Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special vs. OnePlus Open: A Deep Dive into Foldable Flagships
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing raw processing power and future-proofing, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special takes the lead thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. However, the OnePlus Open offers a compelling package with significantly faster charging, excellent battery endurance, and a bright display, making it the better choice for everyday users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special | OnePlus Open |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024, October 21 | 2023, October 19 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, October 24 | Available. Released 2023, October 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame | Glass front (Ceramic Guard) (folded), plastic front (unfolded), glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 157.9 x 142.6 x 4.9 mmFolded: 157.9 x 72.8 x 10.6 mm | Unfolded: 153.4 x 143.1 x 5.8 mmFolded: 153.4 x 73.3 x 11.7 mm |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 236 g (8.32 oz) | 239 g or 245 g (8.43 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1968 x 2184 pixels (~367 ppi density) | 2268 x 2440 pixels (~426 ppi density) |
| Size | 8.0 inches, 205.3 cm2 (~91.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 7.82 inches, 196.7 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak) | Foldable LTPO3 Flexi-fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, Dolby Vision, 120Hz, 2800 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 8-core (1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.1GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.2GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 (1 GHz) | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 14, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, OxygenOS 15 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 16GB RAM | 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Hasselblad Color Calibration, LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 200 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 66mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm, AF | 48 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.6, 70mm (telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/120/240fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@960fps (gyro-EIS), HDR10+ | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480fps gyro-EIS, HDR10+, Dolby Vision |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 4 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 2.0µm Cover camera: 10 MP, f/2.2, 24mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm | 20MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 0.7µm Cover camera: 32MP, f/2.4, 22mm (ultrawide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers (Dolby Atmos enhanced) |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, QC2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless | 67W wired, PD, 100% in 42 min Reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4400 mAh | Li-Po 4805 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black | Emerald Dusk, Voyager Black, Apex Edition |
| Models | SM-F958N | CPH2551 |
| Price | About 1870 EUR | $ 1,059.99 / € 926.54 |
| SAR | 0.66 W/kg (head) 1.13 W/kg (body) | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.76 W/kg (body) |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special
- Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for top-tier performance
- Potentially superior display calibration and color accuracy
- Samsung’s established foldable software experience
- Slower 25W charging
- Battery life potentially lower than OnePlus Open
- Likely higher price point
OnePlus Open
- Exceptional battery life and endurance
- Significantly faster 67W wired charging
- Bright 1238 nit display
- Older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
- Potentially less refined software experience compared to Samsung
- Camera performance may not match the Z Fold Special
Display Comparison
The OnePlus Open boasts a measured peak brightness of 1238 nits, suggesting a vibrant and easily viewable display even in direct sunlight. While the Z Fold Special’s display specs aren’t provided, Samsung typically employs LTPO technology for adaptive refresh rates, potentially offering power savings. The real-world difference will hinge on color accuracy and panel calibration, areas where Samsung historically excels. Bezels are a critical factor in foldable design, and a detailed side-by-side comparison is needed to assess which device offers a more immersive viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
The provided data lacks specific camera details for both devices. However, given the flagship positioning, both are expected to feature multi-camera systems with optical image stabilization (OIS). The key differentiator will likely be sensor size and image processing algorithms. Larger sensors generally capture more light, resulting in better low-light performance. OnePlus has been steadily improving its camera capabilities, and the Open is expected to deliver competitive image quality. Without detailed specs, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner, but the Z Fold Special’s processing power could give it an edge in computational photography.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) represents a significant leap over the OnePlus Open’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm). The Gen 3 features a new CPU architecture with the Cortex-X4 prime core clocked at 3.39GHz, compared to the Gen 2’s Cortex-X3 at 3.2GHz. This translates to faster single-core performance and improved efficiency. The Z Fold Special’s CPU configuration (1+3+2+2) also differs from the Open’s (1+2+2+3), potentially impacting multi-core performance. While both chips are built on a 4nm process, the architectural improvements in the Gen 3 should result in noticeable gains in demanding applications and sustained performance under load.
Battery Life
The OnePlus Open shines in battery endurance, achieving an impressive 11:59h of active use and a 96h endurance rating. This suggests excellent power efficiency. The Z Fold Special’s battery capacity is unknown, but its more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 could potentially offset some of the efficiency gains. Charging speeds are a clear win for the OnePlus Open, with 67W wired charging achieving a full charge in 42 minutes, compared to the Z Fold Special’s 25W charging (50% in 30 minutes). The Open also offers reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the Z Fold Special.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special if you demand the absolute best performance for demanding tasks like video editing, gaming, or running complex applications, and are willing to pay a premium. Buy the OnePlus Open if you prioritize all-day battery life, rapid charging, and a more balanced user experience without sacrificing flagship-level performance. The Open is ideal for power users who don't necessarily need the latest and greatest chipset.