This year, OnePlus stated that they will not come with a “Pro” variant of the smartphone. On the other hand, their flagship device is only one, the OnePlus 11. This device has already been launched in China last January and is confirmed to arrive in the Malaysian market on February 14. After using this device for three weeks, I feel that it has the potential to threaten other flagship devices in the market.
The OnePlus 11 has already arrived at our labs since last January and at the time of writing this article I have been using this device as my daily device for three weeks. OnePlus is back with Hasselblad after not being given it on the OnePlus 10T and when I used this device together with the Vivo X90 Pro, I was surprised – will the OnePlus 11 be the best Android flagship device of the year? If so, is it worth it for you to spend maybe around RM3500 on it?
OnePlus 10T Review – Once Great, Now Inverted
Review – Vivo X90 Pro Photography Capabilities Extreme Beyond Imagination
Specifications
OnePlus 11 5G
6.7″ Super Fluid AMOLED LTPO3 screen, QHD+ 3216×1440,
120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, ~525 ppi
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (4nm)
1x 3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 chip
2x 2.8 GHz Cortex-A715
2x 2.8 GHz Cortex-A710
3x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A510
Adreno 740 Graphics Chip
RAM 8/16 GB LPDDR5X
Up to 12GB of virtual Memory
Internal Storage 128GB UFS 3.1
256GB UFS 4.0
Primary Camera 50 MP, f/1.8, OIS, EIS (Wide Angle)
48 MP, f/2.2, (Ultra-Wide Angle)
32 MP, f/2.0 (Telephoto)
Hasselblad Camera for Mobile, XPan Mode
Selfie Camera 16 Megapixel f/2.45
5000 mAh battery
100W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM nano / 5G
NFC Yes
Audio No audio jack
Dual "Reality" Speakers Dolby Atmos
Waterproof None
Scan System Under-screen fingerprint scanner
Selling Price RM 3437 (16/256 GB)
(USD currency conversion)
Screen
The OnePlus 11 screen specifications are similar to the OnePlus 10 Pro with a 6.7-inch Super Fluid AMOLED LTPO3 panel with a QHD+ resolution of 3216×1440 and an adaptive refresh rate of 1-120Hz. I is the first OnePlus device to support Dolby Vision and a brightness that reaches 1300 nits. Below the screen is also a very fast fingerprint scanner. Just a quick touch can unlock the device with its good position.
I've reviewed many OnePlus devices and so far they've all been FHD+ only. So the QHD+ resolution on the OnePlus 11 can be seen the difference. Clearer details and sharper colors can be displayed. The screen of the device is clearly of better quality, pleasing to the eye and watching video content is very satisfying.
Additionally with Bright HDR video mode, Video volour enhancer and Natural tone display support – helping to protect the user's eyes. Just disappointingly, this review unit is running an early version of Oxygen OS 13 and Dolby Vision content on Netflix cannot be displayed.
With the LTPO3 panel, the device's screen is also very smooth. During the three weeks of use, there was absolutely no time delay when setting and it looked fast. The adaptive refresh rate support also works well when reading e-books and viewing pictures as they move at a rate of 10Hz. It's just that their claim to be able to go down to 1Hz doesn't apply to any reading app including Kindle with black-and-white display mode. This means, if it doesn't go down to 1Hz the battery usage may be higher.
Design
OnePlus 11 at a glance still looks like OnePlus 10 Pro or OnePlus 10T. The most noticeable difference is in the camera hump made of metal that is joined to the giant round camera part. The camera hump and the frame of the device are also made of the same piece of metal with a chrome color that looks premium. The design of this camera bump is also said to take inspiration from black holes.
Despite this, the camera's hump is not too thick and can be placed on a flat surface without serious tipping problems. There is no free silicone frame provided in the box, and at the time of this writing there is still no information on whether the official protective frame will be sold or not. As long as I use this device the feeling of worrying about falling is terrible. But the back panel although looks shiny, it is not smooth and comfortable in the hand. OnePlus says the Emerald Green color on this reviewed unit will not have fingerprint smudges. In reality it still shows when I sweat.
On the right side of the device, there is a power button and most interestingly the return of the notification drop-down switch to switch between ringtone mode, vibration mode and silent mode. On the left side there is only the volume adjustment button while on top there is an audio grille hole and a microphone. Moving down there is a speaker grille, microphone hole and SIM card slot.
