OnePlus 11 Pro leak leaves us with more questions than enthusiasm

(Image credit: Future)

We are finally seeing details emerge on the next flagship camera phone that will replace the OnePlus 10 Pro. Prolific tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer, aka OnLeaks, has shared a specifications sheet for the new OnePlus 11 Pro with the site 91Mobiles, and they have all of the details, leading with the next-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform.

Of course we would expect the next OnePlus phone to use the greatest Qualcomm processor available, as superlative chips have always been a OnePlus mainstay on its best phones. The camera setup also looks set for a significant boost. We’d previously heard that Hasselblad branding would be returning to the OnePlus family.

Now on the OnePlus 11 Pro we see a massive camera array with not only a 48MP main camera and a 50MP ultra-wide camera. It also seems the telephoto may get a significant boost from the current 8MP on the OnePlus 10 Pro to a new 32MP sensor on the rumored OnePlus 11 Pro.

Strangely, we’re also hearing that the front-facing selfie camera could take a step back in megapixels. The current OnePlus 10 Pro comes with a 32MP selfie cam, but the rumors point to a 16MP sensor on the front of the OnePlus 11 Pro. Of course, megapixels are hardly all that make a good photo. A great lens with a wide aperture, in addition to a large sensor with huge pixels, would all be a fine replacement for a high-MP shooter.

Otherwise, the OnePlus 11 Pro seems to be more of the same. The screen will again be 6.7-inches, like the OnePlus 10 Pro, and run at a refresh rate up to 120Hz. The battery will hold 5000 mAh of charge. For OnePlus devotees, the popular Alert Slider feature will remain on the device.

Analysis: OnePlus loves a lot of camera in its Pro

For OnePlus, the Pro side of the family means superior cameras. Even though the company’s latest phone is the flagship-level OnePlus 10T, with a superior Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, it is the OnePlus 10 Pro that keeps the best cameras the company has to offer. The OnePlus 10T is cheaper, but it compromises a bit on cameras.

OnePlus did not bother with Hasselblad branding on the OnePlus 10T, but rumors seem sure that the professional-strength camera company will sell its stamp to OnePlus for the next Pro level phone, and we’re happy to see an upgrade to the camera sensors to maintain this legacy. The 8MP telephoto sensor was simply not good enough, so we’re excited to see what new photos the 32MP camera can bring.

We’re also not stymied by the reduction in megapixels up front. The best iPhone camera and the best Google Pixel phones have churned out fantastic images with 12MP cameras for years now. There’s no reason to believe that a shift from 32MP to a 16MP sensor is a guaranteed downgrade in image quality. Only time, and more spec leaks, will tell.

Phil Berne is a preeminent voice in consumer electronics reviews, having reviewed his first device (the Sony D-EJ01 Discman) more than 20 years ago for eTown.com. He has been writing about phones and mobile technology, since before the iPhone, for a variety of sites including PCMag, infoSync, PhoneScoop, and Slashgear. He holds an M.A. in Cultural Theory from Carnegie Mellon University.

Phil was the internal reviewer for Samsung Mobile, writing opinions and review predictions about top secret new devices months before launch. He left in 2017. He worked at an Apple Store near Boston, MA, at the height of iPod popularity. He has been a High School English teacher at Title I schools, and is a certified Lifeguard. His passion is smartphones and wearables, and he is sure that the next big thing will be phones we wear on our faces.