OnePlus got here out of the 2023 gate scorching, with a brand new flagship telephone launch as early as ever within the OnePlus 11. That is the telephone that can take them by way of most of 2023 as a alternative for final 12 months’s OnePlus 10 Professional, even when that “Professional” branding has apparently been sundown in the meanwhile. That is the very best of OnePlus in the mean time.
To recap a bit, it is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered system with an enormous high-res display screen, a lot of RAM and storage, an enormous battery with loopy quick charging, and a design that appears like an up to date tackle final 12 months’s. It mainly ticks the entire packing containers for a telephone line that has moved from one 12 months to the following. The OnePlus 11 begins at $699 and tops out at $799 for its high finish model.
I’ve been testing the OnePlus 11 for a number of weeks at this level, placing it by way of my typical day-to-day actions, treating it as if it had been a telephone I simply purchased (I didn’t – it is a overview unit). I’ve lived with it, let’s put it that means.
So with sufficient time now between setup and in the present day, that is our OnePlus 11 overview.
What do I like in regards to the OnePlus 11?
Efficiency. Efficiency on the OnePlus 11 is superb such as you would count on. The telephone has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on the within, plus my overview unit comes with 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB UFS4.0 storage. That is primarily nearly as good because it will get for elements in an Android telephone that’s meant to be quick and clean. Once you couple that {hardware} with OnePlus’ experience in making software program really feel quick, the outcomes are the place you need them to be.
We don’t do benchmarks, however I can let you know now that this telephone can deal with all you can throw at it. I performed Name of Responsibility Cellular on it, used it for Twitter and Chrome and Instagram and Telegram and Spotify and Reddit and Knotwords periods, and it simply works. The animations are snappy, the gestures are able to pop into a brand new activity, and it doesn’t matter what I did with the OnePlus 11, it took care of it.
Whereas I will not be the last word energy person, I do use the heck out of my telephones each day. I take loads of photos, typically edit them in Google Images, run video games right here and there, and do quite a lot of work in apps like Chrome. It is a telephone that I can use and by no means hesitate to get one thing carried out.
I don’t know the way else to say this, however you gained’t decelerate the OnePlus 11 – it’s that highly effective.
Show. OnePlus tossed a 6.7″ QHD AMOLED show and LTPO into the OnePlus 11 and it’s a good one. It helps a refresh price from 1 – 120Hz, has delicate curves on its edges, is roofed by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, and helps the entire correct show modes, like eye consolation, a pure tone setting, and three totally different darkish theme choices. You’ll additionally discover HDR video settings, a picture sharpener, and areas to regulate display screen decision and refresh price.
This show is tremendous shiny, actually sharp with colours and imagery, and at all times seems completely clean. After I first began testing it, I didn’t fairly respect how good it’s, however then I grabbed my Pixel 7 for a short while and instantly realized how a lot better it’s than the panel in Google’s telephone. The readability and total smoothness it presents are nearly unmatched. It is a grown-up show, whereas Google’s Pixel 7 might be nonetheless in highschool.
I ran my OnePlus 11 overview unit at FHD+ and 120Hz, simply so we’re clear. I don’t really feel prefer it was battery hungry, the system by no means appeared to warmth up with brightness up and a video or recreation taking part in, and total I got here away from it with zero complaints. I’m not precisely an official rater of shows, however this 6.7″ panel has received to be up there with the very best within the business.
Battery life. OnePlus packed a big 5000mAh battery into the OnePlus 11 and it’ll final you thru the day and doubtless then-some. Do you have to handle to run it down by way of in depth gaming periods or by doom scrolling Twitter, you possibly can shortly cost it again up once more with the included 80W charger. That’s the final takeaway from battery life on this telephone – it’s actually strong.
For extra specifics, I can let you know that I had days the place I charged at 10AM and posted a screen-on-time of virtually 6 hours and nonetheless had 10% battery the next morning. In truth, most days had been like that. I’d cost up each time the battery ran down, use it as I do each telephone for the following 24 hours, after which seize the charger once more. I didn’t have a single day the place I used to be anxious about working out of juice, even on the times the place my child grabbed the telephone and performed his favourite cellular video games for much too lengthy.
