OnePlus 12R: The Affordable Flagship That Delivers Performance Without Compromise

OnePlus 12R made its debut in January during the Smooth Beyond Belief event, launched alongside its more powerful counterpart, the OnePlus 12. While the device operates smoothly, it isn’t something extraordinary. What stands out, however, is its pricing. The smartphone is currently up for grabs in India, starting at Rs. 39,999. For this price point, you receive a lot of value, yet some aspects still warrant enhancements.

So, can the OnePlus 12R effectively connect the divide between budget-friendly and flagship performance? Let’s delve into that.

Pricing of OnePlus 12R in India

In India, the OnePlus 12R is released in a couple of configurations. The entry-level variant retails for Rs. 39,999, featuring 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Alternatively, there’s a 16GB RAM model with 256GB storage available for Rs. 45,999. It would have been preferable if OnePlus had included at least 256GB of storage in the base version, making it a more compelling option.

In terms of color choices, the OnePlus 12R comes in Iron Gray and Cool Blue. The Iron Gray variant features a matte finish on the glass back, while the Cool Blue can serve as a mirror due to its reflective quality.

Included with the phone are a protective case, some stickers, a 100W fast charger, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, a SIM ejector tool, a Red Member Club membership, and the usual documentation. The charger is quite substantial, even bigger than my laptop charger.

Reviewing the Design of OnePlus 12R

The OnePlus 12R bears a resemblance to the pricier OnePlus 12. Nevertheless, it opts for a standard glass back instead of a marble finish. This design remains commendable and distinguishes the phone from other brands with its distinctive camera module. The design is akin to last year’s OnePlus 11.

You will see a prominent circular camera module positioned at the top left of the back. We’re evaluating the Cool Blue variant, which sports a sleek, glossy back panel. The sides and display exhibit curves, providing a comfortable grip, although it may feel a bit slippery. The matte finish of the Iron Gray version, however, may provide better grip. The device boasts a commendable weight, given that its frame is made of metal and both the front and back are glass. Weighing in at 207 grams, the phone exudes a premium feel.

With the OnePlus 12R, a notable change is observed in the location of the Alert slider, now positioned on the left side of the phone. This was the original placement during its introduction with the OnePlus 2. The power and volume buttons are situated on the right side. The bottom area houses a speaker, USB Type-C port, microphone, and SIM tray tool; the top part includes a second microphone, another speaker, and an IR blaster.

On the front, the OnePlus 12R features a curved display that presents narrow bezels all around. It is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Even though OnePlus has included a screen guard, its quality is subpar, so I would suggest equipping a tempered glass protector. The device is rated IP64 for dust and water resistance, which is a standard feature even among more budget-friendly models these days.

Specifications and Software Review of OnePlus 12R

Now, let’s dive into the internal specifications. OnePlus 12R nearly qualifies as a flagship model, housing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC from the previous year. The device supports up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, with storage options stretching up to 256GB via UFS 4.0. However, the basic version is limited to 128GB of UFS 3.1, which falls short in speed.

OnePlus 12R is set to receive three years of Android OS updates

 

For connectivity options, the OnePlus 12R includes dual-band Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, and standard GPS satellite support. It also supports dual nano-SIM for dual-5G standby, but lacks eSIM capabilities. The device features an in-display fingerprint scanner located at the bottom of the screen, which performed admirably during the review.

Furthermore, the OnePlus 12R boasts the largest battery ever in a OnePlus smartphone, featuring a 5,500mAh cell that is compatible with 100W fast charging using the included charger.

On the software side, the device comes with Android 14, running on OxygenOS 14 right from the start. During the review period, OnePlus provided an update that introduced several performance and camera improvements. The company guarantees three years of OS upgrades and four years of security patches for the OnePlus 12R.

This model is loaded with a multitude of software features, particularly from OxygenOS or perhaps ColorOS, allowing users to tailor the OnePlus 12R to their preferences. There are also various new additions in OxygenOS 14, like File Dock, Fluid Cloud, Smart Cutout, Smart Touch, and Multi-Screen Connect 2.0. File Dock simplifies content sharing across applications and devices, while Fluid Cloud lets you customize the information displayed in the status bar. Another feature, Smart Suggestions, provides real-time updates from applications such as Zomato and Swiggy, which can be viewed on the lock screen, status bar, or notification drawer. It also integrates well with the always-on display (AOD) function. Nevertheless, the OnePlus 12R, along with the OnePlus 12, lacks certain AI features that are strangely available in models sold within China. It is hoped that OnePlus will introduce some of these AI functionalities through software updates.

Performance Analysis of OnePlus 12R

The performance of the OnePlus 12R is among the strongest arguments for purchasing this device, especially when considering value for price. Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, everything runs seamlessly on this phone. Although benchmark scores may not be the highest within its price bracket, it never feels underpowered. In performance mode, the phone recorded an AnTuTu score of 15,11,642 points, while in normal mode, it achieved 12,82,842 points.

