OnePlus 11R: A Stunning Return to Sub-Flagship Territory
The OnePlus 11R is a stunning return to sub-flagship territory for the brand, even more so than the OnePlus 11. It gets almost all the essentials right and delivers a fantastic balance between power and value. This is the OnePlus phone most fans have been waiting for, but sadly very few will have access to.
It’s been a long journey for OnePlus to find its footing ever since it officially became an OPPO sub-brand. Between iffy software, missing essentials like the alert slider, or just pricing that never quite hit the mark, OnePlus hasn’t always achieved its goal of being the “Flagship Killer” it set out to be. The 2023 crop of OnePlus phones, however, has hit a bit differently. In fact, in our OnePlus 11 review, we called it a return to the flagship killer ethos. It didn’t quite crack the formula enough to rank among the best Android phones, but it remains a compelling option for those not wanting to pay premium prices. The OnePlus 11R amps up the value quotient even further.
The OnePlus 11R is part of the company’s long-standing attempt at creating a value-focused phone for its biggest market: India. However, it faces ample competition in the region from the likes of Xiaomi, iQOO, and even Samsung. In this OnePlus 11R review, we find out if the phone balances performance with the perfect amount of value.
What You Need to Know About the OnePlus 11R
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
- OnePlus 11R (8GB/128GB): Rs. 39,999 (~$484)
- OnePlus 11R (16GB/256GB): Rs. 44,999 (~$544)
The OnePlus 11R is the third in a lineup of affordable-flagship phones that have launched in India and stayed in India. The R-series harkens back to the company’s flagship killer roots, and looking at the spec sheet, the OnePlus 11R is a true blue entry to the category. The phone takes the OnePlus 10T formula, including the same Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, and rejigs it a bit to fit the company’s 2023 design template for smartphones.
The value-focused smartphone makes additional concessions like dropping the charging speeds from 150W to 100W. Meanwhile, the screen gets a slight upgrade in size from a 6.7-inch panel to 6.74 inches. Beyond that, the feature set is largely familiar. It includes the same trifecta of cameras that we saw on the OnePlus 10T, a primary 50MP shooter paired with an ultrawide camera and a macro lens, as well as an all-day 5,000mAh battery. The phone is shipping with Oxygen OS 13 built on top of Android 13 out of the box and will get three major Android updates and four years of security patches — that’s an extra year for both compared to the outgoing OnePlus 10R.
Conclusion
The OnePlus 11R is a fantastic phone that delivers a great balance between power and value. It’s a stunning return to sub-flagship territory for the brand and is the OnePlus phone most fans have been waiting for. However, it faces ample competition in the region from the likes of Xiaomi, iQOO, and even Samsung. If you’re looking for a value-focused smartphone that doesn’t compromise on performance, the OnePlus 11R is definitely worth considering.
OnePlus 11R Review: A Budget Phone with Premium Features
The OnePlus 11R is the latest budget-oriented device from OnePlus, available in two variants with a choice of 8GB or 16GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. It comes in two colors: Galactic Silver and Sonic Black. For those in India, the OnePlus 11R can be purchased from Amazon India and the OnePlus online store.
Design
The OnePlus 11R takes design cues from both the OnePlus 11 and the OnePlus 10T, with minor changes to hit a lower price point and to accommodate the large camera module. The camera circle now sits to the left and includes an etched finish around it that adds a distinctive flair. The budget-oriented device misses out on the Hasselblad camera tuning, so predictably there’s no Hasselblad branding to be found here.
Despite its budget price, the OnePlus 11R has a high-quality build and feel. The Gorilla Glass 5 back panel feels suitably high quality and has a matte sandstone-like finish in the Sonic Black variant. The finish does an excellent job keeping fingerprints at bay, though the same can’t be said about the high-gloss metallic element around the cameras. The Galactic Silver version opts for a polished back all the way through. The midframe has been swapped out for plastic compared to the OnePlus 11, but it still feels premium enough.
The OnePlus 11R brings back the alert slider, a feature that has been a fan favorite and one that I personally love about OnePlus phones. Additionally, the OnePlus 11R has an IR blaster and accompanying app to control TVs, air conditioners, and other electronics.