This telephone doesn’t have wi-fi charging, which is a fairly large draw back for me, and I’ll speak about that beneath. Fortunately, once you slap a charger right into a 5000mAh battery at 80W speeds, you possibly can shortly fill as much as 100% in lower than half-hour. Even 5 or 10 minutes and also you’ll in all probability seize 50% or extra. The OnePlus 11 fees insanely quick at a time the place Samsung remains to be kind of doing 45W on choose gadgets and Google can’t even hit 30W with its finest telephones. It’s a significant promoting level for the telephone even when I needed it had wi-fi charging.
And once more, in case you missed it – the 80W charger is included within the field. You don’t have to purchase it individually. OnePlus is giving it to you as part of shopping for the telephone. How pretty and so un-2023, in a great way.
Design. The OnePlus 11 actually seems like an advanced type of the OnePlus 10 Professional or OnePlus 10T. If something, it’s a modernized tackle the designs of these previous-gen telephones.
I don’t suppose I might sit right here and let you know that this telephone is nice wanting or ugly by any means. It has a glance that isn’t offensive, however remains to be fairly polished and carries a premium really feel. I’ve been testing the inexperienced model with its shiny again, but when I had been to purchase this telephone, I’d completely go for the black mannequin and its frosted texture. This inexperienced model has carried out an excellent job of resisting fingerprints for essentially the most half, however we’re huge into frosted glass over right here.
When within the hand, this telephone is huge and never simply managed with out each arms free. There are many gestures that might permit for single-handed use, however you’d wish to watch out. It has delicate curves to its sides that assist it relaxation gently in your hand. There are not any uncomfortable sharp edges to be discovered and the OnePlus 11 is usually simple to make use of.
The digital camera housing is each obnoxiously giant and type of cool. The combination of straight edges with the round digital camera setup is neat to have a look at, however might be a ache to wash additional down the highway. Fortunately, it’s sufficiently big that you just don’t get a lot of a wobble when it’s sitting on a pill and also you attempt to use it.
However look, the OnePlus 11 is a pleasant wanting 2023 flagship-level telephone. It’s in all probability not altering the sport with its seems and that’s completely tremendous. It feels premium sufficient and appears the half.
Fingerprint reader. I’m solely calling this out as a result of I’m one of many world’s main haters of in-display fingerprint readers, however the in-display reader within the OnePlus 11 is implausible. It really works shortly, reads nearly each time you utilize it, and provides a pleasing nudge because it unlocks your telephone. Everyone knows that Google’s in-display fingerprint readers are horrible and that Samsung’s aren’t a lot better. I’m right here to let you know that OnePlus’ may now be the very best within the recreation.
Worth. Once you have a look at your entire record of specs included within the OnePlus 11, you in all probability wouldn’t be stunned if this telephone was priced at $899 or $999. This has specs that put it proper in step with a telephone just like the Galaxy S23+, though it has a few options that high it. The Galaxy S23+ is a $1,000 telephone, however it doesn’t have this stage of charging or this huge of battery or this good of a show. Whereas I haven’t touched the S23+ but, my guess is that the OnePlus 11 additionally tops it in haptics and efficiency.
And the way a lot does the OnePlus 11 value? It begins at $699. It tops out with 16GB RAM and 256GB storage at $799. A telephone with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, triple high-end digital camera setup, wildly quick charging, and a show that’s this good is nearly by no means this inexpensive. The OnePlus 11 is a steal.
What’s bugging me about it?
Software program. Let me begin this out by first saying that the software program on the whole on the OnePlus 11 shouldn’t be dangerous. This telephone ships with OxygenOS 13 and Android 13, is buttery clean, packed filled with options, and appears fairly good for essentially the most half. OnePlus has additionally dedicated to 4 years of OS updates and 5 full years of bi-monthly safety patches. They’re saying the entire proper issues with regards to software program.
