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HTC Desire 12 Plus Smartphone Review

Tablet or smartphone? If you cannot decide which category the HTC Desire 12 Plus falls into, consider it a phablet. The Desire 12 Plus has a 6.0-inch display, a fingerprint sensor, runs Android 8.0 and it is a dual-SIM device. Find out how the HTC Desire 12’s big brother fares in our review.
The HTC Desire 12 Plus has a six-inch display.
The HTC Desire 12 Plus has a six-inch display.

The HTC Desire 12 Plus has a 1440x720 resolution display like its smaller sibling. However, the Desire 12 Plus has a 0.5-inch larger display. This means that the Desire 12 Plus has a 268 PPI display, while its smaller sibling has a sharper 293 PPI display.

This is the only significant concession though. The Desire 12 Plus ships with Android Oreo 8.0 and has a fingerprint sensor on the rear of the device unlike the Desire 12.

The Desire 12 Plus has a 2,965 mAh built-in battery and 32 GB of internal storage that can be expanded with up to 2 TB microSD cards. You can insert a second nano-SIM instead of a microSD card too.

The Desire 12 Plus is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC, while its smaller sibling is powered by a MediaTek MT6739 SoC. The Snapdragon 450 integrates an octa-core ARM Cortex A53 CPU that clocks up to 1.8 GHz. This is supported by 3 GB RAM and a Qualcomm Adreno 506 GPU that is clocked at 650 MHz.

There are dual rear-facing cameras. The main is a 13 MP sensor which is supported by a 2 MP sensor for bokeh effect photographs. The main camera can record videos in up to 1080p, as can the 8 MP front-facing camera.

The Desire 12 Plus has a 249-Euro recommended retail price (~$292) and is 50 Euros (~$58) more expensive than its smaller sibling. At the time of writing, the Desire 12 Plus is available online for around 230 Euros (~$270).

We have chosen to compare the Desire 12 Plus against the Huawei P20 Lite, the Motorola Moto G6 Plus, the Nokia 6 (2018) and the Sony Xperia XA2. The Desire 12 Plus is cheaper than all our comparison devices which range from 250 Euros to 290 Euros (~$293 to ~$340).

HTC Desire 12 Plus (Desire Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 8 x 1.8 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Qualcomm Adreno 506, Core: 650 MHz
Memory
3 GB 
Display
6.00 inch 2:1, 1440 x 720 pixel 268 PPI, Capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 23 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm jack, Card Reader: microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC up to 2 TB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, Motion G-sensor, Compass, Fingerprint sensor, Micro USB
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.2, GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 (B5/B8/B2/B1 ), HSDPA 42, HSUPA 5.76, LTE (#UL) FDD: Bands 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 17, 28, LTE (#DUGL) FDD: Bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28 TDD: Bands 38, 40, 41, Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.4 x 158.2 x 76.6 ( = 0.33 x 6.23 x 3.02 in)
Battery
2965 mAh Lithium-Ion, 2,965 mAh. 5V/1.5A charging capacity
Operating System
Android 8.0 Oreo
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix Dual 13 MP & 2 MP cameras, f/2.2 aperture, Phase detection autofocus, High Dynamic Range (HDR), LED flash, BSI sensor. Videos in up to 1080p.
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix 8 MP, Fixed focus, BSI sensor, f/2.0 aperture, LED flash, High Dynamic Range (HDR), Face detection. Videos in up to 1080p.
Additional features
Speakers: Two speakers: One on the underside of the device and one above the display, Keyboard: Virtual keyboard, USB Type-B cable (Micro USB), charger, headphones, 24 Months Warranty, SAR value: 0.42 W/kg, fanless
Weight
158 g ( = 5.57 oz / 0.35 pounds), Power Supply: 52 g ( = 1.83 oz / 0.11 pounds)
Price
249 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Unfortunately, the Desire 12 Plus has neither a dustproof nor waterproof case. The back has a shiny finish that attracts fingerprints. This makes the back of the device feel greasy and increases the risk of the device slipping from out of your hands. The fingerprint sensor is sufficiently far from the rear-facing cameras so that you don’t accidentally touch the latter rather than the former. Our test device takes a long time to wake up once unlocked with a fingerprint though, which is disappointing.

