OnePlus 11 vs OnePlus 11R: which one should you buy in 2023?

The OnePlus 11 and its affordable variant, the OnePlus 11R, were announced on February 7, giving fans two new smartphones to choose from in 2023. Despite their notable similarities, both phones have their share of differences in features and price tags. Naturally, many enthusiasts are confused regarding the choice they should make.

While the OnePlus 11 has been made available worldwide, the OnePlus 11R is an India-exclusive model, and the Chinese tech giant is yet to make the 11R available in the market. The OnePlus 11 is presently available for purchase via Amazon and other retailers.

To help users with their decisions, the next section features a concise yet informative comparison between the latest smartphone duo from OnePlus and a fair verdict at the end of it.

The slightly underpowered but cheaper OnePlus 11R may offer more value for some users over the flagship OnePlus 11

Starting at $699, the OnePlus 11 is available in two storage and RAM variants. While the 8GB+128GB model’s lower price tag may intrigue fans, the company is offering a $100 price cut on the 16GB+256GB variant as of this writing. With both alternatives available at the same rate, grabbing OnePlus 11’s dominant model is more valuable until the discount lasts.

In India, the OnePlus 11 is available at INR 56999 for the 8GB RAM variant, while the 16GB RAM is available at INR 61999.

The OnePlus 11R will be available for pre-order in India starting February 21. Readers can pre-book the phone, priced at INR 39999 [~ $484] for the 8GB RAM+128GB ROM variant, from Amazon or the official OnePlus website. There’s also a 16GB RAM+256GB ROM model priced at INR 44999 [~ $544].

Note that fans may find getting hold of the OnePlus 11R (international version) in the US difficult. Even if the phone is made available, its price tag may not be fair. It’s unknown whether OnePlus plans to launch the 11R beyond India.

Features comparison

The OnePlus 11 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, featuring an octa-core processor with a clock speed of up to 3.2GHz. The 11R, on the other hand, is powered by the slightly aged Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, which is also an octa-core processor.

Surprisingly, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 can deliver a single-core clock speed of up to 3.2GHz, equal to what the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 offers on the OnePlus 11. Multi-core clock speeds are also neck to neck. Hence, users may not feel much difference in raw performance between the two phones.

Regarding software support, the OnePlus 11 will receive 4 years of software upgrades (up to Android 17) and 5 years of security updates, while the 11R will receive 3 years of software upgrades (up to Android 16) and 4 years of security updates. Both phones run on OxygenOS 13 out of the box.

Concerning displays, the OnePlus 11 and 11R do not share much difference. Both feature a 6.7-inch Super Fluid AMOLED display. However, the OnePlus 11R’s display may appear slightly brighter (1450 nits peak) than its flagship counterpart (1300 nits peak). The OnePlus 11 has a better overall build quality than its affordable sibling.

The main difference between the OnePlus 11 and the OnePlus 11R lies in their rear cameras. Both phones feature a triple-camera setup and the same wide-angle sensor.

Category	OnePlus 11	OnePlus 11R
Processor and RAM	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 8GB/16GB DDR5X RAM	Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, 8GB/16GB DDR5X RAM
Display	6.7-inch Super Fluid AMOLED display, 1300 nits, 120Hz	6.74-inch Super Fluid AMOLED display, 1450 nits, 120Hz
Battery and Charging	5000 mAh, 100W SuperVOOC	5000 mAh, 100W SuperVOOC
Rear Camera	50 MP f/1.8, Wide Angle (84° field-of-view), Primary Camera(24 mm focal length, 1.56" sensor size, 1µm pixel size)48 MP f/2.2, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera(2" sensor size)32 MP f/2.0, Telephoto Camera(48 mm focal length, 2.7" sensor size)	50 MP f/1.8, Wide Angle, Primary Camera(24 mm focal length, 1.56" sensor size, 1µm pixel size)8 MP f/2.2, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera(4.0" sensor size, 1.12µm pixel size)2 MP f/2.4, Macro Camera
Front Camera	16 MP f/2.45, Wide Angle, Primary Camera(25 mm focal length, 1µm pixel size)	16 MP f/2.4, Wide Angle, Primary Camera(24 mm focal length, 3" sensor size, 1µm pixel size)

Nonetheless, the OnePlus 11 comes with premium camera features co-created with Hasselblad, 48 MP ultra-wide, and 32MP telephoto sensors. The OnePlus 11R’s 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro sensors may seem pretty dull compared to what the flagship offers, but they aren't any less powerful and are fitting specifications for most smartphone users.

All other features, including battery life, are more or less the same on the latest OnePlus phones. Both phones are powered by a 5000 mAh battery and support SuperVOOC 100W fast charging.

Verdict

Unless the user is a dedicated mobile photographer or photography enthusiast, the OnePlus 11R is a better deal in every aspect and should be a popular pick in 2023. That said, this verdict only applies to Indian fans. If you reside in the US, picking the OnePlus 11's premium variant at $699 is your best bet.

Featuring a Hasselblad camera, multiple powerful photography-centric features, an attractive build, and a modern processor, the OnePlus 11 is undoubtedly a superior smartphone to own. Be that as it may, the OnePlus 11R surpasses its flagship counterpart in overall value.