OnePlus Open is Rated with 5X Fold Times Than the Galaxy Fold 5
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OnePlus has just launched the OnePlus Open (review), which is its first foldable smartphone. One of the device's novelties is the new Flexion hinge that enables it to be thinner and lighter yet durable. The Open is also one of the first foldable devices to be certified by TÜV Rheinland in a folding test, but how does this stack up against other foldable smartphones?
- Also read: Best foldable smartphones in 2023 ranked
How many times you can fold the OnePlus Open
As revealed by OnePlus, it is said the component is rated to last up to 1 million folds within the 10-year period of use. Meaning, it should last five times longer than what Samsung has guaranteed on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 (review) at 200,000 folds with the company's new Flex hinge, at least on paper.
Putting the OnePlus Open with the other Chinese foldable options, the closest will be the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 at 500,000. This is followed by the Honor Magic V2 (review), which is rated at 400,000 folds for an equivalent of 10 years of use or about 100 folds daily.
Folding Durability Comparison
| Model | Fold times |
|---|---|
| OnePlus Open | 1,000,000 |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 | 200,000 |
| Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 | 500,000 |
| Honor Magic V2 | 400,000 |
Well, if you're wondering how OnePlus achieved this, the new custom hinge has been significantly upgraded in terms of design and structure over the last generation Flexion hinge that is also shared with Oppo's devices.
At the same time, the hinge itself gets fewer mechanical components and uses tougher yet lighter materials like the zirconium alloy on the spine while the cobalt molybdenum and titanium alloys make up most of the other sections.
Samsung foldables were more durable in actual testing
But then there's again the Galaxy Z Flip 5 (review) that eventually survived more than 400,000 folds. Notably, it ended up longer than the Motorola Razr+ that Matt tested with an advertised 400,000 folds but failed at the halfway mark during the test.
Technically, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has the same hinge design as the Galaxy Z Fold 5. So, with this in mind, Samsung could be actually advertising a lower rating or using a different standard of testing than most Chinese brands, including OnePlus.
Nonetheless, it would be interesting to see how the OnePlus Open would survive in the same real-world test, which is now up to some third-party outlets. (And how to painfully fold and unfold the device up to a millionth time or so).
Would you intend buying a foldable smartphone knowing it has a longer folding times lifespan? What other factors do you consider when buying a folding smartphone? We're interested to hear your opinion.
