OnePlus officially lifted the lid on its OnePlus 11 flagship earlier this month, but the company also used the phone’s global launch event to tease the arrival of what is expected to be an alternative version of the same device. This OnePlus Concept could be one of the coolest phones we see this year.
OnePlus has given us a better look at the cryptically-named OnePlus 11 Concept ahead of its own global unveiling at MWC Barcelona on February 27 – and suffice to say, it looks more like a water-cooled gaming PC than a phone.
Although appearing to resemble the standard OnePlus 11 in terms of basic dimensions (you can read our thoughts on the phone’s retro design in our full OnePlus 11 review), the One Plus 11 Concept adds both an illuminated squiggly line that zigzags across the device’s rear and a slightly larger camera cutout.
OnePlus is calling this LED-based, Nothing Phone 1-esque rear design the “Flowing Back”, which we expect is intended to accentuate the standard OnePlus 11’s impressive gaming credentials. Once we’ve spent more time with the newly released flagship, it’ll almost certainly earn a spot on our list of the best gaming phones, owing to its 120Hz display, extremely fast 100W charging and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor.
It’s hard to make out the Concept’s camera setup from the two images (and cryptic teaser clip) OnePlus has shared so far, but the phone does look to be sticking with its sibling’s three main sensors – telephoto, primary and wide-angle – albeit housing them in a larger cutout not dissimilar to that of the Vivo X90 Pro.
Seriously pumped for #MWC23!#OnePlus11ConceptFebruary 20, 2023
As exciting as the OnePlus 11 Concept looks, the jury is still out on whether we’ll actually be able to get our hands on the phone in reality. OnePlus has released special edition handsets before – the company has collaborated with Cyberpunk, Star Wars and Pac-Man on actual, purchasable devices – but the ‘Concept’ in this phone’s name suggests it may well remain just that.
In any case, OnePlus has confirmed that it’ll be unveiling the OnePlus 11 Concept during its MWC Barcelona event on February 27. We’ll be on the ground at the show itself, so stay tuned to TechRadar for the latest updates.
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In the meantime, check out our review of the newly released OnePlus Buds Pro 2, as well as our breakdown of the best OnePlus phones to consider in 2023.
Axel is TechRadar's UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site's Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion. Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.