❤ OnePlus 11
The OnePlus 11 this year comes without a Pro model, so the vanilla has a tough job carrying the weight of two devices. After all, it has to convince older OnePlus 9 users, for example, and those using the Pro. And it appears that the company was able to splice the two versions into one.
We see the OnePlus 11 as a strange mixture between the OnePlus 10 Pro and the OnePlus 10T from last year. Compared to the Pro, it has a couple of notable downgrades, but in the context of the 10T, it offers a substantial upgrade. For example, the OnePlus 11 is now equipped with a third-generation LTPO OLED display with support for Dolby Vision and a 120Hz refresh rate. It also bumps up the resolution to QHD+.
Of course, the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is running all those pixels and is paired with up to 16GB of RAM. The camera department gets a solid upgrade too – 2x telephoto camera with a big 32MP sensor and the ultrawide is now 48MP with support for autofocus. Moreover, the 11 is now featuring the Hasselblad Color Calibration, which wasn’t present in the 10T from last year. Oh, and the alert slider is back!
OnePlus 11 specs at a glance:
| NETWORK | Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only) | |
| CDMA 800 | ||
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | ||
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 38, 39, 41, 40, 46, 48, 66, 71 – International | |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 – China | ||
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA – International | |
| 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA – China | ||
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A (CA), 5G |
| LAUNCH | Announced | 2023, January 04 |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Available. Released 2023, January 09 |
| BODY | Dimensions | 163.1 x 74.1 x 8.5 mm (6.42 x 2.92 x 0.33 in) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 205 g (7.23 oz) | |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | |
| SIM | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (2x Nano-SIM, eSIM, dual stand-by) | |
| IP64 |
| DISPLAY | Type | LTPO3 Fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 800 nits (HBM), 1300 nits (peak) |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~89.7% screen-to-body ratio) | |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) | |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | |
| Always-on display |
| PLATFORM | OS | Android 13, OxygenOS 13 (International), ColorOS 13 (China) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | |
| CPU | Octa-core (1×3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | |
| GPU | Adreno 740 |
| MEMORY | Card slot | No |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | |
| UFS 3.1 – 128GB only UFS 4.0 |
| MAIN CAMERA | Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 32 MP, f/2.0, 48mm (telephoto), 1/2.74″, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 115˚, (ultrawide), 1/2.0″, AF |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Hasselblad Color Calibration, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| SELFIE CAMERA | Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, 25mm (wide), 1.0µm |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Auto-HDR, panorama | |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| SOUND | Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio |
| COMMS | WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) | |
| NFC | Yes, eSE, HCE | |
| Radio | No | |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| FEATURES | Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, color spectrum |
|---|
| BATTERY | Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable |
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 100W wired, PD, 1-50% in 10 min, 1-100% in 25 min (advertised) – International 80W wired, PD – USA |
| MISC | Colors | Titan Black, Eternal Green, Jupiter Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Models | PHB110, CPH2449, CPH2447, CPH2451 | |
| Price | $ 640.00 / € 797.99 / £ 670.00 / ₹ 56,999 |
| TESTS | Performance | AnTuTu: 1140661 (v9) GeekBench: 4899 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
|---|---|---|
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | |
| Camera | Photo / Video | |
| Loudspeaker | -25.2 LUFS (Very good) | |
| Battery life |
Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
Wireless charging is off the menu this year, but we get 100W fast charging almost everywhere except in the US where it’s 80W, which is nonetheless a welcome upgrade in both markets. It should fill up the battery from flat to full in just 25 minutes.
Other standout features include advanced cooling hardware, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos-tuned display and speakers, respectively. This should allow for immersive multimedia and gaming experience on the go. Of course, we put that to the test in the following pages, so make sure to stick around and find out whether this year’s OnePlus phone is worth your hard-earned money.
Unboxing the OnePlus 11
The OnePlus 11 comes in a standard OnePlus-styled big, red box containing all the usual stuff like user manuals, USB-A to USB-C cable for charging and the appropriate 100W-rated charger. Interestingly enough, the OnePlus 10 Pro last year came with a USB-C to USB-C cable, but OnePlus said that due to users’ feedback, they decided to switch back to USB-A as most sockets and PCs still have the older standard giving them more flexibility.
There’s no protective case this time around. Only Chinese customers get an extra case.
Competition
According to OnePlus, the 11 is missing the Pro designation from its name, not because they don’t believe it’s a Pro model, but rather because there’s only one OnePlus 11 phone (except for the 11R). However, the pricing and the feature set speak for themselves. The OnePlus 11 is a clear step down from the 10 Pro from last year in some aspects, but it also asks a bit less at launch – $699/€849. On one hand, it’s pretty competitive, but on the other, you can find quite a few adequate alternatives. It’s considerably more expensive than the OnePlus 10T as it’s a more capable phone overall, while being more attractive than the 10 Pro as it carries most of its high-end features.
