introduction

As if it were yesterday: OnePlus One was introduced in 2014, and suddenly, 10 years have passed and we have the OnePlus 12. This anniversary edition of sorts has arrived on our testbed and now we have all the details for you.

The OnePlus 12 press materials highlight the value of this whole experience, and we’ll be quick to point out that a lot has changed in the brand’s concept and focus over the past decade. The 2014 “startup”, based on guerrilla marketing and aggressive pricing for high-end hardware, has indeed gradually become a mainstay in the flagship space. As time went on, the brand also developed a wide-ranging range further down the line. In this process, however, OnePlus lost much of its identity and transformed into another branch of its parent company: currently Oppo.

OnePlus 12 (right) next to the China-exclusive Oppo Find X7 Pro
China-exclusive Oppo Find X7 Pro (left) next to OnePlus 12

But we digress. As we move forward, we will try to refrain from such reflections on philosophical topics and devote all our attention to the OnePlus 12 itself. And it deserves it.

A true high-end package, the 12 starts with a supreme display that has it all: resolution, brightness, adaptive high refresh rate, Dolby Vision – everything. The latest high-end Snapdragon is also no surprise, and the OP benefits from being in the first wave to go on sale with it. The world may not get the top-spec 24GB/1TB Chinese version, but somehow we’ll make do with just half a terabyte.

The cameras aren’t region-specific, thankfully, and it’s a pretty compelling setup. It still lacks a one-inch screen, but there’s another high-end Sony imager that drives a competent triple setup. An ultrawide with a reasonably large sensor and autofocus sits at one end of the zoom range, while a 3x telephoto should also be able to deliver first-class 6x shots, if our previous encounter with it (Oppo Find N3/OnePlus Open ) is indicative. .

A positive development this year is the increase in battery capacity to 5,400 mAh, a move that is widespread across the Oppo/OnePlus/Realme portfolio. The OnePlus 12 comes with a 100W charger, so fast charging is also to be expected.

OnePlus 12 specs in brief:

  • Body: 163.3×75.8×9.2mm, 220g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminum frame; IP65, waterproof and dustproof.
  • Screen: 6.82″ LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120 Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 600 nits (typical), 1600 nits (HBM), 4500 nits (peak), 1440×3168 px resolution, 19.8:9 aspect ratio, 510ppi.
  • Chipsets: Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm): Octa-core (1×3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 and 5×3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 and 2×2.3 GHz Cortex-A520); Adreno750.
  • Memory: 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM, 1TB 24GB RAM; UFS4.0.
  • Operating system/software: Android 14, OxygenOS 14 (International), ColorOS 14 (China).
  • Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm, 1/1.43″, 1.12μm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 64 MP, f/2.6, 70 mm, 1/2.0″, 0.7 µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚, 1/2.0″, 0.8μm, PDAF.
  • Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.4, 21 mm (wide), 1/2.74″, 0.8 µm.
  • Video Capture: Rear camera: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, Gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, Gyro-EIS.
  • Drums: 5400mAh; 100W wired, PD, QC, 1-100% in 26 minutes (advertised), 50W wireless, 1-100% in 55 minutes (advertised), 10W reverse wireless.
  • Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 7; BT5.4, aptX HD; NFC; Infrared port.
  • Various: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers.

Some other aspects of the spec sheet that stand out include the IP65 rating – it’s not quite IP68 that has quietly become the flagship standard. On the other hand, the 12 is equipped with an infrared emitter – it is the first OnePlus to have it only with the number – perhaps it compensates for the other thing. Stereo speakers, optical fingerprint reader, alert slider – some things are just a predictable tick.

Unboxing of OnePlus 12

The OnePlus 12 arrives in the usual red cardboard box, now with a large “12” embossed on the lid and some less prominent OnePlus and Hasselblad branding here and there. Inside you’ll find a 100W adapter and a USB-A-to-C cable.

OnePlus 12 review

There is no protective case in the retail package – there wasn’t even one in the previous two generations. What the paper case on top of the phone contains, in addition to documentation, are three stickers to spread the OnePlus love to your other devices, as well as a “Red Cable Club” membership card for discounts on accessory purchases.

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Philip Owell

Professional blogger, here to bring you new and interesting content every time you visit our blog.