Hands-on: Only 1,000 of these limited-edition Genshin Impact OnePlus 11s are available

Update: Now available to purchase directly from OnePlus. Act fast before all 1,000 units are sold out!

OnePlus today unveils a new limited edition version of its latest OnePlus 11 5G smartphone. In partnership with Genshin Impact, the two companies are joining forces to offer fans of the hit online adventure game a collector’s edition of the brand’s latest flagship phone. Inspired by the lovable chef Xiangling, the new OnePlus 11 Genshin Impact smartphone will arrive later this week in a limited release of 1,000 units.

Practice with the OnePlus 11 Genshin Impact smartphone

Aside from the fact that both companies are only from China, OnePlus and miHoYo collaborating makes a lot of sense. The OnePlus 11 5G is one of the best gaming smartphones in the market, and Genshin Impact is one of the best ways to put all your specialized gaming hardware and firmware to the test. And now they’re coming along with a limited edition collector’s item.

Channeling some vibes from Xiangling, a character from Genshin Impact who plays with a fire-based toolkit, the packaging is inspired by a bento box from the Liyue region in the game. And she’s really the whole star of the show here. By lifting the inner box from its little cradle which comes down to include a metal handle, you can open both sides to reveal some character art and two drawers which then contain goodies themselves.

The top section slides out to reveal a themed book filled with a few accessories, as well as information about the entire collaboration. The second drawer instead contains the smartphone itself, which comes in an eye-catching red box to match the rest of the collector’s edition.

What is included in the limited edition version

As for what you actually get with the new Genshin Impact edition, it all starts with the OnePlus 11 5G. In this case, it’s the elevated model with 256GB of SSD storage and 16GB of onboard storage.

Despite being packed in such gorgeous packaging, the Genshin Impact theme starts and ends with the box and bundled accessories.

The handset is a stock OnePlus 11, but that’s all it really needs. We were initially impressed with the laptop when we first reviewed it last fall. We noticed then that settling doesn’t have to be a bad thing, and now after all these months the company is making sure settling is the last thing you’ll do thanks to the eye-catching packaging surrounding the phone.

I’m also a huge fan of the device, being pretty much my first Android phone ever. At least the first in years. I especially like the taller aspect ratio of the handset, as well as the textured design on the back and how nice the punch-hole camera screen looks. The latter element was a perfect companion to immerse yourself in Genshin Impact, so almost every single millimeter of the display can go to show the beautiful landscapes of Teyvat.

The OnePlus 11 5G also boasts some gaming optimizations that help with the Genshin Impact experience, including its HyperBoost game engine that helps deliver a lag-free experience. Add in a 120Hz display and you’re looking at one of the best mobile gaming devices out there.

Then there are all the goodies! There’s more to the theme than just Xiangling-inspired packaging, as the lovable character also makes its way to some extra inclusions that Genshin fans are sure to appreciate. I’m personally in love with the included trading cards, which feature the chef alongside his partner Guoba. The two pyro characters appear in three different designs that are printed on eco-friendly metallic paper, offering something more than your average version of TCG.

Another themed accessory comes as a sim ejector modeled after Guoba bear. It’s a fun little inclusion that you’ll probably only use once or twice to get your phone going, but it still delivers the full Genshin Impact experience. Especially with the collectible version leaning towards the unboxing side of things, having one of the game’s characters help you set up your new phone sure beats using a standard old sim tool.

Last but not least, there are some Xiangling stickers as well. Inside the booklet is a page that allows you to peel off some decals for the character.

Get the exclusive Collector’s Box starting July 21st

As nice as it would be to see OnePlus launch a Genshin Impact smartphone as a core part of its lineup, the collaboration with miHoYo will be a limited-edition affair. Coming later in the week, the new Xiangling version of OnePlus 11 5G will hit store shelves on July 21st. Coming Friday at 10am EST, there will be 1,000 units here in North America available for purchase at OnePlus.com and Best Buy.

All the gadgets in Genshin Impact won’t even make you any extra cash. The new Xiangling OnePlus 11 5G will be sold for $799.99the same cost as the typical 256GB/16GB configuration.

The opinion of 9to5Google

I’ve been absolutely freaking crazy about this release for a few weeks now. I may not be the biggest Genshin Impact fan in the world, but I am definitely a fan of the game. I’ve loved Xiangling especially since I first unlocked her. There’s something about pyro builds in the game that are just so much fun to play, and this collector’s edition really has captured so much of that same energy. Which leads me to be a big fan of Genshin Impact OnePlus 11 5G.

The overall theme of the box is truly something to hold your own, with an approach that includes every last bell and whistle imaginable to get your phone going. The collectibles are certainly a nice touch, but ultimately, they’re secondary to the packaging itself.

Box and goodies aside, I’m still divided on the execution of the actual smartphone. On the one hand, I appreciate that the phone will not be decorated with a Xiangling-themed design for its entire lifespan. So if you eventually outgrow your love of the game, you are left with some themes. But let’s be honest, no past or present Genshin Impact fan could get tired of Xiangling, right? Better safe than sorry in the eyes of OnePlus, though.

But on the other hand, I would have liked to see what OnePlus could offer if it decided to go all-in. A bundled Genshin Impact themed smartphone case would have been amazing, or at the very least a clear case that you could customize with stickers.

Almost everyone I know who is interested in this sort of thing has a clear case in one form or another with anime stickers, Pokmon cards, or some type of image pressed between the phone and the cover. It really would have shown how connected OnePlus was with the Genshin Impact community to add something more like this, but this goes a bit beyond just the unboxing experience.

Though, at the very least, we could have gotten some themes on the software portion of the experience. I immediately jumped in and changed the wallpaper to create some Xiangling action, but out of the box it’s just stock Android.

In the end, you are buying this edition of the smartphone for the packaging only. It’s like any other OnePlus 11 5G, only with one of the most innovative unboxing experiences I’ve ever seen. And for that alone, I have to say I’m sold. If a premium price tag had been attached to take home the package, I would have liked to see a bit more included by way of accessories; it’s not like this costs more than the MSRP of a standard company phone.

So, if you’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to upgrade your smartphone and you’re a fan of Genshin Impact, there’s never been a better time.