On the front, the phone's bezel is visible on the top bezel, while the screen has a hole for the selfie camera. The screen design is curved but not too deep and comfortable enough to enjoy various content in daily use.
In the hand, the OnePlus 11 feels like holding the OnePlus 10T only it feels heavier. If you close your eyes and hold them side by side, it's hard to tell the difference in terms of finish and size, only the camera part is a little heavier. Anyway, overall the OnePlus 11 is a pretty premium flagship device.
Software
Ever since OnePlus became a sub-brand to Oppo, Oxygen OS and Color OS seem to be no different. Even when Oxygen OS 13 was announced, the changelog list was the same as Color OS 13. The interface design also looked the same, as did the features and functions. But the usage experience is not the same. Because of the famous Fluid Experience on OnePlus, that is the smooth usage experience can still be felt. Even famous OnePlus elements such as Zen Mode, OnePlus Shelf and the Game launcher are still there. Although it looks similar, the usage method is more or less the same, but the experience is different.
OnePlus 11 uses a Snapdragon Gen 2 paired with 16GB RAM LPDDR5X memory + 12GB virtual memory and 256GB UFS 4.0 internal storage which contributes to fast performance on Oxygen OS 13. For three weeks of use there was no lag at all and the experience of using it is similar to Google Pixel with Android original
Oxygen OS 13 also doesn't have many fat apps. Even the few pre-installed apps available are not annoying. Most importantly, there are no ads at all regardless of installing the app on Play Store or APK, file manager app. Vivo may need to learn from "brother OnePlus" who is able to sell devices without ads and applications that buyers do not need.
The customization feature is also similar to the original Android 13 where the color can be changed according to the background image color theme, there are additional audio controls with nice haptics, the Work Life Balance feature is like the Focus mode on iOS, a simple and user-friendly camera application, and the use of the OnePlus Shelf .
OnePlus this time also includes more in-depth battery and charging health monitoring features. First shown on the OnePlus 10T, but the OnePlus 11 is more clear like Battery Health which allows users to monitor the health of the battery like an iPhone, the Wise Charging feature for fast charging 100W SuperVOOC in time is even limited to 80% and only finished after Dawn.
Many Google apps are also used by default, making the device faster because it doesn't rely on its own system services. For Oppo users, if you use a OnePlus device this time will not feel awkward as well as OnePlus users who want to switch to Oppo. There will probably be some differences in features and functions, but I can say 90% is the same as 100% smooth performance experience as OnePlus has always promised.
Performance And Benchmarks
With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, memory up to 28GB RAM (16GB LPDDR5X RAM + 12GB virtual memory) and the latest 256GB UFS 4.0 storage, the performance on this device is great but there are a few things I predicted and was sure would happen – have happened.
Using this device throughout the day such as playing with the camera, watching videos, streaming music, being active on social media applications will not cause any heating issues. It's just that the warm-up will only happen if the first game is played through the Game launcher and some special modes are activated. The first ones like COD Mobile, Asphalt 9 and Marvel Snap can be played with full immersion.
The benchmark score on the OnePlus 11 seems like before as if it has been limited to achieve only normal scores. Maybe to keep the device healthy, or maybe because Oxygen OS 13 is still an early version. Compared to Vivo X90 Pro, OnePlus has a weaker score which you can see the data below;
AnTuTu 3D
OnePlus 11 – 1,104,135
Vivo X90 Pro – 1,195,548
iPhone 14 Pro Max – 974,941
Geekbench 5
OnePlus 11 – 955/4056
Vivo X90 Pro – 1376/4262
iPhone 14 Pro Max – 1875/5469
3DMark
OnePlus 11 – 3712
Vivo X90 Pro – 3732
iPhone 14 Pro Max – 3373
Although it looks inferior with the Vivo X90 Pro, my usage on the OnePlus 11 is better. So, software optimization is more important than depending on the benchmark score alone which is just a synthetic test.
Camera
For the camera, the OnePlus 11 uses a configuration of 50MP wide-angle Sony IMX890 f/1.88, OIS+EIS + 48MP ultra-wide-angle Sony IMX581 f2.2 + 32MP portrait telephoto sensor Sony IMX709 f/2.0, 2x optical zoom. Also available on this device is a 13-channel Accu-spectrum color-light recognition sensor, a 16MP Sony IMX471 f/2.45 selfie camera. OnePlus has once again partnered with Hasselblad for Hasselblad Camera for Mobile technology.