The power button and volume rocker are on the right-hand side of the device and are the Desire 12 Plus’ only hardware buttons. The SIM and microSD card tray is on the opposite side.

The plastic case lacks the premium feel of metal cases, but plastic does have its advantages, one of which is weight. The Desire 12 Plus weighs 157 g, which is comparatively light for a smartphone of this size. The Desire 12 Plus measures 158.2 x 76.6 x 8.4 mm, which will be too large for one-handed use with most people. Phablets are intended to be used with two hands mind you.

The back case is a fingerprint magnet.
The back case is a fingerprint magnet.
The HTC Desire 12 Plus is relatively narrow thanks to its thin side display bezels.
The HTC Desire 12 Plus has two speakers. One is on the underside of the device and the other is above the display.
The HTC Desire 12 Plus has a 249-Euro RRP (~$292).

Size Comparison

160 mm / 6.3 inch 75.5 mm / 2.97 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 167 g0.3682 lbs158.2 mm / 6.23 inch 76.6 mm / 3.02 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 158 g0.3483 lbs148.8 mm / 5.86 inch 75.8 mm / 2.98 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 175 g0.3858 lbs148.6 mm / 5.85 inch 71.2 mm / 2.8 inch 7.4 mm / 0.2913 inch 145 g0.3197 lbs142 mm / 5.59 inch 70 mm / 2.76 inch 9.7 mm / 0.3819 inch 171 g0.377 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The Desire 12 Plus is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, an SoC that we have seen powering many mid-range Android smartphones. The Snapdragon 450 integrates an octa-core 64-bit ARM Cortex A53 CPU which clocks up to 1.8 GHz. This combines with a Qualcomm Adreno 506 GPU with a 650 MHz maximum clock speed. The Snapdragon 450 includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon X9 LTE modem which supports up to 300 Mbps peak download speeds and 150 Mbps peak upload speeds. The Snapdragon 450 also supports IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1. The Desire 12 Plus also supports 1080p H.264 decoding and encoding and HEVC decoding.

The Desire 12 Plus’ greatest strength is its storage flexibility. The 32 GB of internal storage can be expanded by up to 2 TB microSD cards.

Charging and wired data transfer is handled by the Micro USB 2.0 port on the bottom of the device. There is also a notification LED above the display.

Software

The Desire 12 Plus ships with Android Oreo 8.0, which is a newer version of Android than its smaller sibling. Oddly, HTC has not preinstalled Google Assistant, but this can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.

HTC has added its HTC Sense UI atop of Android Oreo, which includes additional apps like News Republic and HTC BlinkFeed. There is also a sound recorder and an FM radio app too.

The quick-settings panel is customizable and allows users to quickly turn on and off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth among other things.
The quick-settings panel is customizable and allows users to quickly turn on and off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth among other things.
The Settings menu also includes a dedicated option for SIM card controls.
The Settings menu also includes a dedicated option for SIM card controls.
The default launcher includes a folder containing all the Google apps that are preinstalled.
The default launcher includes a folder containing all the Google apps that are preinstalled.
The default launcher has a layout typical of many other Android launchers.
The default launcher has a layout typical of many other Android launchers.

Communication & GPS

While the Snapdragon 450 SoC supports IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, the Desire 12 Plus only supports b/g/n standards, which means that it will work only on 2.4 GHz networks. Our test device achieved a slow 45 Mb/s in our iperf3 Client receiving test and 46.8 Mb/s in the transmission test when connected to our Linksys EA 8500 reference router. These results are considerably worse than our comparison devices. The Desire 12 Plus is at least 75% slower than our slowest comparison device in these tests.

Our test device achieved a -32 dBm signal attenuation when next to our O2 HomeBox 2 router, which is comparatively weak.

