Introduction
The OnePlus 11 marks a significant shift in OnePlus's smartphone strategy, signaling a return to the company's roots of offering high-end performance at a competitive price point. This comprehensive review delves into whether the OnePlus 11 succeeds in its mission to disrupt the flagship market once again, examining its design, performance, camera capabilities, and overall value proposition.
Design and Build Quality
The OnePlus 11 builds upon the design language of its predecessor, the OnePlus 10 Pro, while introducing notable refinements. The phone features curved glass on both the front and back, with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protecting the display and Gorilla Glass 5 on the rear panel. The aluminum frame adds durability to the sleek design.
The most striking visual element is undoubtedly the large circular camera module on the back, prominently featuring Hasselblad branding. This design choice may be polarizing, but it certainly helps the OnePlus 11 stand out in a crowded market. The phone's dimensions of 163.1 x 74.1 x 8.5 mm and weight of 205g make it a substantial device, slightly taller than even the iPhone 14 Pro Max. While the curved edges and subtle texture on the back enhance grip, one-handed use may prove challenging for those with smaller hands.
OnePlus has reintroduced the popular alert slider, a feature many fans missed in some recent models. However, it's worth noting that the OnePlus 11 lacks an official IP rating for water and dust resistance, as well as wireless charging support – omissions that may disappoint some potential buyers, especially given their presence in previous OnePlus flagships.
Display Technology
The OnePlus 11 boasts a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a QHD+ resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels. This panel incorporates LTPO 3.0 technology, enabling an adaptive refresh rate that can dynamically adjust between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on the content being displayed. This not only ensures smooth scrolling and fluid animations but also helps conserve battery life when displaying static content.
The display supports Dolby Vision, enhancing HDR content with improved contrast and color accuracy. While not the brightest panel on the market, with a peak brightness of around 1300 nits, it performs admirably in most lighting conditions, including outdoor use. The color reproduction is excellent, with the option to choose between vivid and natural color profiles to suit individual preferences.
Performance and Hardware
At the heart of the OnePlus 11 lies the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, the latest and most powerful chipset available for Android devices at the time of the phone's release. This octa-core SoC is built on a 4nm process, offering significant improvements in both performance and energy efficiency compared to its predecessor.
The device comes in two configurations: 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM with 128GB of storage, or a more robust 16GB of RAM paired with 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The use of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage technology translates to faster app launches, smoother multitasking, and quicker data transfer speeds.
In benchmark tests, the OnePlus 11 consistently scores at the top of the Android smartphone rankings. For instance, in Geekbench 5, it achieves single-core scores around 1,400 and multi-core scores exceeding 5,000, putting it on par with or ahead of many competing flagships.
Real-world performance is equally impressive. The phone handles demanding tasks with ease, from complex productivity apps to graphically intensive games. Titles like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty: Mobile run smoothly at high settings, maintaining consistent frame rates without significant thermal throttling.
Speaking of thermals, OnePlus has implemented an advanced cooling system in the OnePlus 11, utilizing a vapor chamber and multiple layers of graphite sheets. This effective heat dissipation allows the device to maintain peak performance during extended gaming sessions or when using processor-intensive applications.
Camera System
The camera setup on the OnePlus 11 represents a significant leap forward for the brand, featuring a triple-lens system developed in collaboration with Hasselblad:
- Main Camera: 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS)
- Ultra-wide Camera: 48MP Sony IMX581 sensor with a 115° field of view
- Telephoto Camera: 32MP Sony IMX709 sensor with 2x optical zoom
The main 50MP sensor captures detailed images with vibrant colors and excellent dynamic range. The large 1/1.56" sensor size allows for improved light gathering capabilities, resulting in better low-light performance. The ultra-wide camera maintains consistent color science with the main sensor, avoiding the color shifting often seen in multi-camera setups.
The telephoto lens, while limited to 2x optical zoom, excels in portrait photography. It produces natural-looking bokeh with good subject separation, aided by the phone's improved depth-sensing capabilities.
In low-light conditions, the OnePlus 11's night mode impresses with its ability to capture detail without over-brightening scenes. The main and telephoto sensors handle lens flare well, preserving the ambiance of night scenes while still pulling out impressive detail from the shadows.
Video capabilities, while not class-leading, are solid. The phone can record 4K video at up to 60fps, with good stabilization in most scenarios. The dynamic range and color accuracy in video mode are commendable, though some users might find the 16MP selfie camera underwhelming compared to the rear camera setup.
Battery Life and Charging
The OnePlus 11 is equipped with a 5000mAh battery, which easily lasts a full day of heavy use for most users. With more conservative usage patterns, it's not uncommon to stretch battery life to two days on a single charge.
Where the OnePlus 11 truly shines is in its charging capabilities. The phone supports 100W SUPERVOOC wired charging, capable of fully charging the device from 0 to 100% in approximately 25-30 minutes. This rapid charging technology is particularly useful for users who often find themselves low on battery with limited time to charge.
It's worth noting that OnePlus includes the 100W charger in the box, a practice that has become increasingly rare among flagship smartphones. However, the lack of wireless charging support may disappoint some users, especially given its presence on previous OnePlus flagships and many competing devices in this price range.
Software Experience
The OnePlus 11 runs OxygenOS 13, based on Android 13. OxygenOS has long been praised for its clean, near-stock Android experience with thoughtful additions, and this latest version continues that tradition. The user interface is smooth, with minimal bloatware and useful customization options.
However, long-time OnePlus fans may notice increasing similarities to OPPO's ColorOS, a result of the two companies' merger. While this has brought some new features and optimizations, it has also led to concerns about OxygenOS losing some of its unique identity.
OnePlus has committed to four years of Android version updates and five years of security patches for the OnePlus 11. This long-term support commitment is commendable and helps justify the phone's price point, ensuring users will receive the latest features and security improvements for years to come.
Price and Value Proposition
The OnePlus 11 is positioned as a competitively priced flagship, with the base 8GB/128GB model starting at $699 in the US, £729 in the UK, and €849 in Europe. The higher-end 16GB/256GB variant is priced at $799, £799, and €919 in the same regions respectively.
This pricing strategy places the OnePlus 11 in an interesting position, undercutting many premium flagships while offering comparable or superior specifications in several areas. When compared to devices like the Google Pixel 7, Samsung Galaxy S22, or iPhone 14, the OnePlus 11 often matches or exceeds them in raw performance and charging speeds, usually at a lower price point.
Conclusion
The OnePlus 11 represents a return to form for the brand, successfully balancing high-end performance with a more accessible price point. While it may not be perfect – the lack of wireless charging and an official IP rating are notable omissions – it delivers exceptionally well in core areas such as processing power, display quality, camera performance, and charging speed.
For users who prioritize raw performance, clean software, and fast charging over features like wireless charging or water resistance, the OnePlus 11 presents a compelling package that's hard to beat at its price point. It embodies the spirit of the original "flagship killer" ethos that put OnePlus on the map, even if it doesn't undercut the competition as drastically as the company's earliest offerings.
In today's competitive smartphone market, the OnePlus 11 strikes an impressive balance between premium features and affordability. It proves that OnePlus hasn't forgotten its roots and is still capable of delivering exceptional value in the flagship smartphone space. For those in the market for a high-performance Android phone that won't break the bank, the OnePlus 11 should be at the top of the list, offering a combination of top-tier specs, refined software, and competitive pricing that's sure to appeal to tech enthusiasts and everyday users alike.
