OnePlus 12
Android’s number three brand is a compelling alternative to Google’s similarly-priced Pixel devices.
OnePlus 12 improves upon what its predecessor did without.
It brings back wireless charging, bumps the base memory offering, and has a bigger battery.
The OnePlus 12 in “flowy emerald.”Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
But you’ll have to settle for OnePlus’s OxygenOS.
Every Android manufacturerjumped outearlier this year, and the shelves seem slightly more stocked than usual.
Its good news for you if youre buying an Android phone.
The front of the OnePlus 12 is a 6.8-inch QHD+ display with up to 4,500 nits brightness in mega direct sunlight.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
TheOnePlus 12is already out in China, but today is its official debut in the U.S. and Canada.
If you havent already, this might be your sign to try out Androids number three phone.
Meet the OnePlus 12
The specs look good, as usual.
The OnePlus 12’s backside is a stunning green in person, with speckles throughout the camera module.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
OnePlus has come a long way from the youthful, naive little Android startup it was in the 2010s.
The most telltale sign of the brands growth is the aesthetic across its ecosystem of devices.
Last year, we saw beautiful pieces with theOnePlus Pad.
Playing Dead Cells on the OnePlus 12 in the SteelSeries Stratus+.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
The OnePlus 12 continues in that tradition of beauty, especially if you choose the Flowy Emerald colorway.
The back is matte, so you dont have to worry too much about the phone slipping around.
Looking closely under a light, youll also see glitter sprinkled throughout the rear-facing circular camera module.
The OnePlus 11 features a three-camera system in a circular array.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
The OnePlus 12 is IP65-rated, which isnt as robust as the IP68 offered by other phone makers.
Itll probably be okay if you accidentally drop it into some water and then dry it out.
Do not take it for a swim.
An early morning photo of fog rolling over the hills, shot with the OnePlus 12 on a tripod.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
The OnePlus 12 sports a 6.82-inch QHD+ display with a 19.8:9 aspect ratio.
Theres a teeny bit of bezel around the sides, enough that the display curves into the siding.
I prefer the flatter screen of the Pixel 8 and Samsung phones for gripping.
OxygenOS is fine, but it could be so much better.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
It still didnt hit the maximum mark.
The OnePlus 12 still doesnt get dim enough for my liking.
I like a dark screen when Im reading at night.
Would you give up the comforts of the Google Pixel for something new and improved from Android’s “third best”?Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo
Unfortunately, I can only get to bed these days by falling asleep reading reality TV gossip on Reddit.
Thats not happening with the OnePlus 12, even with all its screen color temperature offerings.
It mainly appeals to the Android faithful still chasing the dream of the most powerful, customizable smartphone.
But it also means an excellent deal for anyone not impressed with Samsung and Googles base offerings.
I live on the Pixel 8 daily, and thats only 8GB.
Ive seen how beneficial it is for an aging Android equipment to have that extra bit of memory hustling.
I have that summer release running in my lab in a long-term testbed.
It was the first time OnePlus made the RAM offering mainstream, and its still chugging along.
The OnePlus 12 is only $100 more for the bump up from the default of 12GB.
OnePlus was technically the first to launch a flagship with QualcommsSnapdragon 8 Gen 3 processoroverseas.
I still have some heat-generating tests Id like to run through with the OnePlus 12.
I hope to update you on overall performance soon.
OnePlus 12 Battery Life
How long does the battery last?
TheOnePlus11s 5,000 mAh battery soared through 2023s battery rundown benchmarks at Gizmodo.
The OnePlus 12 outlasted it by a little more than four hours in our battery rundown tests.
It also beat out theApple iPhone 15 Pro Maxby about two hours.
The larger aperture also helps the OnePlus 12 take faster photos in low light.
There are boats visible from my backyard, windmills, and varying species of birds.
Its why I prefer the Ultras array of telescopic offerings.
At the very least, the OnePlus 12 has improved its sharpness from a distance.
I was impressed at how well it retained detail on an object miles away.
The front-facing camera is a 32-MP sensor.
For video recording, the OnePlus 12 can shoot in up to 8K resolution.
Theres also a ton of excitement over the OnePlus 12s ability to record inDolby Vision-enhanced HDR.
There are still perks to using OnePlus over Samsungs OneUI and Googles Pixel launcher.
Frankly, I prefer it over the wallpaper generators.
There are annoyances to OxygenOS that remind you this is another brand of Android.
You also have to go in and enable permissions for extra features like the ability to tap-to-wake the screen.
OnePluss software update policy offers a little less future runway than Samsung and Googlesseven years of updatescommitment.
In2022, OnePlus committed to four generations of OxygenOS and five years of security updates.
Verdict
Should you buy the OnePlus 12?
Androids third-best in the U.S. is worth a look.
Its nice that brands like OnePlus still herald choice and tinkering.
We will update this review with our final verdict, which includes a battery rundown test and full benchmarking.
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