I tried the OnePlus Open Apex Edition and now I'm torn over my favourite foldable phone

When embarking on a recent work trip to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset reveal, I wrote a feature about the best folding phones while in transit. I'd packed the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Honor Magic V3 into my hand luggage for a three-way test, which was enough to sound the alarm at airport security.

A last-minute extra to that arsenal, however, was the OnePlus Open Apex Edition – the new and uprated edition of OnePlus' superb foldable, the inevitably named OnePlus Open. It was still in its box in my hand luggage, as a late addition to the party – and, having since moved into it as my full-time phone, I'm now torn over which is my favourite foldable of the moment.

So if you're in the market and considering the current top folding options, while Google's handset would be my go-to by default, my working week with the OnePlus Open Apex has given me plenty of inspiration. Here are three reasons to consider it – and how it stacks up against its core competitors.

An eye-catching, colourful design

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When I first reviewed the OnePlus Open, I thought its subtle green finish – known as Emerald Dusk, officially – was a little more exciting than the typical grey or black, but it's a fairly subdued finish overall. The Apex Edition, however, really turns up the style dial.

Finished in what OnePlus calls Crimson Shadow, this rich red rear is a faux leather backing, and it's way more eye-catching. Its textured surface – as you can see in my gallery of images above (and around this feature) – sports a centralised shiny OnePlus logo, and while the circular camera unit protrusion is still massive, I think it's easily the best-looking version of OnePlus' folding phone.

Its main competition has some good-looking options, however, and while Google only sports 'Obsidian' or 'Porcelain' – read that as 'black' or 'white' – and Samsung offers similar (save for a pink option online-only, which I think stands out), it's the Honor Magic V3 that has the most colourful alternative palette of 'Green' and 'Reddish Brown' (yes, those are the actual marketing names).

The OnePlus is just more distinctive though. It's also redesigned the Alert Slider, which has an orange highlight, and in addition to self-explanatory Ring and Silent modes, there's a new VIP Mode. What does this new addition do? Blocks off access to the camera and microphone to keep you in the zone.

A display that's between its competitors

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Aside from the look, however, it's the screen that I've found to be the OnePlus Open Apex Edition's key point of interest. There are two schools of thought here: a skinnier, tall-and-narrow screen, like that of the Galaxy Z Fold 6; or a close to 'normal' flagship-like screen, as per the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

The OnePlus Open opts for the latter with a 20:9 aspect ratio external display, which is a 6.3-inch OLED panel. Thing is, it's not got as much brightness as Google's more recent competitor, and its default colour output is more muted by default. I'd suggest selecting the 'Vivid' option from the 'Screen color mode' setting, but otherwise it's a solid panel.

Inside, the 7.82-inch folding display is a 1.08:1 aspect ratio, so it's nearly square. Ideal for Instagram, eh? But beyond that, I love how the unfolding mechanism has a rapidity and 'snap' about it, making it really satisfying to use. This large panel is also great for gaming and, thus far, the central crease hasn't been too bothersome for me – although the fingerprints are undeniable.

Power that's most pleasing

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While the Crimson Shadow finish of the Apex Edition is a defining characteristic that separates it from the OnePlus Open original, some of the internal hardware also gets moved up a notch.

There's 16GB RAM for effortless multi-tasking, for example, while 1TB storage gives a giant amount of onboard space to keep all your apps, files and extras. You do have to pay for it, though, as the Apex Edition is pricier than the original model, but in keeping with the current market competition. That said, as I write this the £1,699 UK price has been chopped to £1,499. In the US it's priced at $1,899. It's not available in Australia.

While I mentioned Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite up top, that's too new for the Apex Edition to embody, as you'll find the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on board here. I'm surprised it's not the more recent Gen 3 version, frankly, but my week of use hasn't left me with any qualms – it's only OxygenOS that I've found can take a little getting used to.

Early verdict

When I first used the OnePlus Open, it was hands down the best folding phone I'd ever used. Since then, however, the competition has ramped up. And while Google does offer natural competition in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, that's currently pricier and you don't get the Apex Edition's fancy Crimson Shadow finish – which, as you can see from my pictures, looks super.

I can understand why some fans are perplexed by the older-gen Qualcomm Snapdragon hardware inside, but the Apex Edition is only a special edition of the original Open – it's not been re-tuned to work with a new chipset, instead the RAM and storage has been expanded for an easy win. And, in my working week of use, I've been very pleased with the performance indeed.

Right, I'm off to slap that Alert Slider into VIP mode, unfold that 7.82-inch display to get my game on, and sink back into the joys of possessing a folding phone. The OnePlus Open Apex Edition is a real contender among the best of best, despite there being some slightly newer hardware now in the game.