Earlier I said OnePlus collaborated with Hasselblad and I used this device next to the Vivo X90 Pro which collaborated with Zeiss and also used the first 1-inch sensor in Malaysia. But the picture results on the OnePlus 11 are clearer with well-preserved details, then portrait mode with realistic Hasselblad lens DSLR-like bokeh effects, selfie capabilities that don't have too soft skin problems, fast and best focus and switching between angle modes ultra-wide to ultra-smooth wide angle with no noticeable color difference.
The night mode capability looks nice, but not in my interest as I feel the Vivo X90 Pro is better. Maybe because OnePlus only has one OIS compared to Vivo which has two. But the XPan mode on this device looks unique even if it doesn't preserve fine details – the resulting photos look classic and beautiful enough to show off on social media.
Portrait Gallery
Night Mode Gallery
What I don't like about the OnePlus 11 camera is, the camera app is quite basic and not many interesting extra functions like Vivo. The RAW+ mode on this device though looks good, but since it's not a 1-inch sensor using the Pro mode isn't very interesting. Instead this device is a smartphone for SOOC camera, Straight out of camera. But OnePlus has a TurboRAW feature that processes RAW images to bright and beautiful HDR results without the problem of light disturbing the subject in the picture.
Other Galleries
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For video quality, the OnePlus 11 still does not have satisfactory results. On the other hand, it is still more or less the same as before, where the color results are quite natural, the optical and software combination stabilization and the details are acceptable.
Telephony & GPS
The phone call and mobile data connection capabilities on the OnePlus 11 are pretty decent, which is standard for a flagship Android device. The voice quality is clear and loud, the 5G connection is stable in most areas of Kuala Lumpur and the WiFi is also stable and there are no disconnection problems.
OnePlus also includes VoWiFi and VoLTE and eSIM support, a feature that has become increasingly popular for most Android devices. The use of GPS is also very good, locking the location is fast and accurate and is able to provide good turn-by-turn instructions.
Audio
The device also focuses on audio quality, where robust Dolby Atmos support via Apple Music provides a satisfying listening experience with deep enough bass, clear and balanced vocals. The quality I dare say is almost on par with flagship devices that are sold at a higher price than the OnePlus 11.
Not only that, the audio support on TWS is also improved with the spatial audio feature built into Oxygen OS 13 and when paired with the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 – the listening experience is different. A little better than Xiaomi devices, but still can't compete with Apple yet.
Battery
It's a bit strange why on OnePlus 10T supports 150W SuperVOOC, but on OnePlus 11 fast charging support is only 100W SuperVOOC. Wireless charging support and reverse wireless charging have also been removed. A downgrade compared to the previous OnePlus 10 Pro.
Even so, the battery life on this device is amazing. Heavy use has no problem reaching 7 hours of SOT by actively playing games, using the camera, streaming video and audio and using social media applications. With light use, 8-9 hours of SOT can be achieved. 100W fast charging recharges the battery from 1% to 100% in 25 minutes which is quite fast. This charger is provided with every purchase of the device.
What's in the box?
Here is what was included in the box we received.
1x OnePlus 11
1x 100W three-pin charger.
1x USB-C to USB-C charging cable.
1x SIM Pin.
1x Set of stickers and guidebook.
Conclusion
Throughout my time with the OnePlus 11 5G, I can say this is probably my favorite flagship device so far. OnePlus provides a smooth, fast user experience, a durable battery, a pretty great camera and a premium and luxurious-looking build. But alas, this device is not a perfect flagship device as there is no IP68 protection support, no wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
If you can live without the two features that should make the OnePlus 11 the best flagship device and want the best SOOC camera experience – this is the device for you. The selling price at the time of writing this article has not been announced yet, but based on the monitor set, the 16/256 GB model is sold at around RM3200. So I estimate that this device will be sold in Malaysia at a price of around RM3599. If this is the selling price, the OnePlus 11 might be a premium flagship device killer as the Vivo X90 Pro is sold at RM4,999 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is priced at RM7,199.
Pro
A beautiful and fast screen comparable to a premium flagship device.
Dolby Vision support.
The powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip is matched with fast RAM and memory.
Great battery life with 100W fast charging.
Good quality Hasselblad camera.
Good performance and software.
Cons
No IP68 protection.
No wireless charging support and reverse.
Interface design that has no uniqueness of its own.
The design of the device looks more or less the same as last year's model.