Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs OnePlus Open: A Foldable Phone Showdown

I used the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OnePlus Open for a week -- here's what I learned

The OnePlus Open was a revelation, giving us hope that more interesting folding phones were coming to the US. It features a slim, lightweight design, a more expansive outer display, and an anti-reflective inner layer. Moreover, it felt like OnePlus listened to foldable users, addressing complaints we've had about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series for years. I felt we finally had a competing vision of what folding phones should be. Then I picked up the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, and I got it. Samsung is playing for keeps. It's not interested in being first with cutting-edge features or radical design changes. It still bears the scars of the original Galaxy Z Fold, delayed for a hinge that let in too much debris, and it won't make that mistake again. Samsung is determined to deliver a reliable device with a consistent software experience -- precisely what many want for their $2,000 investment. If you're interested in both of these phones, know that I used the OnePlus Open and Galaxy Z Fold 6 side-by-side for a week. Here is what I learned. read our review Review: The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has cost Samsung its head start in the foldable race A real tortoise-and-hare situation 15 What I like about the OnePlus Open Fantastic multitasking The OnePlus Open was released almost seven months before the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but rest assured, it's still more than capable in 2024, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a significant performance gap for most tasks. I believe any comparison of the two hinges (get it?) on differences in feel and experience -- where does each device excel? The OnePlus Open is hard not to enjoy. Every design element feels deliberate and crafted by fellow folding phone fans. I've been living with the pain of Samsung's glacial design pace since the Z Fold 2, my fingers crying out for a few more millimeters as I attempted to pound out WhatsApp messages on its narrow outer display. Thankfully, that's not an issue on the OnePlus Open, as its 6.31-inch external panel is a wonderful size for typing. I can go an entire day without unfolding my OnePlus Open and not feel cheated by the experience. Read our review The OnePlus Open is what every foldable should be OnePlus supplies the competition Samsung needs I've had the Open since launch, and I'm still stunned each time I reveal the internal display. It's a bright, vibrant, gorgeous panel that looks amazing regardless of what you're doing. Games pop off the display, and videos are detailed with excellent contrast. It's also more landscape-dominant than the Z Fold 6, making it ideal for apps like Discord and Chrome. The larger displays aren't without trade-offs, as the Open is less one-hand friendly than the Z Fold 6, but I think it's worth it. I still have reservations about OxygenOS, but Open Canvas should be the template for multitasking on folding phones. Gliding between three apps is refreshing, with each given the proper space. Meanwhile, Samsung's multitasking seems stuck in 2017. I've made my peace that the Z Fold series will never be the most exciting, but an overhaul to multitasking is overdue. It's a major advantage for OnePlus and a key reason I enjoy using the Open over other foldables. Unfortunately, this leads us to an uncomfortable discussion about one of the weaknesses of Open: the software. What I like about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Safe and reliable I've preferred One UI over other Android skins for several years. I enjoy the reliability and quality of the software updates, never worrying whether my Bluetooth or Wi-Fi will stop working with the next patch. It's well-designed, stable, and runs wonderfully on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It's also baffling how Samsung realized we want different layouts for our outer and inner displays while other foldable OEMs force us to maintain the same layout. I'm tired of moving apps around on my Open's external display, knowing I have to be mindful of how they're positioned when unfolded. They are entirely different experiences, and I'm glad Samsung treats them as such. The outer display is allowed to be more like a traditional smartphone, while I can rearrange the inner home screen in a tablet layout. I also love how Samsung committed to seven years of software support on the Z Fold 6, and I don't understand why people dismiss extended support. Even if you don't keep your device for that long, a still-supported phone will fetch more at resale time than one without. And, at the very least, Samsung will have to make an effort to optimize future releases for older hardware, something that won't happen for as long with the Open. I'll never forgive OnePlus for ruining my OnePlus 9 experience with OxygenOS 12, and that's part of the reason I'm hesitant when recommending the Open -- I never know what's around the corner with OnePlus updates. Galaxy AI is slowly becoming a selling point, too. It's still in its opening chapter, but it's clear Google is committed to working with Samsung to bring the latest and greatest Gemini advancements to Galaxy hardware. I'm not an early convert by any means, but I'm starting to see more practical applications for AI creep into the user experience -- and I'm here for it. I'm also tired of apologizing for preferring the Z Fold 6's cameras. I like the point-and-shoot results better, and I think they're more consistent. I have the same problem with the Open's cameras as with the OnePlus 12; the images can get dark and soft, whereas the Samsung images are consistently better saturated and brighter. It does come down to preference, but I enjoy Samsung's color science to OnePlus', even with Hasselblad's help. