OnePlus 11R 5G Review: Is It a Flagship Killer Phone?
If you’re looking to buy a premium mid-range smartphone, frankly, there aren’t many exciting options right now. Even the new launches we’ve seen, like the Vivo V27 Pro or Samsung’s new Galaxy A54, don’t offer the best value for your money. But I think this one, the OnePlus 11R, is an excellent option in 2023. With a starting price of USA $699, it is currently the most affordable Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1-powered phone on the market. And it easily beats last year’s OnePlus 10T in terms of price, since they both have pretty similar specifications.
OnePlus 11R Specifications
- Dimensions: 163.4 x 74.3 x 8.7mm, 204 grams
- Display: 6.74-inch 3D AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate, 1450 nits (peak) brightness,
- Color Options: Vast Black, Glacier Blue
- Resolution: 1.5K (2772 x 1240 pixels), 450 PPI
- Front Camera: 16MP, f/2.4 (punch-hole)
- Rear Camera: Triple (with LED flash)
– 50MP Sony IMX890 primary (OIS)
– 8MP ultrawide, 120° FOV
– 2MP macro - Processor: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 5G (TSMC 4nm)
- Memory: 8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM
- Storage: 128/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
- Software: Android 13-based OxygenOS 13.0
- Battery: 5000mAh with 100W SuperVOOC charging (wired)
OnePlus 11R Design
I will talk about the design, but first, let me share a theory. You may have noticed something: when two phones on the market have a similar design and one is significantly more expensive than the other, the cheaper one automatically gains credibility and respect in the eyes of people. This phenomenon applies to the 11R.
The OnePlus 11 8GB + 128GB variant is priced at $699, but the finish of the back panel differs between the two. The expensive unit remains smudge-free, while the 11R accumulates some smudges. Both phones feature Gorilla Glass 5 on the back, but the 11R has a plastic frame and lacks the Hazel Blade branding found on the pricier model.
I have feedback for OnePlus regarding the placement of the fingerprint scanner on the OnePlus 11R—it’s positioned too low, making it inconvenient to use. Regarding the speakers, I believe they are better compared to last year’s model. The haptics are also good, though I still consider the OnePlus 11 to be superior in this aspect.
OnePlus 11R Display
The OnePlus 11R has impressed me with its display as well. Although I’m not a huge fan of curved panels, the curve on the 11R hasn’t been an issue for me. Like the OnePlus 11, it features a subtle curve that’s not too steep, so I haven’t experienced any accidental touches. Additionally, this AMOLED display boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, 10-bit color depth, and a 1.5K resolution. Needless to say, it offers great sharpness, accurate colors, and wide viewing angles for a top-notch viewing experience on this phone. The 11R’s display even outshines something like the Galaxy A54. I compared its display with the more premium OnePlus 11 and found both to be neck and neck in terms of visual quality.
Interestingly, the 11R even includes 1440Hz PWM dimming to protect your eyes from screen flickering, a feature the more expensive OnePlus 11 lacks for some reason. Additionally, its peak brightness exceeds that of the OnePlus 11. So indeed, OnePlus has implemented an excellent display on the 11R, and I’m confident you’ll love it.
OnePlus 11R Performance
One thing that remains stable is the performance. With the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, you get exceptional performance. It’s efficient and powerful. The OnePlus 10T also featured this processor but with a slight difference: the 10T had LPDDR5 RAM, whereas the 11R comes with LPDDR5X RAM.
In my comparison between the OnePlus 10T and the 11R, I found them to be virtually identical in terms of performance. The stress test yielded similar results, which is reassuring. Regarding gaming, the experience is enjoyable. I tested games on this phone, including COD, which ran smoothly at 90FPS. Similarly, PUBG New State performed well at 90FPS too. Just like I praised the OnePlus 10T’s performance last year, I have to commend the 11R for its fantastic performance.
OnePlus 11R Camera
The OnePlus 11R comes with a similar set of cameras as the OnePlus 10T, which led me to wonder if their output would be the same as well. And my suspicions were confirmed. Both phones usually capture virtually identical photos, with good sharpness, dynamic range, and details. The only noticeable difference lies in color processing, where the 11R tends to produce slightly more vibrant results at times, as seen in this image. Aside from that, the output is quite similar, indicating that the 11R does indeed offer a good primary camera for its price.
But I wish OnePlus had included a better ultra-wide-angle lens here. With only an 8MP sensor, it’s a bit of a letdown for a premium mid-range phone. The ultra-wide images lack detail, and there’s a noticeable color shift compared to the primary camera.
Portraits are just okay too. The skin tone from both the 11R and the 10T looks very processed and sort of unnatural. You can get a few good shots of yourself from this camera, but I wouldn’t call the results anything extra. I think OnePlus should’ve given a digital zoom option for portraits for better subject focus and depth to help the portraits stand out.
