OnePlus 12 evaluate: Merely nice

OnePlus made a reputation for itself by releasing Android telephones with high specs for lots of lower than the competitors. The OnePlus 12 isn’t a complete steal at £849, nevertheless it does are available in at £400 lower than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which exhibits you simply how costly telephones have gotten in 2024.

If you need a extra pocketable premium cellphone than Samsung’s newest then the OnePlus 12 is an excellent alternative. It affords wonderful efficiency for even probably the most demanding of Android cellphone customers with the most recent chipset, extremely good display, high construct high quality, and the perfect cameras but on a OnePlus cellphone.

If you need AI options you’ll must look elsewhere – however let’s be sincere, who truly desires AI on their cellphone at this stage? We actually didn’t miss it whereas utilizing the OnePlus 12, as an alternative having fun with a cellphone that appears nice and has unbelievable quick charging. It’s a breath of contemporary air, a pleasingly easy however high-end possibility.

• Camera-inspired round design
• Lovely marbled inexperienced model
• Only IP65 rated

We examined the OnePlus 12 in a matt glass-backed inexperienced model, which has a marbled impact. It’s fairly distinctive, and we just like the look, although there’s a plain black model when you’d choose to fly underneath the radar. On both model it’s laborious to overlook the large round digicam module on the again although, which holds 4 digicam lenses and a flash. The complete factor curves into the aluminium aspect rails, topping off a really premium construct. It even has a slight sparkle to the digicam part, which appears to be like classier in particular person than that sounds.

You get a three-position swap on the left known as an alert slider, which helps you to flick between ring, vibrate, and silent – it’s very helpful and a real cause to select this cellphone over others. OnePlus is the one cellphone available on the market with such a swap besides the iPhone.

It’s additionally simply very snug to carry because of slight curves on the rear glass and the show. Recently, many cellphone makers have opted for flat sides and flat screens, however the OnePlus 12 is unashamedly curvy, and feels good to carry due to it. It additionally makes the cellphone really feel thinner and narrower than it truly is, a neat trick.

Also including to the premium really feel are the wonderful haptics and vibrations. They pip and buzz very properly when typing fairly loudly ping or rattle the cellphone such as you discover on cheaper gadgets.

It’s value noting this cellphone additionally has an IR blaster on the highest – an infra-red distant that allows you to management issues equivalent to stereos and TVs after a fast arrange with the IR app. It works effectively, and can assist you to flip up the amount when you misplace your precise distant. We don’t essentially condone doing this when you may’t hear the soccer within the pub, nevertheless it’ll most likely work.

A draw back is the cellphone is just IP65 rated, which implies it is positive for mud resistance however isn’t protected from being totally submerged in water. OnePlus has no excuse to not make its near-£1,000 cellphone IP68 rated to offer you peace of thoughts at this value.

• Curved edges
• Bright and really readable
• In-screen fingerprint sensor

The OnePlus 12 has a very wonderful curved 6.82-inch OLED display that may get very shiny and is simple to learn even in direct daylight – not one thing you may say of many telephones. OnePlus even claims the display can rise up to an enormous 4,500 nits of brightness. The show has a dynamic refresh charge of as much as 120Hz, which implies issues look clean when scrolling textual content or gaming, however can ramp proper down to only 1Hz to save lots of battery when that prime efficiency isn’t wanted.

We discovered the display properly responsive when texting and, importantly for some, gaming – it’s lightning quick throughout video games equivalent to Call of Duty, and the show may even upscale any sport to the smoothest 120Hz potential. It didn’t work for each sport in our testing, however that is actually a really succesful gaming cellphone.

The use of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 additionally means this can be a decently scratch and drop resistant show, however in fact when you don’t use a case then you definately’re at all times susceptible to smashing your cellphone display. The OnePlus 12 has a plastic display protector utilized out of the field nevertheless it feels a bit low-cost and isn’t as protecting as a glass one.

The display has curved edges at either side, which is widespread for Android telephones in recent times however is totally different to the flat edges of the iPhone 15 and Samsung Galaxy S24 sequence. We don’t actually have a desire, however the OnePlus 12 feels properly slim and skinny regardless of its dimension due to its curves, so it’s a win in our eyes. The in-screen fingerprint sensor can be very speedy and works effectively.

• Very good most important lens
• 3x telephoto isn’t pretty much as good
• Ultra-wide and selfie cameras are strong

The cameras on the OnePlus 12 look an identical on paper to these on the OnePlus Open foldable we reviewed recently – and that may be a excellent factor as a result of they had been wonderful on that cellphone. Shooting quite a lot of scenes in daylight and at evening, the OnePlus 12 takes largely color correct, sharp photographs with good excessive dynamic vary that exhibits a whole lot of element.

Occasionally in decrease gentle we discovered pores and skin tones and different colors had been a bit washed out, however for probably the most half the primary digicam shall be greater than sufficient for most individuals. OnePlus’s intelligent ProXDR tech boosts the look of photographs however solely on the show itself, so your snaps won’t look fairly as vibrant once you ship them to others or submit them on social media.

The 3x telephoto digicam can seize a whole lot of element because it’s 64MP, nevertheless it isn’t as constant as the primary sensor and colors is usually a little over-saturated. It’s higher for portrait photographs to create a faux blur impact versus zooming in on landscapes or different scenes, and any cropped zoom past 3x is not pretty much as good as what you will discover on telephones with higher zoom lenses.

