All things considered, the OnePlus 11 is comparable to the Samsung Galaxy S23+ and Galaxy S23 Ultra. However, the Samsung twins are substantially more expensive, which raises the value of the OnePlus 11.
With OnePlus’ flagship Android devices, there is always a feeling of anticipation. The OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro, for instance, had a Pro and a non-Pro phone simultaneously for several years before a shift occurred last year. The OnePlus 10 Pro was the only model available. The anticipated OnePlus 11 phone is expected this year (because 11 comes after 10). This time, there is no Pro. Because the “T” and “R” phones will ultimately follow, it is understandable to simplify.
The OnePlus 11 is mostly based on two spec combinations. That translates to 128GB or 256GB of storage and 8GB or 18GB of RAM. It is simple to identify a potential gap in this specification. A 512GB storage option, which a flagship should provide, is absent. You will, however, have to pay 56,999 for 8GB + 128GB and 61,999 for 16GB + 256GB.
An argument against meeting Samsung’s demands
No matter how you look at it, the OnePlus 11 appears to have stronger specs than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus (prices start at $94,999), and it may also offer a better user experience. The OnePlus 11 has a huge pricing advantage over the Galaxy S23 Ultra (prices start at $1,24,999) despite having several specs that are comparable. unless you are adamant about the S-Pen stylus or the 200-megapixel camera (which you’ll inevitably mostly use in the pixel binning mode?).
First things first: there is no movement on the alert slider. This personification of convenience hasn’t been given up on the altar of slimness or a fight for component space inside the phone. Long-time OnePlus phone users will concur with me that having a slider to select between the ring, silence, and vibrating only modes is quite convenient. There’s no need to repeatedly tap the screen to silence the phone as you enter a meeting or prepare to get behind the wheel.
Nothing about the OnePlus 11 makes things more difficult. This is the pinnacle of flagship Android phones. also not come with an outrageous price tag. One of the first phones to get the goodness of Qualcomm’s latest generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. Attention to detail, OnePlus’ forte over time, is best defined by the upgrade to the faster UFS 4.0 local storage standard, faster than its rivals and predecessor (mind you, this is applicable only for the 256GB storage). A continuing theme with OnePlus 11, is specs only tell you half the tale.
The Galaxy S23+ has a maximum RAM of 8GB, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra comes standard with 12GB RAM. The OnePlus 11 has 16GB RAM as its highest specification. According to logic, more RAM would be better for multitasking flexibility and perceived endurance.
It will require a lot of your energy to even slightly slow down when using this very strong phone. With the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Qualcomm successfully corrected its course after learning from the Snapdragon 8’s shortcomings. This move forward feels more like a leap. Even if the benefits of using a speedier storage module aren’t always obvious, there are times when they are. For example, while aligning and processing photos.
With that much power available, it should come as no surprise that the OnePlus 11 has a sophisticated cooling mechanism in place. For speedier heat dissipation, it uses a novel crystalline-graphene composition that covers a bigger surface area. When the camera has been in use for a lengthy amount of time, the phone’s back is merely warm. And only lukewarm after a 45-minute drive after using Google Maps to navigate.
The artificial intelligence (AI) that is now used to allocate RAM for specific programmes that may occasionally require speeding up carries on the topic of intelligence. The camera app is one illustration. You’ll notice the night mode photos take lesser time to process, which means you’re left standing frozen for lesser time, compared with some other phones. Just the small things that add up, slowly but certainly.
A big canvas, with lots of pixels
Compared to the prior model, the 6.7-inch Super fluid AMOLED display increases the number of pixels (3216 x 1440 pixels now, compared with 2412 x 1080 pixels on the OnePlus 10T). In reality, this has more pixels and density than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which is more expensive and has a screen that is somewhat larger but has fewer pixels. Whatever you want to make of the noise. The LTPO technology lets the refresh rate can vary from 1Hz to 120Hz based on the on-screen content, and this screen is also 10-bit for colour.
Not only are there more pixels, but the denser composition also slightly improves the aesthetics of everything. Not that the screen on the OnePlus 10T deteriorated in any way. But after viewing this, you can realise that it represents progress. You may occasionally notice a greater-than-expected drop in contrast when the display is at its lowest brightness setting (often in a very dark situation), which makes the screen appear a little washed out when reading an e-book or a webpage, for example.
OnePlus really isn’t leaving any cards on the table. Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HDR10+ high dynamic range formats are supported.
Three primary-esque cameras make a good team
The cameras on the OnePlus flagship phones have long been deceptive. Expectations and possibilities have always existed, but they have occasionally fallen short (for example, megapixels and the competence of Hasselblad). The OnePlus 11 appears to be catching up. This camera competes head-to-head with the Google Pixel 7 Pro, which is undoubtedly the most adaptable camera available for Android smartphones.
The camera troika in use is one of the causes of that. The 50-megapixel wide camera takes the lead, followed by a 48-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 32-megapixel telephoto lens. All three are distinct primary sensor specifications. And all three Sony sensors, even though they are distinct models. The OnePlus 11’s colours have been adjusted by Hasselblad, and thus expertise adds to the overall photography experience.
The outcomes we saw and the comparison with the Google Pixel 7 Pro are unmistakably evidence of the significant advancements made by OnePlus. Daylight and good lighting shots exhibit sharpness, detailing, dynamic range, and the readiness to return very good quality cropped images. The skies are spotless blue for once (when the air quality allows for it, of course).
Regarding the Night mode, a fascinating observation has been made. In many cases, you wouldn’t need it because the sensors already allow in enough light for a well lighted frame. When you do, it operates far more quickly than many other flagship phone cameras. Consequently, you spend less time locked in place.
It is quite evident that OnePlus is taking no chances with their primary flagship device for 2023. The OnePlus 11 features the most recent technology while maintaining the comfort of a OnePlus phone. The minor details, like the alert slider, less weight (this weighs 205 grammes versus 234 grammes for the Galaxy S23 Ultra), and Hasselblad calibration for the very capable triple camera arrangement, are only giving this a strong basis as a premium phone.
The pleasure is enhanced by the fast-charging battery (the included 100-watt charger charges the battery to 100% in 25 minutes). Having said that, even while Oxygen OS has changed and is no longer the pure Android alternative it originally claimed to be, it still isn’t the complete Oppo inspiration that has spooked many OnePlus devotees enough to cause them to wake up sweating in the middle of the night.
There are a few errors. There is no other way to put it—the absence of wireless charging on a flagship phone is odd. Although it is splash-resistant, OnePlus seems to be against full-fledged water and dust protection.
There is longevity too, if you do buy the OnePlus 11. It runs Android 13 with OxygenOS 13 now, with the promise of four major Android updates. That means, you can expect this to receive Android 17 too at some point in the future, a name we are assuming for most intents and purposes.
If you indeed are confused about the colour choice, we’d leave you with one last observation – Eternal Green, as the name suggests, has an everlasting presence, which Titan Black may lose out on after a point.
