The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs OnePlus Open match-up should be coming sooner rather than later. And we can't wait to see the outcome of a battle between our current favorite folding phone and what sounds like Samsung's biggest update to its foldable model yet.
First-generation foldables have, historically, been a rather iffy proposition. But the OnePlus Open was a brilliant first attempt, surprising us by how well-designed it was. Some low-light camera quibbles aside, there was very little to complain about.
But Samsung has been in the game far longer, and its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 6 will undoubtedly be very good, if not excellent courtesy of its rumored upgrades. So which foldable will win out? Here’s how they stack up, based on what we know so far.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs OnePlus Open: Specs
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs OnePlus Open: Release date and price
The OnePlus Open has been out since October 2023, priced at $1,699 (though you can knock $200 off this by trading in any phone in any condition, effectively making it $1,499).
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is likely coming this summer, a little earlier than past foldables. Due to Samsung’s sponsorship of the Olympic Games, word is that the Z Fold 6 will launch in the second week of July, so it's got some new hardware to show off on all its billboards etc.
While the price of Galaxy Fold devices has come down significantly since the $1,980 first generation, we wouldn’t expect it to drop lower than a starting price of $1,699 this time around. Even if Samsung keeps the current $1,800 price point for its larger foldable in place, we'd make peace with it as long as the other rumored upgrades are in place.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs OnePlus Open: Design and screens
The OnePlus Open mimics past Galaxy Fold designs: a regular (albeit thick) smartphone that unfolds to reveal a small tablet-sized display on the inside.
The differences come in terms of screen size, resolution and aspect ratios. The OnePlus Open’s external OLED display is a 6.31-inch number with a resolution of 2,484 x 1,116 and a refresh rate of up to 240Hz. Its internal tablet display is a 7.82-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 2,440 x 2,268 and variable refresh rates of between 1 and 120Hz.
We don’t know the specifics of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 yet, but the word is that it’s going to carry different dimensions to its predecessor. The reliable tipster Ice Universe says that its external screen will grow to 6.3 inches (from 6.2 inches) with a 22:9 aspect ratio, while the inside screen will still measure 7.6 inches across the diagonal.
Continuing the exclusive leak, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 standard version has an unfolded thickness of 5.6mm, a folded thickness of 12.1mm, and a weight of 239 grams. The resolution of both the internal and external screens has been improved. The internal screen is 7.6 inches,…April 3, 2024
Samsung has apparently made the upcoming foldable thinner and lighter than ever, with a thickness of 12.1mm folded or 5.6mm unfolded. It’s tipped to be down from 8.92 ounces/253g to 8.43 ounces/239g, just 0.21 ounces/6g more than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and notably the same weight as the OnePlus Open.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs OnePlus Open: Performance
One area where Samsung will almost certainly have the upper hand is performance — a near inevitability with newer phones at this price point.
While the OnePlus Open uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 will likely embrace the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and all of its AI smarts. Indeed, it would be very surprising if the Galaxy Z Fold 6 didn’t adopt the same Galaxy AI tricks showcased with the Galaxy S24 series.
There’s also the speed boost, too. Here are the comparative benchmarks between the OnePlus Open and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which already uses the 8 Gen 3 chip, to give you a rough idea of what to expect:
Yes, the OnePlus Open will likely have 4GB more RAM, but in our experience that doesn’t make any tangible difference to day-to-day performance for most people. At the moment, 16GB RAM is overkill for smartphones unless you're using multiple incredibly demanding apps at once.
It’s also worth noting that past Galaxy Z Fold devices have supported the S Pen. While there still won’t be anywhere to dock it on Samsung’s next foldable by the sounds of it, the compatibility alone will give the Galaxy Z Fold 6 a strong selling point for doodlers and note-takers.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs OnePlus Open: Cameras
The OnePlus Open has a triple camera array with a 48MP (f/1.7) main lens, a 48MP (f/2.2) ultrawide snapper and a 64MP (f/2.6) 3x telephoto lens.
According to two leakers (Revegnus and Ice Universe), the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 will continue with the same camera hardware as its predecessor. That means a 50MP (f/1.8) main camera, a 12MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide sensor and a 10MP (f/2.4) telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.
Handily, we’ve done a direct camera face-off between the Z Fold 5 and OnePlus Open already, and you can see some comparison shots below.
Yes, Samsung may improve on its image processing, but given our Assistant Phones Editor, Richard Priday, already gave the Z Fold 5 the nod in this particular face-off, you can probably assume that the Z Fold 6 will once again be the photographer’s choice.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs OnePlus Open: Outlook
It looks like we’ll have two very evenly matched phones on our hands with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OnePlus Open. In terms of design and price, it looks like it’ll be a win for OnePlus, but performance and photographic quality appear to be heading Samsung’s way.
Obviously, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 analysis is based on rumors, and rumors can be wrong. But fortunately we should have confirmed specs for the Z Fold 6, followed by a definitive review, in just a few months’ time to settle the question once and for all.
