OnePlus went through a soul-searching phase in the last few years. But now, it looks like the company has found itself again and released a new flagship phone to prove it, the OnePlus 11.
Unlike its predecessors, there’s no more Pro version. Instead, they only have the OnePlus 11 as the sole flagship device for the company, so we have high hopes for this device.
Being the best smartphone OnePlus ever made, it has all the bells and whistles you’d expect on a high-end smartphone today. Top-caliber performance, display, and charging speed are all here. So, what we’re more curious to check out is its camera prowess, design and build, battery life, and how all of its features justify its price tag.
So, without further ado, let’s start our OnePlus 11 review.
OnePlus 11 Specs
- OxygenOS 13 (Global) / ColorOS 13 (China), Android 13
- Dual SIM, Dual standby
- 6.7-inch 1440p LTPO 3 AMOLED display, 3216 x 1440 pixel resolution, 525ppi
- 1Hz-120Hz adaptive refresh rate
- 3.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 octa-core processor
- 8GB/16GBRAM
- Adreno 740 GPU
- 128GB/256GB UFS 4.0 internal storage, non-expandable
- 16-megapixel front camera
- 50-megapixel (IMX890, PDAF, OIS) + 48-megapixel (IMX581, ultra-wide/macro) + 32-megapixel (IMX709, 2x telephoto) rear cameras, LED flash
- Stereo speakers, No headphone jack
- Under-display fingerprint scanner
- HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G
- WiFi 6, dual-band
- Bluetooth 5.3
- dual-band GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
- NFC
- USB Type-C
- Dimensions: 163.1 x 74.1 x 8.5mm
- Weight: 205g
- Colors: Green, Black
- 5,000mAh non-removable battery, 100W fast charging
Design and Build Quality
The new OnePlus 11 is a flagship device and it sure feels like it. With a thickness of 8.5mm and weight of 205g, it’s definitely not the thinnest nor the lightest handset around. But thanks to its curved screen and back, as well as the smooth glass-on-glass build, it feels really light and comfortable in the hands.
Speaking of which, the curved screen on the front is protected by the sturdy Corning Gorilla Glass 7. This should keep it safe from minor scratches or being in the pocket together with your keys and coins.
It uses an aluminum alloy for the frame, which is really shiny and made the device extra durable. The back uses an unnamed glass but it looks premium nonetheless. The unit we have here is the Green one, which provides a really distinct look and makes the glass look clean despite the barely visible fingerprint marks.
While the glass-on-glass design looks and feels really premium, it can cause some anxiety due to the fear that it could break easily in case of an accidental drop. What’s worse is, OnePlus didn’t include a free case in the packaging for protection and extra grip.
Still, it’s one of the most attractive phones we’ve ever had our hands on. The large circular camera glass on the back also gives it an elegant look. Together with the Hasselblad branding, it also highlights one of the key features of the device.
Taking a tour, we have the large 6.7-inch AMOLED screen on the front, with a punch-hole on the top left for the selfie camera. We also have the under-display fingerprint scanner here. A tiny slit on the top also houses the earpiece that doubles as the second loudspeaker.
On the left side, we have the volume controls, adjacent to the lock/power switch on the other side. We also have OnePlus’ signature textured alert slider bar on the left side. It has three modes that let you quickly toggle between Silent Mode, Vibrate Mode, and Ring.
The top has a light sensor and a second microphone for noise isolation. On the bottom, we have the USB Type-C port, primary speaker, primary microphone, and SIM tray that can house two nano SIM cards. No space for a microSD card slot for storage expansion and a headphone jack.
OnePlus didn’t bother to include USB Type-C earphones or a 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter in the box, so you have to get one of your own if you don’t already have one.
The back panel only has the OnePlus logo and the large glass that houses the triple camera setup, Hasselblad branding, and the LED flash.
It goes without saying that we’re big fans of the design and build of the OnePlus 11. It is clean, feels nice in the hands, and looks like it will stand the test of time. Just make sure you get a protective case for it if you have butterfingers.
