Skip to main content

The OnePlus 11 Concept has PC-like liquid cooling, and it looks incredible

OnePlus is no stranger to pushing the envelope for innovation in the smartphone industry, and its latest concept device — the OnePlus 11 Concept — is aiming to do just that once more.

Announced at Mobile World Congress, the OnePlus 11 Concept sports the same internal specs as the OnePlus 11, which launched earlier this year, but includes a new active cooling technology dubbed Active CryoFlux. More important than that, it’s also just stunning to look at.

Product render of the OnePlus 11 Concept.
OnePlus

Active CryoFlux is meant to keep the OnePlus 11 Concept cool while it’s charging or being used for GPU-intensive gaming. It speeds up charging times by 30 seconds to 45 seconds and can keep a game’s frame rate and overall performance consistent without significantly increasing the device’s weight or size. It does so by pumping cooling liquid through the pipelines on the back of the OnePlus 11 Concept, which can reportedly lower the phone’s temperature by over 35 degrees Fahrenheit while gaming.

You can see the liquid cooling moving through the phone’s clear rear backside, and the blue liquid even flows around the circular camera housing. And not only that, the camera is also surrounded by “Guilloché etching.” OnePlus describes it as a “very precise decorative technique usually found in luxury timepieces,” and it’s the first time the technique has ever been used on a smartphone.

But, like the name suggests, the OnePlus 11 Concept is precisely that — a concept device. Obviously, the hope is that OnePlus utilizes the PC-like cooling system in a future device, but as of right now, there aren’t any definitive plans to bring this to a phone you can actually buy. OnePlus has shown off similar concept phones in the past that haven’t amounted to anything tangible, so while it would be nice for Active CryoFlux to be the next big thing that OnePlus has up its sleeve, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for it.

Although it’s not something to put much mental stock into right now, Active CryoFlux is an interesting technology that would be beneficial, especially for gamers who do a lot of their gaming on their phones. Based on what can be accomplished using similar cooling tech in PCs, it feels like Active CryoFlux’s internal cooling pipes are a logical next step for mobile gaming. The light-up pipes are really sleek, making the OnePlus 11 Concept reminiscent of something made by Nothing.

Hopefully, OnePlus does something with the ideas used in the OnePlus 11 Concept since they are so promising and the phone isn’t just a flex for MWC. Maybe it’ll pop-up in another OnePlus phone later this year? Maybe in the OnePlus 12? It’s hard to say for sure, but we can certainly cross our fingers and hope.

Editors' Recommendations

Peter Hunt Szpytek
A podcast host and journalist, Peter covers mobile news with Digital Trends and gaming news, reviews, and guides for sites…
OnePlus told us the secrets behind its one-of-a-kind smartwatch
Someone wearing the OnePlus Watch 2.

How do you stand out in the smartwatch world? How do you attempt to do something new and unique with wearables in 2024 when so many companies seem to be coasting by?

That's what OnePlus is trying to figure out with the OnePlus Watch 2, and in many ways, it has succeeded. The OnePlus Watch 2, while not perfect, is one of the more interesting Wear OS watches we've seen in a while — and that's largely due to a hybrid design unlike any we've seen before.

Read more
I performed an intense gaming test with the OnePlus 12. Here’s what happened
Person holding green OnePlus 12 phone in hands while playing games.

OnePlus has traditionally appealed to a very demanding set of users. Its "Never Settle" ethos appealed to early adopters of OnePlus phones looking to accomplish more than they can on traditional flagship phones at a much lower price. After a few years off track, OnePlus' latest flagship phone -- the OnePlus 12 -- feels like an ideal representation of its founding principles.

From a radiant display to superfast wired and wireless charging, the OnePlus 12 has many compelling features. Areas that I feel deserves the most attention are its gaming performance and brilliant value, even compared to other $800 phones.

Read more
If you like Genshin Impact, you’ll love this new OnePlus phone
OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition.

OnePlus has just unveiled a special, limited edition OnePlus 12R. It's the new Genshin Impact Edition, and it was announced during MWC 2024. This special edition version of the OnePlus 12R has been tailor-made for fans of Genshin Impact with a unique design that showcases Keqing. The Keqing theming is not just on the hardware itself but through a fully customized version of OxygenOS, accessories, and bonus extras that any Genshin Impact fan will appreciate.

According to OnePlus President and COO Kinder Liu, the collaboration with HoYoverse is meant to deliver a gateway to a wider gaming universe without compromising graphics or performance. OnePlus has made sure to push the boundaries of the device to ensure that gamers get uninterrupted high-quality graphics and gameplay with heavy-duty game titles.

Read more