OnePlus 12 review: the return of the “flagship killer”?

Now under the control of OPPO, OnePlus is launching the OnePlus 12, its new star smartphone. Without doubt one of the most underrated at the start of the year. Has OnePlus regained its splendor? Following the departure of the original team (who left to found Nothing), the manufacturer, which came under the supervision of OPPO, lost its…

amerbekic

3. Mar 2024.

10 minutes

OnePlus 12

Now under the control of OPPO, OnePlus is launching the OnePlus 12, its new star smartphone. Without doubt one of the most underrated at the start of the year.

Has OnePlus regained its splendor? Following the departure of the original team (who left to found Nothing), the manufacturer, which came under the supervision of OPPO, lost its way somewhat. Incomprehensible ranges, failed models, non-existent communication: we no longer paid much for the brand that practically invented the notion of “flagship killer”.

At the end of 2023, OnePlus made a comeback: its OnePlus Open, a folding smartphone from the OPPO laboratories and rebranded as OnePlus, received a warm welcome. At Presse-citron, we consider this model to be the best folding smartphone of the moment.

Is the OnePlus 12 also convincing? Response after a month of testing.

OnePlus 12 price and availability

The OnePlus 12 is available from 969 euros in a 12/256 GB version. A 16/512 GB model is also available, at a price of 999 euros. It comes in two colors Silky Black and Flowy Emerald (our test model).

OnePlus therefore faces ultra-premium models like the iPhone 15/15 Plus or the Galaxy S24/S24 Plus. A bold challenge but not impossible.

🟢 What we liked

Its original design

Obviously very proud of its large lens, Honor integrates its photo module on almost a quarter of the rear side in a perfect circle (protected by Gorilla Glass 5) containing three lenses and a flash. Offset slightly to the left, it stretches to the edge thanks to a chrome coating. We love it or we hate it, the brand at least has the merit of trying something different.

The Oneplus 12 also marks its originality with its coating. The marbled back of the phone will not leave anyone indifferent. It brings a touch of elegance and refinement to a smartphone that some will find strange.

Bulky and heavy (164.3 x 75.8 x 9.3 mm for 220 g), the OnePlus 12 is in the same category as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the Pixel 8 Pro. We advise you to handle this beautiful baby exclusively with two hands, the texture of the smooth and slippery shell increases the risk of falling.

Better to avoid disaster, especially above water, the OnePlus 12 being limited to IP65 certification. A disappointment for a phone close to 1,000 euros.

Its superb screen

With this unusual design, OnePlus combines a magnificent 6.82” screen. The manufacturer is integrating all the best that can be found at the start of 2024: cutting-edge AMOLED technology, a variable refresh rate from 1 to 120 Hz as well as a QDH+ definition.

OnePlus goes even further by announcing a maximum brightness in HDR of 4,500 nits! A value to be taken with a pinch of salt, as situations requiring such brightness are extremely rare. However, the OnePlus 12 screen is the brightest ever installed on a phone. On a daily basis, it is therefore comfortable in all circumstances. Its large diagonal and excellent calibration allow for a seamless multimedia experience.

The icing on the slab is that OnePlus has applied a unique coating allowing the OnePlus 12 to be used in the rain without tactile errors. A significant advantage when you live in regions where clouds are more often visible than the sun (we know what we’re talking about).

Perfect screen of the OnePlus 12? Not quite. The fingerprint reader under the panel does not meet the standards of a premium model: the digital recognition is indeed capricious.

Finally, OnePlus has opted for a curved panel on the edges that is too sensitive to false positives. Regularly, the phone does not respond to our actions because we hold it too firmly on its curved part. A flat screen for the next generation?

His crazy performances

OnePlus has always considered performance a top priority. The OnePlus 12 therefore logically welcomes the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the most powerful chip of the moment, associated with 12 or 16 GB of RAM. Engineers also developed Trinity Engine , an algorithm to optimize the use of CPU, RAM and storage. Finally, a larger steam chamber equipped with the latest technologies promises good temperature management.

In fact, the OnePlus 12 is indeed a power monster. Like a Galaxy S24 Ultra, it accepted our requests without flinching (and we did not spare it). Demanding users will therefore find what they are looking for, the OnePlus 12 being able to run the most demanding applications (photo editing, video editing, etc.) with disconcerting speed.

Finally, the players are not left out. Thanks to excellent heat dissipation management, the OnePlus 12 allows long gaming sessions with all sliders pushed to the maximum. This arsenal combined with the very beautiful screen allows for an unparalleled multimedia experience.

Its excellent autonomy and ultra-fast charging

Reading the technical sheet, we had a feeling that the OnePlus 12 would be a durable smartphone. We were not mistaken: thanks to a monstrous 5,400 mAh battery (two 2,700 mAh blocks), the OnePlus 12 displays very comfortable autonomy. According to figures from 01Lab, it takes 20 hours of all-round use to get through it. It thus ranks in the top 10 of the most durable smartphones passed through the laboratory. On a daily basis, allow two days for typical use (or a little more) and a good day and a half if you overuse the good things.