Naturally, the Desire 12 Plus works with LTE, GSM and UMTS networks. The device supports Bluetooth 4.1 too, but there is no NFC chip for use with apps like Google Pay.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Nokia 6 2018
Adreno 508, SD 630, 32 GB eMMC Flash
345 MBit/s +637%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
Adreno 508, SD 630, 64 GB eMMC Flash
311 MBit/s +565%
Sony Xperia XA2
Adreno 508, SD 630, 32 GB eMMC Flash
289 MBit/s +518%
Huawei P20 Lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 64 GB eMMC Flash
233 MBit/s +398%
HTC Desire 12 Plus
Adreno 506, SD 450, 32 GB eMMC Flash
46.8 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +736%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
Adreno 508, SD 630, 64 GB eMMC Flash
310 MBit/s +589%
Sony Xperia XA2
Adreno 508, SD 630, 32 GB eMMC Flash
309 MBit/s +587%
Nokia 6 2018
Adreno 508, SD 630, 32 GB eMMC Flash
289 MBit/s +542%
Huawei P20 Lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 64 GB eMMC Flash
198 MBit/s +340%
HTC Desire 12 Plus
Adreno 506, SD 450, 32 GB eMMC Flash
45 MBit/s
GPS test: outdoors
GPS test: outdoors
GPS test: inside
GPS test: inside

The Desire 12 Plus supports GPS, A-GPS and GLONASS for location services. Our test device struggled to locate us indoors, only managing a location accuracy of up to 29 meters. This is to be expected for a device with this price. The Desire 12 Plus achieved much finer location accuracy when tested outdoors, with a location accuracy of up to six meters.

We took the Desire 12 Plus on a bike ride to test its location accuracy against a professional navigation device, the Garmin Edge 500. Our test device performed well, recording the course and only deviating by 10 meters over an 8.77 km ride. On closer inspection, this minor difference in distance covered is because our test device lacked the Garmin’s GPS accuracy when cornering. Overall, the Desire 12 Plus should be suitable for all general navigation tasks and even those where higher precision is required.

GPS test: HTC Desire 12 Plus - Overview
GPS test: HTC Desire 12 Plus - Overview
GPS test: HTC Desire 12 Plus – Bridge
GPS test: HTC Desire 12 Plus – Bridge
GPS test: HTC Desire 12 Plus – Loop
GPS test: HTC Desire 12 Plus – Loop
GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 – Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 – Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 – Bridge
GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 – Bridge
GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 – Loop
GPS test: Garmin Edge 500 – Loop

Telephone Function & Call Quality

Google Phone app contact list
Google Phone app contact list
Google Phone app call log
Google Phone app call log

The Desire 12 Plus incorporates the Google Phone app to handle calls and contact management.

Our test device struggled for mobile reception when indoors, which is disappointing. Call quality over speakerphone could be better too as the speakers noticeably rattled when our counterpart spoke.

The Desire 12 Plus’ greatest strength is its flexibility. The device accepts two nano SIMs, either of which can be used over LTE.

Cameras

Photography is not the Desire 12 Plus’ strong suit. There is a dual rear-facing camera system that combines a 13 MP main sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 2 MP secondary sensor. The secondary sensor is used to create bokeh effect photos. The aperture is relatively small for a smartphone released in 2018. Our test device produces dull-looking photos despite supporting HDR and Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF). The LED flash is strong though, which benefits photos and videos. Videos can be recorded in up to 1080p and remain relatively sharp thanks to image stabilization.

The Desire 12 Plus has an 8 MP fixed-focus front-facing camera with an f/2.0 aperture. The front-facing camera supports face detection, HDR and even has a dedicated LED flash. The quality of selfies is modest at best though when compared to the competition. The front-facing camera can record videos in up to 1080p like the rear-facing camera.

Example photograph using the 13 MP f/2.2 aperture rear camera
Example photograph using the 13 MP f/2.2 aperture rear camera
Example photograph using the 8 MP f/2.0 aperture front-facing camera
Example photograph using the 8 MP f/2.0 aperture front-facing camera

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images

We also subjected the Desire 12 Plus to camera tests under controlled lighting conditions. During these tests, we photograph a test chart that simulates difficult details for cameras to accurately capture, like fine lines or text against a colored background.

