Technologies

OnePlus 11 vs. Pixel 7 Pro: Testing the Cameras on Both High-End Phones

The newest OnePlus and Google Pixel phones each have triple camera setups. We tested both to figure out which is the best at taking pictures.

The OnePlus 11 is a powerful Android phone with a slick new design and great extras like hyperfast charging. But these days, a good phone also has to take good pictures. The OnePlus 11’s triple camera array takes high-quality shots, which you can read more about in the full review for the OnePlus 11. But I also wanted to see how it stacks up against its main rival, the Google Pixel 7 Pro.

The Pixel 7 Pro earned a coveted CNET Editors’ Choice award last year because of its specs and superb camera, so I knew it was going to be a fun «shoot-out» to determine which one captures the better photos.

I charged both handsets up and headed off around beautiful Edinburgh, Scotland, to see what’s what.

The OnePlus 11’s shot above is certainly more vibrant than the image from the Pixel 7 Pro, but it looks oversaturated, with quite a teal tone to the sky. As a result, the OnePlus image looks less natural. It’s something I found generally with the OnePlus 11 camera in testing it for my review.

Switching to the ultra-wide lens, the OnePlus 11 has again produced a more vibrant shot (see above). It’s not that it’s a bad photo — if you want bright, punchy shots of your friends having fun, it’ll suit you well. But it’s worth keeping in mind if you prefer more natural-looking shots like the one from the Pixel.

Both phones captured bright and well-exposed scenes in the photos above. But the HDR on the OnePlus 11 is too aggressive in lifting the shadows, resulting in quite a «processed» look. It’s again produced a blue sky that leans more into teal tones, while the Pixel 7 Pro’s shot looks more true-to-life overall.

Take a look above where it’s exactly the same story when we switch to the ultra-wide lens; overly lifted shadows and toned down highlights resulting in quite an HDR look to the image, to my eye.

I don’t feel the OnePlus 11 has done great in the photo above either, but mostly due to the color balance which has resulted in quite a teal-colored sky and a yellow-green tinge to the buildings on the left.

One of the things I found most disappointing in my OnePlus 11 review is that it lacks a proper telephoto zoom lens, instead having just a 2x zoom for portrait shots. I love a zoom lens on a phone as it allows you to find interesting compositions in your surroundings that might be lost to your friends and their wide-angle-only phone cameras. In the photo above, the OnePlus 11’s 2x lens only goes so far in getting a closer-up view of the buildings against the river.

With its 5x optical zoom, the Pixel 7 Pro can get a much closer view. Check out the Pixel’s photo above. I always enjoy taking photos with the Pixel’s zoom lens as I feel I can get a lot more creative with the zoom than I can with just a wide-angle lens.

Where the OnePlus 11 excels though is in its night mode photos.

The OnePlus 11 has achieved a brighter image above, which is especially noticeable on the main building in the center of the frame. I think the colors look better too, and there’s generally more detail to be seen throughout the image.

And it’s the same in the photos above. The OnePlus 11 captured a much brighter shot, with clouds in the night sky being particularly noticeable.

Both images above suffer from significant flares when shooting toward bright light sources, but most phones tend to have this problem. It’s not really any worse on either phone, so it’s just something you’ll need to keep in mind when shooting at night.

Which is the better camera phone?

Throughout my testing, I’ve found that the OnePlus 11 quite consistently delivers shots that are highly saturated and show heavy-handed HDR processing that lifts shadows and tones down highlights to a sometimes unrealistic extent. By contrast, the Pixel 7 Pro’s images are more true to life, with accurate colors and more satisfying shadow areas that haven’t been ‘fixed’ (read: lightened) by the camera software.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that this is largely subjective. As a photographer, imaging skills are a top priority for me in a phone. I want a camera that takes more realistic photos, with more «neutral» contrast and exposure, so that I have a better image to potentially apply my own edits or effects to later on. As a result, I prefer the shots from the Pixel 7 Pro. But if photography is maybe less of a concern and you instead want vibrant, punchy images straight out of the camera that you can instantly share with family and friends, then perhaps you’ll enjoy the vivid look of the OnePlus 11’s pictures. It’s certainly got the edge when it comes to night mode too.

