OnePlus 11 Review: A Powerful but Not Perfect Flagship

OnePlus is a brand that has always been known for offering flagship-level performance and features at a lower price than its competitors. The OnePlus 11 is the latest example of this philosophy, as it boasts a 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, a Hasselblad-branded triple camera system, and a 5,000 mAh battery with fast charging. However, the OnePlus 11 also has some drawbacks that may affect some users, such as the lack of wireless charging, water resistance, and a periscope zoom lens. In this article, we will review the OnePlus 11 in terms of its design, display, performance, camera, battery, and more. We will also compare it with some of its rivals and see how it fares in the market.

Design

OnePlus 11 design

The OnePlus 11 has a sleek and elegant design that follows the signature OnePlus style. It has a glass front and back with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the front and Gorilla Glass 5 on the back, and an aluminum frame that gives it a premium feel. The phone is also IP64 dust and splash resistant, which means it can withstand light rain and splashes, but not submersion or heavy water exposure¹. The phone has a built-in strap hole on the bottom left corner, which allows you to attach a lanyard or a wrist strap for extra security.

The phone has a 6.7-inch display with a 20:9 aspect ratio, which makes it ideal for watching movies and playing games. However, this also means that the phone is quite tall and narrow, which may not suit everyone’s preference. The phone measures 163.1 x 74.1 x 8.5 mm and weighs 205 grams², which is relatively light for its size. The phone has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that doubles as a power button, and a dedicated camera shutter button on the right side. On the left side, there is a hybrid SIM card slot that can accommodate either two nano-SIM cards or one nano-SIM card and one microSD card up to 1 TB. On the top, there is nothing but a microphone hole. On the bottom, there is a USB Type-C port that supports OTG and video output, another microphone hole, and a speaker grille.

The phone comes in three colors: Titan Black, Eternal Green, and Jupiter Rock³. The Titan Black and Jupiter Rock versions have a glossy finish, while the Eternal Green version has a matte finish that is more resistant to fingerprints and smudges.

Display

OnePlus 11 display

The OnePlus 11 has one of the most impressive displays on the market. It features a 6.7-inch LTPO3 AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1440 x 3216 pixels, which translates to a pixel density of 525 ppi⁴. The screen supports 1 billion colors and HDR BT.2020 standard, which means it can display a wide range of colors and contrast levels. The screen also has a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, which makes it smooth and responsive for scrolling, gaming, and video playback.

The screen has several modes that cater to different scenarios and preferences. The standard mode offers balanced color reproduction and brightness for everyday use. The creator mode “powered by CineAlta” offers unprecedented color accuracy that matches the professional monitors used by filmmakers⁵. The game mode enhances the gaming experience by optimizing the performance, touch response, sound quality, and network stability⁶. The video image enhancement mode improves the quality of videos from streaming services such as Netflix and YouTube by applying noise reduction, sharpening, contrast enhancement, and color correction⁷. The photo pro mode mimics the interface of Sony’s Alpha cameras and allows you to adjust various settings such as exposure, white balance, focus, shutter speed, ISO, and more.

The screen also has some smart features that enhance the user experience. The adaptive brightness control adjusts the brightness level according to the ambient light conditions and your personal preferences. The adaptive motion blur reduction reduces motion blur when watching fast-moving scenes by inserting black frames between frames. The adaptive color gamut adjustment adapts the color gamut according to the content type and your viewing environment. The adaptive white point adjustment adjusts the white point according to the ambient light color temperature.

The screen of the OnePlus 11 is undoubtedly one of its main selling points. It offers stunning visuals, smooth performance, and versatile modes that suit different needs and tastes. However, it also has some drawbacks that may affect some users. The screen has a 20:9 aspect ratio, which means that some content may not fit the screen perfectly and may have black bars on the sides. The screen also has a punch-hole cutout on the top left corner for the selfie camera, which may be distracting for some users. The screen also has a curved edge on both sides, which may cause accidental touches or reflections.

Performance

OnePlus 11 performance

The OnePlus 11 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which is one of the most powerful processors available for Android smartphones. The chipset is based on a 4 nm process and consists of an octa-core CPU with one Cortex-X2 core clocked at 3.20 GHz, three Cortex-A710 cores clocked at 2.60 GHz, and four Cortex-A510 cores clocked at 1.80 GHz. The chipset also has an Adreno 730 GPU that supports Vulkan 1.2 and DirectX 12 Ultimate graphics APIs. The phone has 8 GB or 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and either 128 GB or 256 GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage, which can be expanded via a microSD card up to 1 TB.

The OnePlus 11 delivers excellent performance for various tasks, such as multitasking, web browsing, gaming, video editing, and more. The phone runs on OxygenOS 12 based on Android 12 out of the box, and it is upgradable to Android 13 in the future. The phone has a clean and simple user interface that does not have much bloatware or unnecessary features. The phone also has some useful features that enhance the performance, such as the smart boost mode that optimizes the memory usage and app loading speed, the gaming mode that blocks notifications and enhances the gaming experience, and the fan mode that activates a built-in fan to cool down the phone when performing intensive tasks.

The OnePlus 11 is a speedy and powerful smartphone that can handle any task you throw at it. However, it also has some issues that may affect some users. The phone tends to heat up when performing intensive tasks, such as recording 4K videos or playing demanding games. This may cause some discomfort and reduce the performance over time. The phone also does not have a stereo speaker setup, which may disappoint some users who expect a better sound quality from a flagship device.