The Desire 12 Plus performs relatively well given the results of our more practical tests. Pictures are appropriately exposed, but light colors are too dark and dark colors are too light. Likewise, text against a red background is slightly blurred, while the edges of lines are somewhat distorted by surrounding colors. 

Photograph of our test chart
Photograph of our test chart
Test chart in detail
ColorChecker: The reference colour is displayed in the lower half of each area of colour

Accessories & Warranty

The Desire 12 Plus comes with a modular charger, a USB Type-A to Micro USB cable and a quick-start guide. There are no headphones included in the box.

HTC provides the Desire 12 Plus with 24 months manufacturer’s warranty. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices & Operation

Navigating throughout the device is handled by the standard Android implementation of three on-screen buttons located at the bottom of the display. The Home button is flanked by a Back button on the left-hand side and a Recents (Overview) button on the opposite side.

There is also a fingerprint sensor on the rear case that can be used to unlock the device among other things. Our test device feels slower to wake having been unlocked with the fingerprint sensor though. Fortunately, the fingerprint sensor and rear camera array are far enough apart for there to be no accidental touches.

HTC has opted for the TouchPal keyboard as the Desire 12 Plus’s default keyboard. We were only able to download two languages at once for some reason. While the keyboard works well enough in portrait mode, there are issues with it being used in landscape mode. The default keyboard occupies much of the 6.0-inch display in landscape mode, which makes it harder to type than on other keyboards. There is no way to reduce the keyboard height either. The keys in the bottom corners are difficult to use in landscape mode too.

We would recommend downloading a keyboard like Google’s Gboard if you need better language support. Gboard is just better designed and executed in general.

Using the TouchPal keyboard in portrait mode.
Using the TouchPal keyboard in portrait mode.
Using the TouchPal keyboard in landscape mode.
Using the TouchPal keyboard in landscape mode.

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

The display has left us with a mixed impression. It reacts quickly to inputs, but it is difficult to read outside because of its highly reflective finish.

The Desire 12 Plus has a 6.0-inch display with a 1440x720 native resolution and a 2:1 aspect ratio. You may see this referred to as an 18:9 aspect ratio elsewhere. Watching videos is more enjoyable than on a 16:9 display as the video fills more of the frame. Many games are still optimized for 16:9 though, so there is some letterboxing when played on the Desire 12 Plus and other devices with 2:1 aspect ratio displays.

One gripe we have is the poorly implemented auto brightness. Typically, the display is darker than needed, particularly in games. We would advise controlling brightness manually instead.

431
cd/m²
413
cd/m²
408
cd/m²
422
cd/m²
418
cd/m²
405
cd/m²
421
cd/m²
408
cd/m²
400
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 431 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 414 cd/m² Minimum: 16.25 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 418 cd/m²
Contrast: 597:1 (Black: 0.7 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
88.1% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.27
HTC Desire 12 Plus
IPS, 1440x720, 6.00
Huawei P20 Lite
IPS, 2280x1080, 5.84
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
IPS, 2160x1080, 5.90
Nokia 6 2018
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
Sony Xperia XA2
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
Screen
12%
48%
-13%
9%
Brightness middle
418
528
26%
761
82%
417
0%
513
23%
Brightness
414
525
27%
723
75%
421
2%
506
22%
Brightness Distribution
93
89
-4%
90
-3%
88
-5%
93
0%
Black Level *
0.7
0.51
27%
0.69
1%
0.61
13%
0.42
40%
Contrast
597
1035
73%
1103
85%
684
15%
1221
105%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.2
4.7
-12%
2.4
43%
6.1
-45%
5
-19%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.3
8.9
-7%
5.2
37%
11.2
-35%
11.4
-37%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.7
6.4
-36%
1.8
62%
7.1
-51%
7.8
-66%
Gamma
2.27 97%
2.22 99%
2.21 100%
2.16 102%
2.2 100%
CCT
7394 88%
7987 81%
6312 103%
8362 78%
7964 82%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 2358 Hz ≤ 4 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 2358 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 4 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 2358 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Our test device achieved a relatively low average maximum brightness of 414 cd/m² using X-Rite i1Pro 2. Activating the ambient light sensor boosts this value to 421 cd/m², but this is still considerably lower than all but the Nokia 6 (2018) out of our comparison devices.