Display
The display panel on the OnePlus 11R is largely excellent. The 6.74-inch screen doesn’t have the pixel density of the OnePlus 11’s display, but the Fluid AMOLED panel looks plenty good with vibrant colors out of the box and the option to switch to a more natural color profile in the settings. Unfortunately, OnePlus opted out of using an LTPO panel which means that automatic refresh rate switching is limited to fixed intervals between 40Hz, 60Hz, 90Hz, and, finally, 120Hz. You can, of course, lock the phone to 60Hz for better battery life.
Conclusion
The OnePlus 11R is a budget phone that doesn’t compromise on premium features. It has a high-quality build and feel, an IR blaster, and an alert slider. The display panel is largely excellent, though it doesn’t have the pixel density of the OnePlus 11’s display. Overall, the OnePlus 11R is a great option for those looking for a budget phone with premium features.
The OnePlus 11R: A Comprehensive Review
The OnePlus 11R boasts impressive features, including a bright and visible screen, a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, and excellent battery life. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the phone’s performance, software, and other features.
Screen Quality
The OnePlus 11R’s screen is bright and visible, even under direct sunlight. While the screen is slightly curved, accidental touches are kept at bay. The phone uses Dragontrail protective glass, which is a great alternative to Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset is powerful enough for most tasks, making it a great fit for the phone’s value-oriented price point. While benchmark figures show lower results than the OnePlus 10 Pro and the OnePlus 10T in single-core tests, actual use shows that performance is never a hassle, and thermal throttling is not an issue. The phone can handle games like Genshin Impact and multiple tabs and apps with ease. The 128GB version ships with UFS 3.1 storage, while the 256GB version uses UFS 4.0.
Software
The OnePlus 11R’s software is refined and optimized, resulting in a fluid user experience. Oxygen OS 13 gives users more flexibility over the feature set they may or may not want. Recent versions of Oxygen OS made the OnePlus Shelf the default option when swiping down from the top, but it’s now an optional add-on. The phone also has a longer commitment to software updates, with three years of Android versions and four years of security patches.
Battery Life
The OnePlus 11R’s 5,000mAh battery provides excellent battery life, with six to seven hours of screen-on time. The phone charges quickly, and optimization has been done to eke out a bit more from the hardware.
Conclusion
The OnePlus 11R is an excellent phone that offers great value for its price point. Its impressive features, including a bright and visible screen, a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, and excellent battery life, make it a great choice for bargain-hunting enthusiasts. Its software is refined and optimized, and its longer commitment to software updates is a plus. Overall, the OnePlus 11R is a great phone that is definitely worth considering.
OnePlus 11R Review: Pros and Cons
The OnePlus 11R is the latest addition to the OnePlus family, offering a range of features that are sure to impress. Here’s a breakdown of what’s good and what’s not so good about this new device.
What’s Good?
One of the standout features of the OnePlus 11R is its 100W charging solution, which can fully charge the phone in under 30 minutes. This is a proprietary technology that is exclusive to OnePlus, and it’s a real game-changer for those who are always on the go.
In addition to its fast charging capabilities, the OnePlus 11R also boasts impressive performance that is more than sufficient for most users. The phone is powerful and responsive, making it a great choice for those who need a device that can keep up with their busy lifestyle.
What’s Not So Good?
While the OnePlus 11R is certainly an impressive device, there are a few areas where it falls short. For example, the phone doesn’t benchmark quite as high as previous OnePlus models, which may be a concern for those who are looking for elite power at all price tiers.
Additionally, while the 100W charging solution is great, it’s a step back from the 150W-capable OnePlus 10T. There’s also no wireless charging, which is a disappointment for those who were hoping for this feature.
The use of a USB-A plug over the more ubiquitous USB-C is also a bit puzzling, as it means that USB-C-only cables won’t be of use and those with laptops lacking USB-A ports won’t be able to transfer data using the cable that comes with the phone.
Other areas where the OnePlus 11R falls short include the lack of splash resistance or waterproofing, which is a disappointment given that many budget-minded phones now offer this feature. The speakers on the OnePlus 11R are also not as good as those on the OnePlus 11, with a noticeable downward skew that breaks the illusion of proper stereo separation.
OnePlus 11R Camera Review
The OnePlus 11R uses the same 50MP IMX890 camera sensor as the OnePlus 11 on the primary lens, but drops down to an 8MP sensor for the ultrawide. There’s no telephoto lens, but you do get a 2MP macro lens.
