The OnePlus 12R hasn’t altered much in terms of price or availability since it passed our reviews gauntlet a few months ago. The initial recommended retail price (RRP) has not been reduced by any US, UK, or international store, and the firm still does not sell its newest phones directly in Australia.
Although OnePlus has yet to make major software updates to the Oxygen OS 14 user experience, other than stability gains, the organization did announce a new AI-supported feature called AI Eraser towards the start of April. This feature is expected to be included in a number of their latest phones, including the OnePlus 12R, later in the month. Like AI-powered capabilities seen on recent Samsung Galaxy S24 models and Google Pixels, AI Eraser will allow users to encircle undesired objects in images & destroy such.
OnePlus 12R Features Design and Display
I was sent the Cool Blue 12R to evaluate, but it is also available in Iron Gray. The reflecting sheen of the glass and metal construction is one of its selling points for me. Put the phone in a cover to keep it safe from scratches and smudges since its back is shiny and slippery. Consider the Iron Gray variant if you tend to drop your phone often; its matte surface may make it simpler to hold.
The 12R is somewhat smaller than the 6.47-by-2.98-by-0.36-inch, 7.76-ounce OnePlus 12, with dimensions of 6.43 by 2.96 by 0.35 inches (HWD) and a weight of 7.3 ounces. In keeping with its small stature, the 12R has a 6.78-inch display, down from the 6.82-inch on the OnePlus 12. When placed side by side, the two phones are almost indistinguishable; I had no trouble telling them apart when I held them. The phone has an elegant, rounded design where the metal frame meets the screen.
One option for biometric security is to use the selfie camera’s face recognition feature or an under-display fingerprint sensor. Both worked well, but the lightning-fast and spot-on facial recognition blew me away. During testing, the screen consistently and instantly recognized my face, and the setup procedure was very rapid. However, the fingerprint scanner offers more protection.
You may configure the screen to remain at its maximum setting for games, but it also dynamically adjusts the refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz. In addition to 10-bit color for video content, it also supports Dolby Vision. A maximum brightness of 4,500 nits (1,600 times) is achieved by both the OnePlus 12 and 12R. Despite their differences, the screens seem alike to the unaided eye and both are very bright, especially when exposed to intense sunlight. In whatever light, I had no problems seeing them well, and I never saw any reflections.
Battery Life
To test the battery, we connected the phone to a Wi-Fi network and played a YouTube video continuously while adjusting the screen brightness to its highest setting. After defeating the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 20 hours and 15 minutes in battery life, it remained our champion with an astounding 22 hours and 43 minutes on a single charge. Its battery life is 13 hours and 25 minutes longer than the Pixel 7a.
In terms of charging speeds, wired options are superior. Included with the OnePlus 12R is the company’s own 80W SuperVooc wired charger, which is compatible with the device. Charging time was 34 minutes, similar to previous OnePlus phones. Neither the Galaxy S24 Ultra nor the Pixel 7a come with a charger, and both have lower batteries (5,000 mAh vs. 45W and 18, respectively) than what’s standard for smartphones.
Camera
While the 12 and 12R do include cameras developed in conjunction with Hasselblad, that relationship does not apply to the OnePlus 12. Although the camera module resembles the one on the 12, that is the extent of its resemblance. Neither the Hasselblad name nor the premium macro and telephoto lenses of the top model are present in these cameras.
In terms of the 12R’s primary camera, it has a 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor with optical image stability (OIS), an equivalent focal length of 24mm, and an aperture of f/1.8. A 2-megapixel macro lens and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens follow. You can take selfies with the 16MP front camera, but it lacks a telephoto lens for optical zoom.
Even in direct sunlight, the cameras struggle to capture fine details and vibrant colors. The lines of snow covering the branches in the upper left are hard to make out, and the definition of the branches on top of the tree (below) is also fuzzy. Not to mention that this photo is rather loud.
Up to 60 frames per second, you may record in 4K. Both the still photos and the video have comparable quality. In short, it’s good for recording entertaining or endearing moments, but it’s not suitable for serious professional work. The OnePlus 12R’s camera is its worst feature. The Pixel 7a is the best phone to buy if you care a lot about the quality of your photos and videos since it captures much better pictures.