Display and Sound Quality
The OnePlus 11 boasts a large 6.7-inch AMOLED screen. It’s a 2K panel with a 3216 x 1440 pixel resolution, has the latest LTPO 3.0 technology, and adaptive refresh rate that can go from 1Hz to 120Hz.
As expected, the display quality is great. It offers vibrant colors that make content enjoyable, while not being too saturated, so you can edit photos with good accuracy. The high pixel count also makes every detail sharp, which is beneficial when reading articles and other small texts.
The adaptive refresh rate is also responsive, so it sets the right one depending on the task at hand. It makes browsing through social media feeds and other elements in the UI really smooth.
OnePlus confirmed it used a Samsung panel for this unit, but didn’t say what version. Rumor has it that it’s an E4 screen instead of the newer E6 panel, which means that it has lower screen brightness while also more power-demanding compared to other flagships in the market.
As for audio, the OnePlus 11 has a stereo speaker setup and uses a super linear driver. There’s also spatial audio and Dolby Atmos technology. The speakers offer great stereo separation, extra loud volume, and good clarity and balance with audible bass and depth.
Hardware and Performance
The OnePlus 11 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is the most powerful mobile chipset you can get on any smartphone today. It has an Adreno 740 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a generous 256GB of internal storage. Virtual RAM expansion is also here which lets you increase the memory by 4GB, 8GB, or 12GB by borrowing from the storage. Not that you need it if you already have 16GB out of the box, but it’s there just in case.
OnePlus 11 benchmark scores
We’ve come to a point where you don’t have to question the performance of a flagship chip. This latest from Qualcomm, and even some of the iterations before it, can handle pretty much anything.
You can play games at the highest possible settings as well as shoot and edit photos and videos without a hitch. Although, thermals could’ve been handled better, which may affect frame rates after extended gaming.
Software and User Interface
The OnePlus 11 came out in China running on OPPO’s ColorOS 13. But for the international units like what we have here, it ships with OnePlus’s own OxygenOS 13, based on the latest Android 13 operating system.
Even before, OxygenOS always looked cleaner and more mature than other OEM interfaces in the market, and the new OxyGenOS is nothing different.
The home screen looks really clean with a bit of spice provided by the smoothly animated wallpaper. The buttons on the control center are also intuitive and are close to what Android intended.
OnePlus also provides tons of customization features from color themes, font options, icon designs, and fingerprint animation, and thanks to its OLED screen, always-on display (AOD) settings, and Edge lighting customizations.
We also love using gesture navigations thanks to its fast and smooth display and overall responsiveness of the device. Still, you can opt for the traditional on-screen buttons if you’re more comfortable with them.
There’s also Safety and Emergency to send SOS messages to your preferred contacts — a feature that we hope you don’t have to use.
For a better multitasking experience, the OnePlus 11 has a split-screen feature that lets you run apps side-by-side. If two apps are not enough, you can add another one as a floating window. You can also customize the fingerprint scanner to quickly launch a preferred app, and Smart Sidebar for quick access to multiple most-used apps.
Simple Mode is also here, which enables louder volume and larger texts and icons for the elderly. In addition, Kid Mode enables digital well-being.
The camera app is straightforward and makes using the capable cameras more appealing. Plus, the Google Keyboard is intuitive, albeit enabling the ñ button by default slightly changes the layout, which results in typos.
Overall, the OxygenOS 13 greatly improves the usability of the OnePlus 11. It’s clean, no fuss, and is a great pair to a flagship device like this.
Cameras
The OnePlus 11 has a 50-megapixel Sony IMX 890 main camera with OIS and f/1.8 aperture. It would have been more appropriate to go with the more modern 1-inch IMX989 like what other brands use on their flagships, but this one’s already good as it is.
Still, the camera setup looks really good on paper. Every lens goes with its own high-resolution sensors. The ultra-wide has a 48-megapixel IMX709 sensor with an f/2.2 aperture, while the 2x telephoto has a 32-megapixel IMX709 sensor.
On the front, it only has a 16-megapixel ISOCELL 3P9 from Samsung. Not the most pixel-packed, but the larger sensors allow for better light capture that should make selfies look brighter with better colors.
