OnePlus showed off a really cool new concept phone at MWC 2023

OnePlus 11 concept phone shown off at MWC 2023
(Image credit: OnePlus)

What you need to know

  • OnePlus showed off a new concept version of the OnePlus 11 at MWC 2023.
  • The phone features a brand new Active CryoFlux liquid cooling engine inside that lowers the phone's temperature by up to 2.1°C.
  • Lower temperatures increase frame rate and charging speed marginally, and the new cooling engine can be seen through the semi-transparent back.

OnePlus used the annual Mobile World Congress as a way to launch its latest concept device that aims to take some of the heat off its cutting-edge processor while gaming or charging the phone. As this is a concept device, we won't see it enter mass production, but it could influence future consumer-ready devices.

The OnePlus 11 Active CryoFlux edition utilizes a new liquid-cooling engine that OnePlus says is designed to reflect a gaming PC's cooling capabilities. A piezoelectric ceramic micropump sits underneath the fancy back of the phone, taking up less than 0.2 square centimeters of space.

The OnePlus 11 Concept close up

(Image credit: OnePlus)

That pump circulates special cooling liquid through pipelines that sit atop the phone's processor and other heat-producing electronics. The new semi-transparent back showcases the cooling pipelines in the phone and would theoretically let users see the cooling in action if this were a proper consumer device that you could buy. OnePlus says that this cooling engine charges the phone nearly 1 minute faster and improves frame rates in games by a few percentage points.

In addition to looking cool, the back is covered in a "magnetron-spluttering coating" that combines metal and alloy to enhance grip. The liquid cooling pipes even wrap around the outside of the round camera island, encased with a decorative Guilloché etching technique to give it a more jewelry-like finish.

While you can't buy this particular concept device, the regular OnePlus 11 is one of the best Android phones you can buy right now and features the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor as this concept phone.

Nicholas Sutrich
Senior Content Producer — Smartphones & VR
Nick started with DOS and NES and uses those fond memories of floppy disks and cartridges to fuel his opinions on modern tech. Whether it's VR, smart home gadgets, or something else that beeps and boops, he's been writing about it since 2011. Reach him on Twitter or Instagram @Gwanatu