There’s a lot to be said for consistency in this world. There’s also a lot to be said for realistic expectations. OnePlus should be applauded for both. While it’s true the company has had various stumbles over the years and the Oppo transition hasn’t been seamless, one can generally rely on the phone maker for solid flagships at reasonable prices.
As for the latter, well, the OnePlus 11 marketing material speaks for itself, as the company declares the handset “definitely a well-rounded flagship.” In an era when the competition is ramping up hyperbole with each subsequent iterative phone release, that’s the sort of sentiment I can get behind. And, indeed, it does appear to be a well-rounded flagship. Can’t really argue with that.
After months of teases and partial announcements, OnePlus finally officially unveiled the handset this morning — and, indeed, it ticks most of the boxes you’d hope for in a 2023 device — particularly one with a starting price of less than $700. Central to that experience is, naturally, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, promising faster speeds and increased power efficiency, along with graphical advancements. You’ll also find up to 16GB of RAM and a 5,000mAh battery. The latter can be topped off with a 100 watt charger (only 80 watts here in the States).
Image Credits: OnePlus
Interestingly, OnePlus is attempting to get ahead of the upcoming XR push by incorporating Snapdragon Spaces. Last summer, Qualcomm announced the platform aimed at nudging app and game developers to create more augmented reality apps. Says OnePlus:
In addition, The OnePlus 11 5G is the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 device to be approved as Snapdragon Spaces Ready. It is the entrance for developers to bring their XR ideas to life and to explore the full potential of headworn AR.
The display is a sizeable 6.7 inches, with a 120hz refresh rate, which uses some on-board software to adjust down based on the application. That supports Dolby Vision, while the speakers support Dolby Atmos, as well as Dolby Head Tracking, which provides a Spatial Audio-like experience.
Around the back, you’ll find a big camera module with Hasselblad branding, keeping alive the marketing partnership the two companies announced alongside the OnePlus 9. The three-camera system features a 50 megapixel main, 32 megapixel “portrait” lens and 48 megapixel ultra-wide.
The handset arrives in the U.S. on February 16, starting at $699 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Another $100 will get you a model with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. OnePlus also use the Buds Pro 2, which will launch at the same time for $179.