The Hasselblad partnership is not for nothing. The 1x mode in the camera app simulates the 3.5/30mm Hasselblad XCD lens while the 2x, which is great for portrait shots, mimics 2.8/65mm Hasselblad XCD lens.
What we really love are the built-in “Master” filters in the camera app. There’s Radiance, Emerald, and our personal favorite, Serenity, which has a film-like orange-and-teal look.
The image quality from the main camera is pretty impressive. It offers vibrant colors, which might look too much for the professional eye, but more appealing for casual users who want an Instagram post that pops.
Contrast is also great and the dynamic range was handled really well. Low-light shots, especially with the night mode enabled, are really detailed. We particularly loved shooting with the built-in filters as it provides a unique look that’s hard to get on photo editing apps.
The ultra-wide shots are unsurprisingly sharp with great details, good colors, and contrast. Albeit, the software could have done a better job at fixing distortion as the elements on the corners of the image look stretched out.
Meanwhile, the 2x camera, paired with the portrait mode, is really great for what they are intended to do: take portraits of human subjects. It provides that perfect 50mm-like framing with clean bokeh background. To the normal eye, images taken on this lens look like they are from a professional camera.
Lastly, the 16-megapixel camera takes clean selfies with a lot of details, accurate skin tones, and good low-light performance. HDR also works on this lens.
Thanks to the modern chipset, the OnePlus 11 can shoot 8K @ 24fps videos, the ultra-wide can do 4K @ 30fps, while the telephoto can do 1080p @ 30fps. Video quality is similar to amazing photos, so if you want a mobile phone that’s also great for content creation, you should consider this one, too.
Connectivity
The OnePlus 11 has all the connectivity features you’d expect from a 2023 flagship device. For starters, there’s the 5G connectivity, which managed to pull impressive download and upload speeds even when we’re on the go.
Also onboard are dual-band WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, and USB Type-C — all of which worked with no issues during our time with the device.
Battery Life
Unlike most brands that skimp on their flagship’s battery, the OnePlus 11 still has a huge 5,000mAh battery and fast charging. All that while keeping a sleek and light body.
On our standard PCMark battery test, it was able to last for 13 hours and 32 minutes. That’s a loop of synthetic workload, with WiFi and Bluetooth turned off and the screen brightness and volume set to 50% until the battery drops to 20%.
In our real-world test, we were easily able to last up to two days of casual web browsing, playing games for a few minutes to pass the time, and taking a bunch of pictures.
But if you’re a heavy user who browses on 5G a lot, you may still make it until the end of the day. If not, charging this device is no hassle as it comes with a 100W SuperVOOC adapter with a matching OnePlus signature red cable.
In our test, we tried plugging it at 6% and it immediately reach 73% minutes in just 15 minutes. A full charge took only about 19-20 minutes. The device did get warm at those speeds, so it’s best to plug it in well-ventilated rooms.
Verdict
The OnePlus 11 is one of the most appealing flagship-caliber devices right now. Other than the price, it has one feature that we really love: the cameras. We can really see OnePlus’s partnership with Hasselblad working here and we really enjoyed shooting photos with it. If you’re a professional or aspiring photographer, you’d surely love it.
Besides the cameras, everything else about this device is just top-notch, making it a great daily driver and a smartphone that would surely survive the next few years. It has a sleek and premium design, a processor that can handle anything you throw at it, reliable battery life with ultra-fast charging, and a great display and speakers for the best viewing and gaming experience.
If we were to nitpick, we just wish OnePlus included a free case in the box. A USB Type-C earphones or at least a USB-C adapter would have also been nice. But still, there’s no denying that the OnePlus 11 is one of the best and most value-packed flagship phones in the market today.
OnePlus 11’s price in the Philippines for 8GB/128GB is Php45,990. On the other hand, the 16GB/256GB OnePlus 11 5G costs Php49,990.
Pros
- Sleek, sturdy, and eye-catching design
- Top-notch performance
- Exceptional camera quality
- Loud and balanced stereo speakers
- Long battery life and 100W fast charging
Cons
- No USB-C earphones, adapter included
- No clear case in the package