The more realistic Average Picture Level 50 (APL50) test yields 418 cd/m² at the centre of the display and a 93% brightness uniformity, the latter of which equals the best of our comparison devices. Our test device has a 0.7 cd/m² black value, which is relatively high. This combined with the low maximum brightness results in a 597:1 contrast ratio. This is appalling when compared with most of our comparison devices. The Huawei P20 Lite, the Motorola Moto G6 Plus and the Sony Xperia XA2 all have displays that exceed a 1,000:1 contrast ratio. This will give these devices much punchier colors than the Desire 12 Plus.

The IPS panel has comparatively dull colors in daily use because of this weak contrast ratio. The contrast ratio is just adequate for a device with this price, but it is nowhere near most of our comparison devices.

Our test device is relatively sRGB color space accurate, but it does not set itself apart from the competition. DeltaE deviations are within expected levels too for a device with this price.

CalMAN: Grayscale (sRGB target color space)
CalMAN: Grayscale (sRGB target color space)
CalMAN: Color saturation (sRGB target color space)
CalMAN: Color saturation (sRGB target color space)
CalMAN: Color space (sRGB target color space)
CalMAN: Color space (sRGB target color space)
CalMAN: Color accuracy (sRGB target color space)
CalMAN: Color accuracy (sRGB target color space)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
26.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 13.2 ms rise
↘ 10.4 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 62 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
38.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20 ms rise
↘ 18.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 53 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The Desire 12 Plus has relatively stable viewing angles thanks to its IPS display. However, we did notice small color distortions and an undesirable amount of backlight distortion at acute angles.

Using the HTC Desire 12 Plus outdoors.
Using the HTC Desire 12 Plus outdoors.
Using the HTC Desire 12 Plus outdoors.
Using the HTC Desire 12 Plus outdoors.
Using the HTC Desire 12 Plus outdoors.
Using the HTC Desire 12 Plus outdoors.
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

