OnePlus 12 should be the most anticipated Snapdragon 8 Gen3 flagship phone. Before officially releasing the OnePlus 12, OnePlus had already teased that the new phone would feature several “amazing” technologies for the first time. Another more important reason is that the OnePlus brand celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. As the “Ten Years Flagship Transcendence”, OnePlus 12 naturally has to show strong product strength. OnePlus’ positioning of this phone is also very high. Although it does not have “Pro”, it surpasses many Pro models in terms of configuration. OnePlus 12 has arrived in the GizCoupon review room and now brings you the hands-on experience of this new phone.
Design
The OnePlus 12 maintains the design continuity from its predecessor, the OnePlus 11, following the family-style design introduced with the OnePlus 10. This design approach serves as a recognizable signature of “Designed By OnePlus,” contributing to the brand’s identity. Despite the familiar design language, the OnePlus 12 introduces notable changes, such as a lens module inspired by high-end watch craftsmanship, officially termed “TIME Design.”
The lens module of the OnePlus 12 draws inspiration from luxury watches, incorporating details like a starry sky dial and a “bezel” made with high-gloss technology. The lens module is covered by a single piece of glass referred to as the “watch mirror,” adding a sophisticated touch. This design not only enhances the aesthetic appeal, reminiscent of high-end watches but also offers practical benefits by preventing dust accumulation between the lenses.
The “watch mirror” covers four cameras and sensors arranged neatly, providing a seamless and integrated appearance. This design choice not only contributes to a more advanced look but also aligns with the functionality seen in traditional high-end watches, featuring small functional dials under the watch mirror for various displays. The OnePlus 12 is available in three colors: “white,” “pale green,” and “rock black.” The “pale green” variant, characterized by a medium-cool tone and a subtle grayscale, exudes a calm and textured appearance, reminiscent of the green of Cangshan Mountain. The phone’s color options offer a balance between sophistication and subtlety. Technologically, the “Green” variant of the OnePlus 12 incorporates a new generation of emerald glass technology with a surface texture resembling marble. The phone maintains its distinctive “three-stage switch design” and a metal middle frame with a high-gloss finish matching the back cover.
Display
The OnePlus 12 introduces a groundbreaking “Mount Everest of screens” labeled as the “most powerful 2K Oriental screen,” a result of collaboration with BOE. This cutting-edge “Oriental Screen” leads the device’s advancements, boasting 6 breakthroughs, 9 world firsts, and 12 global debuts for an exceptional user experience. Featuring a 2K+ resolution of 3216×1440 pixels and a peak brightness exceeding 3000nit, the OnePlus 12 Oriental Screen stands out with a global excitation brightness of 1600nit, DCI-P3 100% color gamut, and HDR 10+ certification. It ensures a vibrant and immersive visual experience with Dolby Vision support.
The OnePlus 12 incorporates a “self-developed image quality engine” and OPPO’s first-gen Display P1 chip, achieving industry-first single-pixel independent calibration. The device introduces Eye Protection technology, addressing screen flicker issues with innovative dimming techniques and securing high-level eye protection certifications.
Setting a new standard, the OnePlus 12 refreshes 18 DisplayMate A+ records, claiming the title of the first Chinese-produced DisplayMate A+ 2K screen. The screen excels in clarity, color accuracy, transparency, color cast, display comfort, and brightness uniformity, surpassing many competitors. The exceptional 2K screen is a standout feature reminiscent of the OnePlus 7 Pro’s 90Hz 2K+ fluid screen, adding to the anticipation and excitement surrounding the OnePlus 12’s display capabilities.
Cameras
What kicks off the second chapter of OnePlus 12 is the image. At the OPPO Imaging Strategic Communication and Paris Film Festival OnePlus 12 Shenzhen Branch Event on November 9, OnePlus announced that OnePlus 12 has become OnePlus’ first flagship product fully equipped with a “new generation super light and shadow imaging system”.
Specifically, the main camera of the OnePlus 12 is an LYT-808 sensor, 50 Megapixels, 1/1.4, f/1.6, OIS optical image stabilization + suspended prism image stabilization. According to officials, the LYT-808 is the most powerful flagship sensor one inch behind Sony.