You can enjoy playing nearly any game on the OnePlus 12R

 

The OnePlus 12R excels as a gaming device too. While the brand may not heavily market it as such, the gaming performance is impressive. I tried various games like COD, BGMI, and Genshin Impact, all running smoothly at the highest graphics settings. The device maintained excellent frame rates and only warmed slightly after a 40-minute BGMI session. The touch sensitivity is also commendable, contributing to my success in several matches.

Gaming on the OnePlus 12R is further enhanced by its outstanding display. It features a 6.78-inch LTPO 4.0 AMOLED screen, boasting a resolution of 1.5K with an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz. The display has a touch response rate that reaches 1000 Hz and supports 10-bit colors and HDR10+. Additionally, there is a feature called Aquatouch, which utilizes the CPU to detect wet screens, enhancing touch response to prevent accidental touches. While it is hit or miss, I found it sometimes effective; however, under the shower, it did lead to several mis-touches.

The OnePlus 12R achieves a peak brightness of 1,600 nits in high brightness mode (HBM)

 

The display can reach a high brightness of 1,600 nits, ensuring visibility even in direct sunlight. It performs admirably both indoors and outdoors, with vibrant colors. There are different color modes available in the settings, and I recommend using the Cinematic color mode found in Pro mode for the best color accuracy.

OnePlus also equipped the phone with a decent speaker system. The audio provides good separation, ample bass, and Dolby Atmos support, and it can get quite loud as well. Consuming media on the OnePlus 12R is a delightful experience.

Battery life is commendable on the OnePlus 12R and can be optimized further by reducing the refresh rate and screen resolution. During the review, I consistently achieved over 7 hours of screen-on time, which included gaming, camera use, streaming YouTube and Netflix, and regular daily tasks. The 5,500mAh battery can easily stretch to two days of use, even with heavy activity. The 100W charger efficiently charged the phone from 10% to 100% in 30 minutes, a bit longer than the promised 26 minutes but still impressive.

Camera Review for OnePlus 12R

Now, let’s discuss the section many of you are eager to hear about. The OnePlus 12R features a triplet rear camera setup with a primary 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 sensor, which has an f/1.8 aperture, PDAF, and OIS. This is the same primary camera found on the previous year’s OnePlus 11. Additionally, there’s an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor with a 112-degree field of vision and a 2-megapixel macro shooter. For selfies, it has a 16-megapixel front camera.

The selfie camera of OnePlus 12R is 16-megapixels

 

The Camera app boasts numerous features while remaining user-friendly. Various shooting modes are tucked away in the More menu, including Hi-Res mode, Macro mode, Night mode, Panorama, Time-lapse, Long exposure, and Slow motion.

Before I share my thoughts on camera performance, it’s worth noting that this is the only non-flagship aspect of the smartphone. The primary camera captures impressive photos, demonstrating ample detail, sharpness, and reasonable color accuracy. The standard Photo mode provides options for 1x, 2x, and 5x, though these are merely crops taken from the main sensor. In good lighting, the 2x option delivers decent results, but the 5x crop lacks significant detail. As dusk approaches, while the main camera can take reasonably good shots, detail can diminish significantly.

Top: 0.6x using the Ultrawide, 1x and 2x from main camera: Bottom: Lowlight samples

 

Regarding the 8-megapixel ultrawide, I discovered an oddity while photographing landscapes. Even under ample light, images often exhibited blurriness. When subjects were closer, the ultrawide produced satisfactory images—with minimal blur—but it falters in low-light conditions, yielding noisy, unusable shots.

The Macro mode utilizes the 2-megapixel sensor

 

OnePlus might have skipped the 2-megapixel Macro lens, but it does provide decent close-up shots if that’s your preference. The macro images turn out quite satisfactory. The front-facing camera takes good quality selfies suitable for social media sharing, although it can struggle in lower light conditions. Fortunately, it features a screen fill light to help. The Portrait mode captures good edge detection, but lacks 1x or 2x options.

As for video quality, the OnePlus 12R performs adequately but doesn’t excel. It can shoot in 4K at up to 60fps; however, Ultra steady mode is limited to 1080p at 60fps. Daylight videos display good quality, plus stabilization is quite effective. In lower light, you may notice glitches and noise. The primary camera yields good colors and dynamic range, while the ultrawide performs adequately during the day. Videos captured in low-light scenarios reveal considerable noise, while the selfie camera can record 1080p at 30fps and performs decently in daylight conditions.

OnePlus 12R Review: Conclusion

The OnePlus 12R stands out as a well-rounded smartphone with a respectable camera system. While some competing models in the same price range may deliver superior camera performance, the overall offering of the OnePlus 12R is robust. It features an impressive display, exceptional performance, quality speakers, rapid wired charging, and a durable battery. It remains cool during gaming, with good performance from the primary camera in daylight settings.

In summary, the OnePlus 12R effectively links the gap between budget and flagship levels. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone seeking an experience equivalent to flagship offerings without the flagship price tag. With a starting cost of Rs. 39,999, it’s a guaranteed choice.