Wireless Connectivity
The OnePlus 12R is compatible with the majority of 5G sub-6GHz bands, including C-band, which are prevalent in wireless networks in the US. But unlike Verizon and T-Mobile, this phone can’t use the lightning-fast mmWave 5G airwaves. The Pixel 7a and similar Google, Samsung, and Apple phones all have mmWave capability.
Although the OnePlus 12R is compatible with Wi-Fi 7, we do our tests with a Wi-Fi 6 gateway. When held near the router, the phone achieved 85 Mbps down and 22.7 Mbps up, but the iPhone 14 Pro achieved 474 Mbps down and 22.5 Mbps up. The iPhone picked up the signal far better. When I tested near the router’s range limit, however, things changed: the 12R received 21.7 Mbps down and 16.9 Mbps up, while the 14 Pro had no signal at all.
The OnePlus 12R performed well, achieving download speeds of 162Mbps and upload rates of 17.9Mbps, even though T-Mobile’s 5G coverage is spotty where I reside. In the same location, an iPhone 14 Pro achieved download speeds of 119 Mbps and upload speeds of 63.3 Mbps.
Software
Running on top of Android 14, the OnePlus 12R is called OxygenOS 14. The OnePlus shop and a social networking app tailored to OnePlus are among the preloaded applications. They are buried in a folder among the calculator and other, more practical applications.
Even with several applications open at once, the OS remains responsive and problem-free. A dedicated gaming mode will automatically disable alerts while you’re playing on full screen, and the built-in OnePlus motions make navigating the phone a breeze, like taking a screenshot by swiping down with three fingers.
Performance
A model with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage is available for $499, while a model with 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage is available for $599. In our testing, the more powerful model worked well. The two variants share Qualcomm’s flagship system on a chip (SoC) from last year, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The 8 Gen 2 isn’t the most cutting-edge CPU out there, but it’s more than plenty.
We ran Geekbench 6’s CPU benchmark on the OnePlus 12R, and the results were 4,338 for multi-core processing and 1,556 for single-core processing. The Pixel 7a, powered by Google’s Tensor G2 processor, achieved scores of 1,343 and 2,853 on the same test. The OnePlus 12, which was powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, scored 2,252 and 6,810.
The OnePlus 12R’s performance in GFXBench graphics testing was impressive, surpassing that of current flagship phones. While it was ahead of the $1,299 Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (51 fps) and the $1,199 iPhone 15 Pro Max (60 fps), it was behind the OnePlus 12 (71 fps) in the 1440p Aztec offscreen test. Pixel 7a’s Tensor G2 CPU limited it to 26 frames per second.
Conclusion
Featuring an effective camera system, a long-lasting battery, and a stylish appearance, the OnePlus 12R is a strong phone. Since clearing our review wringer a few months ago, there has been no change to either the pricing or availability. Despite April’s announcement of an AI-supported function named AI Eraser, the phone hasn’t made any major software upgrades to the Oxygen OS 14 user experience. With the Cool Blue 12R coming in Iron Gray, the OnePlus 12R and the OnePlus 12 seem to be quite similar. The screen size is 6.78 inches, which is less than the 6.82-inch OnePlus 12.
Facial recognition, dynamic refresh rate adjustment, 10-bit color support for video, and Dolby Vision are among the features that this phone offers. With a maximum brightness of 4,500 nits, both phones are very bright, particularly in direct sunlight. The battery life of the OnePlus 12R is 13,25 minutes greater than that of the Pixel 7a, thanks to its 5,500mAh capacity. It is compatible with the smartphone and comes with the company’s 80W SuperVooc wired charger.
FAQs
Is OnePlus 12R waterproof?
With its IP64 certification, the OnePlus 12R is dust-and water-resistant. The numbers came from the OnePlus Test Lab’s computations. The experience could differ depending on things like how often you use the machine and how old it is.
Is the 12R worth buying?
Despite a few compromises, the OnePlus 12R has a large battery and a powerful chipset from last year’s flagship, all at an aggressive starting price of Rs 39,999. The outstanding performance of the OnePlus 12R stands out, especially considering its affordable price.
Is OnePlus 12 better or 12R?
As far as general performance, camera configuration, extra features, and connection choices are concerned, the OnePlus 12 comes out on top. But if you’re looking for a comparable experience overall at a far less price, the OnePlus 12R will get you there and more.