I like the entire customizations they permit on a house display screen with icons and sizes and layouts and transitions. I actually like this wallpaper function they’ve that pulls colours from an image you select after which creates 7 custom-made wallpapers so that you can use. Animations and transitions all over the place look lovely. OnePlus provides two further huge fast settings shortcuts on the high which are tremendous helpful, just like the flashlight shortcut I added. The darkish theme settings are my favourite on any telephone, the standing bar controls are nice, and so are the always-on show choices. There actually is lots to love, together with a bunch of “Particular” options some energy customers could discover useful.
So once more, OxygenOS or ColorOS (no matter we’re calling it nowadays) isn’t dangerous – it’s principally good. Sadly, OnePlus made a bunch of wierd decisions to the best way notifications work, within the app drawer, and within the fast shortcut for the digital camera that drive me insane.
I hate to dive too far into these, as a result of they could not even be a problem for many, however as an Android man who’s so used to the best way Google presents Android, these must be referred to as out. For now, the double-tap on the ability button to launch the digital camera is both damaged or horribly applied. As a result of once you use it, it locks the telephone first earlier than opening the digital camera. That’s an issue in case you snap an image after which wish to shortly share it, as a result of the share button then blacks out and gained’t work because the system thinks the telephone is locked and gained’t permit. So that you then must get out of the digital camera, unlock the telephone, go discover the image you took in one other app, after which share.
They’ve additionally not included an auto-launching keyboard within the app drawer, which is one thing I take advantage of dozens of instances a day on a Pixel telephone. However going additional, the search throughout the app drawer isn’t common and solely searches your app drawer. If there’s a solution to make it extra highly effective, I’ve not been capable of finding it.
And at last, notifications are straight busted. That’s dangerous as a result of notifications are what powers Android. For one, OnePlus gained’t allow you to swipe them away from right-to-left with a single swipe. It does this annoying half swipe that requires one other swipe to make disappear. A swipe from left-to-right will clear it, however I’m proper handed and that’s bizarre. Receiving a number of notifications in a bundle from an app can be annoying in that it forces you to cope with them individually, however the swipes there are tousled when swiping down, plus you possibly can’t simply faucet the bundle to open the app. I might go on, however you get the concept that OnePlus purposely broke the best way Android notifications work as a result of they thought these concepts made sense. I’m right here to let you know, OnePlus, that these had been dangerous selections.
So let me say this yet one more time – OxygenOS on the OnePlus 11 is usually fairly good and there’s a lot to love. My issues right here principally come from private preferences and getting used to the best way Android is meant to work. OnePlus modified some issues that made them fairly irritating to make use of in case you are coming from one other Android system.
Digicam. We now have a brand new digital camera setup on the OnePlus 11 with a fundamental 50MP shooter surrounded by 48MP ultra-wide and 32MP telephoto lenses. It has the entire items, like OIS and EIS, giant aperture, 8K video, evening and professional and portrait modes, and Hasselblad branding as a result of Hasselblad introduced of their coloration science on some stage. For a premium digital camera, simply know that it’s all right here and if you wish to nerd out on digital camera know-how, OnePlus has a lot so that you can get bizarre about.
As for the digital camera expertise, the app itself is straight ahead to make use of and appears lots like everybody’s digital camera app. That’s an excellent factor, by the best way. You’ll be able to shortly swap between lenses to get large or to zoom, swipe between modes, modify settings on the fly with a Professional mode, and so on. It is a totally featured digital camera app.
My largest problem with the digital camera app is partly what I simply described within the software program part above. For what appears like 10 years now, I’ve discovered to double faucet the ability button to shortly launch the digital camera on each telephone. That works on this telephone, however the system is dumb sufficient that it first locks the system after which opens the digital camera.
