OnePlus 11 Concept Phone Features Liquid Cooling and Bonkers Naming

While we liked the OnePlus 11 for its high performance and fast charging, OnePlus has really taken it up to 11 with the OnePlus 11 Concept, which sees the phone get a makeover that includes liquid cooling and fancy LEDs designed to make it even more of a powerhouse. I went hands-on with the device at Mobile World Congress here in Barcelona, and it’s got a pretty awesome design, although its naming conventions are like something straight out of Back to the Future. 

“Active CryoFlux” is the name OnePlus has given to its new liquid cooling system, which employs coolant pumped around a series of tubes, along with heat-sync panels, and other bits and bobs to allow the phone to perform for longer at higher temperatures without melting. 

But why hide such fancy tech away under the hood? Instead, OnePlus has used a clear glass back panel that allows you to literally see the coolant pumping through it like veins. As a bit of additional flair, there’s a new blue LED ring around the camera unit and a new chamfered circular panel designed to emulate luxury watch faces. 

Liquid cooling is frequently used in high-end gaming PCs to allow the processors to run at higher speeds (called overclocking) and increase the power output. It generates more heat as a result, so sophisticated cooling is required. OnePlus reckons its cooling tech allows the phone to increase its overall power, gaining a few additional frames per second during gaming and increasing the fast charging time by a minute. 

So, not exactly “game-changing” technology, but it’s a fun idea, and I like the aesthetic, if nothing else. Despite multiple models being available to hold and photograph at the show, the phone is purely a concept and there are no plans to put it into production.