OnePlus 11 is a flagship smartphone that sticks to the basics. That’s the best and quickest way to summarize this phone , the latest smartphone from the China-based Android smartphone maker: the underwhelming OnePlus 10 Proof 2022 has been replaced by the radically different OnePlus 11, which is very exciting.
The OnePlus 11 launched just after Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series and just before a slew of smartphones shipped straight from the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. That it is well ahead of most of its competitors.
Is that enough to beat the competition? I’ve been using the OnePlus 11 for more than10 days now, and while I think it’s a very good comeback for the company, there are a few things to consider. Let’s dig deeper.
OnePlus 11: Design ( Daring To Be Different )
The OnePlus 11 does not hesitate to go the extra mile when it comes to its design. Consumers, reviewers, and everyone who has seen the smartphone are completely divided in their opinions:
The OnePlus11 gets a fresh look for 2023; the OnePlus 11 is a new smartphone with a new look for 2023; and the OnePlus 11 has a new look for 2023. Gone are the square camera units of the past. A circular camera bump has been adopted. It curves to match the edge of the phone and bears the logo of the Swedish camera brand Hasselblad, with which it has a partnership. Different, but also familiar.
Except for the bumps on the camera, the glass on the back is not up to standard. Sadly, it is too slippery and slides off even on flat surfaces. To be fair, the phone fits well in the hand and can be used with one hand without a problem. Another plus point is that it hardly gets fingerprints or smudges. The phone also has no sharp edges (unlike some competitors) and weighs 205grams and 8.5 mm. This means that it is not difficult to use, unlike huge models like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
A Gorgeous Display
The OnePlus 11has a 6.7-inch Super A MOLED display (3,216×1,440pixel resolution) that is quite gorgeous. There is nothing to fault with this display. There freshrateis120Hz,withGorilla Glass Victus protection on the front and Gorilla Glass 5 on the back. The panel is not the best in this price range, but it is better than 95% of the smartphones out there, and OnePlus had to cut corners somewhere to achieve an aggressive price point. Which is used in most of its competitors’ smartphones.
That said, the OnePlus 11 is great for watching media and playing games. There were a few issues with viewing angles, but nothing that would bother me in the long run.
Performance, speed and storage capacity of the OnePlus 11
OnePlus has always prioritized speed, and its how sin the OnePlus 11. Let’s take a look at some of the specifications:
– 8 or 16GB RAM
– 128 or 256GB storage
– Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
– 5,000mAh battery
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset is insanely fast, and the OnePlus 11’s smooth and speedy experience multitasking between10 apps, streaming songs on Spotify, streaming videos on YouTube, using Google Maps to reach my destination, doom scrolling on social media, and hour-long gaming sessions, I didn’t notice any hiccups in any of my regular tasks, and thanks to the16GB of RAM and Qualcomm’s latest and greatest chip, the phone runs without lag.
Fortunately, most of the time the phone did not get so hot that we had to stop everything we were doing. The one time it did get hot was during an intense gaming session.
Battery Life and Super Fast Charging Speeds: Very Impressive
It’s not just performance that OnePlus has excelled at over the years. Battery life and charging speed are also areas where the company has led its class for some time. It may not have a 240W charger like rival Realme, but its100W SUPERVOOC fast charging technology was fast enough.
The smartphone comfortably lasted a day, plus an average of 6.5hours of screen-on-time (SoT). Even if it runs out of charge, the charger (included in the box) will recharge the OnePlus 11 in just 25 minutes.
The OnePlus 11 camera is very important
The OnePlus 11 has a triple camera array on the back:
– A 50MP main camera with f.18 lens and optical image stabilization.
– A 48MP ultra-wide camera with macro capability.
– A 32MP portrait camera with 2x optical zoom.
The first disappointment is the optical zoom. The 2x optical zoom is a step back from the 3.3x zoom of the OnePlus 10 Pro and not even close to the 5x optical zoom of the Pixel 7 Pro.
Over all, the OnePlus 11’s camera has the basics down. Thanks to Hasselblad, color and dynamic range are consistent across all three lenses. The main camera, among others, captures accurate colors, has a wide dynamic range, and focuses quickly. Images are beautiful and easily shared on social media. Using the night mode in darker conditions, you can see that noise is removed and detail is maintained.
Landscape photography is excellent and I was quite impressed with the main lens. The optical zoom on the telephoto zoom lens may not be as good as some of its competitors, but thanks to the larger sensor, shots are much improved compared to the OnePlus 10 Pro. Portrait shots on the OnePlus 11 were good with excellent edge detection. What are the draw backs: if you intend to zoom in more than5x,the OnePlus 11is not for you. The Pixel 7 Pro and even the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will do a much better job in this regard.
Is The OnePlus 11Worth Your Hard-Earned Money?
If you want a high-performance smartphone and enjoy gaming and media, the OnePlus 11 is one to seriously consider. It has the power to tackle any task for months. What’s more, the fast charging capabilities and long-lasting battery are also attractive. The battery never runs out.
The camera may not be the best in the industry, but thanks to the third generation of Hasselblad cameras, the pictures are much better than the previous generation.
The price is also appropriate. Yes, the OnePlus 11 nails the price, undercutting Samsung’s Galaxy S23,Google’s Pixel 7 Pro, and Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro. The problem is that OnePlus is undercutting the OnePlus 11 itself. I’ve already reviewed the OnePlus 11R, and if you’re not after a Hasselblad, that’s a much better buy; the OnePlus 11R is just as powerful as the OnePlus 11 and won’t burn a hole in your pocket.
The OnePlus 11 may not have wireless charging and may only offers plash charging, but that shouldn’t negate the fact that it’s a great smart phone. 56,999 is an aggressive price tag that more than makes up for it.
The OnePlus 11can be recommended to almost anyone for that reason alone. Then there is the OnePlus 11Rfor the Indian market, and the OnePlus 11 faces some strong competition there.