Technologies

The OnePlus 11 5G Had My Curiosity, but Now Has My Attention

The new phone could be the first time we see actual new camera hardware resulting from OnePlus’ partnership with Hasselblad.

To no one’s surprise, OnePlus’ next phone is called the OnePlus 11 5G. Last week, OnePlus started taking preorders for the new phone in China, and it will be available there on Monday, Jan. 9. The phone is set to launch globally on Feb. 7 and follows last year’s pretty great OnePlus 10 Pro. It also comes on the heels of the OnePlus 10T which left a bad taste in our mouths because of its questionable compromises and a confusing value proposition.

Lucky for us, OnePlus provided a peek at the 11 back in December. And now, the new phone is on full display on OnePlus China’s website. After devouring it with the help of Google Translate, I am reminded of a line Leonardo DiCaprio’s character says in the film Django Unchained.

«Gentlemen, you had my curiosity. But now you have my attention.»

I already had high hopes for the 11 because it would be the third-generation phone to be released during OnePlus’ partnership with the iconic camera company Hasselblad. Up to now, Hasselblad’s influence has largely been behind-the-scenes with camera tuning and nifty software features like the Xpan panoramic-style. The OnePlus 11 could be the first time we see actual new camera hardware resulting from the partnership.

I should also point out that details and nuance can be lost in translation, so please keep that in mind as you read on.

The OnePlus 11 looks fantastic

The 11’s design picks up where the 10 Pro left off. Translated, the site states that the OnePlus 11’s look was inspired by a «black hole in science fiction.» But instead of a square-ish camera bump found on the 10 Pro, the 11’s is circular on top with tapered sides that flow into the edge of the phone. It’s reminiscent of a clasp on a leather attaché. When the phone is in landscape, the camera bump’s shape looks almost like the silhouette of Darth Vader’s helmet.

The site shows off the phone in two colors. There is a matte green color, that isn’t quite British racing green, and a textured black finish, which according to translated text is «silk glass.» I gather this means the finish looks textured but to the touch is just flat glass.

There aren’t many photos of the front, but it has a display with waterfall edges that flow off the right and left sides of the phone. The front-facing camera is housed in a hole punch-shaped cutout on the top left side.

An alert slider is visible in a product video on the site that also shows flashy stylized closeups of the OnePlus 11. OnePlus previously confirmed that the button would return after its absence on the OnePlus 10T. The 11 joins the likes of the Nubia Red Magic 8, which has a similar hardware slider for putting the phone into gaming mode.

The OnePlus 11 has the latest Android hardware

The phone has a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with a variable refresh rate that tops out at 120Hz. The display is LTPO 3. Last year’s 10 Pro had an LTPO 2 display. LTPO stands for low-temperature polycrystalline oxide, which allows displays to have a high refresh rate without killing your battery. According to the translated text, LTPO 3 is smoother and even more power efficient. A graphic claims that the display can drop down to 1Hz, which is the same refresh rate the iPhone 14 Pro uses for its always-on display.

On the inside, the 11 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip which according to a OnePlus press release has 35% faster CPU performance and a 25% faster GPU. The 11 is one of the first phones with the new Qualcomm chip. The 11 also comes with 16GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage.

Powering everything are dual 2,500 mAh batteries that support 100W fast charging. Last year’s 10 Pro had the same dual-battery setup and supported 80W fast charging, except for US models which were capped at 65W fast charging. The OnePlus 10T supports 150W charging globally and 125W in the US. For perspective, the iPhone 14 Pro supports 20W fast charging. OnePlus says that the 11’s batteries can charge from empty to 100% in 25 minutes.

The cameras are the same but different

The OnePlus 11 has a 50-megapixel main and 48-megapixel ultrawide camera system that’s similar to the 10 Pro’s. It also has a telephoto camera with a 32-megapixel sensor and 2x optical zoom compared to the 10 Pro’s 8-megapixel sensor and 3.3x optical zoom.

Sony made all of the image sensors including the one in the new telephoto camera. But you have to wonder if OnePlus and Hasselblad chose the 32-megapixel sensor and short tele lens combo because it yields better photos than the tele on the 10 Pro. If that is the case, it’s the first time we see camera hardware design that stems from the OnePlus and Hasselblad partnership.

Translated text suggests the new telephoto camera can take photos with more accurate colors. OnePlus China’s site says that portrait mode pics have better simulated bokeh that mimics the look of images taken with Hasselblad’s XCD medium-format lenses.

Sample photos from the 11 look good, with balanced colors and highlights that roll off for skin tones. We should take these photos with a big grain of salt because nearly every phone maker’s website flaunts impressive photos taken with their phones – ah, marketing! Sadly, there isn’t any mention of whether these photo improvements will apply to video recording.

Is there a OnePlus 11 Pro?

From everything I read on the website, the OnePlus 11 is the best spec’d OnePlus phone ever made. It seems to be the «pro» model this year despite lacking the nomenclature. Its 6.7-inch screen is the same size as the one on the 10 Pro. In fact, OnePlus China’s President Li Jie said there is no «pro» version of the OnePlus 11 in response to a question on the Chinese social network Weibo.

That would mark a continued departure from OnePlus’ previous product strategy. Until recently, OnePlus had released three models of its flagship phones, a regular version, a «pro» one and later in the year a T model. For example, in 2020 there was a OnePlus 8, 8 Pro and 8T. The pro models typically have larger displays with a higher resolution and a third rear camera with a telephoto lens compared to the regular version.

Last year, the company released only a OnePlus 10 Pro without a standard model.

What’s next for the OnePlus 11?

