I tried the OnePlus 11 Concept, a smartphone with PC-like liquid-cooling tech

OnePlus 11 Concept first impression: OnePlus 11 Concept looks just like the brand’s current-generation OnePlus 11 but it offers a completely different feel.

OnePlus 11 Concept features PC-like liquid cooling system (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)

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If you are a gamer, you know how liquid cooling your PC components can extend their longevity and performance. What if I tell you OnePlus is bringing the same level of sophisticated liquid cooling tech to a smartphone? Does it make you excited? I certainly was when the OnePlus executives took the stage at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and showed a concept smartphone based on the design of the OnePlus 11 with new cooling technology. Having picked up the OnePlus 11 Concept phone, I wanted to jot down some preliminary thoughts about the phone and what it means for the future of gaming smartphones.

Here is my quick take

At first glance, the OnePlus 11 Concept looks just like the OnePlus 11, which I reviewed recently. But the moment you hold the device and flip it and see the back, it offers a completely different feel. The prototype device features “icy blue pipelines” which run through the entire back of the phone (even around the camera module) as if the phone has its own network of blood vessels. Like many in the room, I too thought that OnePlus has taken inspiration from the Nothing Phone (1) and equipped the phone with flashy lights. But I was wrong.

During the demonstration, OnePlus executives explained the fancy transparent back and light strips on the back of the phone aren’t seemingly endless cosmetic upgrades. Let me explain how it impacts you as a user. Firstly, these icy blue pipelines essentially serve two purposes: cooling the internals of the phone, while also giving the phone a unique and attractive look.

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OnePlus 11 Concept has a curved AMOLED screen (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)

Taking a cue from water-cooling technology that has been used in PC gaming for years, OnePlus says it tried to mimic the tech and brought in a smartphone shell without fans and airflow to keep processors and graphics cards cool. It’s called Active Cryoflux, which had been in the works for two years before making its way to the OnePlus 11 Concept. As for how this technology works, the industrial-grade ceramic piezoelectric micropumps at the center, which is connected to pipelines sandwiched between an upper and lower diaphragm. The micropump takes up an area of less than 0.2 cm2, allowing the liquid to circulate around the pipelines without making the phone heavy.

Also read | OnePlus 11 Concept to Motorola Razr 2023: Most anticipated smartphones to be announced at MWC 2023

The liquid cooling tech reduces the temperature up to 2.1℃, thus improving the frame rate by 3-4 fps during gameplay. Not just that, the Active CryoFlux can also bring the temperature down when charging by 1.6°C – reducing 30s-45s from the charging time. This means the liquid-cooling tech can be used to keep components cooler under extreme stress situations, translating to improved.

The liquid cooling tech reduces the temperature up to 2.1℃, thus improving the frame rate by 3-4 fps during gameplay (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)

Some may not consider OnePlus’ Active CryoFlux a killer feature but think about how this underlying tech could change the future of gaming smartphones. Although the OnePlus 11 Concept isn’t ready to ship, the device has already made the Asus ROG Phone 6 (review) dead for me. The invisible liquid-cooling tech that OnePlus is introducing in phones is a better solution than what Asus has been doing with the AeroActive Cooler, an external accessory that brings cooling capabilities to the ROG Phone.

Disclaimer: The writer is in Barcelona attending the Mobile World Congress on the invite of OnePlus India. He can be reached at anuj.bhatia@indianexpress.com

Anuj Bhatia

Anuj Bhatia is a personal technology writer at indianexpress.com who has been covering smartphones, personal computers, gaming, apps, and lifestyle tech actively since 2011. He specialises in writing longer-form feature articles and explainers on trending tech topics. His unique interests encompass delving into vintage tech, retro gaming and composing in-depth narratives on the intersection of history, technology, and popular culture. He covers major international tech conferences and product launches from the world's biggest and most valuable tech brands including Apple, Google and others. At the same time, he also extensively covers indie, home-grown tech startups. Prior to joining The Indian Express in late 2016, he served as a senior tech writer at My Mobile magazine and previously held roles as a reviewer and tech writer at Gizbot. Anuj holds a postgraduate degree from Banaras Hindu University. You can find Anuj on Linkedin. Email: anuj.bhatia@indianexpress.com ... Read More