Both Foldables Have a Strikingly Different Design
Both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the OnePlus Open are book-style foldable smartphones, but they follow different design languages. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 features boxy corners, thin bezels, and a subtle camera module with blacked-out lenses. When folded, the device reveals the metallic hinge, bearing Samsung’s branding. In contrast, the OnePlus Open has rounded corners, slightly thicker bezels, and a large circular camera module on the back with a textured finish.
When folded, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is just 8.9mm thick, making it about 23% slimmer than the OnePlus Open, which measures 11.7mm. Unfolding the Galaxy Z Fold 7 makes it even thinner, measuring 4.2mm, which is 28% thinner than the Open. In terms of weight, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is at least 24 grams lighter, weighing 215 grams compared to the OnePlus Open.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7’s cover screen uses Corning’s Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, similar to the S25 Edge, while the back panel incorporates Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The OnePlus Open features a Ceramic Guard on the front, which is 20% tougher than Gorilla Glass Victus, and a glass or eco leather back depending on the variant. Both devices have an aluminum frame.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has an IP48 dust and water resistance rating, while the OnePlus Open has an IPX4 splash resistance rating. In terms of color options, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is available in Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jet Black, and Mint, while the OnePlus Open comes in Emerald Dusk and Voyager Black.
Fold 7 Offers Bigger Screens
Samsung has increased the screen size on its latest book-style foldable to 6.5 inches for the cover screen and 8.0 inches for the inner screen. Both screens use a Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X panel that supports an adaptive refresh rate (up to 120Hz) and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits.
In comparison, the OnePlus Open has a 6.31-inch cover screen and a 7.82-inch inner foldable display. The screens feature an AMOLED panel with LTPO3 technology, which makes them more power-efficient while switching between refresh rates (up to 120Hz). They also reach a peak brightness of 2,800 nits, which is higher than the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Snapdragon 8 Elite vs. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Even though the OnePlus Open’s screens hold their own, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (released in 2022) doesn’t stand a chance against the Snapdragon 8 Elite on the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm) includes two 4.47 GHz prime cores, the Adreno 830 GPU, and Qualcomm’s Hexagon NPU for local AI processing. It is paired with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage. The OnePlus Open, on the other hand, features the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) with a 3.2 GHz prime core, Adreno 740 GPU, and an older version of the Hexagon NPU, paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage.
In benchmarks, the OnePlus Open scores around 2,000/5,300 points in the GeekBench 6 CPU benchmark, while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 scores around 2,890/9,220 points. This indicates a significant performance gap, especially in single- and multi-core scores.
One UI 8 vs. OxygenOS 15
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 runs on Samsung’s One UI 8, based on Android 16. It offers numerous customization options, including a new dynamic clock for the lock screen, improved system apps like My Files, Quick Share, and Samsung Internet, and enhanced features such as the 90:10 split-screen view.
On the other hand, the OnePlus Open runs on OxygenOS 15, featuring revamped quick settings, lock screen customization, Flux Themes, and Live Updates. It also includes AI-based features such as AI writing tools, picture editing, and AI Motion.
OnePlus Open Offers High-Resolution Cameras
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 introduces Samsung’s 200MP ISOCELL HP2 sensor, along with a 10MP optical zoom lens and a 12MP ultrawide sensor. It also features an ultrawide punch-hole selfie camera on the inner screen and additional features like 8K video recording and the Audio Eraser feature.
The OnePlus Open has a 48MP primary sensor, a 64MP secondary sensor with a 3x optical zoom lens, and a 48MP ultrawide sensor. It also includes a 20MP punch-hole camera on the foldable screen and a 32MP camera on the cover screen. Key features include 4K Dolby Vision video recording and AI-based editing tools.
OnePlus Open Features a Bigger Battery
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has a 4,400 mAh battery that supports 25W wired, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The OnePlus Open, on the other hand, has a larger 4,805 mAh battery that supports 67W wired charging, making it faster and more efficient.
Galaxy Z Fold 7 Offers Satellite Connectivity
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 includes the Snapdragon X80 5G modem, supporting both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G networks, as well as Snapdragon Satellite for text messaging via low-Earth orbit satellites. It also features Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v5.4, GPS, GLONASS, NFC, and a USB Type-C 3.2 port.
The OnePlus Open only supports sub-6GHz 5G networks, alongside Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v5.3, dual-band GPS, GLONASS, NFC, an IR Blaster, and a USB Type-C 3.1 port.
Which Is the Right Foldable for You?
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 improves upon all aspects except the battery, making it easier to carry, use demanding apps, and capture photos in the unfolded state. However, it comes with a premium price. If budget allows, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 offers better performance, longer software support, and advanced features.
If you already own the OnePlus Open and budget is not an issue, upgrading to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could be a good choice. For those looking for a more affordable option, the OnePlus Open still provides solid performance and features.