What’s not subjective though is the lack of a bigger zoom on the OnePlus 11. That 2x lens is fine for portraits, but it’s nothing compared with the superb 5x zoom on the Pixel 7 Pro, which is probably my favorite camera lens found on any of today’s top phones. The Pixel 7 Pro feels like I’m putting a full camera bag of equipment in my pocket; a superb ultra-wide, a great standard zoom and an excellent telephoto. With it, I know I can grab interesting compositions in almost any environment I find myself in and it’s why the OnePlus 11 doesn’t feel like a fully capable photography phone.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, May 21

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for May 21.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword is a bit of a tough one. 6-Across and 2-Down want you to come up with words that match up with another word that starts with the same two letters. 2-Down was easy, but 6-Across stumped me until my other answers filled it in. (Hint: It’s not green grass…) Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Either role played by Michael B. Jordan in 2025’s «Sinners»
Answer: TWIN

5A clue: «Wow, wow, wow!»
Answer: OHMY

6A clue: Gr-» word that follows «green»
Answer: GRAPE

7A clue: Bit of land in the ocean
Answer: ISLE

8A clue: Père ___, name for Santa Claus in France
Answer: NOEL

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Trunk of the body
Answer: TORSO

2D clue: «Wh-» word that follows «white»
Answer: WHALE

3D clue: Urge forward
Answer: IMPEL

4D clue: Bill ___ the Science Guy
Answer: NYE

6D clue: Alcohol paired with tonic
Answer: GIN

How to play more Mini Crosswords

The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

Technologies

I Took Google’s New Try On Feature for a Spin — It Was Fascinating (and Hilarious)

Commentary: I used AI to see how different outfits would look on me, and the results were revealing.

Online shopping often feels like a shot in the dark. It’s hard to predict how an outfit a model is wearing will fit me. But at Google I/O on Tuesday, I demoed a new feature called Try On that uses AI to show you how a dress, shirt, skirt or pants will actually look on you. I was surprised, and also incredibly amused.

After posing for a quick photo, a Google employee showed me different clothing options in the Shopping tab. I settled on a cute long-sleeved denim jumpsuit, tapped it and uploaded my photo. After about 30 seconds, my real-life floral jumpsuit was replaced by the denim one. The generated image looked impressively real: the sleeves were perfectly tailored, the collar was popped and my pink headscarf (which I was wearing in real life and Gemini thankfully kept on) was neatly tucked in.

«It actually looks like I’m wearing it,» I said in amazement. «I’m quite impressed.» It even added a purse in my right hand, which was a funny touch.

Try On is powered by Google’s custom image generation model, which can demonstrate how materials drape, fold and stretch on different body types. It’s available now in Search Labs, which lets people try out Google Search features before they roll out to the masses.

After opting into the feature, you’ll see an icon that says «try it on» when browsing for clothes in Google. Upload a full-length photo of yourself (ideally with good lighting and fitted clothing), and watch in wonder as that dress or shirt miraculously appears on you. You can also save the generated image and share it with friends.

Of course, I had to have some fun with Try On. As someone who wears hijab, I only wear long sleeves and long pants when I’m out and about. So I decided to test the feature and see what it would do if I picked a pink sleeveless dress. The result was hilarious.

It did in fact expose my arms (or what it thinks they look like), and also added some random bracelets and a watch that I was definitely not wearing in real life. Thankfully, it kept my headscarf on (which perfectly matched the pink dress), but that only made for a more hilarious juxtaposition with my exposed AI skin. Well, at least it maintained the dress’s accuracy.

