast charging (1 to 100 per cent in 42 minutes) with a bundled charger.
Performance
It’s tough to pick a winner here. Both devices are powered by the same best-of-breed Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. The Open comes in just one hardware variant and features more RAM (16GB) than the Z Fold 5. The default internal storage (512GB) is also higher than the base variant of the Z Fold 5 (256GB). But the Z Fold 5 also comes in a 12GB/1TB option.
Extras
OnePlus comes with some cool multi-tasking tricks for the Open. It adds to its appeal as a serious productivity device. Samsung offers a visually more attractive UI and DeX mode that mimics a desktop experience once you connect the Z Fold 5 to an external display. The Z Fold 5 also offers stylus support but it’s an optional accessory that costs extra.
It’s tough to pick a clear winner. The OnePlus Open (Rs 1,39,999) offers a significant price advantage over the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 (Rs 1,54,999). Both devices come with a bunch of offers and discounts. The OnePlus Open is a terrific debut for OnePlus in the foldable segment with a gorgeous build, vibrant displays and terrific performance. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 looks every inch premium and offers a time-tested foldable experience.
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