The OnePlus 11R is a budget-friendly smartphone that may have outperformed its competitors in the sub-Rs 40,000 price category.
However, it is also being questioned if the company has made any compromises to offer this much at such a low price. The smartphone is powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC and comes with a 5,000mAh battery and a 100W SuperVOOC charger.
The OnePlus 11R is the toned-down version of the flagship models, and its previous version, the OnePlus 10R, lacked some features. The review of the OnePlus 11R discusses whether the phone lives up to its promises and if OnePlus has cut any corners to keep its price low.
Review of the OnePlus 11R: Design and Display
The OnePlus 11R has a similar design to the OnePlus 11, with the only difference being the absence of the Hasselblad logo on the former. It has a sandstone-like matte finish on the back panel, which is available in Sonic Black and Galactic Silver. The phone is well-built and sturdy and can sustain drops on concrete. The circular camera module at the back seamlessly transitions into the phone’s plastic railings. The camera island protrudes prominently, but the curved edges make it comfortable to grip.
The phone has a 6.74-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2772×1240 pixels, and the LTPO panel is reserved for the OnePlus 11, while the 11R uses the ADFR 2.0 panel. The display has a refresh rate that automatically adjusts to 40Hz, 45Hz, 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz based on daily habits. You can manually switch between 60Hz and 120Hz, and the overall experience with the display is smooth at 120Hz. The display has a brightness of 500 nits, reaching 1450 nits while watching HDR content. It has the Widevine L1 certification and supports HDR playback on Netflix out-of-the-box.
The colours on the display are punchy and vibrant, with deep blacks, and it has Vivid, Natural, and Pro modes. The curved display does not have any accidental touch issues. The phone has a stereo speaker setup with Dolby Atmos certification, producing balanced output with crisp details, and no crackles at full volume.
OnePlus 11R Review: Performance and Software
It seems that the phone is powered by a high-end Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC and comes with either 8GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. The phone performs well in day-to-day tasks and multi-tasking, and its in-display fingerprint sensor and face unlock work flawlessly. The phone also passed your stress test without much fuss and scored well on benchmarks like AnTuTu and 3DMark’s Sling Shot Extreme. However, the phone’s gaming performance is not as impressive as other gaming-centric smartphones like the iQOO 9T.
Overall, it seems like a powerful and well-performing smartphone with a good software experience.
Review of OnePlus 11R’s Battery and Charging
The OnePlus 11R comes with a 100W SuperVOOC charger, which is a step down from the 150W charger that was included with last year’s OnePlus 10R. However, the 100W charger is still an impressive wattage and is the same one used for the OnePlus 11, making users feel like they’re getting the top-of-the-line technology.
The phone is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that offers excellent backup. With average usage, the phone lasted over seven hours of screen-on time. We used social media apps like Instagram and Twitter, watched videos on YouTube and Netflix, and did some light photography. Based on this usage pattern, the OnePlus 11R should easily last over a day with heavy usage.
OnePlus has emphasized the “Smart Battery Health Algorithm,” which significantly improves the phone’s lifespan, even after four years of use. The 100W charger takes about 10 minutes to charge up to 45%, and about 30 minutes to fully charge the battery from dead. Overall, the OnePlus 11R offers impressive battery life and fast charging.
OnePlus 11R Review: Cameras
The OnePlus 11R boasts a reliable camera setup that sticks to a tried and tested formula. It features a triple camera system, led by a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 sensor, as well as an 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. Additionally, the front-facing camera is a 16-megapixel shooter. The camera UI is user-friendly, with all essential settings and effects easily accessible. The Pro mode is also available for advanced users.
One of the standout features of the OnePlus 11R is its fast-focusing capabilities, which make capturing photos a breeze. The photos produced by the camera feature OnePlus’ signature color tuning, resulting in sharp and detailed images. The colors tend to lean towards the warmer side of the spectrum, sometimes giving the photos a “Breaking Bad” look. The post-processing emphasizes vibrant colors, particularly red. The images have good contrast, and they are capable of extracting a respectable amount of detail from shadows.
However, OnePlus’ color science can sometimes overdo skin tones, resulting in a slightly reddish hue on human subjects’ faces. The dynamic range of the photos is commendable, but tricky lighting situations can result in a halo effect around the subject’s head, a common issue seen in the OnePlus 11.
The ultra-wide-angle camera, with its lower resolution, doesn’t quite match the primary sensor and produces cooler photos with a noticeable loss of detail. However, the images are still usable, with minimal distortion.
On the other hand, the 2-megapixel macro camera is of limited use, though it does take acceptable photos in well-lit conditions.
OnePlus 11R Review: Verdict
The OnePlus 11R is an excellent value flagship, providing an impressive package for its price point. Although it does not have the same charger wattage as the OnePlus 10R, the 100W SuperVOOC charger is still quite impressive. The phone’s design is premium and looks similar to the OnePlus 11. The display is curved and paired with a stereo speaker setup, making it ideal for watching content. The primary camera performs well in most situations, and the battery life is exceptional. However, the exclusion of an IP rating and the average ultra-wide angle camera may be a dealbreaker for some users. Overall, the OnePlus 11R is an excellent choice for everyday users looking for value for money. In fact, it may offer more value for money than the OnePlus 11.
