OnePlus 11 durability gets tested — here's how tough it is

Back view of OnePlus 11
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

If you’ve just bought a OnePlus 11, congrats on picking up one of the best Android phones out there, but you might want to watch this durability test from behind the couch. 

YouTuber JerryRigEverything (real name Zack Nelson) has previous experience torturing OnePlus devices. His strenuous testing saw him break both the OnePlus 10 and OnePlus 10T into two pieces, just under the camera bump, after bending them to breaking point. The latest OnePlus flagship, however, cracked but did not break and crucially remained fully operational after the test. 

Before that dramatic moment, however, Zack also subjected the OnePlus 11 to his usual brand of smartphone torture and it was the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus screen (with the included plastic screen protector) that was up first. Testing the display's scratch resistance, he found it measured at a 6 on Moh’s scale of hardness, with cosmetic damage from deeper scratches. This is the same score the Galaxy S23 Ultra received. He even exposed the screen to a flame for almost a minute and found no pixel damage.

The same glass also protects the front selfie camera, which stood up to attacks from his box cutter’s blade. While the scratches were only cosmetic for the rest of the phone, the fingerprint scanner was a notable casualty with it being unable to recognize prints after Zack added scratches to it.

The metal sides of the phone, including the power buttons, volume rocker and the mute slider (which was absent on the OnePlus 10 and OnePlus 10T) were all subjected to the box cutter treatment and aside from some scratches, the metal fared well. The same too could be said for the Hasselblad Camera and its lenses. Zack does point out however the mediocre IP64 rating of the OnePlus 11, meaning it is only resistant to light sprays of water. 

In all the OnePlus 11 definitely fared better than its predecessors and emerged damaged but in one piece. However, we would still recommend a screen protector and one of the best OnePlus 11 cases

Overall, the OnePlus 11 is one of the best flagship values out there. Be sure to check out our in-depth OnePlus 11 review

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Andy is a freelance writer with a passion for streaming and VPNs. Based in the U.K., he originally cut his teeth at Tom's Guide as a Trainee Writer before moving to cover all things tech and streaming at T3. Outside of work, his passions are movies, football (soccer) and Formula 1. He is also something of an amateur screenwriter having studied creative writing at university.