The new phone launches in China on Monday, Jan. 9. OnePlus is having a global launch event in India on Tuesday, Feb. 7, where it will also show off the OnePlus Buds Pro 2. I am truly looking forward to trying the phone out for myself, especially that new telephoto camera.

Technologies

Lossless Audio Finally Arrives for Spotify Premium Subscribers. Here’s How to Enable It

The streaming audio company says the feature is rolling out to Premium subscribers in some regions.

Lossless audio, a format that Spotify says has been much-requested by subscribers over the years, is finally arriving on the streaming service.

In a post, the company says that 24-bit/44.1kHz FLAC audio will now be an option for premium subscribers in select markets «across nearly every song available in Spotify.»

Subscribers will have the option to adjust music quality as low, normal, high, very high and now lossless, with the option to see how much data each tier requires.
While audio formats such as MP3 or AAC use varying degrees of compression to reduce file sizes — which means you don’t get the full depth and range of the music — lossless formats including FLAC and Apple’s ALAC preserve the original data from a song without any quality loss.

In addition to working in Spotify’s apps, the company says, lossless audio will be available on some Spotify Connect devices from Sony, Bose, Samsung, Sennheiser and other manufacturers. It plans to add support for Sonos and Amazon audio devices next month, according to the post.

The lossless feature has been a missing component on the service, which launched in 2008 and became available in the US in 2011. Some of its audio-streaming competitors added lossless before Spotify.

«Spotify has promised a lossless music tier for many years, originally dubbed Supremium, and it is one of the last of its competitors to add uncompressed tunes,» said Ty Pendlebury, TV and home video editor at CNET. «Both Apple and Amazon added complimentary lossless and hi-res files back in 2021, while YouTube Music is one of the only holdouts by only offering compressed music.»

Spotify says lossless is eventually rolling out to 50 different markets.

How to enable lossless audio on Spotify

Once you receive a notification from Spotify that lossless is available, you can use the Spotify app to enable the feature.

To do this, tap on your profile image, go to Settings & Privacy, then Media Quality and select where to enable the format: over Wi-Fi, over cellular or in downloads.

The company says you need to enable the feature manually for each device you use.

Technologies

You Can Play Hollow Knight: Silksong on Xbox Game Pass Now

Microsoft is adding a few other games to the service soon, but everyone knows we’re here to play Silksong, right?

The wait is over. After years of rumors and speculation, Hollow Knight: Silksong, the sequel to the award-winning indie darling Hollow Knight, is here. And Xbox Game Pass subscribers can play the highly anticipated sequel right now at no additional cost.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, smart TV and PC or mobile device for $20 a month. A subscription gives you access to a large library of games, with new ones, like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, added monthly, plus other benefits such as online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

Here are all the games Microsoft is adding to Game Pass soon. You can also check out the games the company added to the service in August, including Gears of War: Reloaded.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

The wait is over for one of the most anticipated indie games in recent memory. You play as the hunter and princess Hornet as she ascends to Hallownest’s peak. You’ll venture through mossy grottos, craft deadly tools and take on over 200 powerful bugs with acrobatic skills as you climb to the top. But you aren’t just taking down everything in your path. You’ll also befriend strangers and unlock secrets that might help you in your quest.

I Am Your Beast

Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard subscribers can play now.

This covert, revenge thriller is like a comic book in game form. You play as a retired secret agent who gets called in for «one last job.» But unlike other stories where the hero says, «Yes,» you say, «No.» So now the military-industrial complex is hunting you through the North American wilderness. You have to evade your enemies and sabotage their equipment to survive.

Nine Sols

New to Game Pass Standard.

Don’t let the cute cat-like hero fool you; this game can be brutal. This 2D action platformer is about revenge. You play as an ancient hero who awakes from a 500-year slumber to embark on a vengeful journey against those who imprisoned them. The hand-drawn art style and gameplay inspired by Sekiro make this a uniquely challenging and beautiful game.

Game Pass Ultimate subscribers could play this game in December, and Game Pass Standard subscribers can play this difficult but rewarding game soon, too.

Cataclismo

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

This game combines resource management, real-time strategy, siege defense and exploration into one title. Creatures from a corrupted world, called Horrors, are seeking to destroy humanity, so you have to build intricate fortresses to fend off waves of enemies. Once the Horrors are gone, you’ll forage for resources outside of your defenses during the day to help in the next night’s attacks. Will you be able to find a way to put a stop to the Horrors once and for all, or will you fall like the rest of humanity?

Paw Patrol World

Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard subscribers can play now.

Microsoft removed this kid-friendly game from Game Pass in February, and the company is bringing it back to the service this month. You can play as Chase, Skye, Marshall or Everest as they save the day across locations like Adventure Bay, Jake’s Mountain, the Jungle and Barkingburg. Use your nose to sniff out secrets and pup treats you can use to unlock new outfits and more for your pup.

RoadCraft

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on Sept. 16.

When natural disasters strike, someone has to clean up the damage and restore the local infrastructure. That’s where you and your company come in. You’ll use construction machinery to clear debris, replace faulty equipment and rebuild roads, bridges and more. Don’t just throw all that debris away. Some of it can be recycled and used for reconstruction in this building simulator.

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass on Sept. 15

While Microsoft is adding all those games to Game Pass soon, the company is removing a few others from the service on Sept. 15. So you still have some time to finish your main campaign and any side quests in these games before you’ll have to buy them separately.

For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now, read our hands-on review of the gaming service and learn which Game Pass plan is right for you. You can also check out what to know about upcoming Xbox game price hikes.