OnePlus 11 5G: A step in the right direction
With OnePlus 11 5G, the company has gone back to its roots and listened to customer feedback, and because of that, we have gotten a killer smartphone with the best bang-for-buck specs
OnePlus, once hailed as an enthusiast's brand for its user-friendly and unique features, has been consistently losing its reputation among its prime customer base for its mediocre but overpriced phones in the last few years.
In a bid to appeal to a broader market, OnePlus had shifted its focus towards producing phones for the masses, with a more mainstream approach that sacrifices some of its distinctive features. This shift left many tech enthusiasts feeling disappointed and disillusioned with the brand.
The company has been in a slump ever since it peaked with 7-series phones that garnered praise for their bang-for-buck specifications and performance. Thankfully, in hopes of rekindling its relationship with tech enthusiasts, OnePlus has taken a step in the right direction with its latest launch — the OnePlus 11 5G.
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This time around, they went back to their roots and listened to customer feedback. Consequently, we have gotten a flagship-killer phone that does not only have the signature OnePlus formula, but also features the best bang-for-buck specifications.
The phone's hardware specifications include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and an Adreno 740 GPU, making it ideal for running heavy applications and games. OxygenOS 13.0, with a hint of Oppo's ColorOS over the base Android 13 operating system, ensures buttery-smooth performance and quick app launching.
But OnePlus 11's standout performance-enhancing feature is its RAM-Vita technology, which compresses apps and intelligently allocates RAM, future-proofing the phone for years to come. This feature enhances the phone's overall performance, ensuring smooth operation even when multitasking or running heavy applications.
For better thermal efficiency, it features a Cryo-velocity VC cooling system that keeps the internal temperature low, ensuring that it does not overheat, even when running RAM-hungry applications or games.
The phone's 6.7-inch Super Fluid AMOLED display with LTPO technology, 120Hz refresh rate, and 525 ppi resolution provides stunning visuals and vivid colours, making it perfect for gaming and streaming. The display is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, making it durable and resistant to scratches and cracks.
Its triple camera sensors and proprietary TurboRAW HDR algorithm of this phone deliver high-quality pictures with hyper-real colour and HDR clarity. The 50 MP main camera with Electronic Image Stabilization, 48 MP ultra-wide, and 32 MP portrait telephoto lens with 2X optical zoom, produce decent photos and videos, especially in well-lit environments.
Along with the swanky Hasselblad engraving on the camera bump, this phone features a 3rd Gen Hasselblad camera for mobile hardware-assisted imaging, adding to the camera's impressive capabilities. Despite the over-hyped camera blunder in the past and ditching its Hasselblad engraving for the last gen, OnePlus decided to embrace it again for the 11 and this time, with some genuine improvement; nothing ground-breaking though.
What is ground-breaking for this phone is the battery efficiency. The dual-cell battery accumulates to a big 5,000 mAh battery that provides enough power to last all day and even more. OnePlus 11 comes with the SUPERVOOC 80W charging brick that fills up the battery in just 25 minutes with Rapid Charge Mode.
It is also water and dust resistant with an IP64 rating, granting peace of mind to users who want to use the phone in different environments. The Dolby Atmos system on this phone incorporates Dual Reality Speakers that offer crisp and loud audio with good dynamic range.
Haptic feedback on the latest generation has also improved significantly. It now features a 67% bigger and more powerful haptic motor compared to last year's OnePlus 10.
Perhaps the most notable addition to the OnePlus 11 5G phone is the return of the iconic alert slider, which will undoubtedly bring relief to the company's enthusiast customer base. The alert slider not only serves as a practical and convenient feature for users, but it also adds to the phone's overall aesthetic appeal.
On paper, OnePlus 11 5G is a balanced phone with enthusiast-favourite features and advanced hardware specifications. However, while the OnePlus 11 5G is a step in the right direction for the company, it is still a far cry from the company's earlier glory days.
Specifications of OnePlus 11 5G
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
GPU: Adreno 740
Operating System: OxygenOS 13.0, Android 13
RAM: 8-16 GB LPDDR5X
ROM: 128 GB UFS 3.1 or 256 GB UFS 4.0
SIM: Dual Nano SIM & eSIM support
Screen Size: 6.7 Inches
Display Type: 120 Hz Super Fluid AMOLED with LTPO
Display Resolution: 3216 x 1440 (QHD+) at 525 ppi
Display Aspect Ratio: 20.1:9
Refresh Rate: Up to 120 Hz
Touch Responsiveness: Up to 1000 Hz
Display Protection: Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus
Battery: 5,000 mAh, Dual-cell
Charger: SUPERVOOC 80W
Cameras:
50 MP Main Camera with EIS
48 MP Ultra-wide
32 MP Portrait Tele with 2 X Optical Zoom
16 MP Front Camera with EIS
Flash: Dual LED
Video: 720p/1080p/4K at 30/60 fps or 8K at 24 fps
Cooling: Cryo-velocity VC Cooling
Water & Dust Resistance: IP64
Ports: USB 2.0 Type-C
Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 & NFC
Dimensions: 163.1 mm x 74.1 mm x 8.53 mm
Colours: Titan Black, Eternal Green
OnePlus 11 5G in Bangladesh
OnePlus 11 5G can be purchased from independent importers and gadget stores like Dazzle, Phone Studio, and Unboxing Tech.
Right now, the 12/128 GB ROM variant would cost around Tk83,000, while the maxed out 16/256 GB variant will set you back Tk88,000. But prices are expected to drop in the coming weeks as more units enter the country.