The Desire 12 Plus is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC, which incorporates an ARM Cortex A53 CPU. This 64-bit octa-core processor clocks up to 1.8 GHz and is supported by 3 GB of RAM. This combination should be powerful enough for quickly opening apps and swiftly inputting text, but app load times will be longer if there are too many applications running in the background.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei P20 Lite
68232 Points
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
71635 Points
Nokia 6 2018
72580 Points
Sony Xperia XA2
71552 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (54731 - 60077, n=10)
57703 Points
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
56497 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
88550 Points +57%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
90347 Points +60%
Nokia 6 2018
90435 Points +60%
Sony Xperia XA2
89228 Points +58%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (56497 - 73468, n=11)
69869 Points +24%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
5393 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
5704 Points +6%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
5712 Points +6%
Nokia 6 2018
5484 Points +2%
Sony Xperia XA2
5844 Points +8%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (4836 - 6062, n=14)
5364 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +180%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
4759 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
4793 Points +1%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
4875 Points +2%
Nokia 6 2018
4719 Points -1%
Sony Xperia XA2
5006 Points +5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (4171 - 4759, n=14)
4502 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +128%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
1158 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
1445 Points +25%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1535 Points +33%
Nokia 6 2018
1504 Points +30%
Sony Xperia XA2
1563 Points +35%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (389 - 1337, n=14)
1083 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +393%
System (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
2898 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
3109 Points +7%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
3249 Points +12%
Nokia 6 2018
3237 Points +12%
Sony Xperia XA2
3256 Points +12%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (2560 - 2898, n=14)
2736 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +232%
Memory (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
849 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
1930 Points +127%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1213 Points +43%
Nokia 6 2018
1161 Points +37%
Sony Xperia XA2
1328 Points +56%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (770 - 1522, n=14)
1058 Points +25%
Average of class Smartphone (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +634%
Graphics (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
965 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
848 Points -12%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1523 Points +58%
Nokia 6 2018
1520 Points +58%
Sony Xperia XA2
1500 Points +55%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (943 - 984, n=14)
962 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +1340%
Web (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
756 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
858 Points +13%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
925 Points +22%
Nokia 6 2018
895 Points +18%
Sony Xperia XA2
921 Points +22%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (10 - 981, n=14)
671 Points -11%
Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +97%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
741 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
935 Points +26%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
822 Points +11%
Nokia 6 2018
883 Points +19%
Sony Xperia XA2
865 Points +17%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (741 - 787, n=13)
761 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +583%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
3272 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
3749 Points +15%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
4011 Points +23%
Nokia 6 2018
4210 Points +29%
Sony Xperia XA2
4170 Points +27%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (3272 - 4022, n=13)
3862 Points +18%
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +314%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Huawei P20 Lite
3116 Points
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
3763 Points
Nokia 6 2018
3690 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (2777 - 3374, n=10)
3146 Points
Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
12604 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
12048 Points -4%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
16818 Points +33%
Nokia 6 2018
17030 Points +35%
Sony Xperia XA2
16974 Points +35%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (12562 - 13203, n=12)
12801 Points +2%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
12347 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
11713 Points -5%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
18449 Points +49%
Nokia 6 2018
18572 Points +50%
Sony Xperia XA2
18534 Points +50%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (12281 - 12736, n=12)
12470 Points +1%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
13596 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
13387 Points -2%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
12845 Points -6%
Nokia 6 2018
13196 Points -3%
Sony Xperia XA2
13112 Points -4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (13596 - 15273, n=12)
14216 Points +5%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
810 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
138 Points -83%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1348 Points +66%
Nokia 6 2018
1332 Points +64%
Sony Xperia XA2
1334 Points +65%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (800 - 829, n=14)
812 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3548 Points +338%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
716 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
109 Points -85%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1258 Points +76%
Nokia 6 2018
1249 Points +74%
Sony Xperia XA2
1251 Points +75%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (690 - 716, n=14)
701 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3905 Points +445%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
1504 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
1760 Points +17%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1802 Points +20%
Nokia 6 2018
1733 Points +15%
Sony Xperia XA2
1737 Points +15%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (1504 - 1901, n=14)
1785 Points +19%
Average of class Smartphone (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points +100%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
441 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
257 Points -42%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
833 Points +89%
Nokia 6 2018
814 Points +85%
Sony Xperia XA2
811 Points +84%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (438 - 449, n=14)
443 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2685 Points +509%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
367 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
207 Points -44%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
721 Points +96%
Nokia 6 2018
707 Points +93%
Sony Xperia XA2
709 Points +93%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (349 - 382, n=14)
365 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2675 Points +629%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
1521 Points
Huawei P20 Lite
1757 Points +16%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
1822 Points +20%
Nokia 6 2018
1738 Points +14%
Sony Xperia XA2
1631 Points +7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (1521 - 1860, n=14)
1790 Points +18%
Average of class Smartphone (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3127 Points +106%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
34 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
19 fps -44%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
28 fps -18%
Nokia 6 2018
31 fps -9%
Sony Xperia XA2
31 fps -9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (20 - 34, n=13)
28.1 fps -17%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=177, last 2 years)
83.6 fps +146%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
21 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
19 fps -10%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
30 fps +43%
Nokia 6 2018
30 fps +43%
Sony Xperia XA2
30 fps +43%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (21 - 23, n=13)
21.8 fps +4%
Average of class Smartphone (19 - 791, n=177, last 2 years)
243 fps +1057%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
18 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
8.9 fps -51%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
13 fps -28%
Nokia 6 2018
15 fps -17%
Sony Xperia XA2
15 fps -17%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (8.7 - 18, n=13)
13.9 fps -23%
Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
71.3 fps +296%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
9.2 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
8.7 fps -5%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
14 fps +52%
Nokia 6 2018
14 fps +52%
Sony Xperia XA2
14 fps +52%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (9.2 - 9.4, n=13)
9.3 fps +1%
Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 363, n=178, last 2 years)
137.9 fps +1399%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
13 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
5.6 fps -57%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
9.4 fps -28%
Nokia 6 2018
10 fps -23%
Sony Xperia XA2
10 fps -23%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (5.7 - 13, n=13)
9.98 fps -23%
Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 158, n=178, last 2 years)
60.2 fps +363%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
6 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
5.2 fps -13%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
9.8 fps +63%
Nokia 6 2018
9.8 fps +63%
Sony Xperia XA2
9.7 fps +62%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (6 - 6.9, n=13)
6.15 fps +3%
Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 279, n=178, last 2 years)
97 fps +1517%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
7 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
3.3 fps -53%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
5.3 fps -24%
Nokia 6 2018
5.9 fps -16%
Sony Xperia XA2
6 fps -14%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (3.3 - 7, n=13)
5.4 fps -23%
Average of class Smartphone (5 - 117, n=178, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +513%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
HTC Desire 12 Plus
3.4 fps
Huawei P20 Lite
3.1 fps -9%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
5.6 fps +65%
Nokia 6 2018
5.6 fps +65%
Sony Xperia XA2
5.5 fps +62%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (3.3 - 3.6, n=13)
3.44 fps +1%
Average of class Smartphone (2.9 - 166, n=178, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +1624%

