Why the OnePlus Open is the Best Folding Phone for Productivity

While foldable phones have been around for a few years, the only viable option is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series. However, things have changed this year, as we saw several launches of foldable phones, such as the Google Pixel and OnePlus Open. I have been using Oppo Find N2 (China version) for a while and switched to the OnePlus Open (aka Oppo Find N3) when it was launched. After a month of using it, I am happy to claim that it is the best folding phone for productivity this year.

Note: the unit I had is Oppo Find N3, though it is the same phone as OnePlus Open, albeit with different branding.

Tip: not too sure you should get a foldable phone? Find out the various ways to make good use of a foldable phone.

Form Factor

Let’s talk about the size of the phone first. Unlike Samsung Fold, where its external screen is thin and long, OnePlus Open’s 6.31-inch external screen is about the same size as a regular phone. You can easily pick it up and use it just like any other phone. The aspect ratio is great, without the text being too small or the images being too squeezed together. Best of all, it fits snuggly on my palm, and I can slot it into my pocket without it bulging out.

One of the (small) issues I have is its weight. At 239g, it is slightly heavier than most phones (though it is one of the lightest among all foldable phones). When holding it in my palm, I can feel the difference in weight. Technically, it has two screens, so it is normal to feel like the weight of two phones glued together. If you are not used to it, it can be straining to your arm after a while. One trick I found is to use it unfolded, which will spread its weight across the big surface and make it feel lighter.

Once you open it up, the internal 7.28-inch screen is a delight to use. Apps you are using on the external screen immediately show up on the internal screen, so you can continue with what you are doing. Movies, games and videos are automatically loaded in landscape mode. Games are automatically scaled to full-screen mode. The whole experience of switching between the screens is very intuitive.

The trademark of OnePlus phones is the slider button at the side of the phone. It allows you to easily switch to silent mode with a slide of the button. This is available in the OnePlus Open, too. It is easy to get used to it, and once you do, you will start wondering why other phones don’t have one.

If there is anything I don’t like about the size, it has to be the big camera bump at the back of the phone. It is ugly and adds a lot of grams to the phone.

Good to know: find out how a foldable phone works.

Battery Life

With a large 4805 mAh battery, I don’t have to worry about the battery life burning out at any time of the day. The battery life can last through (at least) 17 hours of usage. With moderate use, it can easily last through two full days on a single charge.

What makes it even better is how quickly the battery can go from 0 to 100%. There was an instance where I forgot to charge the phone at night, and it was left with 19% when I woke up in the morning. Knowing that I needed to leave the house for work in 30 minutes, I hooked it up to the charger and left it to charge while I did my morning routine. When I was about to leave the house, it was already 94% charged. Going from 19% to 94% in less than 30 minutes – wow! That is impressive and a potential lifesaver.

While using the Oppo Find N2, I find that, like most China phones, the software tends to limit the number of apps running in the background to extend the battery life. This often leads to missed notifications and apps not working as expected. Luckily, this isn’t the case for OnePlus Open. While it does snooze inactive apps, I have never had any issues with the notifications.

Multitasking to the Max

The hardware only plays a small part of it being the ultimate productivity device. When you unfold the phone, it will become a mini workstation instead of a large phone. With two fingers, swipe down the center of the screen. It will split the screen in two, and you can load two apps side by side. If that is not enough, you can also run a third app in a floating window.

You can easily open the Image Gallery on one side, and your Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) on the other. To share or upload a photo, simply drag and drop it from one window to the next.

One of the things I enjoy doing on the big screen is reading comics. The comic strip can easily fit on the screen, and there is no need to constantly scroll left and right to read it.

Also, being an editor, I can easily edit articles and do work on the screen. I no longer have to bring my laptop along for a short trip.

Tip: these foldable keyboards will go well with your foldable phone to further increase your productivity.

Camera

I admit that I am not a photo-taking enthusiast, but when I need to take photos, the camera does not disappoint. The rear camera has a 48MP lens, a 64MP telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom, and a 48MP ultra-wide lens with 114° FOV, and two selfie lenses, one each for the external and internal screen.

The three rear lenses are, respectively, a 48MP wide lens, 64MP telephoto lens, and a 48MP ultra-wide lens. The two front-facing cameras have 20MP ultra-wide and 32MP ultra-wide lenses, respectively.

Wrapping Up

OnePlus has always produced great phones, and their latest venture into the foldable phone section does not disappoint. If you are looking for a foldable phone, this is one phone that you should seriously consider getting.

Need more ways to stay productive? See how your desk setup can be a game changer.