Unlike the OnePlus 11, the OnePlus 11R doesn’t have the Hasselblad partnership for its in-house color science. However, OnePlus’ camera tuning is still impressive, especially in well-lit conditions. Photos tend to look bright and vibrant, and the primary sensor produces excellent results.
Overall, the OnePlus 11R is a solid device that offers impressive performance and fast charging capabilities. While there are a few areas where it falls short, it’s still a great choice for those who are looking for a powerful and responsive device.
OnePlus 11R Camera Review: A Closer Look at the Phone’s Imaging Capabilities
OnePlus has always been known for its impressive camera technology, and the OnePlus 11R is no exception. The phone’s camera boasts a number of features that make it stand out from the competition, including improved HDR processing and excellent dynamic range.
Bright and Punchy Images
The OnePlus 11R’s camera is particularly noticeable in red and blue tones that have a certain pop to them. The punchy images look pleasing to the eye, and the saturation boost is subtle enough not to appear overwhelming. Even in more challenging conditions, the OnePlus 11R’s much-improved HDR processing shines through. The phone manages to effectively even out darker and brightly lit sections of the shot, showcasing good dynamic range.
Indoor and Low-Light Performance
Picture quality takes a slight dip indoors, though the situation isn’t nearly as dire as we’ve seen on previous OnePlus phones. Smearing and the company’s signature heavy-handed noise reduction have been curbed dramatically, and the images tend to vary from usable to good. It’s only when you go to extremely challenging low-light environments that the limitations of OnePlus’ camera processing become evident. However, few phones outside the Google Pixel 7 are able to excel in darker scenes at the same price point.
Ultrawide Camera Performance
Sadly, the ultrawide camera is where the image quality starts dipping. While OnePlus has largely fixed the color variance when switching between cameras, the 8MP ultrawide sensor doesn’t have a high-enough resolution to resolve a good amount of detail. Daylight shots tend to fare better, but the quality nosedives indoors and in low light. Pixel peeping and cropping-in are an absolute no-go on the ultrawide camera.
Macro Camera Performance
Dedicated macro cameras on phones are rarely any good, and the 2MP sensor on the OnePlus 11R is no exception. It is possible to get some usable shots out of the sensor outdoors, but blowing them up anything beyond Instagram size immediately reveals the limitations of the sensor and the resolution. Honestly, I wish OnePlus had opted for a higher-resolution ultrawide camera that doubled up as a macro shooter instead, as we saw with the OnePlus 11.
Portrait Mode and Front Camera Performance
OnePlus seriously amped up its portrait detection algorithms on the OnePlus 11. By all appearances, it looks like the company carried that same prowess over to the OnePlus 11R. The phone delivered consistently great bokeh fall-off and managed near-perfect boundary detection, even around my mop of hair. Similarly, OnePlus has done a great job with the front camera on the OnePlus 11R. Out of the box, the 16MP camera captures punchy shots without any telltale signs of smearing or overwhelming beauty mode enhancements. There’s ample detail to be found here. Portrait mode does a good job, too, though I found it to err on occasion when surrounded by more complex backgrounds.
Video Recording
Video recording on the OnePlus 11R tops off at 4K/60fps and does a good job balancing colors and taming highlights. The camera tuning has a proclivity to oversharpen footage, which I wasn’t a big fan of. Additionally, while the OIS can smoothen out the footage to a large degree, micro jitters while walking still tend to show up in the final results. The ultrawide camera, on the other hand, maxes out at soft looking 1080p footage. Similarly, the front camera tops off at 1080p recording.
OnePlus 11R Specs
| OnePlus 11R | |
|---|---|
|
Display |
6.74-inch Fluid AMOLED |
Overall, the OnePlus 11R’s camera is a solid performer, with impressive dynamic range and excellent portrait mode capabilities. While the ultrawide and macro cameras leave something to be desired, the phone’s main camera and front-facing camera are more than capable of capturing stunning images and videos.
For more information and full-resolution camera samples, head on over to our Google Drive link.
OnePlus 11R Review: A Return to OnePlus’ Roots
The OnePlus 11R is a smartphone that takes us back to the company’s origins. While it may not have the latest chipset, it still has enough power to satisfy most users. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the phone’s features and performance.
Processor and GPU
The OnePlus 11R is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor and Adreno 730 GPU. This combination provides sufficient power for most users, even those who demand high performance from their smartphones.