Camera

OnePlus 11 camera

The OnePlus 11 has a triple camera setup on the back and a single camera on the front. The rear camera consists of a 48 MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture, a 23 mm focal length, a 1/1.43 inch sensor size, an omnidirectional PDAF, an OIS, a Hasselblad optics, and a Hasselblad Natural Color Calibration; a 50 MP ultrawide camera with an f/2.2 aperture, a 14 mm focal length, a 1/1.56 inch sensor size, an omnidirectional PDAF, and a freeform lens that reduces distortion; and a 12 MP telephoto camera with an f/2.4 aperture, a 77 mm focal length, a 1/3.4 inch sensor size, an omnidirectional PDAF, an OIS, and a 3x optical zoom. The front camera is a 16 MP selfie camera with an f/2.4 aperture, a 26 mm focal length, a 1/3.06 inch sensor size, and an EIS.

The OnePlus 11 offers some impressive features for both photography and videography enthusiasts. For photography, the phone has several modes that cater to different scenarios and preferences. The photo pro mode offers manual controls over various settings such as exposure, white balance, focus, shutter speed, ISO, and more. The photo pro mode also has a real-time eye autofocus feature that can track the eyes of humans and animals and keep them in focus. The basic mode offers a simple and easy-to-use interface that automatically adjusts the settings according to the scene. The basic mode also has a night mode that can capture bright and clear photos in low-light conditions. The portrait mode offers a bokeh effect that can blur the background and highlight the subject. The panorama mode allows you to capture wide-angle photos by stitching multiple shots together. The macro mode allows you to capture close-up details of small objects.

For videography, the phone has a cinema pro mode that offers professional-level controls over various settings such as exposure, white balance, focus, shutter speed, ISO, and more. The cinema pro mode also has a 21:9 aspect ratio, a 24 fps frame rate, and a cinematic color preset that mimics the look of Hollywood movies. The cinema pro mode also has a real-time eye autofocus feature that can track the eyes of humans and animals and keep them in focus. The basic mode offers a simple and easy-to-use interface that automatically adjusts the settings according to the scene. The basic mode also has a steady shot mode that can stabilize the video and reduce the shakiness. The slow motion mode allows you to capture videos at 480 fps for super slow motion effects. The time-lapse mode allows you to capture videos at a lower frame rate for fast-forward effects.

The OnePlus 11 has a remarkable camera system that can produce high-quality photos and videos in various situations and modes. However, it also has some limitations that may affect some users. The camera does not have a periscope lens that can offer higher optical zoom levels, which may disappoint some users who expect more zoom capabilities from a flagship device. The camera also does not have a dedicated macro lens or a dedicated depth sensor, which may affect the quality of macro shots and portrait shots. The camera also does not support 8K video recording or HDR10+ video recording, which may be a deal-breaker for some users who want to future-proof their videos.

Battery

OnePlus 11 battery

The OnePlus 11 has a 5,000 mAh battery that supports fast charging but not wireless charging or reverse wireless charging. The phone comes with a 65 W charger that can charge the phone from 0% to 100% in about 40 minutes. The phone also supports USB Power Delivery up to 45 W, which means it can charge with other compatible chargers or devices.

The OnePlus 11 has a decent battery life that can last for a day of moderate use. However, the battery life may vary depending on the usage patterns, settings, and features. For example, using the screen at full resolution, I will continue the article for you about OnePlus 11 Review.

full brightness, and high refresh rate may drain the battery faster than using it at lower settings. Similarly, using the camera, gaming, streaming, or other intensive tasks may consume more power than using the phone for basic tasks. The phone has some smart features that can help extend the battery life, such as the smart boost mode that optimizes the battery usage according to your usage patterns, the battery saver mode that reduces the power consumption by limiting some features and functions, and the fan mode that activates a built-in fan to cool down the phone when performing intensive tasks.

The OnePlus 11 has a satisfactory battery performance that can meet most users’ needs. However, it also has some room for improvement that may enhance some users’ experience. The phone does not support wireless charging or reverse wireless charging, which may limit its convenience and versatility for charging. The phone also does not have a very fast charging speed compared to some of its competitors, which may affect its convenience for frequent charging.

Conclusion

The OnePlus 11 is an impressive flagship smartphone that offers some unique features and advantages over its rivals. It has a stunning display with a QHD+ resolution, a high refresh rate, and various modes that suit different scenarios and preferences. It has a speedy performance with a powerful processor, ample memory and storage, and a clean user interface. It has a remarkable camera system with a Hasselblad-branded main camera, an ultrawide camera with a freeform lens, and a telephoto camera with a 3x optical zoom.

However, the OnePlus 11 is not without its flaws and drawbacks. It has a tall and narrow design that may not suit everyone’s preference. It has a screen that has a punch-hole cutout, a curved edge, and black bars on some content. It has a phone that tends to heat up when performing intensive tasks, which may cause some discomfort and reduce the performance over time. It has a camera that does not have a periscope lens, a dedicated macro lens, a dedicated depth sensor, or 8K video recording support, which may affect the quality and versatility of the photos and videos. It has a battery that does not support wireless charging or reverse wireless charging, or very fast charging speeds, which may limit its endurance and convenience.

The OnePlus 11 is a great smartphone for those who value the display, performance, and camera quality above all else. It is especially suitable for those who enjoy watching movies, playing games, and capturing photos and videos in various situations and modes. However, it may not be the best choice for those who prefer a more compact and ergonomic design, a more consistent and flexible screen, a more cool and stable performance, a more zoom and macro capable camera, or a more long-lasting and fast-charging battery.

The OnePlus 11 is priced at $799 for the 8 GB + 128 GB version and $899 for the 12 GB + 256 GB version. It is available for pre-order from April 15, 2023, and will start shipping from April 30, 2023. It is compatible with most GSM and CDMA carriers in the US.

If you are interested in buying the OnePlus 11, you can visit the official website of OnePlus or check out some of the online retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, or B&H Photo Video. You can also read some of the reviews from reputable sources such as CNET, The Verge, or Android Authority.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it useful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.

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