The super light and shadow periscope telephoto OV64B is 64MP, 1/2 inch, f/2.6. It is officially claimed to be the “strongest periscope telephoto in its class”. It supports a minimum focusing distance of 20cm, 3x optical lossless zoom, and 6x optical zoom. Zoom, supports up to 120x digital zoom.
The ultra-wide angle is IMX581, which has the same specifications as the previous generation, 48 Megapixels, f/2.2, 114° ultra-wide angle. These three lenses perfectly cover the entire focal length of 14mm-140mm.
In terms of algorithms, the imaging capabilities of the OnePlus 12 are created by the Find imaging team. It uses both optics and algorithms to support ultra-light ProXDR display and Hasselblad portraits, allowing users to take photos with clear details, vivid colors, and natural light and shadow pictures.
Let’s take a look at the sample performance:
Thanks to the addition of this periscope telephoto lens, the ultra-telephoto shooting capabilities of this generation of OnePlus 12 have been greatly improved. Coupled with the flagship algorithm under the Find series, the imaging performance of the OnePlus 12 is comparable to that of the Find series.
In addition to the improvement in telephoto shooting capabilities, the OnePlus 12 also has a full Find flavor for portrait shooting this time. It provides three classic portrait lenses of Hasselblad 23mm, 46mm, and 70mm. With the same Find algorithm, OnePlus 12 can Easily capture clear and natural Hasselblad portrait photos. The portraits have a strong three-dimensional effect, clear details, and few traces of algorithms.
Hardware and Performance
The OnePlus 12 features a third-generation Snapdragon 8 mobile platform, a full-blooded version of LPDDR5X, and UFS 4.0 flagship performance – a standard three-piece flagship set. The CPU core adopts a 1+5+2 architecture, including a Cortex-X4 ultra-large core clocked at 3.3GHz and 5 Cortex-A720 performance cores. Three of the five large cores run at 3.2GHz, while the remaining two large cores operate at 3.0GHz. Additionally, two energy-efficient Cortex-A520 cores are running at 2.3GHz. The CPU performance has increased by 30%, and energy efficiency has seen a 20% improvement. In terms of GPU, it is Adreno 750. Officially, it claims that the performance has been improved by 25% and the energy efficiency has been improved by 25%. In addition to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, this time the OnePlus 12 series starts with 12GB and provides configuration combinations up to 24GB + 1TB.
AnTuTu (v10.1.6):
In the test in a normal temperature environment (room temperature is about 20°C), OnePlus 12 scored 2,184,612 points, of which the CPU scored 500,000 points and the GPU scored 900,000+ points.
Through the AnTuTu storage test, the OnePlus 12 has a sequential read speed of 4062.3MB/s, a sequential write speed of 3695.0MB/s, a random read speed of 1727.0MB/s, and a random write speed of 1030.0MB/s.
The overall performance is in line with the “flagship three-piece set” positioning and is also the current ceiling level.
Actual test scores of GeekBench5 and 6:
- In GeekBench 5, the OnePlus 12 scored 1,727 points in single-core and 5,710 points in multi-core;
- In GeekBench 6, the OnePlus 12 scored 2243 points in single-core and 6767 points in multi-core.
For comparison, the GeekBench 6 scores of Meizu 21, which Gizcoupon just tested, were 2285 and 6674 respectively. Overall, the score of the OnePlus 12 is in line with the level that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 should be.
3D Mark
In a single round of Wild Life, the OnePlus 12 scored 18759 with stability of 62.8% and a minimum cycle score of 11655 in 20 consecutive high-intensity rounds.
Despite being considered “radical” in performance tuning, the OnePlus 12 consistently maintains a score above 10,000 in multiple test rounds, showcasing its performance pioneer status and faultless core configuration.
In summary, potential buyers need not worry about configuration issues with the OnePlus 12, as it represents the expected level for the current Snapdragon 8Gen3 flagship.