RAM and Storage
The phone comes with either 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1.2 storage. Unfortunately, there is no expandable storage, so users will have to make do with the built-in storage.
Battery and Charging
The OnePlus 11R has a 5,000mAh battery and supports 100W wired SuperVOOC charging. However, there is no wireless charging available.
Cameras
The phone’s rear camera setup includes a 50MP wide sensor with OIS and EIS, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro lens. The front-facing camera is a 16MP sensor. Overall, the camera setup is impressive and capable of taking high-quality photos and videos.
Audio and Video
The OnePlus 11R has dual speakers with Dolby Atmos support, but there is no 3.5mm headphone port. The phone can record 4K video at 30/60fps, 1080p video at 30/60fps, and 720p video at 30/60fps. It also supports super slow-motion video at 1080p and time-lapse video at 4K/1080p.
Connectivity and Biometrics
The phone supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC. It also has an in-display fingerprint reader and face unlock software.
Software and Updates
The OnePlus 11R runs Oxygen OS 13 based on Android 13 and comes with three years of Android updates and four years of bimonthly security patches.
Dimensions and Weight
The phone measures 163.4 x 74.3 x 8.7mm and weighs 204 grams. It comes in Sonic Black and Galactic Silver.
In the Box
The OnePlus 11R comes with a 100W SuperVOOC power adapter, USB-C to USB-A cable, USB dongle (Type A to C), pre-applied screen protector, protective case, and paperwork.
Conclusion
The OnePlus 11R is a solid smartphone that offers good value for its price. While it may not have the latest and greatest features, it still has enough power and capabilities to satisfy most users. If you’re looking for a reliable and affordable smartphone, the OnePlus 11R is definitely worth considering.
Is the OnePlus 11R the Flagship Killer Enthusiasts Have Been Waiting For?
The OnePlus 11R is a smartphone that delivers exceptional value, making it a disappointment that it is only available in India. With a focus on performance, a great display, and a capable main camera, the OnePlus 11R has all the makings of a successful flagship killer.
Chief Competitors in India
In India, the OnePlus 11R’s main competitors include the Xiaomi 11T Pro and the iQOO 9. While these smartphones offer impressive features such as a Snapdragon 888 chipset and a 108MP camera, the OnePlus 11R still offers exceptional value in the region where it is available.
Alternatives for Markets Without the OnePlus 11R
For those in markets where the OnePlus 11R is not available, the OnePlus 10T is a good alternative. While it offers a similar experience, it has a worse camera sensor that hampers its appeal. However, recent price reductions make it a more attractive option. The OnePlus 11 is another alternative, but it comes with an inconsistent camera, lack of wireless charging, and limited waterproofing, which may not be worth the higher price point.
Overall Verdict
While the OnePlus 11R is not perfect, its laser focus on all the essentials that OnePlus fans love makes it a flagship killer that enthusiasts have been waiting for. However, the fact that it is only available in India is a major drawback.
OnePlus 11R
- Premium design and build
- Fast 100W charging
- Excellent performance
An excellent entry in the OnePlus lineup, the OnePlus 11R combines last year’s flagship chipset with a 2023 design and a large sprinkling of value. Camera performance has been leveled up, and the fast 100W charging is a nice-to-have add-on.
Top OnePlus 11R Questions and Answers
Is the OnePlus 11R worth considering?
The OnePlus 11R is worth considering if fluid software and great performance are your primary considerations. However, you will have to let go of some features like the latest chipset, better secondary cameras, and Dolby Vision support.
Does the OnePlus 11R have waterproofing?
No, the OnePlus 11R does not have waterproofing.
Does the OnePlus 11R support dual-SIM cards?
Yes, the OnePlus 11R supports dual-SIM cards.
Will the OnePlus 11R be sold outside India?
The OnePlus R-series has never been sold outside India, and the OnePlus 11R is likely to remain an India-exclusive.
Is the OnePlus 11R a significant upgrade from the OnePlus 10T?
The two phones target different market demographics, which is reflected in the price difference. Upgrading to the OnePlus 11 gets you niceties like Dolby Vision support, a metal mid-frame, and the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, as well as a higher resolution ultrawide camera and a dedicated optical zoom lens, making it a significant-enough upgrade for those who want a full-blown flagship.
