OnePlus 11 5G review: A compelling flagship with a sprinkle of compromises

OnePlus flagship launches used to be one of the most-awaited tech events of the year. There was a time when we only had one launch in a year and most of those products lived up to their ‘flagship-killer’ standards. However, the brand gradually moved into the hardcore premium segment with relatively high pricing. With the OnePlus 11 5G, it seems the smartphone maker is moving back to its strengths from yesteryears. The phone is undeniably a flagship but with a competitive price tag. But that’s not to say that corners were not cut. We have been using the OnePlus 11 5G for an extended period and will tell you if this is the OnePlus-comeback we have been waiting for. 

The OnePlus 11 5G offers almost everything one would anticipate from a high-end device. The curved glass back with a metal frame, the flagship-grade display, and a really fast chipset all work in favour of the device. However, let’s take a detailed look at each of these aspects.

OnePlus 11 5G Performance

Performance is what OnePlus buyers value the most. The performance of OnePlus 11 5G is the best you can get on a smartphone right now. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, seems to have ironed out the issues that troubled the Gen 1 chipset. In my experience, the device did not heat up while gaming or in general use.  However, do expect the device to get warm during charging. 

The chipset comes with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. For the most part, the phone worked without stutters or frame drops. But you might come across some lag when the device gets hot due to charging or high ambient temperature. 

OnePlus claims that the new processor uses a new ARMv9 architecture that delivers up to a 30 per cent performance boost over its predecessor. It also supports sub-6GHz and mmWave bands for faster 5G connectivity. In real-world use, you won’t see a huge difference in performance between the OnePlus 10 Pro and OnePlus 11 5G. However, the new chipset and UFS 4.0 storage do make the device future-proof.

OnePlus 11 5G Camera

The OnePlus 11 5G features a camera co-developed by Hasselblad. This is the third generation of Hasselblad camera on OnePlus flagships. The rear camera setup consists of a 50MP main Sony IMX 890 main sensor with OIS, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera with a freeform lens that reduces distortion and an 32MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. The front camera is a 16MP sensor.

The OnePlus 11 5G’s colour science is visibly better than the OnePlus 10 Pro. The partnership with Hasselblad was one of the highlights of the phone and it has worked out well for the new flagship. Nighttime shots have much more detail and less noise. 

Here are some of the shots that demonstrate the phone's night-photography as well as some zoom shots. 

OnePlus 11 Display

The OnePlus 11 features an AMOLED LTPO3 display, an upgrade to last year's LTPO2 panel. The screen feels smoother than before and the 2K resolution further helps OnePlus' case. The OnePlus 11 5G also supports Dolby Vision. Peak brightness goes up to 1300 nits but the overall display brightness could have been better. The 6.70-inch display is almost the same size as OnePlus 10 Pro and it is covered with a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. 

OnePlus 11 5G Battery

The battery life is impressive too, with a 5000mAh capacity that can last for more than a day on moderate usage. And when you need to charge it, you can use the 100W fast charger that can fill it up in just 20 minutes. 

OnePlus 11 5G Cons

No wireless charging: Despite claiming to be a flagship, OnePlus has avoided providing wireless charging. The company believes that 100W charging speed is good enough to eradicate the need of wireless charging. Compared to a year old OnePlus 10 Pro, the phone does miss out on wireless charging. 

No IP68 rating: Premium smartphones need to go all in when it comes to features but OnePlus was bold enough to let go of IP68 dust and water resistance certification. However, the device still has a rubber ring on the SIM tray which should be able to withstand splashes.

2X Telephoto Lens: Telephoto lens is the new distinguishing factor in the flagship segment and OnePlus has just offered 2X optical zoom. However, the details and colouring are better than OnePlus 10 Pro's 3X zoom lens. 

Slow Fingerprint Sensor: The optical in-display fingerprint sensor is slow to respond and requires multiple attempts to unlock the phone. 

Verdict

OnePlus 11 5G has a great chance to bring its A-game to the flagship segment. The phone has cut some corners, some that might feel significant, but the core element of a flagship remains undisturbed. The performance is the best on offer and the camera has made great progress, giving a good fight to the likes of the Galaxy S23 and the iPhone 14 who also happen to be OnePlus' primary competition. If the buyer can work without wireless charging and IP68 dust and water certification, the OnePlus 11 5G is a compelling buy.