If you're looking for something to add to your list of "things you didn't think you needed," we've got something for you: it turns out that Oppo and sister company OnePlus are bringing a rather unique gadget to MWC 2023

This is, of course, the same OnePlus that developed the liquid-cooled OnePlus 11 Concept This suggests that someone behind the scenes is a big fan of this technology Probably someone important

According to a fact sheet on display at Oppo's booth, the liquid cooler is a semiconductor-based water cooling system that can lower the temperature of the phone by 20 degrees Celsius (about 68 degrees Fahrenheit) It doesn't take a genius to figure out how this works, since the cooling system looks like a very large power supply connected to some sort of wireless charging cradle Of course, the Oppo and OnePlus variants are slightly different for some reason

The Oppo variant connects magnetically to your phone and the connector looks like a black puck attached to a long red cable This liquid-cooled model also functions as a wireless charger, offering speeds of up to 10W The fact sheet also states that it can be used with almost any flat service, not just cell phones

The OnePlus Liquid Cooler has a small clip on the end of the cable, similar to the one on a car phone mount or some sort of stand It does not charge the device wirelessly as far as we know, and it was not clear if it would work on other devices; it would not be surprising if the lack of wireless charging support on the OnePlus 11 itself played some role, but why there is such a difference is unclear

I was able to try out the OnePlus variant, and the cooler started working almost as soon as we clipped the mount around a nearby phone The temperature difference was immediate, and the phone felt noticeably cooler after being attached to the cooler for a few seconds

Apparently, liquid coolers will eventually be available However, there is no information on pricing, availability, or when it will hit store shelves However, the idea of a hardcore portable cooler is an interesting idea, even if its size makes it seem a bit extreme I am a little skeptical, but certainly intrigued