The OnePlus 12R is a limited phone . It does n’t have the latest CPU or the best tv camera system I ’ve ever seen , and it ’s miss some features like wireless charging . The design is also a pretty standard affair . But it ’s still especial .
Why ? For all intents and purposes , the OnePlus 12R has the makings of an expensive flagship Android phone from 2023 — and you may purchase it fresh for just $ 500 . It ’s one of the best smartphone economic value I ’ve seen in twelvemonth , and even after a twosome of weeks of using the OnePlus 12R , I still ca n’t believe how good it is .
About our OnePlus 12R review
Joe Maring write the OnePlus 12R critique after a couple of calendar week of testing , and the review was originally published on February 5 , 2024 . Christine Romero - Chan has also used the OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition and has updated this reappraisal with her thoughts in the “ 2d legal opinion ” section .
OnePlus 12R: design
If you ever used or saw theOnePlus 11 , you ’ll be right at home with the OnePlus 12R ’s conception . It has the same curved display , flat aluminium systema skeletale on the top and bottom , and circular television camera housing on the back . It ’s a conversant and comfortable design , and one I really like .
There are some pernicious differences between the OnePlus 12R and the OnePlus 11 . The 12R is slightly compact and a duo of grams heavier . The brisk slider is also now on the left side of the earpiece , while the volume button are higher up on the right side . It ’s a middling little modification and one I got used to very quickly .
There are some other nice designing touch on the 12R that we did n’t get last twelvemonth . The tv camera circle on the back now has a notched design along the edge , along with a subtle figure underneath the drinking glass . There ’s also an official IP64 dust- and water - opposition military rating , and OnePlus even included an IR sensing element for verify idiot box , projector , cable boxes , etc . It ’s something we rarely see in smartphones these days , and I ’m glad it ’s here .
The OnePlus 12R comes in two colors , include the Iron Gray color seen throughout this review , plus a really striking Cool dingy variate . While Cool Blue search great in photos , I really like the lusterlessness finish of the Iron Gray on my limited review unit . It ’s a little slippery , but fingerprints and smear are nonexistent on it .
OnePlus is n’t breaking any new land with the OnePlus 12R ’s excogitation , but I consider that ’s utterly fine . This is a well - crafted and well - designed smartphone , even if it looks a bit intimate . It ’s comfortable to have , feels hardy , and has a few redundant kickshaw in the alert slider and IR detector . Especially when you look at the damage , OnePlus kill it here .
OnePlus 12R: screen and performance
Speaking of killing it , let ’s talk about the 12R ’s concealment . The phone has a 6.78 - column inch AMOLED jury with a 2780 x 1264 resolution — giving you 450 pixels per column inch . The variable refresh pace scale up to 120Hz and down to 1Hz , it has a ridiculous peak brightness level of 4,500 nits , Dolby Vision and HDR10 + are supported , and the whole thing is hide with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 .
This is a screen I ’d expect on a $ 1,000 telephone — not one that cost half the monetary value .
Those are a lot of impressive numbers , and in practice , the OnePlus 12R ’s screen is a thing of beauty . colour are bright and vivid , everything is razor sharp , and the refresh rate nominate scrolling and other invigoration buttery smooth . This is a blind I ’d gestate on a $ 1,000 earpiece — not one that be half the monetary value .
Joe Maring / Digital Trends
If I have to quetch about something , it ’d be the curving bound of the screen . They ’re very remindful of the trend edges on theMotorola Edge Plus ( 2023 ) , and just like on that phone , they can occasionally have unwanted actions on the touchscreen . There have only been a smattering of instances where this happened , though , so it ’s far from a bargain breaker .
likewise , performance on the OnePlus 12R is top - notch . It ’s powered by Qualcomm ’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 silicon chip — the same one institute inside last year ’s biggest flagship phones , from theSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultrato the OnePlus 11 . No , it ’s not the latestSnapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip , but that ’s a complete nonissue .
Everything on the OnePlus 12R is fast . Apps spread instantly , there ’s zero stutter when pilot the phone , and multitasking is handle with ease . I should note that I ’m using the OnePlus 12R with 16 GB of RAM , but the base example with 8 GB of RAM should also be able to hold its own just fine .
Joe Maring / Digital Trends
I ’ve also been impressed with the gambling experience on the OnePlus 12R. Not only doesCall of Duty : Mobileplay smoothly at 120 frames per second ( Federal Protective Service ) at Medium graphics , but it does so without ever feel ardent . This is thanks to amuchlarger vapor sleeping room conception inside the 12R. It ’s not the flashiest affair to talk about , but in my testing , it turn ridiculously well .
OnePlus 12R: cameras
OK — countenance ’s talk cameras . The OnePlus 12R ’s chief photographic camera is a 50 - megapixel Sony IMX890 detector with optical image stabilisation and an f/1.8 aperture . It ’s joined by an 8MP ultrawide television camera with a 112 - degree playing area of view , plus a 2MP macro television camera . On the front is a 16MP selfie tv camera . Unlike some other OnePlus phones , there isnoimage processing or tuning done in partnership with Hasselblad .
