The OnePlus 12R packs a lot of phone for just $500

Summary

• The OnePlus 12R offers a similar experience to its flagship sibling, the OnePlus 12, at a lower price point of $500, making it a budget-friendly option.
• The OnePlus 12R features an FHD+ 6.78-inch 120Hz OLED panel with a peak brightness of 4,500 nits and a maximum brightness of 1,600 nits. It also has water detection and reactive touch capabilities.
• The OnePlus 12R utilizes the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and a 5,500mAh battery with 80W fast wired charging. The camera is downgraded compared to the flagship model but still offers a respectable 50MP primary shooter.

The OnePlus 12 launched in late December in China, making it among the first Android smartphones to launch with Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. A month later, the BBK-owned firm unveiled the OnePlus Ace 3 in China, a cheaper alternative to its 2024 flagship. Now, alongside OnePlus 12 reviews going live and its international launch, OnePlus announced the OnePlus 12R’s global debut, bringing the R series of phones to the US and Europe for the first time. The phone packs the best bits of its flagship sibling while making the right compromises to deliver even more value for money.

The OnePlus 11R and its predecessors used a plastic frame with a glossy finish. The OnePlus 12R, however, features an aluminum frame, far more similar in feel to last year’s OnePlus 11 in both design and specs. The phone is IP64 certified and features OnePlus’ iconic Alert Slider on the left. It will launch in Cool Blue with a glossy finish and Iron Gray with a matte feel.

The front of the OnePlus 12R is dominated by an FHD+ 6.78-inch 120Hz OLED panel. OnePlus says it uses the latest LTPO 4.0 panel for better performance and efficiency, with the screen dynamically switching between refresh rates based on the content being watched. It has a claimed peak brightness of 4,500 nits and a maximum brightness of 1,600 nits. Interestingly, the screen can detect water and react to your taps accordingly.

Internally, the OnePlus 12R uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which was found inside flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 5 from last year. Despite being over a year old, the SoC is no slouch and can deliver outstanding performance in all heavy apps and games you use. OnePlus has also beefed up its cooling system, which is supposedly 76% bigger than the OnePlus 11R for better thermal efficiency.

Providing juice to the phone is a beefy 5,500mAh battery with 80W fast wired charging support, capable of topping up the cell from 1-100% in 31 minutes. Unlike the OnePlus 12, there’s no wireless charging, but given the fast wired charging speed, you are unlikely to miss it as well.

Camera is an area where the OnePlus 12R packs significant downgrades from its more premium sibling. The primary shooter is a respectable 50MP Sony IMX890, accompanied by a disappointing 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro. Sitting at the front is a 16MP f/2.4 selfie shooter. Given the lackluster hardware, don’t expect the OnePlus 12R to give the best camera phones a run for their money.

OnePlus also announced the OnePlus Buds 3 today. While they miss out on the Pro moniker, they pack similar specs as the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 at a lower price point.

The OnePlus 12R goes on sale in the US and Canada beginning February 13, with prices starting from $500 and CA $670 for the 8GB RAM/128GB storage variant. There’s also a 16GB RAM with 256GB model for $600 and CA $800, respectively. You can purchase the phone through OnePlus’s online store, Amazon, and Best Buy in the US and Canada. At $500, the phone gives some of the budget Android phones stiff competition, thanks to its superior hardware.