There is already cause for concern over Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S24 series. Following closely after with that classic flagship killer spirit is the OnePlus 12. With the most recent Snapdragon CPU, a powerful display, and a camera system that is difficult to ignore, the OnePlus 12 is a formidable competitor to the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Pixel 8 Pro. If the OnePlus 12 were priced similarly to the newest flagship smartphones, that would be one thing, but at a starting price of $800, the phone threatens the lower-end versions while offering features and capabilities that are on par with the top models.

Design and Features of the OnePlus 12

The OnePlus 12 won’t come as a huge surprise if you’ve seen the OnePlus 11. Its visual identity remains mostly unaltered, with the same beautiful design. The rear of the phone is largely plain, with the exception of the enormous camera bump, which is a spreading circle the size of a soda can that contains the phone’s three cameras. The front of the phone is dominated by a display. The phone has etched glass on the back that has a somewhat grainy texture similar to extremely fine sandpaper. This gives the back a velvety shine and shimmers, although the texture might not be to everyone’s taste.

The OnePlus 12 features curved sides that are somewhat more vulnerable to inadvertent pressing and visual distortion of material that extends into the curve than Google and Samsung, who have moved away from curved screens. The bezels appear a little uneven as a result of the impact.

OnePlus isn’t at the front of the pack in terms of durability, but it’s not far behind either. The top-tier Samsung and Apple phones now have titanium frames, while the OnePlus 12 and many of its rivals still have aluminium frames. Gorilla Glass is used on the back, while Gorilla Glass Victus 2, a durable glass that has shown to be resilient, is used on the front of the Pixel 8 Pro. Pre-applied by OnePlus, the display protector fits the screen well.

The phone’s waterproofing is likewise inadequate. It falls significantly short of the IP68 protection that many others provide, having just an IP65 classification, making it vulnerable to submersion and powerful water jets. Even though most people don’t worry about water jets in their daily lives, people have always been concerned about taking a plunge into a pool, toilet, or puddle when using a mobile phone. It’s a little disheartening when a manufacturer doesn’t shield their flagship phone from these common dangers.

OnePlus has actually increased the size and weight of their phone while keeping it physically identical in all dimensions. Though it is thicker and taller than the Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra, it aligns with other of the larger phones available on the market. The 6.82-inch screen on the OnePlus phone is probably the reason for the size increase. It’s an enormous display with some really high-end features.

OnePlus 12: Downloads

It’s encouraging to see a non-Google smartphone released so soon following the release of Android 14 operating on the OnePlus 12. Many phones do not come pre-installed with the most recent OS. However, OnePlus has only promised to provide OS upgrades for four years and security updates for five years, which would be released every two months. OnePlus’s offer is insufficient because Samsung and Google have already announced seven years of service and updates for their most recent flagships. 

Apart from that problem, this Android implementation by OnePlus is enjoyable. Although Material You’s automatically created colour palettes are absent, it seems a lot like Google’s basic Pixel design. However, the launcher is more customizable than Google’s. Additionally, OnePlus maintains the previous style of the fast settings panel, which offers more options and information quickly than Google’s overhaul a change that has irritated me for years.

OnePlus 12: Performance and Gaming

It’s quick, the OnePlus 12. OnePlus flagships have never truly struggled in that department, and this year is no exception. This phone’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 powers through regular tasks with ease. Even when Genshin Impact is used at its highest settings, the game continues to function smoothly at about 60 frames per second.

The camera of the OnePlus 12

Although OnePlus hasn’t exactly been on top of the camera game over the years, its attempts to create high-caliber camera systems have yielded some positive results. Some of that pays off with a decent set of cameras on the OnePlus 12, including two really enjoyable ones and a functional one. However, take note of this straight away: OnePlus defaults to adding watermarks to images. These can be deleted later, but doing so is time-consuming and results in the loss of their Pro XDR formatting, which really enhances photos with vibrant highlights.

The OnePlus 12 comes with the following cameras:

• OIS 48MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 0.8-micron, 
• 114-degree field of view; 50MP wide, f/1.6, 1.12-micron
• f/2.6, 0.7-micron, 3x optical, OIS 64MP telephoto, 
• 32MP self-portrait, f/2.4, 0.7-micron

Review of the OnePlus 12’s battery

The OnePlus 12 outperforms most phones, even flagships, which typically have batteries that can hold up to 5,000mAh. With its about 8% increased capacity, the phone is guaranteed to last for at least one day. We never experienced any worry regarding the battery while we were using it. And SuperVOOC charging from OnePlus is one of the main causes of it. The gadget meets the claimed promises of juicing up in 26 minutes; with the included 100W charger, it takes less than 30 minutes to juice up completely.

Recall that we said the phone will provide a flagship experience. This also applies to this, since you receive support for wireless charging. Not only that, but you also get 50W AIRVOOC charging. Many flagship smartphones don’t even support cable charging, let alone such speeds.

Verdict

The OnePlus 12 is a lacklustre new phone in many aspects. Not only does it not come with a completely new chip design, but it also doesn’t provide any significant material advancements or intriguing design changes. But that doesn’t make it any less fantastic. Because of its strong internal hardware, the phone can handle even the highest demands. Its screen is outstanding and functions as a strong viewfinder for a decent camera system, which is solid overall despite a few minor issues. Because to its Qualcomm CPU, the phone even has an advantage over the Pixel 8 Pro.

OnePlus 12 Review: Concluding Remarks

Purchasing a OnePlus smartphone is no longer a blind decision, as we said in our OnePlus 12 first impressions and it still holds true after using the device for almost ten days. There are several solutions available, depending on your interests and budget. Nevertheless, unless you are captivated by the AI capabilities of the devices, the OnePlus 12 shouldn’t be disregarded if you’re searching for an all-around flagship.