OnePlus 12 5G takes a subtle dig over Galaxy S24 Ultra flagship experience for half the price

The OnePlus 12 5G, powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, represents OnePlus’s latest push into the competitive high-end smartphone market. With numerous upgrades from its predecessor, the OnePlus 11, the OnePlus 12 offers flagship-level features at a more accessible price point compared to rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Design and Build Quality

OnePlus continues its tradition of sleek and refined design with the OnePlus 12. The phone is available in three finishes: Silky Black, Flowy Emerald, and Glacial White. The Glacial White variant features a glossy back, while the other two finishes have a matte, frosted appearance. The circular camera hump, inspired by luxury watch designs, is notably larger than the one on the OnePlus 11, making a bold statement.

Dimensions and Weight: 164.3 mm x 75.8 mm x 9.2 mm, weighing 220 g.

Build Quality: IP65-rated, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection. The phone is not fully waterproof, which is a step down from the IP68 rating seen in some competitors.

Display: 6.82-inch ProXDR LTPO AMOLED with a resolution of 3168 x 1440 pixels and a peak brightness of 4500 nits.

Despite the larger size, the weight distribution is excellent, making it comfortable to handle for extended periods.

Performance

The OnePlus 12 is equipped with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, paired with the Adreno 750 GPU, ensuring top-tier performance across all applications and games. The phone handles multitasking effortlessly, thanks to the available RAM options of 12 GB, 16 GB, or even a whopping 24 GB.

Storage Options: 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB, all utilizing UFS 4.0 technology.

RAM: LPDDR5X configurations ranging from 12 GB to 24 GB.

This setup makes the OnePlus 12 one of the most powerful devices in its price range, easily competing with more expensive flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Camera System

One of the standout features of the OnePlus 12 is its camera system, developed in collaboration with Hasselblad. The phone sports a triple-camera setup:

Main Camera: 50 MP Sony LYT-808 sensor with a 23 mm lens, known for its excellent color reproduction and sharp detail.

Telephoto Lens: 64 MP with 3x optical zoom, performing well even in low light.

Ultra-Wide Lens: Capable of macro shots and offering vibrant color reproduction.

The front camera has been upgraded to a 32 MP sensor, offering decent performance for selfies and video calls.

Camera Performance Highlights:

Daylight Photography: Natural color tones and minimal noise.

Low Light: Excellent performance, especially with the main and telephoto lenses.

Zoom: Usable up to 10x with minimal loss of detail.

Special Modes: Includes XPan mode, simulating the aspect ratio of the Hasselblad XPan camera.

The camera app is intuitive, with the Pro mode now called Hasselblad Master, offering advanced manual controls for photography enthusiasts.

Battery and Charging

The OnePlus 12 comes with a sizeable 5,400 mAh battery, providing excellent battery life even with intensive use. The phone supports 100 W wired fast charging and 50 W AirVOOC wireless charging.

Battery Life: Lasts comfortably through a full day of heavy use.

Charging Speed: Rapid wired charging can fully recharge the battery in about 30 minutes.

The inclusion of wireless charging is a notable improvement over the OnePlus 11, making the 12 a more versatile device.

Software

Running on OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14, the OnePlus 12 promises a smooth and bloat-free user experience. OnePlus ensures four years of major updates and five years of security patches, making it a future-proof investment.

User Interface: Clean, with minimal pre-installed apps.

Customization: Offers extensive options to personalize the device according to user preferences.

Connectivity

The OnePlus 12 supports the latest connectivity standards, including Wi-Fi 7 and 5G. However, the Indian variant is limited to Wi-Fi 5 out of the box, though it may support Wi-Fi 6E through future updates.

Call Quality: Excellent on the Jio True5G network, with support for VoNR and Vo5G.

SIM Support: Dual nano-SIM and eSIM (varies by region).

The phone also includes a rare IR blaster, a feature not commonly found in flagship devices.

Pricing and Variants

The OnePlus 12 offers a range of configurations to suit different budgets:

Base Model: 12 GB RAM / 256 GB storage at ₹64,999 (€949 or US$799.99).

Mid-Range: 16 GB RAM / 512 GB storage at ₹69,999 (€1,099 or US$899.99).

Top Variant: 24 GB RAM / 1 TB storage (currently not available in India).

The OnePlus 12 5G is a compelling option for those seeking near-flagship features without the flagship price tag. Its combination of high-end specs, a robust camera system, and a clean software experience make it a worthy competitor in the 2024 smartphone market. While it falls short in water resistance and lacks microSD support, it excels in areas that matter most to users, such as performance, display quality, and camera capabilities. For those looking to save on cost without compromising on features, the OnePlus 12 5G is an excellent choice.