If you’re worried about privacy concerns, my colleague Katelyn Chedraoui reached out to Google to ask about Try On’s privacy policies. In response, a Google spokesperson said: «Your uploaded photo is never used beyond trying things on virtually, nor is your photo used for training purposes. It is not shared with other Google products, services or third parties, and you can delete or replace it at any time.»

So, if you’re keen to see how that outfit you would totally wear — or totally wouldn’t — looks on you, look no further than your phone; no fitting room required. Personally, I look forward to trying on more outfits, both appealing and ridiculous, just for the heck of it.

Technologies

McDonald’s Snack Wrap: Is the Viral Food Favorite Returning on July 14?

July 14 could be the release date for the much-longed-for chicken Snack Wraps, but Ronald and crew aren’t talking.

McDonald’s is riding a viral wave. The fast-food chain’s Minecraft Happy Meals and adult Minecraft Meals hit restaurants on April 1 and sold out quickly. Diners ordering a Happy Meal these days will find a Squishmallow theme meal instead. But there’s more viral buzz about another McDonald’s product online. People are eagerly awaiting the return of Snack Wraps, a chicken-tortilla entree that’s been missing from US locations of the Golden Arches since 2020.

Read more: Review: McDonald’s Minecraft Meals Feature The Hottest Nugget Sauce Ever

On April 15, McDonald’s tweeted «snack wraps 0x.14.2025,» hinting the wraps would return on the 14th of an upcoming month. This leaves fans having to check their McDonald’s mobile app or local restaurant menus on the 14th of every month, hoping the wraps will make an appearance. The wraps didn’t appear in restaurants on May 14, so now fans must check again in June, and again in July if the June date does not pan out.

At least one Reddit users seems to think the McDonald’s Snack Wraps could return on July 14. One user wrote, «It’s July, I work for McDonald’s,they revealed the date on the employee app.»

But another person posted, «It’s not July. I work at McDonald’s corporate and can confirm.»

Neither of those posts can be confirmed.

June 14 is a Saturday, while July 14 is a Monday. Some suggest that McDonald’s would be more likely to launch a new product on a Monday than on a weekend, so if that’s true, July 14 could be the day.

A representative for McDonald’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

snack wraps 0x.14.2025

— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) April 15, 2025

Snack Wrap fever

Snack Wraps first came out in 2006, and were meant to be a chicken item that would appeal to drive-thru customers. There are different versions, but the basic one includes white-meat chicken strips known as McCrispy Strips wrapped in a flour tortilla with cheese and lettuce with either ranch, honey mustard or salsa. McCrispy Strips are a reworked version of a chicken item formerly known as Chicken Selects.

Zach Ciampa, who regularly covers new food releases under the social-media handle Snach With Zach, said there’s been an intense fanbase out there for the wraps. «Regarding McDonald’s Snack Wrap, it’s by far the most requested item I’ve ever seen my audience ask or demand to come back,» he told CNET. «Not just the most requested in recent memory, but the most requested of all time. And that’s not limited to McDonald’s.» Ciampa said the only similar fast-food items that come close to the same level of interest are Dairy Queen’s S’mores Blizzard and Taco Bell’s Caramel Apple Empanada, both of which also made recent returns.

«I’ve been covering food releases for years, and in that time, I’ve seen countless comments to the tune of ‘We don’t want this. We want the Snack Wrap,’ and, ‘Can you tell us when the Snack Wrap is coming back?'» he said. «A couple years ago, the chances of its return were pretty bleak. However, things escalated pretty quickly in late 2023 when McDonald’s did indeed announce that the Snack Wrap would return in a new form. Since then, details have slowly but surely trickled out, and the hype has steadily grown.»

While Snack Wraps left McDonald’s locations in the US back in 2020, they remained available at Canadian and UK restaurants. The current online McDonald’s Canada menu includes several tortilla-wrapped items, including ones with crispy chicken, grilled chicken, buffalo chicken and chicken with a sweet chili sauce.