OnePlus 12 review: Competitive pricing makes it a potential flagship killer

Despite the absence of AI features, the OnePlus 12 stands as a cost-effective professional-grade smartphone poised to rival other flagship models

OnePlus commenced 2024 by introducing the OnePlus 12 series, comprising two flagship smartphones – the OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12r. The premier model, OnePlus 12, boasts significant upgrades including a novel design language, a vibrant and responsive display, a new camera system crafted in collaboration with Hasselblad, and the Android 14-based OxygenOS 14 user interface. Do these enhancements suffice for a 2024 flagship smartphone, particularly in a landscape increasingly oriented towards AI? Let us explore. 

Design

The OnePlus 12 refines the design seen in its predecessor, the OnePlus 11. Featuring a premium glass-metal construction with tapered sides for a secure grip, its new design language is prominent, particularly in the Flowy Emerald colour variant. Inspired by natural elements, this variant showcases a green back cover with a marble-like finish and a sandstone-like texture, providing a confident and fingerprint-resistant in-hand feel. Additionally, the back cover is fortified with Gorilla Glass 5 for protection against scratches and smudges. 

Also Read: OnePlus 12r, Buds 3 go on open sale with introductory offers: Price, specs

Beyond aesthetics, the phone offers comfortable ergonomics for everyday use. However, noteworthy is the shift of the alert slider from the right side to the left, requiring a period of adjustment. 

Display and Audio

The OnePlus 12 features a two-sided curved 6.82-inch 2K resolution 10-bit AMOLED display. Employing LTPO (1Hz-120Hz) technology ensures a smooth experience without compromising power efficiency. The display's enhanced brightness, reaching up to 4,500 nits, facilitates readability in outdoor settings. As a ProXDR display, it maintains contrast across brightness levels, especially evident when viewing HDR content. Supporting Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HDR 10 Vivid, the display impresses with vibrant colours, contrast, and dynamic range across various content platforms. 

The gaming-focused HyperRendering engine, powered by the Pixelworks X7 co-processor, enhances in-game visuals through frame interpolation and resolution upscaling. This feature, found within the in-game menu named "Hyperboost," improves the visual quality of games, ensuring compatibility with the display's native specifications. 

Introducing "Aqua Touch," the OnePlus 12 allows operation of the display with wet fingers without registering accidental touches. While the phone holds an IP65 certification for water splash resistance, it is not entirely waterproof. 

Complementing the visual experience is the Dolby Atmos-powered audio. The speakers deliver loud and full sound, particularly strong in mid frequencies, catering well to voice-centric content like podcasts. Though lacking a 3.5mm audio jack, the OnePlus 12 supports Hi-Res audio over wireless (Bluetooth) and spatial audio, even with accessories not inherently supporting object-based audio virtualization. The spatial audio quality, however, varies across devices. 

Imaging

Equipped with a triple-camera setup on the back and a 32MP front sensor, the OnePlus 12 marks the fourth-generation of OnePlus cameras co-created with Hasselblad. This partnership is more pronounced in this iteration, influencing modes, effects, and colour science. 

Notably, the Hasselblad collaboration brings improvements to portrait photography, introducing bokeh effects inspired by Hasselblad XCD lenses and three additional Hasselblad filters - Serenity, Radiance, and Emerald. 

Renaming the Hasselblad colour science-backed Pro mode to "Master mode," the OnePlus 12 offers a familiar layout with added options for adjusting tint, sharpness, saturation, and more. The camera system performs well across lighting conditions, ensuring consistency in colours, framing, and details. However, the front camera falls slightly short compared to the overall imaging setup. 

Video capabilities include up to 8K resolution at 24fps and 4K resolution at 60fps. While 8K is limited to the main sensor, all three back sensors support 4K at 60fps. Video recording from the front reaches up to 4K at 30fps. Stabilisation is the weak point, with "Ultra Steady" mode limited to 1080p at 60fps and not as effective as expected from optical image stabilisation. On a positive note, the OnePlus 12 supports HDR video recording in Dolby Vision at 4K 30fps. 

Performance

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, paired with up to 16GB RAM (LPDDR5x) and up to 512GB (UFS 4.0) onboard storage, the OnePlus 12 delivers flagship-grade performance without throttling even during extended usage. Gaming showcases consistent performance and power efficiency, with no heating issues affecting the overall experience. The Android 14-based OxygenOS 14 enhances the user experience with a classic OnePlus interface, free from clutter, bloatware, and ads. Although lacking AI features, a recent firmware update in the home country hints at potential integration in the future. 

Battery and Charging

The OnePlus 12 houses a dual-cell 5,400mAh combined capacity battery, providing a full day of usage with moderate settings. With a 100W fast-wired-charger included, the phone supports 80W charging, taking 50 minutes to reach 100 per cent from 10 per cent. Additionally, it supports 50W wireless charging through its proprietary charger. 

Verdict

The OnePlus 12 emerges as more than a seasonal upgrade, emphasising essential smartphone features such as premium design, a captivating display, immersive audio, versatile imaging, smooth performance, and a clutter-free user experience. Despite the absence of AI features, the OnePlus 12 stands as a cost effective professional-grade smartphone at Rs 69,999 (top-end variant: review unit) poised to rival other flagship models.