OnePlus is riding high right now — the OnePlus Open foldable continues to do well, the OnePlus Pad 2 is a fantastic tablet, and it even made a high-end mechanical keyboard. But the highlight as always is the numbered series, and the OnePlus 12 showcases what the manufacturer can deliver.
The OnePlus 12 has a lot of exciting features, but that has always been the case with the manufacturer's devices. While earlier phones struggled with software or had cameras that weren't quite up to par with the best Android phones, that isn't the case this time — the OnePlus 12 holds its own in this regard.
I reviewed the OnePlus 12 at launch, and I think this is the best phone OnePlus has launched in its 10-year history; having used all of the devices from the manufacturer, I know what I'm talking about when it comes to OnePlus.
If you're looking to learn all about the OnePlus 12, you've come to the right place. Of course, the phone industry is never idle, and the OnePlus 13 is now available in China, with a global debut imminent. That said, the OnePlus 12 is the still the default choice if you need the best phone OnePlus sells at the moment, and the device just picked up the stable Android 15 update.
OnePlus 12: Review
I used the OnePlus 12 for just over a week before writing the review, and while some of the tweaks aren't obvious from looking at the device, it is markedly different to the OnePlus 11.
This is how I summed up the OnePlus 12:
Earlier OnePlus phones were a good option for what they cost, but the OnePlus 12 doesn't need that particular qualifier — this is a terrific flagship that holds its own against the best that Samsung, Xiaomi, and Google have to offer.
OnePlus didn't put a foot wrong with the OnePlus 12, and the device has terrific cameras that measure up to the best on Android today. That's a big deal considering this was a continual problem for the brand in previous years, but thankfully, that isn't the case in 2024.
If you haven't already, I suggest going through the OnePlus 12 review to know all about how the device holds up in real-world use.
OnePlus 12: Design
OnePlus switched to a new design aesthetic with the OnePlus 11, and it is among the best designs the brand has introduced in its history. The large camera island at the back that seamlessly merges into the mid-frame is designed to turn heads, and the brand did a great job carrying a similar design over to the India-focused OnePlus 11R as well.
Although OnePlus is known to change the design of its phones yearly, it's using a similar design with the OnePlus 12. That said, the OnePlus 12 has a lot of subtle changes — the camera island is noticeably larger, it now uses the same color as the rest of the back, and you get steel rings encircling individual modules, making them stand out. In short, the phone looks terrific, and the Flowy Emerald color option is the one to get this year.
If you want something that looks more elegant, you should take a look at the Glacial White model instead — it has a clean and minimalist design that accentuates the device.
OnePlus is making a lot of other changes on the design side; the alert slider now sits to the left, the selfie camera is centered, and there's now an IR blaster. What hasn't changed is the in-hand feel, and even though the device is heavier, it is still great to hold and use.
OnePlus 12: Software
The OnePlus 12 launched with Android 14 out of the box, and it made the switch to the Android 15-based OxygenOS 15.
While the initial OxygenOS 15 build was a beta, the manufacturer took just a week to launch the stable version globally, and that's a big achievement in and of itself — particularly when you consider how buggy the last two beta cycles have been.
Thankfully, OxygenOS 15 is stable in daily use, and I didn't run into any issues as such with the software. There's a lot to like when it comes to new features, with a suite of AI-assisted editing utilities joining an extensive list.
OnePlus 12: Cameras
Thanks to its partnership with Hasselblad, OnePlus was able to deliver sizeable gains on the camera front over the last 18 months. This is evident when using the OnePlus 12, with the phone able to take amazing photos in just about any situation.
The biggest change is the introduction of a 64MP telephoto lens that delivers 3x optical zoom. This allows the OnePlus 12 to be that much more versatile, and the primary 50MP camera also has a considerable upgrade. The 48MP wide-angle lens is largely unchanged, but the addition of a zoom lens and new hardware for the primary camera means the OnePlus 12 is on par with its immediate rivals in this area.
OnePlus 12: Price and release date
OnePlus continues to deliver a good value with the OnePlus 12, and as it has been available for most of the year, you get decent deals on the device. This is what the phone currently costs in various global markets as of November 2024:
- OnePlus 12 (12GB/256GB): $649 / ₹64,999 / £799 / €919
- OnePlus 12 (16GB/512GB): $749 / ₹69,999 / £849 / €949
The OnePlus 12 is a good value in the U.S. and India, and the phone is on the costlier side in the U.K. What's interesting this time is that OnePlus is rolling out the OnePlus 12R alongside the standard model, and it is available for just $499 in the U.S., and ₹39,999 ($481) in India.
The OnePlus 12 has everything you need in a flagship, and the fact that you're getting a great overall value is the icing on the cake.
