The OnePlus 11 is now the best Android value — here's why

Opinion
By published

For this price, you won't find much better

OnePlus 11 display
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

With the OnePlus 11 launching this week on February 16 (a day before the Galaxy S23), you might be wondering if it's a phone worth considering. I'm here to tell you that, yes, the OnePlus 11 is absolutely worth looking at. That's because it's the best Android value at the moment.

While I love the $449 Google Pixel 6a, the $699 OnePlus 11 rocks flagship specs (versus the 6a's mid-range ones) and superior qualities when compared to phones that cost hundreds more. The $599 Pixel 7 might give it pause, but the OnePlus packs in a lot more features than Google's middle handset.

It's hard to find better at this price

Back view of OnePlus 11

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

To start, the OnePlus 11 has better battery life than the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro (substantially so in the latter's case). In our testing, the OnePlus 11 lasted for 13 hours and 10 minutes, which outlasts all most phones we've reviewed. I even wrote about how the OnePlus 11 has set the new standard for me when it comes to flagship battery life.

The OnePlus 11's 6.7-inch display is sharp, crisp, and bright. And the performance from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip outdoes most handsets we've tested. The OnePlus 11 even outperforms the iPhone 14 Pro Max in graphics.

When the OnePlus 11 does die, it can recharge basically to full in 30 minutes, thanks to 80W charging in the U.S. and 100W charging elsewhere. For comparison, the Galaxy S23 Ultra got to 31% in 15 minutes and 57% in 30 minutes with a 45W charger. See our OnePlus 11 charging speed test for more info. 

Meanwhile, the cameras on the OnePlus 11 are the best I've ever seen from OnePlus, going head-to-head with the Pixel 7 Pro — while Google still wins, OnePlus has gotten a lot closer. We would like to see more than a 2x optical zoom on the OnePlus 11, but overall the image quality is quite solid. 

A great example is here, where the OnePlus 11 went against the Pixel 7 Pro in this picture of the Smithsonian Castle. OnePlus got remarkably close to Google, especially with sharpness and contrast.

For $699 ($799 for the 16GB/256GB version), the OnePlus 11 is the ultimate Android flagship value. The $699 iPhone 13 also represents one of the best values, too, but I think the OnePlus 11 gets a lot more right, such as battery life and performance.

OnePlus 11 outlook

Giving the OnePlus 11 the number two spot in our best Android phones roundup was a no-brainer. Sure, the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers a lot more, but at a massive $500 premium. I somewhat expect a phone that much more expensive to be "better."

The jury is still out on how the OnePlus 11 compares to the $799 Galaxy S23, the answer to which we should have soon. However, I'm pretty confident in saying that OnePlus has landed the value crown for the first half of 2023. What the remainder of the year brings is anyone's guess, but for now, you can't beat the OnePlus 11's price.

Jordan Palmer
Jordan Palmer
Phones Editor

Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, covering all things phone-related. He's written about phones for over six years and plans to continue for a long while to come. He loves nothing more than relaxing in his home with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Outside of work, you can find him poring over open-source software and his studies.