Smartphones & Tablets | May 6, 2024
The OnePlus 12 has now arrived. This new high-end mobile from the brand maintains some of the best features of its predecessors while updating other aspects such as the camera and battery in an attempt to offer one of the best Android experiences on the market.
This also refers to its price, as, besides being a device that includes absolutely everything we expect from a high-end smartphone, it does so at a price that does not exceed 1,000 euros (969 euros) for the base version. The prices of the top mobiles from other brands (excluding foldables) do surpass this barrier, such as the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max at 1,469 euros; the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra at 1,409 euros; the Xiaomi 14 Ultra at 1,499 euros; and the Honor Magic 6 Pro at 1,299 euros. The Google Pixel 8 Pro is one of the smartphones closest in price to the new OnePlus mobile, costing 1,099 euros.
The OnePlus 12 is easily one of the best and most recommendable high-end smartphones currently on the market. Its battery is one of its standout features, but perhaps the best part is that the rest of the components are equally impressive, maintaining a high standard that leaves little to criticize. We’ve tested this mobile for a few weeks, and we were pleasantly surprised by how balanced it is.
Although perhaps not a decisive factor in purchasing a mobile phone, in the high-end range, design and the experience it offers in hand are quite important. In this regard, the company has chosen to stick with what works and has opted to keep the same lines as the OnePlus 11, albeit with some changes that enhance the experience.
One of the most notable modifications has been the placement of the front camera at the center of the top of the screen, which we think not only improves aesthetics but also usability of the mobile. This way, the notification view starts at the edge, and the hole in the screen is less invasive.
There are also changes on the back, though they are subtle since it retains the circular module aligned to the left, which fits very well with the device’s aesthetics. The flash is located outside the circumference of the module, which houses its four rear cameras and the Hasselblad badge. The back feels quite smooth and comfortable, and it does not retain fingerprint stains, but it is true that it can be a bit slippery in some situations.
On its right side are all the buttons, while on the left, there is only the Alert Slider, one of the most distinctive features of the brand’s mobiles. This is a switch that allows you to easily put the phone on silent or vibration mode without even needing to turn on the screen. It’s a real plus that the brand maintains this feature. It lacks a headphone jack, so you’ll need to connect them via USB Type-C if you want to use wired headphones.
High-end mobiles are at a point where power is guaranteed with practically any processor from the same segment, even if it was from last year. However, the company has opted for one of the best we will see this year: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
This processor can handle absolutely any application or game thrown at it. The performance is exceptional, and it complements perfectly the multitasking experience offered by its 16 GB of RAM. It is one of those high-end mobiles that can boast both raw power and efficiency, making it ideal if you need a powerful device.
Its software, Oxygen OS 14 running on Android 14, is also responsible for how smoothly it operates. While it has distanced itself from the Oxygen we knew years ago, it remains a very good layer. It moves quickly and, although it offers quite a few options, it does not overwhelm the user with dozens of services and apps.
From the factory, it comes with the basic applications to operate the system, plus some additions also found on OPPO mobiles, like O Relax or Zen Space. It is worth mentioning that, as the phone has infrared, it includes an app to use it as a remote control. These can be uninstalled at any time, so they are not a nuisance but rather the opposite, as the user can delete them if they are not going to use them, although personally, I find them to be very interesting features.
The device’s panel is not left behind in terms of the processor and design, and we can tell you that we liked it a lot. It is a slightly large smartphone, with a screen size of 6.82 inches. This is OLED technology, which highlights colors and offers a great experience, partly also thanks to its 2K resolution, although this will need to be activated from the settings.
It has a slight curvature at the edges that is barely noticeable, but sometimes causes some shadows to be seen, but beyond that, the experience of watching movies and series has been very good. It has several modes so that everyone can choose how they want to see the colors, in addition to having some settings to make any video smoother and with better resolution, which can improve the experience in some cases.
Its 120 Hz refresh rate can be set to variable to save some battery life. In gaming, it performs especially well, and all types of content look sharp and clear. Brightness is one of its strengths, and it is one of those phones that is impossible not to see, even under the sun, so we are pleased in this regard.
Certainly, if special value is placed on the panel, it is one of the suitable phones in the high-end segment, with the only downside being the curvature. In all other aspects, it is highly recommendable, on par with other slightly more expensive devices.
There’s no doubt that the battery is one of the most important elements of any mobile, and in a high-end device, having great battery life is appreciated. After all, thanks to its power, excellent screen, and great camera, it’s the type of device that is enjoyable to use.
This, for many users, ends up leading to increased usage and consumption, so the better the battery life it can offer, the better. In this case, the OnePlus 12 can boast an incredibly competent battery, and it can last perfectly for two days, and even more. When using the device, its 5,400 mAh battery holds up very well, even in more demanding tasks like downloads and gaming.
It’s one of those devices with which you can forget about checking the battery level because it performs so well, and that says a lot in its favor compared to other phones in its segment. It might even be difficult to drain the device entirely in just one day, which also speaks highly of its optimization.
Its fast charging is also excellent. It features 100 W wired charging—with the charger included in the box—that can fully charge the phone in just over half an hour, a good figure considering the large battery capacity. Its 50 W wireless charging also ensures that the process isn’t excessively long.
OnePlus has continued its partnership with Hasselblad for this OnePlus 12. Its photography setup consists of three sensors. The main one is 50 Mpx, the telephoto is 64 Mpx, and the wide-angle is 48 Mpx. All of them have demonstrated very good performance.
The camera app continues its good form with available options such as cinema mode or the ability to choose the depth effect in portrait mode. At night, it does not lag behind, and as a good high-end mobile, it achieves great results despite low lighting.
In this case, it is capable of taking very good photos, both day and night, with impressive results from the main camera. The level of detail is very good, and the photographs usually reflect the color seen in reality, although there are times when it enhances the image a bit to make it more visually appealing.
Even when zooming with the telephoto camera, the photos it takes can boast of being very good, and they compete comfortably with high-end smartphones that cost more money. In addition to having great performance, some of the best in the market, in the automatic mode of its cameras, it has other options that allow getting the most out of them, like the Master mode.
Without a doubt, the OnePlus 12 is one of the most recommendable high-end Android mobiles. It is an ideal device for those who enjoy a large screen and great power, whether for work or for play, where it also performs really well.
Its 6.82-inch panel offers size and quality more than sufficient to enjoy games, movies, series, documentaries, and even just using the device under the sun, where it showcases its good brightness levels. The 2K resolution makes viewing any type of content a pleasure, and the variable refresh rate will adapt its smoothness to each situation.
It should also be mentioned that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, combined with its lightweight software, ensures very smooth operation and provides a great sense of speed, making it highly recommendable for both gaming and performing demanding tasks.
Its price, which is one of the most important factors when considering its purchase, is lower than that of most of its competitors. It costs 969 euros for the base version, and indeed, if you’re looking for a high-end phone that excels in all areas, this is a purchase you are unlikely to regret, especially since it starts at less money than some of its main competitors.