Moving on, Gizcoupon will assess the OnePlus 12’s gaming capabilities. In a 30-minute test of “Genshin Impact” at the highest image quality and 60 frames per second with esports mode enabled, the phone achieves an average frame rate of 61.35fps, demonstrating stable performance with minimal fluctuations and no noticeable lag or frame drops.
Examining CPU core scheduling, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 faces challenges in boosting individual core performance. However, the eight cores collaborate effectively, maintaining an overall level of around 1GHz. The super large core operates subtly, preventing excessive force and optimizing power consumption and heat generation.
Temperature Control
Playing “Genshin Impact” for just 30 minutes raised the OnePlus 12’s fuselage temperature to a manageable 41°C on the upper left side of the screen. While there’s noticeable warmth, it doesn’t reach uncomfortable levels. Considering the game’s overall performance, the temperature control is already quite satisfactory, ensuring a pleasant gaming experience. The OnePlus 12 builds on its predecessor, the OnePlus 11, which introduced the “Super Frame Super Picture Engine,” “Super Resolution Function,” and “Super HDR Image Quality.” The OnePlus 12 takes it a step further with a new generation of the superframe superpicture engine, delivering a 2K resolution, 120 frames per second, and enhanced HDR image quality.
Exclusive customization of professional rendering chips and super-resolution algorithms allows the OnePlus 12 to achieve “global 2K super-resolution” for all games, supporting “full 120 frames” for 100+ mainstream games. Popular titles like “Honor of Kings,” “League of Legends Mobile,” and “Genshin Impact” can run at 120 frames, 2K resolution, and with HDR effects simultaneously, eliminating the need to choose between them. In games like “Genshin Impact,” users can easily activate the superframe, superscore, and super HDR options through the game sidebar. Enabling Super Score and Super HDR noticeably enhances the gaming experience, improving brightness, enriching details, and making contrasts more prominent—comparable to the clarity experienced when someone with poor vision puts on glasses.
Battery
OnePlus 12 has a built-in 5400mAh battery, the largest battery in the history of OnePlus flagships. It also supports 100W super flash charging, 50W wireless flash charging, and 10W reverse charging. Officials say it can charge the battery from 1% to 100% in 26 minutes. In addition, the OnePlus 12 is also equipped with OPPO’s first power management chip, achieving 4 years of healthy use. No matter how good the algorithm is, it is not as satisfying as a big battery. This 5400mAh battery gives OnePlus 12 sufficient battery life confidence.
In the experience, I can feel the long battery life advantage of the OnePlus 12. The 2K screen, along with performance mode, consumed only 30% of power during the 2 hours and 16 minutes it was on. Throughout the entire process, including a nearly 30-minute extreme performance test, the screen remained active. The OnePlus 12’s 100% battery proves highly durable. The screen can stay on for almost an hour, and there is a minimum of 10 minutes dedicated to photo testing. It does not lose any power, which is a bit like an iPhone.
System experience
OnePlus 12 is also equipped with the new ColorOS 14 system (based on Android 14 ). Regarding the ColorOS 14 system, GizCoupon has had detailed experience in the evaluation article before.
Here are a few key functional experience descriptions that I find very interesting:
The first is ColorOS 14’s “system-level cutout”. You only need to select a picture in the album and long press to automatically recognize the cutout. The cutout picture is in PNG format. You can choose to save, copy, or share in the pop-up options. , or you can go one step further and drag this picture directly to the “Transfer Station”. At the transfer station, you can temporarily store and preview this content for 30 days. Additionally, you can store it on one end and access it from multiple ends, including mobile phones, computers, and tablets.
AndesGPT
OnePlus 12 also supports a “portable workbench”. You can log in to the workbench URL through a browser to view all files and information on your tablet and mobile phone, including pictures, videos, and even audio, compressed packages, installation packages, and all content in the transfer station. Wait, you can also synchronize Kingsoft documents, notes, and to-dos. The ColorOS 14 system’s “portable workbench” has an independent Mac version. This means Mac users now have another official application that can connect with Android phones. With the empowerment of AndesGPT (Andes Large Model), Xiaobu has also ushered in a new evolution.
