OnePlus Open vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: Has Samsung finally met its match?

• Winner

  

  OnePlus Open

  A worthy challenger

  SoC

  Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform

  Display

  Primary: 7.82-inch; secondary: 6.31-inch

  RAM

  16GB LPDDR5X

  Storage

  512GB UFS 4.0

  Battery

  4,805mAh

  Ports

  USB-C (3.1)

  The OnePlus Open is an impressive debut. It boasts a sleek, slim build, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and great cameras. Overall, it present s a serious challenge to Samsung's long-reining place on the throne.

  Pros & Cons

  • Great camera specs
  • Sleek, slim design
  • Capable chipset

  • No wireless charging

  $1699 at OnePlus

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• Proven performer

  

  Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

  Long-running favorite

  Brand

  Samsung

  SoC

  Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (4nm)

  Display

  7.6-inch AMOLED main screen, 6.2-inch AMOLED cover screen, both with 120Hz adaptative refresh rate

  RAM

  12GB

  Storage

  256GB, 512GB, 1TB

  The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 makes incremental upgrades over Samsung's previous foldable, but that also means it has lagged behind in many ways. Still, its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip works quite well, and the cameras are solid.

  Pros & Cons

  • Reliable mobile OS
  • Good build quality
  • Proven capabilities

  • Design is looking more and more dated

  $1799 at Amazon $1800 at Best Buy $1890 at Samsung

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Foldable phones have seen continuous improvements and refinements over the years, and the newly launched OnePlus Open definitely makes that apparent. Still, it is not the only option out there, and the already dependable Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 has shown itself to be quite capable in our tests. So, which phone wins the title of best foldable? Let's break it down and find out.

OnePlus Open vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: Price, specs, and availability

The OnePlus Open launched on October 19, 2023, and is available for preorder from OnePlus, Amazon, and Best Buy. There is only one model available with 512GB of storage. Color options include Emerald Dusk and Voyager Black. It retails for $1700. If you preorder directly from OnePlus before October 26, you can get $200 off and up to $1000 off with an eligible trade-in. Additionally, you'll receive a pair of OnePlus Buds Pro 2 earbuds. After October 26, you can receive up to $200 off with any trade-in, and certain eligible trade-ins may net you up to $1000 off.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is available from Samsung, Bets Buy, Amazon, and mobile providers. It starts at $1800 for the 256GB model, $1920 for the 512GB model, and $2,009 for the 1TB model. Color options include Cream, Phantom Black, and Icy Blue from every retailer, while you can only buy Blue and Gray from Samsung. With an eligible trade-in and offers, you can get $1030 off as well.

• 	OnePlus Open	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
  SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (4nm)
  Display	Primary: 7.82-inch; secondary: 6.31-inch	7.6-inch AMOLED main screen, 6.2-inch AMOLED cover screen, both with 120Hz adaptative refresh rate
  RAM	16GB LPDDR5X	12GB
  Storage	512GB UFS 4.0	256GB, 512GB, 1TB
  Battery	4,805mAh	4,400mAh dual battery
  Ports	USB-C (3.1)	USB-C
  Operating System	OxygenOS 13.2 based on Android 13	One UI 5.1.1 (Android 13)
  Front camera	Primary: 20MP f/2.2 with fixed focus; Secondary: 32MP f/2.4 with fixed focus	10MP cover camera, 4MP under-display main screen camera
  Rear camera	Main: 48MP f/1.7 with OIS ; ultrawide: 48MP f/2.2 with autofocus; telephoto: 64MP f/2.6 with 3x optical zoom	12MP ultrawide, 50MP wide-angle, 10MP telephoto
  Connectivity	USB 3.1, 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3	SIM and eSIM
  Dimensions	Folded: 153.4 x 73.3 x 11.7 mm; unfolded: 153.4 x 143.1 x 5.8 mm	6.1 x 2.64 x 0.53 inches folded, 6.1 x 5.11 x .24 inches unfolded
  Colors	Emerald Dusk, Voyager Black	Icy Blue, Phantom Black, Cream, (Samsung exclusive: Gray, Blue)
  Weight	8.4 ounces (239g)	8.92 ounces (252.88 grams)
  IP Rating	IPX4	IPX8
  Price	$1,699	Starting at $1,800
  Security	Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, face unlock	Samsung Knox, Samsung Knox Vault

OnePlus Open vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: Similar hardware, different finishes

At first glance, both of these foldable phones have the same overall form, but they differ in many nuanced ways where it counts.

