OnePlus 12R Smartphone Review

OnePlus has built a reputation for delivering flagship-level performance and quality at prices that undercut the premium competition. Their latest release, the OnePlus 12R smartphone, continues this trend by packing strong performance and excellent battery life into a $500 package. Even though it’s at the price of many budget offerings, if you’re in the market for a solid smartphone that does everything you could want, few phones come close to the value and performance of the OnePlus 12R. 

The OnePlus 12R slots in below the $800 OnePlus 12 flagship, cutting some corners to hit that lower price point. Surprisingly, however, very few of those compromises will be deal breakers for most buyers, leaving most with a great offering that delivers where it matters most. You still get the smooth performance, long battery life, and sleek design that OnePlus is known for. While the camera doesn’t quite measure up to pricier phones, it’s perfectly capable for everyday shooting. At $500 unlocked, the OnePlus 12R delivers tremendous value.

Unboxing the OnePlus 12R

If you have ever unboxed a OnePlus phone in the past, the OnePlus 12R experience will be pretty consistent. You will find the phone, the iconic red cable, a 65-watt SUPERVOOC power brick, and the usual sim tool and paperwork. Compared to what you find in a Samsung or Apple flagship phone that costs significantly more, the OnePlus 12R feels outright generous in comparison, especially when you consider this costs less than half of what you would expect to pay for a typical flagship offering.

At $499 USD for the 8GB with 128GB storage ($599 for the 16GB and 256GB variant), the OnePlus 12R smartphone is an impressive experience showing what is possible, provided you are willing to make minor sacrifices in specs. The phone also looks absolutely stunning when all unpacked. The “cool blue” colour we were given for review looks fantastic, with all the typical OnePlus styling touches remaining intact. You will still find the fantastic notification slider on the phone, this time on the left-hand side of the device, with the volume rocker and power button found on the right side. The USB Type-C connection is at the bottom, next to the nano sim tray and speaker grill.

Mixing things up compared to the OnePlus 11, you will also find an IR sensor port at the top of the device, with the selfie camera at the center of the screen. Looking to the back, you will find a very similar camera bump compared to last year’s phone, boasting a triple camera array featuring a 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm main camera, an 8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 112˚ ultrawide, and a 2 MP, f/2.4, macro camera. One thing that is different from this year’s 12 and last year’s 11 is that there is no Hasselblad branding on the 12R. This device does not feature the same tuning those flagship-level devices offer. 

OnePlus has always had a knack for making their phones feel more premium than their prices suggest. That continues with the OnePlus 12R, which looks and feels like a truly high-end device, even featuring IP65 waterproof and dustproof certification. The rear glass panel has a luxurious frosted finish that looks slick while also resisting fingerprints. The metal frame is sturdy with a comfortable curved shape that’s easy to grip. 

Power Where It Counts

Now that the overall look is out of the way, let’s dive into the performance because that’s one area where the OnePlus 12R does not cut any corners. It’s powered by the same cutting-edge flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor found in last year’s OnePlus 11. Even though it is a year on, the SoC absolutely flies through apps and demanding games with barely a stutter. Animations and screen transitions are almost startlingly smooth and fluid. 

This is the kind of speed that used to command a much higher price tag. Seeing it in a phone that starts at only $500 USD is impressive and speaks to OnePlus’ engineering efforts to optimize their OxygenOS software for peak performance and their willingness to push the bar on price. They’ve succeeded because the OnePlus 12R can hang with phones that cost hundreds more in raw speed. 

Part of this is the internals that feature such things as 16GB RAM, fantastic thermals, and a battery to power everything you need without costing you a day’s battery life. I am honestly surprised at how performative the OnePlus 12R is, especially considering the longevity of the device, even after gaming, movie watching and content creation, but I will touch on the battery a bit more later,

“…few phones come close to the value and performance of the OnePlus 12R.”

Gamers will also appreciate the 12R’s 6.78-inch AMOLED display. The 2780 x 1264 resolution is sharp enough for immersive gaming and media viewing, especially with its 450 ppi. The screen can adaptively refresh at rates up to 120Hz for smoother animations in compatible games and features 1B colours, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1600 nits (HBM), and 4500 nits peak screen brightness.

Combined with that cutting-edge processor, it’s a potent combination for mobile gaming. I have to say, even though it is a bit less in terms of specs compared to the OnePlus 12. The 12R feels fantastic to use, especially for gaming with Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, or even just jumping into Pokémon GO.

Battery Life That Goes the Distance  

Even at its much more affordable price point, I was truly impressed with the OnePlus 12R, so it should have come as no surprise this phone delivered just as well as past devices. The combination of a large 5,500 mAh battery pack and an efficient Snapdragon processor enables marathon runtimes. Depending on your usage, you can easily get 1.5-2 days of use from a charge. 

