OnePlus 11 Concept hands-on: Pretty cool

Over the previous few years, OnePlus has used tech commerce reveals to launch what it calls “Idea” telephones — units that showcase some model new characteristic, however that the corporate will probably by no means promote. At CES 2020, the OnePlus Idea One featured electrochromic glass that hid the rear digicam when not in use. Proper earlier than CES 2021, we had the OnePlus 8T Idea, which featured a color-changing again. Now, at MWC 2023, now we have the OnePlus 11 Idea.

Like earlier Idea telephones, OnePlus has no plans to launch this gadget commercially. Nevertheless, it did truly create a working mannequin, and we acquired some hands-on time with it. Right here’s what we noticed!

Once we first noticed the cellphone, we couldn’t assist however chuckle a bit to ourselves as a result of it reminded us instantly of the Nothing Telephone 1. On the again of that cellphone is what’s often called The Glyph — a set of LED lights that can be utilized for notifications and different features. Carl Pei began Nothing after he left OnePlus, which he co-founded. It’s delightfully coincidental that OnePlus would create such a similar-seeming gadget solely a 12 months after Pei debuted his personal.

Nevertheless, the again of the OnePlus 11 Idea isn’t only a bunch of LED lights. As an alternative, a collection of channels homes a liquid coolant that OnePlus calls Lively CryoFlux. Basically, that is much like what liquid-cooled gaming PCs use to maintain internals from overheating throughout intense gaming periods. OnePlus says this took two years of growth and resulted in 30 new patents.

We’ll overview Lively CryoFlux in additional element within the subsequent part. So as to add the coolant to the cellphone, OnePlus made the again glass clear (within the center, a minimum of) and slotted the 0.2cm² micropumps between it and the cellphone’s physique. In different phrases, the cellphone is simply nominally thicker and heavier than the traditional OnePlus 11.

So as to add to the premium nature of the cellphone, OnePlus additionally added a “magnetron-spluttering coating,” which is when metallic is splattered in tiny quantities utilizing an electrical area. It sounds actually fancy, but it surely creates such a refined impact that you simply in all probability wouldn’t even discover if somebody didn’t level it out to you.

The coolant system isn’t solely in the midst of the again of the cellphone. Lively CryoFlux additionally wraps across the rear digicam module. This creates a cool halo impact that makes the cellphone look fairly stylish, though it’s unusual to suppose the module is being cooled for no actual cause. We requested OnePlus concerning the reasoning behind this resolution, but it surely didn’t get again to us earlier than publishing.

Moreover, the lens space of the digicam is surrounded by Guilloché etching. That is usually used on costly watches and is way more obvious than the magnetron-spluttering coating. OnePlus claims that is the primary time Guilloché etching has been used on a smartphone.

All in all, the OnePlus 11 Idea appears and appears like a really, very fancy OnePlus 11. However does Lively CryoFlux truly carry any advantages to the desk, or does it simply look neat?

Two piezoelectric ceramic micropumps are sandwiched between the again glass and the cellphone’s physique. These pumps are related to tiny liquid channels which can be stuffed with a coolant (a mix of oil, water, and mica powder, in line with OnePlus). As you utilize the cellphone, the liquid pumps throughout the again, serving to dissipate the warmth created by the cellphone’s internals.

OnePlus claimed that, in laboratory assessments, this technique can drop the cellphone’s temperature by as much as 2.1 levels Celsius. Throughout a heavy gaming session, this might improve framerates by a small quantity (suppose 3 or 4 frames). Likewise, throughout charging, the corporate claims the coolant drops the cellphone’s temperature by 1.6 levels Celsius. Whereas this sounds spectacular, it solely shaved about 30-45 seconds off the general charging time.

Sadly, OnePlus didn’t allow us to take away the Idea from the present ground, so we had been unable to do any testing on it for ourselves. As such, all now we have are OnePlus’ claims on the matter. Throughout the quick time I had with the cellphone, although, I didn’t really feel any distinction between the temps on the center of the again of the cellphone and the remainder of it. Theoretically, I ought to have been in a position to really feel a 2.1-degree Celsius distinction (that’s a distinction of three.9 levels Fahrenheit). Nevertheless, the temperature throughout your complete cellphone felt the identical.

Curiously, I additionally couldn’t really feel or hear the liquid shifting. The room we had been in was fairly loud, so it’s doable I simply couldn’t hear it over the noise. However even holding my finger straight over the coolant produced no vibration or different sensation, regardless of it shifting fairly rapidly. As soon as once more, it’s doable I may have felt it if I had extra time with the gadget, however OnePlus solely gave journalists a restricted period of time. It’s additionally doable that these tiny pumps are so small and so environment friendly that you’d by no means hear or really feel them doing their factor.

Principally, OnePlus claims that CryoFlux drops temps, will increase frames, and reduces charging time. Nevertheless, we are able to’t independently corroborate that and we had been left with numerous questions after utilizing the cellphone.

Inside, the OnePlus 11 Idea is similar to a retail OnePlus 11. Which means it has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, the identical digicam system, and the identical battery capability and charging speeds.

In different phrases, the Idea is simply completely different in its look. Clearly, the cooling system provides some new performance to the gadget, however this in all probability wouldn’t dramatically alter how you utilize it. This method additionally barely provides any extra weight or thickness to the cellphone, so not a lot is completely different there, both. One would assume the system would add further battery drain to the gadget that wouldn’t be current on the common OnePlus 11. Curiously, OnePlus instructed us that the system truly “prolonged the soundness  and battery life to keep away from overloading or high-power consumption circumstances.” As soon as once more, we might have cherished to corroborate this declare, as the concept that a pumping system on a smartphone extends battery life is kind of daring. However that testing wasn’t doable.

The Guilloché etching and magnetron-spluttering coating actually are completely different, too. Nevertheless, these additions probably would improve the price of the cellphone and don’t actually add sufficient to the look of the gadget to make it value it. Nonetheless, these two accoutrements do make the Idea completely different from the OnePlus 11.

In the long run, the Idea is only a fancy OnePlus 11. Nevertheless, don’t plan on ever getting one.

That is the third time we’ve seen OnePlus launch a Idea gadget. Every time, OnePlus instantly confirms that it has no plans to carry this cellphone to market. Nevertheless, not solely have we by no means seen a Idea gadget come to market, however we’ve by no means seen any of the points of a Idea cellphone make it to a OnePlus retail mannequin.

The electrochromic glass of the OnePlus Idea One has by no means made it to a industrial OnePlus cellphone, and neither has the color-changing again of the OnePlus 8T Idea. As such, we’re fairly assured Lively CryoFlux, Guilloché etching, and magnetron-spluttering coating should not coming to any OnePlus telephones anytime quickly.

After all, that doesn’t imply you, the buyer, can’t change OnePlus’ thoughts. If there’s an enormous demand for expertise like this, OnePlus (and different firms) may certainly be persuaded to promote it. Vote within the ballot above to hold forth on whether or not or not that is one thing you’d purchase.

Regardless, this cellphone in all probability value a ton of cash to create. The three points that make this completely different from the OnePlus 11 appear to be extremely costly, which may presumably drive up the retail worth to astronomical heights. It appears unlikely that consumers could be prepared to spend considerably more cash simply to realize a number of further frames whereas gaming or shave a number of seconds off the charging time.

Nonetheless, it’s all the time good to see firms exit on a limb with one thing completely different. The OnePlus 11 Idea may not be market-ready, however we’re glad it exists, and we loved checking it out.