The Android smartphone world is a super-crowded place, and the competition is fierce. We can all agree that Samsung holds top billing in this space, but other manufacturers are not far behind. So far in 2021, there have been a few notable flagship Android phones released from some of Samsung’s biggest rivals. The OnePlus 9 Pro recently arrived in Malaysia, and before that, the Xiaomi 11 Ultra and Oppo Find X3 Pro. All three have something in common—the RM4,299 price tag. How do they fare against each other head-to-head? We take a look.
Design & Display
A “glass sandwich” design has been a common theme for modern smartphones in the last few years, and manufacturers are not deviating from it just yet. The OnePlus 9 Pro and Oppo Find X3 Pro feature a glossy glass back with its well-known pro (looks fantastic when clean) and con (fingerprint haven). Standing out is the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, which opts for a ceramic back that is less of a fingerprint magnet.
Oh, and stand out the Xiaomi flagship does! It also has the largest camera bump out of the three (and possibly of all current smartphones) which houses a second mini touchscreen display.
Related: 11 Reasons Why Should Get The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
Upfront, you are looking at large, dominating displays no less than 6.7-inches big with an upper left hole punch for all three devices. They are 20:9 screens with 2K resolutions and a 120Hz high refresh rate.
Hardware & Software
Being the top-of-the-line Android smartphones in 2021 that they are, all three are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset. Performance should be on par across the board.
In Malaysia, the OnePlus Pro 9 is offered in the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant. Similarly, you will find the same configuration on the Oppo Find X3 Pro and Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra units sold in our market.
It is a different story when it comes to software as you would have expected. All three phones run on Android 11, but each features its own manufacturer’s default operating system — the OnePlus’s OxygenOS, Oppo’s ColorOS, and Xiaomi’s MIU1.
Camera
You will find the biggest and most exciting differentiator in the camera department. Each phone boasts something special up its sleeve.
OnePlus has partnered with the leading manufacturer of digital medium format cameras and lenses, Hasselblad, to enhance the OnePlus 9 Pro’s camera performance. It is not unlike Huawei’s famous partnership with Leica as well as Nokia’s collaboration with Zeiss.
Meanwhile, the Oppo Find X3 Pro packs an incredibly fun “microlens” that allows users to magnify a subject up to 30 times optically and 60 times with hybrid magnification. More superior than a macro lens, you will be able to capture super-detailed microscopic shots that go far beyond what the human eye can see.
Last but not least, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra offers several world’s firsts as far as smartphone camera technology is concerned. Not only does it have the world’s first biggest camera sensor at 1/1.12-inch big, but the device also brings with it the world’s widest ultrawide field-of-view at 128 degrees, as well as the world’s furthest zoom at 120x times.
Battery
Smartphone battery technology at present has never been better. The best smartphones combine big-capacity batteries with super-fast charging speed to deliver a great user experience. All three phones aced this factor.
The OnePlus 9 Pro and the Oppo Find X3 Pro both carry a 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast wired charging that can fill up the tank in about 30 minutes. The OnePlus phone, however, has a faster wireless charging advantage at 50W, compared to 30W in the Oppo device. But the real winner here is the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra with its 5,000mAh battery and 67W fast charging for both wired and wireless settings.
OnePlus 9 Pro Vs Oppo Find X3 Pro Vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra: Specs Comparison
| OnePlus 9 Pro | Oppo Find X3 Pro | Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra |
| 6.7-inch AMOLED 120Hz display (3216 x 1440 resolution) | 6.7-inch AMOLED 120Hz display (3216 x 1440 resolution) | 6.81-inch AMOLED 120Hz display (3200 x 1440 resolution) |
| 12GB RAM | 12GB RAM | 12GB RAM |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G |
| 256GB internal storage (non-expandable)
UFS 3.1 |
256GB internal storage (non-expandable)
UFS 3.1 |
256GB internal storage (non-expandable) UFS 3.1 |
| 5G support | 5G support | 5G support |
| Under-display fingerprint scanner | Under-display fingerprint scanner | Under-display fingerprint scanner |
| IP68 dust and water resistant | IP68 dust and water resistant | IP68 dust and water resistant |
| OxygenOS 11 (Android 11) | ColorOS 11 (Android 11) | MIUI 12 (Android 11) |
|
48MP primary lens 50MP ultrawide lens 8MP telephoto lens 2MP monochrome lens |
50MP primary lens
50MP ultrawide lens 13MP telephoto lens 3MP microscope lens |
50MP primary lens 48MP ultrawide lens 48MP periscope telephoto lens |
| 16MP selfie camera | 32MP selfie camera | 20MP selfie camera |
| 4,500mAh battery
65W wired fast charging 50W wireless fast charging |
4,500mAh battery
65W wired fast charging 30W wireless fast charging 10W reverse wireless charging |
5,000mAh battery 67W wired fast charging 67W wireless fast charging 10W reverse wireless charging |
OnePlus 9 Pro Vs Oppo Find X3 Pro Vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra: Our Final Thoughts
With the price factor out of the picture and just a few minor differences in terms of hardware specs, it all boils down to what extra features they offer that strike your fancy. The OnePlus Pro 9 offers the best software experience with OxygenOS. The Oppo Find X3 Pro will give you a microscopic camera that can capture what was once impossible. On the other hand, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra has what we think is the most attractive package as a whole that strikes a fine balance between top specs and innovation.
Price & Availability In Malaysia For OnePlus 9 Pro, Oppo Find X3 Pro, & Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
Officially priced at RM4,299 in Malaysia, the OnePlus 9 Pro, Oppo Find X3 Pro, and Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra can be purchased on Shopee Malaysia today.
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