Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
TheOnePlus 12is OnePlus ’ latest smartphone , and it ’s a true takings to form for the “ flagship killer . ” It ’s giving and beautiful , with a classifiable design that leans off from the default “ big deoxyephedrine slab ” you might be tiring of . It ’s knock-down , too , thanks to theQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 , two - day battery animation , and some of the fastest charging speeds you ’ll find on a phone on the U.S. market . It ’s easily one of the good phones you’re able to buy , with a start price of $ 800 .
But is itthebest ? It might not be , depending on what you ’re actually look for . There expanse telephone number of smartphoneswith similar grade of power , beauty , and feature article — and varying reasons why you ’d pluck them over OnePlus ’ current flagship .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Here are five phones you should bribe instead of the OnePlus 12 .
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung ’s current roll of flagship phone is always go to descend up in these conversations — and for respectable rationality . TheSamsung Galaxy S24 smartphonesare a trinity of very powerful , very capable , and very fashionable smartphones with a lot to offer and great mixture within the range . In this case , we ’re spotlight the cheapest of the three , theSamsung Galaxy S24 .
The Galaxy S24 may be the pocket-size and cheapest of the S24 range , but that does n’t mean it ’s a less phone . The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 gives it the same power as the OnePlus 12 , and it ’s not lack in dash either . The 6.2 - inch show is a tidy sum smaller than the one on the OnePlus speech sound , but that littler footprint will be good for those who want a pocket-sized phone , while the dynamical AMOLED 2X tech and 120Hz refresh rate signify it ’s smooth to use and has vibrant colors with deep blacks .
It ’s not a accomplished slam dunk for Samsung , though . While the S24 ’s battery is splendid , endure over a day , it ca n’t match the OnePlus 12 ’s two - day battery lifespan . charge is also a lot slower , with 25 watts feeling dull equate to OnePlus ’ 80W. The OnePlus 12 also has a lot more RAM at its disposition , along with a much wider array of alternative for entrepot . On spec mainsheet , OnePlus is ahead , but it ’s also fair to say the S24 is never live to finger dull or lacking in comparing .
It ’s a direct Mary Leontyne Price competition , too , starting from $ 800 for 128 GB of storage . It ’s worth considering that the same amount of money gets you a OnePlus 12 with twice the amount of storage , but there are still reason to consider Samsung ’s phone . You may prefer the package , for one . Or there ’s the massive range of excess feature article that come with the S24.Galaxy AIis the new special feature on the occlusion this yr , but there ’s also the desktop - emulating DeX Mode and all the stuff Samsung has tuck over the years . There ’s also the issue of support . OnePlus is no slouch , propose four years of operating system updates from departure , but Samsung has recently knocked it out of the green by offeringseven . If you want value for money , it ’s hard to contend with a earpiece that can conceivably last seven years before being made obsolete .
Both of these are splendid earphone , and there are many reason to buy one and not the other . But in brusk , the Samsung Galaxy S24 will appeal to those who want a very well - flesh out smartphone with strong specification and features throughout . While the OnePlus 12 undeniably has the warm eyeglasses , the Galaxy S24 is the well - balanced package as a whole .
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Samsung is far from the only challenger for OnePlus , as Google has made some serious advances with its Pixel sound . TheGoogle Pixel 8 Prois a more expensive pick , with the base version start up from $ 999 . But there are a number of reasons you might want to pick a Google phone over the OnePlus 12 , even with this price difference .
Top of the list is the clean software . Google creates Android , and as a result , the version you get on a Pixel is as close to “ gunstock ” as you ’re likely to get . There are a few additional Pixel - exclusive feature , but largely , it ’s as Google intended . That make it fast and smooth , and it gets updates as soon as Google campaign them out . It will also get seven years of upgrades , bind Samsung for the most you ’ll get on Android .
derive i a closemouthed second among the reasons to prefer the Pixel is the television camera . plainly put , it ’s phenomenal and one of the good you ’ll find on any smartphone . While the OnePlus 12 ’s camera is solid , it ca n’t compete with the Pixel 8 Pro ’s . A large part of Google ’s supremacy is because of the unattackable software , as Google has recently loaded up a clump of AI smart that help your redaction and framing . Those AI smarts elongate elsewhere into the telephone , with Google Assistant embedded profoundly into the telephone . Iit ’s also being bring together by theGoogle Geminichatbot .
With all that , you might remember there ’s no reason to bribe the OnePlus 12 , but you ’d be faulty . The OnePlus 12 is $ 200 less than the Pixel 8 Pro , which is a strong attractor by itself — but the real advantage OnePlus has is in its battery technical school . Not only does it charge a mint faster than the Pixel , but the OnePlus 12 veil it with a much longer - go battery . Add the additional RAM and repositing options , and there are many reason to still buy the OnePlus 12 . But if camera performance is a must , and you ’re not worried about the fair battery life , then the Google Pixel 8 Pro is a strong alternative .
Motorola Edge Plus (2023)
Motorola might not be a sleeping giant , but it ’s certainly snooze at the moment , with its glory Clarence Day unwaveringly behind it . We thought so , too , until theMotorola Edge Plus ( 2023)surfaced . Priced at $ 800 , the same as the OnePlus 12 , the Edge Plus is one of the few similarly price headphone to proffer an adequate to the OnePlus 12 in term of battery life and charging upper — even if it ca n’t quite equate the business leader the OnePlus telephone offering .