As for the selfies, the 10T settles with a reddish tone, while the 11R’s images are on the brighter side. So it’s really up to your personal preference which one you would choose. I think both are not very good.
The nighttime images from the 11R showcase nice detail levels, but occasionally, the exposure management falls short. In this regard, the OnePlus 10T performs slightly better. However, this issue is remedied with the night mode turned on, indicating it could be fixed with an update. Now, you may not be aware that the more expensive OnePlus 11 and the 11R share the same primary camera lens as the Sony IMX890. I conducted a comparison between them and found that the OnePlus 11 exhibits slightly better color optimization in most images.
Regarding videos, this phone allows you to shoot up to 4K 60fps, producing usable footage. The stabilization is decent, OIS works well, and exposure is managed effectively.
However, the selfie camera can only record full HD 30fps videos, a limitation common to all OnePlus phones, and the output is average. Similarly, the ultra-wide-angle videos are capped at 1080p 30fps, with a narrower field of view implemented by OnePlus to maintain stabilization. While the videos remain steady, they lack the expansive view expected from an ultra-wide angle.
OnePlus 11R Software & UI
On the software side, you get Oxygen OS 13, based on Android 13, with 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of security updates, making it suitably future-proof.
Oxygen OS 13 itself is performing wonderfully. I haven’t seen too many issues in the 2 weeks I’ve been using this as my full-time phone. The only real issue I’ve had is with Bluetooth. Sometimes, I’ll use my OnePlus Buds, put them back in the case, place them in my pocket, and yet Bluetooth will still think it’s connected to the buds and play audio through the speaker.
Bluetooth audio can be a bit choppy when it acts up, but all you have to do is the standard technical workaround: turn Bluetooth off and on again, and it’s fine. Hopefully, this bug will be squashed in an update soon. For your storage, you get 128 or 256GB of space. UFS 4.0 is nice and nippy, though, like almost every other flagship phone, there’s no microSD support here.
As for the in-display optical fingerprint sensor, it’s absolutely stunning, nice and reliable, very responsive, and quick to work with. My pinkies only really get muffled when they’re a little damp, but even then you still get great face unlocking to get back to.
OnePlus 11R Battery
The battery life on this 11r is even better because you get a 5000mAh cell in this device, which is the same size as last year’s 10T 5G, slightly larger, and yet the battery life on the OnePlus 11 is somehow significantly better.
Even with my standard 5-6 hours of screen time in a day, I still found that the OnePlus 11 would have roughly 40% charge left at the end of a long day. That included a lot of camera use, typically about an hour of Skype or Zoom or whatever, a good bit of podcast and music streaming while the screen was hibernating, and still 33-40% when I finally collapsed face down on my bed.
There are probably a number of reasons for this remarkable improvement. it’s probably down to the power efficiency of that Snapdragon platform and the LTPO 3.0 screen technology, it probably has a little to do with the software optimizations going on behind the scenes.
And when it comes time to power the device back up, you’ve got 100W wired charging support, which isn’t as quick as the 150W charging on last year’s OnePlus 10T. But you know what? This thing can still go from empty to full in about half an hour.
So basically, when you get out of bed in the morning, just plug a cable into it for 20 minutes while you head to the bathroom to feel less like a pile of warm garbage and smell less like yourself. By the time you’re happily scurrying back out again, it’ll be back to full. However, there’s no wireless charging on the OnePlus 11, which is a bit of a bummer, although I’m guessing it won’t be a deal-breaker for most people.
OnePlus 11R verdict
In conclusion, after thoroughly reviewing the OnePlus 11R, I find myself speaking positively about almost every aspect of this phone, and rightfully so. Its display and audio quality are superb, it boasts top-notch speed in its price segment, offers great battery life, impressive primary camera output, and a lightning-fast fingerprint sensor. Moreover, with years of software commitment, it truly ticks all the boxes for an excellent all-rounder smartphone, making it a definite recommendation for me at this price point.
This year, OnePlus has listened to criticism and made strides to address them, whether in terms of pricing or feature sets. However, I believe there’s still room for innovation in design. A better ultra-wide camera would be a welcome improvement. Even more affordable phones like the Pixel 6a and the Noting Phone 1 offer superior ultra-wide angle cameras. Additionally, I think OnePlus should invest more in camera optimization and color science.
Image Credit: TechBar
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Alvi Hosain
I am a tech enthusiast with over 1.5 years of experience in phone reviews and gadgets. Passionate about making technology easier for everyone, I focus on creating smartphone reviews and detailed tech guides. Whether exploring the latest devices or providing tips on how to get the most out of your gadgets, I love helping others navigate the world of technology. Known among my friends for solving phone-related problems, I enjoy discussing technology and staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends.