The OnePlus 12 features an advanced Xiaobu Assistant, surpassing a simple voice assistant to become a ChatGPT-like personal assistant. It streamlines problem-solving by providing direct assistance on various tasks, such as cleaning junk files, enabling eye protection mode, locating screenshots, or adjusting the status bar. Despite its capabilities, the current Xiaobu lacks productivity functions like speech writing or project planning. Users hope for future OTA updates to enhance its capabilities in these areas.
OnePlus 12 introduces a revamped memory gene recombination technology, leading the industry in app launch consistency. The device demonstrates remarkable background survival capability, now lasting over 3 days, ensuring a smooth experience for 48 months, as confirmed by GizCoupon’s ColorOS 14 fluency test. In performance testing, 22 commonly used applications on the OnePlus 12 exhibited a cold start time of approximately 1 minute and 15 seconds. Despite a minor temperature increase during testing, the overall stability of the device remains impressive.
Detailed experience
In addition to design, imaging, and performance, OnePlus 12 has many highlights worth talking about separately, such as the “AAC Bionic Vibration Motor Turbo” known as the “motor ceiling”. The official statement states that the motor has a volume of 602mm³. It can adapt and connect to various applications and games. Additionally, it can adjust the vibration effects of 72 categories in over 700 systems in the system.
In the author’s experience, the most obvious scenario for the experience gained by this vibration motor is the input method. You can choose to experience different switches through the built-in “mechanical keyboard” of the input method, including a black crystal red switch, tea, green, silver, silent red, yellow switch, etc. For example, under the “black crystal red axis”, the moment you press it, there will be a spring-like feedback force. When the finger is raised, the moment this feedback force disappears, the motor will “click”, and the effect is Very realistic.
Gaming
If you are a “Special Forces” in “Peace Elite”, then this motor can shine even more, turning on high-quality vibrations in the game. After turning it on, you can truly feel the acceleration process of the car engine’s upshifts and downshifts when driving. The bumps on the road can also be experienced through this motor. Different firearms will have different vibration effects. Playing games is no longer just a matter of rubbing glass. , mobile games can also achieve vibration effects like PS controllers, which is a great addition to the game.
However, as mentioned in the OnePlus 11 review, the author still hopes that OnePlus can polish this motor, such as the zoom scene of the camera. Currently, you can only switch between fixed focal lengths (for example, between 3X and 6X, it will vibrate twice) before there is vibration feedback.
Now that we have such a good motor, we might as well make the zoom vibration more delicate. For example, during the zoom process, if we encounter a fixed focal length, we can give strong vibration feedback to the user; and between non-fixed focal lengths, When switching, it will give feedback to the user with slight vibration.
In short, it is precise because this motor is so powerful that I hope OnePlus can polish it and make this motor shine. After all, the higher the capability, the higher the expectations!
The OnePlus 12 supports USB 3.2 Gen1, features an ultra-thin under-screen fingerprint scanner, and includes “all-area multi-function NFC.” It is also dustproof and waterproof with an IP65 rating, supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, and comes with a full-featured infrared remote control and ultra-linear stereo dual speakers. Additionally, it has additional features like “rain touch mode” and “super signal engineering.
In Conclusion
Summarizing this generation of OnePlus 12, the author feels that the OnePlus 12 has indeed fulfilled its slogan of “one plus 12, best for all”. If you think about it carefully, it is indeed true. This generation of products is indeed strong. It makes up for the previous shortcomings and further amplifies OnePlus’s traditional advantages: stronger screens, more powerful configurations, and better stacks. materials, a more complete detailed configuration experience…
It seems difficult to find shortcomings in this generation of products, including the design, which has its own design style. More importantly, the OnePlus 12 still does not have a “Pro” line, but the overall experience of the OnePlus 12 is comparable to the Pro and even surpasses the Pro products of other manufacturers in all aspects in some places.
Price Information:
- 12GB + 256GB priced at 4,299 yuan (about $599)
- 16GB + 512GB priced at 4,799 yuan (about $675)
- 16GB + 1TB priced at 5,299 yuan (about $739)
- 24GB + 1TB priced at 5,799 yuan (about $809)
Read Also: OnePlus 12 Released: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Starts at 4,299 Yuan