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 camera samples Close I don't want anyone to get confused. The OnePlus Open is wonderfully made, and its hinge has a solid, positive feel each time you unfold it. However, the Z Fold 6 hinge is a bit firmer and can hold its position in various orientations. It also features wireless charging, but that's easily countered by the much faster, wired charging speeds on the Open. OnePlus Open camera samples Close It's not as straightforward a choice as you think Both? Both are good I'm comfortable admitting I'm conflicted. I keep asking myself if it's possible for a device to offer a better experience while not necessarily being the better overall phone or choice for most people. I think it's more a case of different horses for different courses. The Z Fold 6 is the phone you buy your parents; it's reliable, has excellent software support, and has a more familiar feel for people switching from a traditional smartphone. Meanwhile, the Open is the phone you buy if you're an enthusiast and want to feel like you're using a folding phone designed this decade. I have misgivings about the software, but Samsung wasn't always perfect, either -- suffering through the dark ages of TouchWiz and the growing pains of OneUI. OnePlus can still give me the same confidence I have in Samsung, but it takes time. However, you shouldn't let that deter you from buying an OnePlus Open -- the multitasking alone is worth the price of admission. If you're on the cutting edge, get the OnePlus Open. If you put your hazard lights on driving in the rain, buy the Samsung Galazy Z Fold 6. OnePlus Open The OnePlus Open is still snappy in 2024 and is an excellent choice for those searching for a more cutting-edge foldable. Its inner display is excellent, and I love the extra space OnePlus gives us on the outer display. It's SD8G2 and 16GB of RAM and more than enough for daily tasks and more intense applications. $1680 at Amazon$1700 at Best Buy$1700 at OnePlus Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Samsung's latest foldable takes some cues from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, with a boxier design and an all-matte finish. It features a slightly wider cover display for a more comfortable typing experience, as well as new Galaxy AI features and an upgraded ultra-wide camera. $1900 at Amazon$1900 at Best Buy$1900 at Samsung

One of the best foldable phones I've tested is not a Motorola Razr or OnePlus Open

It's far from exciting, however, given its similarities to the Z Flip 5, and it costs $200 more than Motorola's Razr Plus. Samsung is already on the sixth iteration of its Galaxy Z Flip, and by now, we've all grown familiar with folding phones, what they're capable of, and what their unusual form factors bring to the table. The Z Flip 6 is the most polished clamshell we've seen thus far. Compared to the Z Flip 5, Samsung has changed very little, with only a handful of features to market the new model with. Also: I replaced my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with the Z Fold 6 for two weeks - and can't go back The starting price has also gone up by $100 to $1,099. So, after using the Z Flip 6 for a little over a week, the big question for me is whether the new price tag is justified, especially when Motorola's Razr Plus, the Z Flip's closest competitor, didn't go up in price. Here's my answer. Samsung doesn't have to reinvent the wheel every time it ships a new folding phone, but there's been room for improvement on the Z Flip's design for a while. On the Z Flip 6, Samsung switched back to matte aluminum sides instead of glossy like on the Z Flip 5, which I appreciate. Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs Z Flip 5: Key differences you should know before buying The new Z Flip also has an IP48 rating, marking the first time one of the company's folding phones has offered any certified form of dust protection. The hinge has also been strengthened, resulting in a shallower crease along the middle of the display. These improvements are nice to see, but are by no means monumental. I would've loved to see a bigger cover display; Samsung upped the ante last year when it swapped the Flip 4's 1.9-inch cover display for a 3.4-inch panel on the Flip 5. The Flip 6 carries that same larger screen on the outside, but it's dwarfed by the much cooler-looking 4-inch panel on the 2024 Razr Plus. Also: I tested Motorola's new Razr Plus (2024) and it made