This excellent autonomy is accompanied by ultra-fast charging. OnePlus provides a 100W smart charger allowing the OnePlus 12 to regain full energy in 42 minutes (according to 01Lab figures). It only takes 18 minutes to reach 50% (i.e. one day of use). Not yet at the level of Xiaomi charging (0 to 100% in 30 minutes) but not far.

The OnePlus 12 is also compatible with Qi wireless charging, with performance that is logically less impressive, but at least equivalent to market benchmarks.

🟠 Ugh: the Hasselblad camera

On the hardware side, OnePlus does not play one-upmanship. Its photo module includes:

a 23mm wide-angle (f/1.6); 50 MP Sony LYT-808 main sensor (1/1.4”, 1.12 µm photosite); optical stabilization
a 14mm ultra wide-angle (f/2.2); 48 MP Sony IMX581 sensor (1/2”, 0.8 µm photosite)
a 70mm periscopic telephoto lens (f/2.6); 64 MP OV64B sensor (1/2”, photosite 0.702 µm)
a 32 MP Sony IMX615 front sensor (1/2.74”, 0.8 µm photosite); 21mm lens (f/2.4)

The OnePlus 12 inherits the Hasselblad label, a partner of the brand for several years. The Swede is not involved in the design of the optics but its engineers work in close collaboration with those from OnePlus/OPPO to best integrate its signature.

This Hasselblad key is characterized by natural colors and slightly stronger contrasts. Enough to give a unique character to the photos of the OnePlus 12 and to compensate for its few technical weaknesses (we will come back to this).

OnePlus has also integrated watermarks (we left them on our photos) allowing the photo to be integrated into a frame adorned with the Hasselblad logo with the optical parameters. Finally, XPAN mode refers to the brand’s devices first launched in 1998.

“And the photo quality in all this? “. Excellent question to which we hasten to answer. In a word: correct.

Despite obvious progress compared to its predecessor, the OnePlus 12 does not yet reach the level of market benchmarks. Its main sensor, although very convincing, is still trapped by extreme environments (too bright or too dark). To correct these defects, we advise you to deactivate HDR mode.

At night, the results are honorable, but the OnePlus 12 still falls into old faults: luminous halos and the tendency to overexposure fail it. The colors are also a little too yellow, especially at 6x zoom.

The ultra wide-angle has the same qualities and defects. But it logically loses sharpness compared to the wide angle. Used for macro mode, it is excellent provided you stay in bright environments and stabilize the device well.

The 3x telephoto lens performs much better thanks to excellent sharpness and natural color rendition. The 6x hybrid zoom also gives satisfactory results. Yalla!

The OnePlus 12 performs well in portrait. The precise clipping and stunningly natural bokeh allow you to capture high-quality shots. The OnePlus 12 even outperforms Samsung’s latest Galaxy S24 and is almost on par with the iPhone 15. “Almost” because it is a little less convincing indoors with dull lights. In these environments, green is too present and makes the whole thing duller.

The front sensor will delight lovers of selfies since the OnePlus 12 excels in this exercise. The selfies and self-portraits are remarkably fine, the colors are natural and the clipping is precise.

Finally, OnePlus is playing it easy when it comes to video. The OnePlus 12 can film up to 4K at 60 fps “only” and in Dolby Vision. A little sparse when you want to rub shoulders with references like the Galaxy S24 capable of filming up to 8K or 4K up to 120 fps (for Ultra). The video remains acceptable but not up to the level of a model of equivalent range.

In summary, the OnePlus 12 camera turns out to be very decent. We confess, the Hasselblad signature does not leave us indifferent. But it is not enough to compensate for its few technical weaknesses, acceptable for a phone costing less than 800 euros, much less for a model sold for almost 1,000 euros.

🔴 What we liked least

The software

Once a benchmark in software, OnePlus has lost a little of its splendor since the departure of most of its big heads to Nothing. Absorbed by OPPO, OnePlus adopts an interface that is the polar opposite of what it offered in its infancy.

The Android 14 and OxygenOS duo is intended to be more busy, with less well thought out menus and features so numerous that you get lost. Geeks will appreciate being able to enter into the smallest settings, but that’s not what makes OnePlus’ identity, which has always based its software on the “light and smooth” philosophy .

If its state-of-the-art components allow for a very fluid experience, lightness is absent. This is all the more regrettable since the multiple options offered do not even integrate artificial intelligence, a real innovation in the premium models planned for 2024.

OnePlus is also a bit stingy when it comes to tracking updates. While Samsung or Google promise 7 years of follow-up, OnePlus announces 4 years of major updates and 5 years of security updates.

Questioned on this subject by the American press, the big boss explained that the updates announced for 7 years would never be guaranteed, the fault of components which will become obsolete before the software. Of which act.

Our opinion on the OnePlus 12

Despite some weaknesses, the OnePlus 12 is a nice surprise. If its camera is not yet up to par with the market leaders, it remains more than adequate thanks to its Hasselblad signature. As for the software, a little refresh would do it a lot of good, just to lighten things up a bit.

Apart from these two points, the OnePlus 12 is a smartphone that we can only recommend. It stands out for its original design, its top-notch performance, its excellent battery life, its ultra-fast charging and its magnificent screen. All for a price of 969 euros. Not considering it would be a mistake.