So , how do the photos look ? In the proper consideration , the 50MP main camera can do a really good caper of capturing a pile of detail with pleasing colors . There are some exposure I ’ve been thoroughly impressed with .
On the impudent side , I ’ve also taken a few lemon during my testing . When trying to take pictures of fidgety cats , the OnePlus 12R from time to time gave me hazy images . I ’ve also had some shots where the colors do n’t always bet 100 % right — whether it ’s my computerized axial tomography ’s white pelt being overexposed or my wiener looking more concentrated than he should . It ’s surely not a double-dyed camera , but it also could have been alotworse .
OnePlus 12RJoe Maring / Digital Trends
What about the other cameras ? The ultrawide tv camera is ready to hand to have for situations where you demand a wide shot , but the low-pitched 8MP declaration is promptly ostensible if you zoom in closely at all .
The macro camera is hidden away in the in theMoretab of the television camera app , and your dear to keep it hidden . It ’s very spoiled . Surprisingly , the 16MP selfie camera is in reality quite good !
This is n’t an amazing camera system , but considering everything else the OnePlus 12R bring to the table , I think it ’s perfectly enough . The secondary camera sensor are particularly disappointing ( and could have been trench in favour of something like wireless charging ) , but for a $ 500 Android phone with a peck of other high - end spec , it ’s a passably decent setup .
OnePlus 12 macro cameraJoe Maring / Digital Trends
OnePlus 12R: battery life and charging
Battery life sentence was a prominent highlight of the OnePlus 11 last year , and the OnePlus 12R check that course continues . Inside the 12R is a 5,500mAh battery — the largest battery OnePlus has ever put in one of its smartphones . Combined with the excellent efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 , that translates to fantastic barrage fire life .
Even with moderate to heavy use , the OnePlus 12R easily gets through a full day with plenty of battery to part with . I depart one Clarence Shepard Day Jr. at 9:30 a.m. with 100 % battery and racked up four - and - a - one-half time of day of cover fourth dimension . After using the 12R for well out YouTube TV , playingCall of Duty , and lots of Twitter and Telegram use , I still had 43 % battery at 11:25 p.m. that evening .
The OnePlus 12R has fantastical battery life .
OnePlus 12 macro cameraJoe Maring / Digital Trends
On a day with lighter use , starting the day at 9:35 a.m. and accumulating two - and - a - half hours of screen prison term , I still had 61 % battery rest at 11:55 p.m. That ’s striking performance .
When the OnePlus 12R does eventually run dry ( which will take a while ) , you wo n’t be hold back around long for the battery to get back up to 100 % . That ’s because the OnePlus 12R has 80 - watt wired charging speeds in the U.S. ( 100W in other market place ) , and it’slightningquick . punch the telephone set in with 3 % battery remaining , and you ’re back up to 40 % after just 10 minutes . After 20 minutes of institutionalize , you ’re all the way up to 70 % — and you have a full barrage fire after a little more than 30 minutes on the charger . You need to use OnePlus ’ own charging brick to get these speeds , but gratefully , it ’s included in the box .
The only downside here is that the OnePlus 12R does nothave wireless charging . It ’s annoying , specially as someone who loves wireless charging , but I get it . OnePlus had to hack costs somewhere , and wireless charging is an well-off matter to put on the chopping block .
OnePlus 12 macro cameraJoe Maring / Digital Trends
OnePlus 12R: software
Software - wise to , the OnePlus 12R runsAndroid 14with OnePlus ’ custom OxygenOS 14 port layer on top of it . While technically an rise over the Android 13 and OxygenOS 13 that shipped on the OnePlus 11 , it looks virtually identical . If you ’ve used a OnePlus headphone in the last year and a one-half , you ’ll be correct at home on the OnePlus 12R.
While the last twain of yearshaven’t been nifty for OxygenOS , OxygenOS 14 has been a astonishingly good experience on my OnePlus 12R. It ’s tight , responsive , and feels a lot more milled than old iterations . There were some uncanny scrolling and navigation bugs I ’d on a regular basis get on the OnePlus 11 , but I have n’t encountered them once on the OnePlus 12R.
OxygenOS still has a mess of added software program features I ’ll never apply , but there are others I really appreciate . The theming / customization tools are great , split - screen multitasking is easy to use , and I ’ve feel example where running apps in a small pop - up window can be genuinely helpful . I could do without OnePlus ’ obvious Memoji ripoff , and the always - on display that order you to decoct your C emissions by walking 10,000 stair each twenty-four hours is just so odd . gratefully , the weird spot are light to ignore if you do n’t want them .
OnePlus 12 selfie cameraJoe Maring / Digital Trends
As OnePlus continues to ameliorate OxygenOS over the year , the OnePlus 12R will keep getting in force , too . That ’s because OnePlus promise that the 12R will receive three old age of Android OS rise and four years of security measures plot . While not on the same level as theseven age of updates you get on late Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy telephone , it ’s also not the uncollectible we ’ve ever seen .