The ultra-wide is serviceable, nevertheless it’s by no means the perfect lens on any cellphone, to be sincere. The OnePlus 12 is all about how good the primary digicam is, and that’s positive. We nonetheless belief the Galaxy S24 Ultra or Google Pixel 8 Pro most often, however total the OnePlus 12 is up there with these telephones for its most important digicam high quality.

OnePlus additionally features a Hasselblad-inspired ‘X-Pan’ mode that shoots large panorama photographs in both 17mm or 25mm. We clicked them into monochrome mode and received some nice, sharp photographs with a classic and distinctive really feel to them you can solely get from this cellphone. It’s higher than we anticipated, and never gimmicky.

• Incredibly quick
• Latest Snapdragon processor
• All-day battery with quick charging

The OnePlus 12 runs the most recent Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which is extremely highly effective in all eventualities. It means you may play high-end cell video games equivalent to Call of Duty Mobile and Genshin Impact with completely no points, and the cellphone solely will get a tad heat.

All different duties are a doddle because of the 16GB RAM in our evaluate pattern that additionally had a beneficiant 512GB storage. The entry degree mannequin we didn’t check has 12GB and 256GB respectively, which ought to nonetheless be sufficient energy and area on your wants over just a few years.

All different duties are a doddle because of the 16GB RAM in our evaluate pattern that additionally had a beneficiant 512GB storage. The entry degree mannequin we didn’t check has 12GB and 256GB respectively, which ought to nonetheless be sufficient energy and area on your wants over just a few years.

Battery life is superb because of a really giant 5,400mAh battery someway stuffed into the cellphone. It simply lasts a day and can most likely do two when you aren’t the heaviest consumer. Better nonetheless, the cellphone charged from useless to full in 27 minutes in our testing utilizing the quick charger that comes within the field (not like Apple and Samsung telephones nowadays).

The OnePlus 12 runs the most recent Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which is extremely highly effective

That’s because of the very quick 100W speeds the charger manages. It charged 42% in ten minutes, which means you may plug this cellphone in proper earlier than you allow the home when you’re operating low and also you’ll nonetheless have sufficient cost for a lot of the day. It adjustments the way you cost your cellphone and take into consideration energy administration in comparison with different telephones – all telephones ought to use this know-how.

Not solely that, however the cellphone additionally helps 50W wi-fi charging. You’ll must buy the optional wireless charger for £70 however these speeds wirelessly are quicker than the wired 45W speeds of the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

And oh, the OnePlus 12 could make calls, too! Things sounded loud and clear, and the selfie digicam is centrally positioned for video calls.

• Android 14 at launch
• Thoughtful software program perks
• Four years of Android updates

Much has been fabricated from OnePlus and its OxygenOS software program altering over time – it now’s virtually the identical as Oppo’s ColorOS. This is not any dangerous factor, as a result of the software program on the OnePlus 12 runs fantastically, and easily appears to be like somewhat totally different to Samsung or Google’s variations of Android. In most circumstances, OxygenOS feels quicker.

We loved the little touches OnePlus provides in that make the software program expertise that rather more pleasant. Like Google’s Android, this can be a barely whimsical and enjoyable model, which is in stark distinction to the very severe and business-like Samsung One UI Android pores and skin, or Apple’s on-rails iOS for the iPhone.

You can change the always-on show to show the time in writing: “It’s Nine Forty Two”. There are tons of enjoyable wallpapers pre-installed. You can change the icon styles and sizes with out putting in icon packs and color theme them, you may change font, color theme the system, stick widgets anyplace, activate the flashlight with a gesture on the lock display, double faucet to lock the display – this cellphone is a tinkerer’s dream, and is all the higher for it.

There’s a intelligent Zen Space app the place you may lock your self out of distracting apps to get work carried out – both a ‘light’ mode you can exit, or a hardcore Deep Zen mode you can’t exit and blocks all apps and notifications (you may reply calls, although).

OnePlus says the OnePlus 12 will get 4 years of Android updates and 5 years of bi-mopnthly safety updates, taking assist to 2029. That’s fairly good, however now lags behind the seven years Google and Samsung supply. At this stage although, your cellphone most likely received’t final seven years, despite the fact that that’s the place the trade ought to be inspired to move.

We solely point out that there aren’t any AI options on this cellphone as a result of there are immediately so many on the Google Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24. If you need to file a gathering, the OnePlus 12 can’t then transcribe it for you or summarise it in bullet factors. Nor can the OnePlus change the tone of your textual content messages, translate a reside cellphone name, or use AI to maneuver objects round a photograph.

We really feel these are usually not vital or important issues anybody wants on a cellphone, and it’s potential the OnePlus 12 will achieve some over time. Right now, the absence of AI isn’t a giant deal.

The OnePlus 12 is only available direct from OnePlus in the UK. It prices £849 for the black model with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, or £999 for the inexperienced model with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage.

£849 is a complete £400 cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – that cellphone’s S Pen stylus, AI options, and further digicam aren’t value that additional spend for most individuals.

Conversely, you would possibly need to spend £449 on the Google Pixel 7a, and won’t take into account the OnePlus 12’s additional digicam, higher show, and quicker charging value that additional £400.

The OnePlus 12 is an excellent premium Android cellphone that’s value its comparatively excessive value. It has wonderful efficiency in velocity, digicam, and software program, and can get 5 years of software program assist. It’s a slim, slender cellphone that matches in a pocket simpler than the highest of the road Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max, however crams in a lot of the identical options for much less cash.

Photos are largely excellent, with some quirks in saturation and inaccurate colors in some lighting that solely the pickiest pixel peepers will discover.

If you’re OK with a curved show and don’t thoughts the eye-catching design, the OnePlus 12 is a high decide for a high-end Android cellphone in 2024.