OnePlus 11 charging speed will decrease – but still smokes the Samsung Galaxy S23

The OnePlus 11 won't have the 100W charging of its Chinese variant in other markets – will it still be one of the best Android phones?

OnePlus 11
(Image credit: OnePlus)

In 2023, the battle to be crowned best Android phone is going to be more competitive than ever. Top quality handsets like the Vivo X90 Pro+ and the Google Pixel 7 Pro have blown the playing field wide open, with fantastic spec sheets at respectable prices.

Another competitor is the OnePlus 11. Launched recently in China, the OnePlus showed off a fantastic spec sheet, with up to 16GB of RAM and the all-new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 onboard.

At the launch event, another incredible spec point was listed – the OnePlus 11 would feature 100W charging. That's more than most other phones on the market, and represents a fantastic selling point for the handset. Sadly, it looks unlikely to make its way onto the device in other territories – though the alternative is still better than most of the competition.

Respected tech tipster, SnoopyTech, shared the details on Twitter. In a blurb of information about the handset, the charging speed is listed at 80W. It's not yet clear whether this adjustment will be for all international markets, or just some.

What it does show is just how far behind some flagship phones are when it comes to charging speed. Take the Samsung Galaxy S23, which is set to be unveiled in a few weeks time. According to leaked specs, the base model S23 will feature just 25W charging. And frankly, that is inexcusably poor for a premium handset in 2023.

The outlook isn't much better elsewhere. The Pixel 7 Pro charges at just 23W, putting it even further behind. In fact, of the contenders we've looked at, only the Vivo X90 Pro+ can keep up with the OnePlus, with that also featuring 80W charging.

It's not the only measure of a great phone, but it's certainly one that will help to swing consumers one way or another. No-one wants to be waiting hours for their phone to charge, and we've seen some colossal charging speeds from Far Eastern brands this year – like the Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition. And if a cheap phone like that can manage it, $1,000 flagships should have no problems. 

Sam Cross
Staff Writer

Online news writer at T3.com, Sam has five years of experience in online and print journalism, with work featured in publications like Metro and Last Word on Sports. After years writing about music and football, Sam now turns his hand to bringing you news about new phones, smart home products, smart watches, laptops and TVs. Sam is a longtime fan and user of Apple products, including iPhones, MacBooks and Apple Watches.He’s also T3’s resident football expert, bringing you everything you need to know about the big games, including how to watch them. In his spare time, Sam is a keen guitarist, watch lover and (very) amateur golfer.