the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip feel outdated Not only does Motorola's display stretch to each edge and behind the cameras, but it also lets you run any app you want, so you rarely need to open the phone to do quick things like respond to a text. On the Z Flip 6, you're limited to the panels and widgets Samsung gives you access to, which makes the experience far less useful than Motorola's. Naturally, I found myself opening the Z Flip 6 display a lot, but that's not a bad thing. The 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X is stunning, with a sharp Full HD+ resolution and excellent color reproduction. There's a 120Hz refresh rate that keeps everything silky smooth, and Samsung even threw in 2,600 nits of peak brightness, which is much brighter than the 1,750-nit panel on the Z Flip 5. I also love the performance of this phone. Inside sits a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. It's fast. Whether you're scrolling Instagram, flipping between your calendar and to-do list, gaming, or taking pictures like a crazy person, the Z Flip 6 will have no problem keeping up. Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr+ (2024): I've tested both, and the winner is not so obvious What I'd like to see Samsung work on is heat management. There's very little space for companies to add the same ventilation and cooling systems as normal phones, so most foldables tend to suffer from excessive heat even when you're doing normal things like checking TikTok or firing off emails. The Z Flip 6 is no exception; I've noticed it gets really warm quite often, both in the summer heat and in my 62-degree bedroom. When gaming, it can get even hotter. The cameras are a step up from the Z Flip 5, but they continue to fall short of what normal flagships are capable of. I like most of the photos I've taken with the Z Flip 6; the new 50MP main camera collects more detail and sharpness than the old 12MP sensor did on the Z Flip 5, and you can take full-resolution 50MP photos if you want to crop in or have them printed. Meanwhile, the 12MP 123-degree ultra-wide performs fine during the day, but gets pretty dark and muddy at night with a lot of artificial light injected into it. If you care about camera quality and want a clamshell flip phone, the Z Flip 6 is the one to get. I compared some of the photos I took to photos I captured with the Razr Plus, and the difference is almost night and day. Colors are more true to life on Samsung's phone, lighting is oftentimes better, and you can take pictures at night without each of them coming out unusable. Video quality is also better on the Z Flip 6 than the Razr Plus. Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 hands-on: The foldable most people should buy gets one key upgrade Of course, the shooting experience remains unmatched with the Z Flip's flexible form factor. Like other foldable phones, you can prop it up like a kickstand for hands-free photos, use the cover screen as a second viewfinder, record videos in classic handheld camcorder fashion, and more. That whole experience is driven by software, which is solid on the Z Flip 6. The overarching story is that it's still purely Samsung, with One UI 6.1 and its smorgasbord of features piled on top of Android 14. There are Edge panels, split-screen modes, an array of customizable UI options, performance and battery optimization settings, and more, along with all the features that make foldables so unique. Samsung is also promising up to seven years of software updates on the Z Flip 6, which means it falls in line with the direction the industry is heading. Also: The Galaxy Watch Ultra convinced me to replace my Apple Watch in less than a week. Here's why Samsung also includes a list of AI features on the Flip 6 like it does with its other 2024 flagships, including context-aware replies for messages on the cover screen, live translations, conversation recording, and automatic transcriptions. None of these features have been ground-breaking, but they are nice to have and add a bit of flair to the experience. It's only a matter of time before Samsung goes as hard as Apple is in iOS 18 with AI, so let's all enjoy it while it's still complimentary. The battery on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 can last a full day, so long as you're careful. Samsung increased the size of the battery from 3,700mAh to 4,000mAh, which helps it stretch well into the later hours of the day, but it's by no means a two-day phone. At $1,100, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is easy to perceive as "boring" or "overpriced," especially when the Z Flip 5 was so similar and cost $100 less. Odds are, however, that no one who owns a Z Flip 5 is going to buy a Z Flip 6, and Samsung is banking on older Flip customers or folks who are new to foldables altogether to spring for its latest clamshell, and for those who do, you'll get a pretty decent phone in exchange. That said, the Motorola Razr Plus is out there looming over the Z Flip 6 with its superior cover display, vegan leather design, and lower price. If you don't mind giving up your ultra-wide camera (and don't need seven years of software updates), you might want to think about picking up the Razr Plus instead.