A Familiar Face with New Tricks: A Deep Dive into the OnePlus 11 5G
2022 saw OnePlus navigate a somewhat unusual path with its flagship lineup. Instead of the traditional two-pronged approach, they released just one true flagship, the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G, followed by the OnePlus 10T 5G, which prioritized performance at the cost of certain features (like the iconic Alert Slider). Now, OnePlus is back with a familiar face, the OnePlus 11 5G, that feels like a spiritual successor to the 10 Pro, boasting updated specs and a refined design. While it lacks some of the bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from flagship phones, like wireless charging, the question arises: are the upgrades enough to justify these omissions? Let’s delve into the OnePlus 11 5G and see if it lives up to the hype.
OnePlus 11 5G: Price & Availability
The OnePlus 11 5G starts at Rs. 56,999 in India, offering 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 128GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The higher variant, with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, is priced at Rs. 61,999. Considering the OnePlus 11 5G’s spec sheet is on par with, and even surpasses, the 10 Pro 5G in certain areas, this pricing strategy feels quite aggressive.
Design: Evolution, Not Revolution
The OnePlus 11 5G retains the familiar design language of its predecessor, the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G. However, it introduces subtle, yet noteworthy changes. The most prominent difference is the shift from a square rear camera module to a circular design. The camera module’s glass also features a subtle texture, visible at specific angles, adding a touch of sophistication. The Hasselblad logo is now positioned horizontally between the four camera lenses.
Overall, the dimensions, build quality, and in-hand feel remain consistent with the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G. The OnePlus 11 5G is slightly slimmer at 8.53mm, but slightly heavier at 205g. The curved aluminium frame feels comfortable to hold, but the smooth back panel, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, can be slippery. The included rubber case thankfully addresses this issue. OnePlus provided us with the Titan Black color, but it is also available in Eternal Green, a familiar color option from the 10 Pro 5G.
The Display: A Familiar Friend with an Enhancement
The display on the OnePlus 11 5G boasts a 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED panel with a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz (dropping to 1Hz). It also features Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for added protection. While the display remains very similar to the 10 Pro 5G, it now supports Dolby Vision HDR playback, offering an even more immersive visual experience.
Under the Hood: Power & Performance
No flagship Android phone can be complete without the latest and greatest SoC, and the OnePlus 11 5G delivers. It houses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, unmodified unlike Samsung’s S23 series. However, OnePlus claims it has incorporated a larger vapour cooling system to enhance heat dissipation for sustained performance.
The OnePlus 11 5G supports Wi-Fi 7, a technology that’s expected to arrive in India soon. It also features Bluetooth 5.3, support for 13 5G bands, and a comprehensive suite of sensors and satellite navigation systems. The phone comes equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, an in-display fingerprint sensor (optical), and NFC.
The OnePlus 11 5G, similar to its predecessor, lacks an official IP rating. However, OnePlus confirms that its new flagship offers IP64-equivalent ingress protection, meaning it can withstand splashes of water but not full submersion. This downgrade from IP68 certification means you’ll need to exercise caution when handling the phone near water.
Software: A Blend of Familiar and New
The OnePlus 11 5G runs on OxygenOS 13, based on Android 13. The software skin now bears a greater resemblance to Oppo’s ColorOS, which is a subjective matter depending on user preference. While retaining familiar OxygenOS features, this iteration introduces RAM-Vita, a new feature designed to optimize RAM allocation for active apps. The OnePlus 11 5G is also promised four years of Android updates and five years of security updates, ensuring long-term software support.
Performance: Powerhouse with Endurance
The OnePlus 11 5G delivers exceptional performance for routine use and effortlessly handles demanding tasks like gaming. Over the weeks of testing, the phone consistently excelled with no noticeable lag or unusual heating. The fingerprint sensor is swift and accurate, 5G connection is robust, and the display offers ample brightness, even under direct sunlight.
The stereo speakers pack impressive volume and quality. While a slight imbalance exists, with the main speaker slightly louder than the earpiece, this isn’t an uncommon issue. Demanding games like Call of Duty Mobile run flawlessly, even at the highest graphics and framerate settings. While the back does warm up during extended gaming sessions, it remains manageable.
The OnePlus 11 5G’s benchmark results are impressive. It achieved a score of 10,16,772 points in AnTuTu, 1,163 points in Geekbench’s single-core test, and 4,798 points in the multi-core test. It also tops the charts in most 3DMark tests.
The phone’s impressive battery life stems from its ability to dynamically adjust the display resolution from full-HD+ to QHD+ based on the content or app, along with its capability to scale the refresh rate down to 1Hz when needed. Even with prolonged gaming sessions and heavy camera usage, the phone easily surpassed a full day on a single charge. This was further confirmed in our HD video loop test, yielding a remarkable run time of 23 hours, 25 minutes at full-HD+ resolution and 21 hours, 46 minutes at QHD+.