The 12R also supports blazing-fast 80W wired charging. Using the included charger and cable, OnePlus claims you can take the battery from empty to 50% in just 10 minutes. A complete charge takes only about 30 minutes, which is incredibly convenient. While it sounds too good to be true, it was that impressive. I never had any issues topping up the OnePlus 12R while using it, and even if I could not find the time to get things charging, the phone easily pushed past a day in life, and that is with heavy usage and gaming.

“…let’s dive into the performance because that’s one area where the OnePlus 12R does not cut any corners.”

While the OnePlus 12 supports faster 100W charging and wireless charging, most buyers will be perfectly happy with the 12R’s wired charging solution. It hits the sweet spot of balancing speed and battery health. It should also be worth noting that while the OnePlus 12 has brought back wireless charging, the OnePlus 12R sadly does not include the feature, although thanks to the incredibly fast wired charging, it is much less of an issue this go around. 

Capable Camera, With Some Caveats

While most of the OnePlus 12 feels incredibly premium, one area where OnePlus had to cut costs on the phone is with the rear camera system. As I mentioned above, instead of the high-end 50MP main camera on the OnePlus 12 paired with a 64 MP, f/2.6, 70mm periscope telephoto and 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ ultrawide, the 12R uses a 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56″ main camera combined with an 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro sensor all without any Hasselblad Color Calibration.

The phone also features a serviceable 16 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/3″, 1.0µm selfie sensor that should be good for most people’s needs, like TikTok and video chatting, although much less powerful and clear when compared to the 32 MP, f/2.4, 21mm (wide), 1/2.74″, 0.8µm sensor found on the OnePlus 12. 

That main camera utilizes a Sony IMX890 sensor that OnePlus has tuned for natural colour reproduction and clarity. It can capture some nice-looking shots with vivid colour and plenty of detail in good lighting conditions. The dedicated macro lens lets you get close to subjects for unique perspectives, with the 8MP ultrawide delivering serviceable shots. 

However, the camera struggles more in low light. Images become quite noisy, with blurred details. Nightscape mode helps compensate a bit, but it’s still a step down from premium mobile cameras. Combine that with the subpar ultra-wide and macro modes, and you have a phone that is much less focused on the creative side of things while solid for family photos or when you want to snap a quick picture. 

The phone also supports 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, and gyro-EIS with optical image stabilization to keep your shots looking smooth even when you are walking. Again, the main sensor is solid for most of your needs, but with the other sensors on offer a bit anemic, I would not recommend the OnePlus 12R if video is your primary goal. 

It’s important to keep expectations realistic at this price, though. For a phone that starts at $500 with the potential to get it $100 off with a trade-in ($150 CAD), the OnePlus 12R captures pleasing photos that will work great for social sharing. Just don’t expect it to compete with $1,000+ camera phones, and for anyone looking for your next phone to elevate your creative endeavours, it may be worth spending the extra money for a much more capable device. 

OxygenOS Still Delivers Software Excellence 

OnePlus’ OxygenOS software has long been praised as one of the best Android skins around. Known for its clean interface, wealth of customization options, and emphasis on speed, it continues that tradition on the OnePlus 12R. This clean user experience lets you access all the phone’s features without struggling against an obtuse UI.

Based on Android 14, OxygenOS offers a very clean Android experience enhanced with thoughtful additions. There are customizable always-on displays, an advanced dark mode, a powerful screen recorder with face cam support, and more. OnePlus promises three major Android version updates and four years of security updates for the 12R, which is fairly standard these days.

Of course, there are always improvements that could be made. It would be nice to see OnePlus follow in the footsteps of Samsung and Google by offering four Android version updates. The camera app could also use some refinement in terms of modes and options. But overall, OxygenOS is polished, responsive and a joy to use. I have used many versions of Android from different brands, and even with the latest changes the company has made to the UI, OxygenOS still feels solid and easy to use for beginners and experienced smartphone users, even with the range of features the brand has packed into the system for users to take advantage of. 

With excellent performance, stellar battery life, and a gorgeous 120Hz display, the OnePlus 12R delivers an impressive flagship-caliber experience for just $500. The capable camera and slick premium design are just the icing on the cake. Yes, you can find phones with better cameras and software support, but the OnePlus 12R is tough to beat in terms of value for money. 

For shoppers who want flagship performance without the premium price tag, the OnePlus 12R smartphone is a slam dunk. It deserves strong consideration alongside phones like the Galaxy S23 FE and Pixel 7. OnePlus has struck gold again by delivering amazing performance and quality for the price. 

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