But before we get to that , it ’s deserving pointing out how gorgeous this phone is . The frosted back feels velvety and slick , and the speech sound itself is much lightsome than others in the flagship class . The literal secret sauce here is detect in the screen . It ’s a 6.7 - inch AMOLED panel , and it curves into the phone ’s body on all four sides , giving it a completely bezel - spare burden . It also top out at 165Hz , making it even faster than the OnePlus 12 ’s 120Hz display . It feels dandy , and has a unique design all its own , without becoming over the top .
The Motorola Edge Plus might not be open of recharge as fast as the OnePlus 12 , but it ’s pretty darn close . It tops out at a 68W charging rate , which is so close to 80W that the difference is negligible . The battery lives are also cervix and neck , with both lasting around two days on a undivided boot , giving them serious staying power .
There are areas where Motorola fall back , though . The Edge Plus ’ Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is brawny , but it ’s not as strong as the OnePlus 12 ’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 . The update promises also aren’tquiteas good as those of OnePlus , amounting to three twelvemonth of operating system upgrades after release . It also does n’t have as many variant options if you ’re wait to maximize computer storage . It ’s arduous to debate the only 512 GB option is a spoiled option , though .
But one of the big advantage of picking the Motorola Edge Plus hits your pocket like a shot . Since Motorola is something of a ecological niche option these 24-hour interval , it ’s common for this sound to get grown rebate during sale . Even outdoors of sales full point , you may expect to see it for $ 700 , or even less , pack additional value on top of an already tempting package .
OnePlus 12R
Interestingly , one of the best choice to the OnePlus 12 comes from its own stable . TheOnePlus 12Ris efficaciously a slimly tone - down rendering of the OnePlus flagship , making it the flagship grampus for OnePlus ’ very own flagship .
It ’s not hard to see what makes the OnePlus 12R a groovy alternate choice for its more expensive sibling . It ’s price at just $ 500 , but has only small downgrade that make the $ 300 damage difference seem like an tremendous deal . Take the specs , for instance . The 12R uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 — 2023 ’s flagship check that is still very brawny , even if it is n’t as strong as the 8 Gen 3 . It has 8 Great Britain or 16 GB of random memory , couch it on an even footing with most 2024 flagship phones , and the choice of 128 GB or 256 GB of computer storage is n’t bad either . All of these specs are slightly grim than those offered by the OnePlus 12 . But for just $ 500 , it ’s hard to regain a better bargain .
Other areas are hit slightly severely by the price drop . The ultrawide and macro camera lens are n’t very ripe , and while it retain the 80W wire charge we love , there ’s no wireless charge up at all .
But the OnePlus 12R is really just a boiled - down version of the OnePlus 12 . It offers the stark naked version of everything great about the flagship , with everything else tramp off . In a weird way , it should n’t work out . After all , if you love the OnePlus 12 ’s extremely strong specs , then a pare - down translation of the same should n’t be desirable . But when it ’s offered at a $ 300 discount rate , it ’s very hard to predominate out the OnePlus 12R.
OnePlus Open
We ’ll throw a curveball at you for this final selection . Since you ’re consider the OnePlus 12 , it ’s safe to bear you ’re a fan of how OnePlus creates telephone set and software package — so why not plunk the caller ’s most technologically impressive phone rather ? TheOnePlus Openis OnePlus ’s first folding smartphone , and despite being a first attempt , it ’s very secure .
The reason to bribe the OnePlus Open is obvious : It ’s because the idea of a turn up phone is a tempting one . The outer video display is a 6.31 - in Super AMOLED , and it stretch into a monolithic 7.82 - inch inner screen . The outer screen is wider than a number of other folding phones , and that make it a lot more functional . It also have in mind the inner show is confining to being a second power , which intend it ’s easier to handle . The flexible joint is n’t as stiff as those on other foldables , and while that means open up it is easier , it also means it wo n’t sit exposed half - fold .
Do the rest of the specification really matter ? After all , you ’re buying this because a OnePlus foldable appeals to you . But in pillowcase they do , it ’s fair to say they do n’t view as up to the OnePlus 12 ’s stellar exercise . We ’re again reckon at the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 here , and while the 67W fast charging is speedy , the OnePlus 12 ’s 80W is evidently fast . The specs are stuffy enough that the experience will be like , so do n’t rent the lower specs put you off if the mind of a folding phone has captured your heart .
Here ’s where things get sly . The OnePlus 12 is notable because it offersverystrong specs for its $ 800 price , and the OnePlus Open does n’t meet that . Sure , it offer more tup and storage than other foldables , but it still starts from $ 1,700 , meaning you could bribe two OnePlus 12s and have $ 100 left over to strain and build some sort of flexible joint between the two . The OnePlus Open is for people who do n’t mind spending a lot of money on a smartphone , and curiously , that ’s antagonistic to the ethos that in the beginning made OnePlus famous . But we ’d be lying if we said it was n’t a corking smartphone and an excellent OnePlus 12 option .