In the context of the 2023 flagships, the OnePlus 11 is kind of a flagship killer, even. The Samsung Galaxy S23 came out pretty pricey, and the Xiaomi 13 Pro is expected to be around the €1,000 mark (educated guess).
One of the few proper flagship phones that undercut the OnePlus 11 is the Pixel 7 Pro. In our opinion, the latter is the more desirable option if photography is your top priority. It has a better overall camera experience with superb performance and further zoom reach (5x). It also has a brighter display, IP68 certification against dust/water (higher rating than OnePlus 11’s IP64) and a clean Android. Because let’s face it, if you came here looking for that good old OnePlus experience, the Pixel 7 Pro will probably cater better to your needs.
Google Pixel 7 Pro • Motorola Edge 30 Ultra • Realme GT2 Pro
On the other hand, the OnePlus 11 is more powerful; it offers better sustained performance under load and lower surface temperatures, substantially faster wired charging and longer battery life too.
Another clean Android alternative is the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra, which also checks all the boxes and sells for a bit over €700. Charging is almost as fast, the display is faster and brighter and almost as quick to charge, while using a more widely spread charging protocol. OnePlus’ contender, though, has the upper hand with better overall camera experience (particularly the telephoto and ultrawide).
Surely, the Realme GT2 Pro is due for an upgrade already, given that its initial release was exactly one year ago, but its price makes it a very lucrative alternative to the OnePlus 11. It runs the same software, offers a similar level of camera experience (better ultrawide, albeit no telephoto), excellent LTPO2 OLED panel, fast charging and outstanding battery life. It’s the same size as the OnePlus 11 too, minus the premium build.
OnePlus 10 Pro • Oppo Find X5 Pro
Now, the hard part. Should you get the OnePlus 10 Pro or the OnePlus 11? After the recent price cuts, the newly announced 11 is just €10 cheaper, going by OnePlus’ official web store, but third-party retailers will sell you the Pro for a little over €700. Still, like most things in life, it depends.
The 10 Pro has fast wireless charging but marginally slower cable charging. It also has a longer reach with a 3x zoom (but not as good quality). And it’s got the nicer overall ultrawide camera, but no AF.
The rest of the hardware and overall experience is pretty much identical, for all intents and purposes. The upgrade to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 isn’t negligible, but it would go unnoticed by the vast majority of users. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is still a very capable SoC.
All in all, one could make a case that the OnePlus 11 is just a more affordable version of the 10 Pro (going by the launch prices of both phones). That’s not to say the OnePlus 11 isn’t a competitive handset in the context of H1 2023.
Verdict
After years of uncertain releases, the OnePlus 11 seems to have a good chance of winning over many fans this year. It’s a competitive upper-tier phone with little missing from its specs sheet. It has a cutting-edge LTPO3 AMOLED panel, the latest hardware from Qualcomm, good overall camera experience in both day and night, long battery life, blazing-fast charging, nice-sounding stereo speakers and great sustained performance.
Sure, the OnePlus 11 isn’t flagship-level in some aspects, but it doesn’t need to be. In the context of its pricing, it’s a well-rounded phone with little to complain about. A better variable refresh rate handling would be nice as this current implementation produces issues with some apps, and we would love to see OnePlus finally catch up with the competition in terms of zoom level – 2x doesn’t cut it on a flagship in 2023. But that handicap is true for Oppo’s flagships, too, so it doesn’t come as a surprise.
Finally, the software changes will surely be polarizing. The new OxygenOS 13 has nothing in common with the older versions, and OnePlus clearly isn’t sticking to its promise about keeping true to its roots in this regard. While we like ColorOS in general, we would have liked at least some of OxygenOS’ native features retained. Right now, there’s little to no reason to opt for OnePlus’ smartphones because Oppo and Realme phones are already running the exactly the same software. OyxgenOS is what defined OnePlus for all those years.
Nonetheless, if you don’t care about the current state of OxygenOS or you are completely new to OnePlus’ ecosystem, we see no reason not to get the OnePlus 11. It’s a solid all-rounder that would ultimately become even more desirable with time as the price settles in.
Pros
- Distinctive design with great ergonomics (feels thin and light in hand).
- Superb 120Hz LTPO3 AMOLED display with granular HRR control and great color accuracy.
- Excellent battery life.
- 100W SuperVOOC charging speeds are almost unrivaled.
- Excellent sustained performance and thermals.
- Good overall camera experience day and night.
Cons
- OxygenOS is just ColorOS at this point, and fans will miss some OnePlus features.
- Display has issues with the HDR and adaptive refresh rate.
- No wireless charging this year (10 Pro had it).