Legend

 
HTC Desire 12 Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei P20 Lite HiSilicon Kirin 659, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Motorola Moto G6 Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, Qualcomm Adreno 508, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Nokia 6 2018 Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, Qualcomm Adreno 508, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Sony Xperia XA2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, Qualcomm Adreno 508, 32 GB eMMC Flash

The Desire 12 Plus struggles against our comparison devices in browser benchmarks. Typically, our test device is at least 10% slower than the competitors, but it is roughly on par with the average of Snapdragon 450-powered devices that we have currently tested. Subjectively, websites take longer to load than on other similarly priced devices. Scrolling animations remained smooth throughout our testing though.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 104.3, n=2, last 2 years)
85.2 Points +284%
Nokia 6 2018 (Browser: Chrome 65)
28.17 Points +27%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus (Chrome 66)
27.97 Points +26%
Sony Xperia XA2 (Chrome 65.0.3325.109)
27.37 Points +24%
Huawei P20 Lite (Chrome 63)
23.42 Points +6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (22 - 22.7, n=13)
22.4 Points +1%
HTC Desire 12 Plus (Chrome 67)
22.16 Points
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points +735%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus (Chrome 66)
5011 Points +25%
Nokia 6 2018 (Browser: Chrome 65)
4993 Points +25%
Sony Xperia XA2 (Chrome 65.0.3325.109)
4771 Points +19%
Huawei P20 Lite
4191 Points +5%
HTC Desire 12 Plus (Chrome 67)
3993 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (3470 - 4115, n=14)
3981 Points 0%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
HTC Desire 12 Plus (Chrome 67)
11572 ms *
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (11012 - 11863, n=14)
11506 ms * +1%
Huawei P20 Lite (Chrome 63)
10788 ms * +7%
Sony Xperia XA2 (Chrome 65.0.3325.109)
10236 ms * +12%
Nokia 6 2018 (Browser: Chrome 65)
9923 ms * +14%
Motorola Moto G6 Plus (Chrome 66)
9797 ms * +15%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +86%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Nokia 6 2018
117 Points
Motorola Moto G6 Plus (Chrome 66)
108 Points
Sony Xperia XA2 (Chrome 65.0.3325.109)
106 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (90 - 103, n=7)
97 Points
Huawei P20 Lite (Chrome 63)
86 Points

* ... smaller is better

The Desire 12 Plus has 32 GB of eMMC flash memory, which is typical for current devices at this price point. Internal storage performance falls short of the Huawei P20 Lite and the Moto G6 Plus, but it is often well ahead of the class average.