The OnePlus Open actually differs in a few ways from itself, depending on which model you buy. The Voyager Black (vegan leather back panel version) comes in at 239g while the Emerald Dusk (matte frosted glass version) is 245g. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the same across its configurations and weighs 253g.

The Galaxy Fold 5 is 0.53-inches (13.5mm) thick when closed, which is rather bulky. It's IPX8 rated, and overall, we found it to be a sturdy, well-built device. In comparison, the OnePlus Open is 0.46-inches (11.7mm) thick when closed, which is slightly slimmer than the Fold 5. While we haven't tested it yet, it appears to be a well-constructed device.

OnePlus uses a Flexion hinge, which is claimed to use fewer parts than comparable hinges. TUV Rheinland says it will survive one million folds. In our tests of the Fold 5, we found its hinge stayed flat and closed securely. In terms of build quality, these two phones are rather evenly matched.

Displays

The OnePlus Open's screen is larger than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 at 7.82 inches plus 6.31 inches versus 7.6 inches plus 6.2 inches. The Open can refresh at rates variable from 1Hz to 120Hz and gets as bright as 2,800 nits at peak. The Fold 5 can reach 1,750 nits and also has an adaptive refresh rate that can achieve 120Hz. Both phones use an AMOLED display on each screen.

The hinge on the Fold 5 was prominent in our testing and stood out during use. Still, it wasn't egregious. We will have to test the OnePlus Open to see how its screen performs, but so far, its specs are impressive, and it's brighter than the Fold 5, so it wins this round.

Performance and software

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 inside the OnePlus Open has already proven itself. It tends to run well and is efficient with battery life. The Galaxy Fold 5 has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip, which might sound similar, but it has been optimized to run specifically on Samsung's devices. But that doesn't mean it's wildly different; it is essentially an overclocked version of the chip inside the Open.

In our testing of the Fold 5 with its 12GB of RAM, we did not have any complaints. And in our tests of other phones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, we had no problems either. However, the Open has 16GB of RAM, which is a nice upgrade. This may help it edge out the Fold 5; we'll have to test it to find out.

Both phones run Android 13 with their own flavors of user interfaces on top of that. OnePlus uses Oxygen OS, while Samsung has OneUI. OneUI has shown itself to be quite well adapted to Samsung's foldables. Oxygen OS has been useable and overall hiccup-free on other devices, but we will have to test it to see how it works on a foldable.

The battery capacity on these two phones is close, but the 4,805mAh capacity of the OnePlus Open beats the 4,400mAh of the Fold 5. In our tests, the Galaxy Fold 5 lasted about 13 hours, which is pretty good, though not the best performance around. It is important to note, however, that OnePlus is edging closer to the 5,000mAh batteries found in other phones, but the Fold 5 has stalled at its current 4,400mAH cells for three releases now. You can charge it wirelessly, which is nice, unlike the OnePlus Open.

Camera

The 50MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide camera, and 10MP telephoto lens of the Fold 5 all showed themselves to take solid photos in our testing. They have been more or less dependable for a while now, and you can find these camera setups on other models from the company, too. But this setup was not really all that different from previous Fold models, and that means Samsung missed the chance to refine and upgrade its performance.

OnePlus, in contrast, has taken the time to tackle its camera setup in a fresh way. Beyond being in a circular versus vertical arrangement, they consist of a 48MP main camera, a 64MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultra-wide lens. On paper, that is quite an accomplishment. We'll have to see how it performs, but the specs are promising. It does at least show OnePlus is willing to invest in its first foldable rather than rest on previous success like Samsung has.

OnePlus Open vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: Which is right for you?

The OnePlus Open and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 are pretty close, but it is clear Samsung is content to rest on its laurels with the Fold 5. The OnePlus Open presents a serious challenge to Samsung's de-factor foldable phone supremacy, and for that reason, it is likely the better choice for many people, especially given it's slightly cheaper MSRP.

Still, that same long-reigning win streak does mean the Fold 5 is a reliable, proven performer. It takes good snapshots, runs smoothly, and is built robust enough to withstand extended use.