While the OnePlus 11 5G doesn’t offer wireless charging, its super-fast wired charger helps mitigate this omission. It achieved a full charge in approximately 26 minutes, requiring no special charging mode activation thanks to the phone’s automatic optimization.
Camera: A New Era for OnePlus
The OnePlus 11 5G features a significant overhaul of its camera system compared to the 10 Pro 5G. The main camera now incorporates a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 sensor, slightly smaller but with higher resolution than its predecessor. Despite the aperture remaining at f/1.8, the focal length has increased by 1mm.
The ultra-wide camera receives a welcome upgrade to a 48-megapixel Sony IMX581 sensor with autofocus. While the field of view is narrower than before (115 degrees compared to 150 degrees), the enhanced sensor and autofocus capabilities bring back macro mode.
The third rear camera is a 32-megapixel Sony IMX709 sensor with 2X optical zoom and a wider f/2.0 aperture. Despite the resolution upgrade, the maximum zoom level is capped at 20X, a reduction from the 30X offered by the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G. For selfies, OnePlus reverts to the 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 sensor, a downgrade compared to the 10 Pro 5G.
The camera app applies Hasselblad’s "natural" color treatment but also offers an AI scene enhancement toggle, which can artificially enhance colors and specific objects. There are dedicated filters in Photo and Portrait modes, developed in collaboration with Hasselblad brand ambassadors. The app also supports 10-bit color photo capture, a feature useful for professional workflows.
Camera Samples: A Closer Look
Daylight photos captured with the main camera exhibit excellent quality. Colors are vibrant without oversaturation, HDR is well managed, and autofocus remains reliable. Landscape shots demonstrate improved detail on distant objects compared to the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G. Close-up pictures are similarly impressive, showcasing sharp details and a smooth background blur.
Nighttime performance is also commendable. The phone automatically captures long exposure shots, producing impressive detail with minimal noise.
The ultra-wide camera on the OnePlus 11 5G surpasses its predecessor, delivering sharper colors and more vivid textures. Even low-light photos boast good exposure and punchy colors. The camera app seamlessly switches to the ultra-wide camera when capturing macro shots, although this auto-switching can be disabled if desired. Macro shots are generally good, but autofocus can be inconsistent at times, and the focusing distance isn’t as tight as what the iPhone 13 Pro offers.
Telephoto images have also seen a noticeable improvement. Details, textures, and colors are better across all magnification levels compared to the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G. In low light, the camera app typically uses digital zoom through the main camera unless the subject is well-lit. Night mode remains functional even at 2X magnification.
The selfie camera produces usable images in both daylight and low-light conditions. As long as you avoid excessive cropping, most users will be content with the results. Several filters and skin retouching tools are available for personalization. However, selfies on the 11 5G tend to have paler skin tones and weaker textures compared to the 10 Pro 5G.
The OnePlus 11 5G supports video recording at up to 8K 24fps, although it’s unlikely to be a primary choice for most users. 4K 30fps is a more practical option, allowing you to switch to the ultra-wide camera or zoom up to 10X during recording. It’s important to note that, except for 1080p 30fps, magnification at any resolution and framerate uses digital zoom through the main camera rather than the telephoto lens. Stabilization is effective, and daytime footage showcases excellent detail. Low-light videos are also decent, but they can appear noisy, and walking while recording introduces noticeable jitter. The "AI Highlight" video feature functions at 4K, but zooming is disabled when activated. It didn’t seem to make much difference in daylight but effectively brightened videos taken in extreme low light, albeit at the expense of increased noise.
An unexpected benefit of the OnePlus 11 5G is the usability of its 8K video recording. Unlike the 10 Pro 5G that suffered from overheating after a few minutes (at least during our review period), the 11 5G allowed us to record 20 minutes straight in 8K with minimal heating.
Verdict: A Worthy Contender
The OnePlus 11 5G launches at a competitive price, starting at Rs. 56,999. Even the top-end variant we reviewed, priced at Rs. 61,999, falls below the iQoo 11 5G (Review) and renders higher variants of the OnePlus 10T redundant. The absence of wireless charging is the only noticeable drawback, though the super-fast wired charger partially compensates. While the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G remains relevant due to its (unofficial) superior waterproofing and rapid wireless charging, the OnePlus 11 5G offers a noticeable upgrade in other areas.
For those seeking a smartphone powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, the OnePlus 11 5G presents a compelling choice, building upon the strengths of the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G with an attractively priced package.
