OnePlus 12 vs 12R: Which One Truly Offers Better Value

Specifications

Review

The smartphone world thrives on comparisons, and OnePlus’s dual-flagship strategy for 2024 has made it more interesting than ever. On one hand, there’s the powerful and premium OnePlus 12, and on the other, the budget-conscious yet surprisingly capable OnePlus 12R. If you’re stuck between the two, you’re not alone. Many users find themselves torn. Is it worth spending more for the full flagship experience, or is the 12R good enough for daily use?

Let’s break it down and help you decide in this detailed comparison: OnePlus 12 vs 12R.

Design and Build: Premium on Both Ends

OnePlus has made sure that both devices feel premium in the hand, despite their price difference. The OnePlus 12R might lack the periscope camera of its elder sibling, but it benefits from that absence with a larger 5,500mAh battery and a slimmer, lighter body.

While the OnePlus 12 weighs around 220g, the 12R tips the scale closer to 207g  and it’s noticeably more comfortable for one-handed use. Both models feature metal frames, curved glass backs, and front protection with Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The build quality is outstanding on both  gone are the plastic back days like we saw on the 10R.

Minor differences do exist. The 12 carries an IP65 rating, while the 12R settles for IP64. However, in day-to-day use, this difference is almost negligible unless you’re regularly taking your phone into a rainstorm.

Display: Nearly Identical on Paper

From a display perspective, the OnePlus 12 vs 12R debate becomes more nuanced. Both phones boast an LTPO AMOLED panel with 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision support, and 1 billion colors. Peak brightness of 4,500 nits (in 1% APL scenarios) is quoted for both, though real-world usage tells a slightly different story.

The OnePlus 12 edges ahead with slightly better tuning and higher resolution. Typical brightness also feels a bit higher on the 12, making it more suitable for outdoor use. That said, the 12R offers an almost identical visual experience for most content  including streaming on platforms like Netflix, now with Dolby Vision enabled.

For regular users, the differences in brightness or contrast won’t be a dealbreaker. The 12R holds its own impressively well.

Audio and Haptics: Subtle Differences

Audio quality is slightly better on the OnePlus 12, with deeper and richer output from the stereo speakers. Haptics feel tighter and more refined too. However, the 12R still delivers excellent sound and vibration feedback, and the difference is something only power users might notice.

Both phones support high-res audio codecs over Bluetooth, including LDAC and LHDC, and offer 24-bit/192kHz output through a compatible USB-C DAC.

Performance: Snapdragon Showdown

Here’s where it gets interesting. The OnePlus 12R is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, while the OnePlus 12 uses the newer 8 Gen 3 chip. On paper, that’s a solid generational jump, but in real-world use, the gap is surprisingly narrow.

In fact, the 12R manages to outperform the OnePlus 11 and even the OnePlus Open in benchmark scores using the Gen 2 chip. It’s also thermally efficient, with minimal throttling in stress tests and excellent sustained performance in gaming.

You can expect smooth gameplay at 60 or even 90 FPS on most titles like BGMI or Genshin Impact. OnePlus seems to prioritize stability and thermal efficiency over raw performance peaks, and the result is smooth and responsive performance across both devices.

Unless you’re running ray-tracing benchmarks or AI-heavy workflows, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the 12R is more than enough.

Battery and Charging: Stamina King

The OnePlus 12R features a larger battery than the OnePlus 12  5,500mAh vs 5,400mAh  and thanks to its power-efficient tuning, it pulls ahead in real-world endurance.

Heavy gaming aside, you can expect up to 9 hours of screen-on time with the 12R, while the 12 averages around 8 hours. Both phones support 100W fast charging and come with a charger in the box (though OnePlus should consider including a USB PD-compatible GAN charger in future releases).

The one area where the 12 wins is wireless charging, which the 12R skips entirely. If that’s a must-have, then your choice is clear.

Camera: Pro Setup vs Practical Results

The biggest hardware difference in the OnePlus 12 vs 12R battle lies in the camera department.

The OnePlus 12 features a triple-lens setup with a 50MP Sony LYT-808 main sensor, 48MP ultra-wide, and 64MP 3x periscope zoom, enhanced with Hasselblad color tuning. The 12R has a simpler setup: 50MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro.

While the 12 clearly wins in versatility and overall image quality, the 12R performs surprisingly well, especially in low light. It even beats the 12 in some night mode comparisons thanks to longer shutter exposure and aggressive software optimization.

Selfies and video are another story  the OnePlus 12’s 32MP front camera captures sharper photos and shoots 4K, while the 12R’s selfie cam is limited to 1080p.

Overall, if photography is your top priority, the OnePlus 12 is the better choice. But for casual users, the 12R is more than capable.

Software and Updates: Clean Experience

Both phones run OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14  a clean, responsive UI with minimal bloat and plenty of useful features. However, the OnePlus 12 gets 4 years of major OS updates, while the 12R is promised only 3 years.

That extra year of software support may matter to users planning to keep their phone for a long time. Otherwise, the experience is virtually identical.

Verdict: OnePlus 12 vs 12R  Which Should You Choose?

Let’s be honest  90% of what the OnePlus 12 does, the OnePlus 12R can do too. Unless you specifically need wireless charging, advanced zoom photography, or slightly better display and audio tuning, the 12R offers exceptional value.

At a significantly lower price point, the OnePlus 12R delivers premium build, flagship-grade performance, long battery life, and a solid camera for most situations. For many buyers, it’s the sensible and practical choice in 2024.

But if you’re someone who wants every last feature, and you’re willing to pay a premium for better camera hardware, longer software support, and wireless charging, the OnePlus 12 remains a worthy flagship.

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