My different problem is that I can’t ever inform if the digital camera has centered correctly, even when I faucet a topic. There’s no indication that it has locked with a coloration change or blinking or animation. And in my expertise, this telephone misses focus lots, notably in portrait mode. I can’t let you know what number of instances I examined portrait mode, tapped on a topic, took an image, after which discovered a consequence the place nothing I needed to be in focus was in focus and the digital camera as an alternative did its personal factor. You’ll see an instance beneath of my cat, the place the entire thing shouldn’t be centered on him.
Total, the digital camera is quick sufficient and likewise fairly versatile in that the three totally different lenses can cowl a variety of conditions. My gripes are type of small, however have actually bugged me throughout this testing interval. I really feel like I say this yearly, however OnePlus in all probability has room to enhance the digital camera on the OnePlus 11 by way of software program updates.
Within the outcomes division, I believe the OnePlus 11 takes strong pictures. Do I believe they’re nearly as good because the Pixel 7 Professional at an identical worth? No, I don’t. They are usually far too heat for my tastes, plus in low mild conditions the whole lot seems a little bit…useless or lifeless. It will get confused with complicated shadows at instances, however then works in others. I’m seeing this as I examine comparable pictures to ones I’ve taken on the Pixel 7 Professional, so perhaps that isn’t honest, however what higher solution to examine a brand new digital camera than up towards the king?
Now, don’t take this as me saying the digital camera is dangerous, I simply needed extra. It’s all there on paper and the digital camera can take good pictures! You’ll see some beneath. However as is the story most years with OnePlus, this one wants extra work.
No wi-fi charging. Not having wi-fi charging used to not be a factor I flagged a telephone for, however it actually has change into an ordinary merchandise in nearly any flagship-level telephone at this level. Google’s Pixel telephones have it. All of Samsung’s high finish telephones do too, together with their foldables. Apple places it of their telephones from common iPhones up by way of their Professional line. But right here is OnePlus taking it out of their finest new telephone to start out 2023.
Their reasoning for leaving out wi-fi charging has one thing to do with their perception that tremendous duper quick wired charging is a greater resolution and that as a result of the OnePlus 11 lasts all day, you don’t have to drip cost over wi-fi charging throughout a day. Look, I get that, however there are a selection of us who’ve a wi-fi charger by our mattress and place our telephone there at evening to trickle cost to 100% in a single day.
Whereas I might technically plug in a OnePlus 11 at evening, OnePlus by no means makes that simple as a result of the USB-C twine they embrace within the field with each telephone has at all times been the shortest within the business and by no means reaches the place I want it to achieve.
Not having wi-fi charging in all probability isn’t a dealbreaker, however it’s annoying. It has aggravated me over the previous couple of weeks as a result of it screwed up my nightly wi-fi charging and I’ve needed to make particular time to plug the telephone in throughout the day to get it charged up.
Service availability. As huge of a fan of unlocked telephones as I’m, for the US telephone business, promoting by way of carriers is type of a should. OnePlus has chosen to solely promote the OnePlus 11 as an unlocked unit by way of locations like Amazon and Greatest Purchase and OnePlus’ personal retailer. It’ll work on the entire carriers right here, however you gained’t discover these offers so a lot of you want by way of a provider the place you possibly can improve and have it cost you through month-to-month funds. That’s unlucky, as OnePlus might be lacking a bunch of people that may in any other case give their new telephone some run.
Do you have to purchase a OnePlus 11?
The OnePlus 11 is each a well-priced high-end telephone and a little bit of a tricky promote. This telephone does lots proper (show, efficiency, and battery life), however has its points (bizarre software program decisions, no wi-fi charging, and questionable digital camera). Fortunately, it’s priced properly at $699 and for that worth (or $100 extra), you get quite a lot of good things which may assist you overlook what I simply complained about.
If you’re contemplating shopping for one, I assume it is advisable ask your self why that is higher than a Pixel 7 Professional or a Galaxy S23+? Would you like the sooner wired charging and the superior show? Or would you like a greater digital camera and historical past of software program help? There’s lots to soak up, lots to weigh. It is a laborious one.
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