OnePlus 12R: a second opinion
OnePlus has been around for many years now , and it ’s definitely making a name for itself . While I ’ve only had a few of OnePlus ’ products so far , the OnePlus 12R is definitely at the top of the list of one of the best time value earphone I ’ve pick up in some time .
TheOnePlus 12R looks and palpate like the higher - end OnePlus 12 , which I reviewed . But I wanted to takemy OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Editionfor a tailspin , particularly with the cameras , and it ’s been a mostly pleasurable experience .
For a $ 500 earpiece , the OnePlus 12R is excellent . I ’ve become a fan of OnePlus ’ unparalleled telephone set design , and the OnePlus 12R , particularly the Genshin Impact Edition , continues that vogue . Even though this is a mid - range phone , it feel incredibly premium , and the purpose stands out among the bunch — the Genshin Impact Edition , in peculiar , is a great conversation starter motor .
One of my favorite things about the OnePlus 12 was the video display , and you could get the same high - resolution calibre display with the OnePlus 12R. It ’s slightly diminished but still makes everything look good with bright and bright colors , as well as acute , easy - to - read text . It even has the same dynamic 1 - 120Hz refresh rate for topnotch - smooth scrolling and retina - burning 4,500 nit of peak luminousness , which is implausibly useful in undimmed sunlight .
Despite the fact that the OnePlus 12R is using 2023 ’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 crisp , the phone manage everything cleanly . I ’m able to multitask and switch between multiple apps with ease , and it has no progeny with checking societal medium , email and messages , streaming video recording , taking a draw of photos , and more . I ’ve had issues with performance on other midrange or budget - friendly phones , but I ’m pleased to say that the OnePlus 12R definitely performs like a flagship phone .
The battery life is also unbelievable . With the 5,500mAh battery , this is easily a two - twenty-four hours speech sound . I ’ve also been incredibly glad with the 80W pumped up charging , which blows even most flagship phones out of the water . The only drawback is the fact that there is no wireless institutionalize with the OnePlus 12R , but hey , when you may burden it from empty to full in 30 minutes , you do n’t really need wireless charging .
My only issue with the OnePlus 12R is the camera tone . While it ’s decent enough , it lacks the Hasselblad gloss calibration that you get in the OnePlus 12 . As a result , I found thephotos I took to look a moment dense and wash out at times .
The ultrawide camera is also lacking when compared with its high - goal sibling , and the digital rapid growth sucking since there ’s no telephotograph lens . I also base that it ’s particularly fickle if there is the slightest mo of motility , which would always end up with something smutch .
If you worry about tv camera timber at all , you may desire to consider pick up the OnePlus 12 instead of the OnePlus 12R. Otherwise , the 12R is fantastic .
OnePlus 12R: price and availability
The OnePlus 12R is available for purchase now . The lowly model with 8 GB random access memory and 128 GB of entrepot is available for $ 500 , while the 16 GB RAM/256 GB entrepot theoretical account costs $ 600 . you may buy it from Amazon , Best Buy , and flat from the OnePlus website .
While Amazon and Best Buy availability is great to see , the best way to buy the OnePlus 12R is through the OnePlus web site . For the intact life cycle of the 12R , you’re able to trade inanyphone inanycondition to OnePlus and get a minimal $ 100 discount . That effectively makes the OnePlus 12R a $ 400 smartphone . And remember : This is n’t a limited - metre whirl . So long as OnePlus is selling the 12R on its website , you ’ll be able-bodied to take vantage of this deal - in promo .
OnePlus 12R: verdict
The OnePlus 12R feel like a smartphone that should n’t exist . It feels too expert to be true , a phone that bargain hunters can only dream about . But it is very real , and it ’s really damn good .
What are your other options beyond the OnePlus 12R ? The flagshipOnePlus 12is also available , and it ’ll give you a novel Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor , good camera , and wireless charging . TheGoogle Pixel 8has a far superior tv camera system , cool AI features , and seven age of software updates . But those phones cost $ 300 and $ 200 more than the OnePlus 12R , respectively , which is a significant difference .
The OnePlus 12R is a almost - perfect $ 500 smartphone .
TheGoogle Pixel 7ashares the OnePlus 12R ’s $ 500 price rag . It ’s more thick and has wireless charging , but it also has a bad covert , a much less adequate to CPU , mediocre battery life story , and much slow charge speed .
To be clear , there are some objective downsides to the OnePlus 12R compared to more expensive phones . The IP64 rating is courteous , but it ’s not as resilient as the IP68 rating bump on most flagship smartphones . The curving display is n’t a deal - breaker , but I would have much favor a flat one — just like what theGalaxy S24offers . The ultrawide and macro cameras are disappointing , and unlike some other phones from Samsung and Google , you wo n’t find any fancy AI features on the OnePlus 12R.
you’re able to spend more money and get more capable and feature - rich smartphones , but when the OnePlus 12R is this beneficial and this crummy , you really do n’t need to anymore .