We tested microSD card performance using our Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 reference card which has 270 MB/s theoretical read and 150 MB/s theoretical write speeds. Our test unit is on par with many of our comparison devices and is markedly ahead of the average of handsets that we have tested with 32 GB eMMC flash memory and the class average too.

HTC Desire 12 PlusHuawei P20 LiteMotorola Moto G6 PlusNokia 6 2018Sony Xperia XA2Average 32 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
121%
109%
4%
5%
9%
1062%
Sequential Read 256KB
252.8
293.9
16%
286.6
13%
272.6
8%
271.5
7%
242 ?(25.8 - 452, n=247)
-4%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
481%
Sequential Write 256KB
135.6
198.3
46%
216.1
59%
118.3
-13%
127.4
-6%
100.5 ?(14.8 - 196, n=247)
-26%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
695%
Random Read 4KB
65.7
48.19
-27%
58.4
-11%
38.78
-41%
43.07
-34%
43.2 ?(3.59 - 117.2, n=247)
-34%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
268%
Random Write 4KB
9.16
71.1
676%
62.8
586%
15.3
67%
13.82
51%
22.4 ?(0.75 - 91, n=247)
145%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
2804%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
83.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
83.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
0%
83.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
0%
83.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
0%
86 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
3%
71.8 ?(8.2 - 96.5, n=178)
-14%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
59.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
69 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
15%
62.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
4%
61.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
2%
64.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
8%
52.9 ?(3.4 - 87.1, n=178)
-12%

Games

The Snapdragon 450 is equipped with a Qualcomm Adreno 506 GPU that clocks up to 650 MHz. The gaming experience is frustrating. Games like Dream League Soccer are generally slow to load, and framerates are often unstable. Even simpler games like Angry Birds 2 take a while to load. Worse still, the 2:1 aspect ratio makes playing games with onscreen buttons a challenge. For example, we often involuntarily miss hit the onscreen buttons in Dream League Soccer because of the placement at the lower edge of the display due to the 2:1 aspect ratio.

Angry Birds 2 on the HTC Desire 12 Plus
Angry Birds 2 on the HTC Desire 12 Plus
Angry Birds 2 on the HTC Desire 12 Plus
Angry Birds 2 on the HTC Desire 12 Plus
Dream League Soccer on the HTC Desire 12 Plus
Dream League Soccer on the HTC Desire 12 Plus
Dream League Soccer on the HTC Desire 12 Plus
Dream League Soccer on the HTC Desire 12 Plus

Emissions

Temperature

The Desire 12 Plus manages its surface temperatures reasonably well, although some areas get hotter than others. Our test device averages 29.4 °C at idle. The temperature distribution is relatively even on the back case, with surface temperatures only differing by a maximum of 2 °C.

The front of the device is more uneven though. The bottom third of the front of the device gets noticeably hotter than the other areas of the display. The coolest area of the front of the device measured 28.7 °C at idle, which is nearly 5 °C cooler than the hottest area.

Temperature distribution remains the same under load too. Most areas of the front of our test device stay at around 30 °C, but the bottom third of the display reaches up to 36.7 °C at its hottest point. The back of the device is much cooler under load, with the hottest area only reaching 31.7 °C.

Overall, you should have no problem with surface temperatures in daily use. We achieved these surface temperatures under load by stress-testing the CPU and GPU for at least one hour. This puts the device under artificially extreme load conditions that you would not experience even during an extended gaming session.

Max. Load
 31.2 °C
88 F
30.2 °C
86 F
36.7 °C
98 F
 
 31 °C
88 F
30 °C
86 F
36.9 °C
98 F
 
 30 °C
86 F
29.8 °C
86 F
35.5 °C
96 F
 
Maximum: 36.9 °C = 98 F
Average: 32.4 °C = 90 F
30.5 °C
87 F
31.7 °C
89 F
31.7 °C
89 F
30.4 °C
87 F
30.3 °C
87 F
31 °C
88 F
30.2 °C
86 F
30.5 °C
87 F
30.1 °C
86 F
Maximum: 31.7 °C = 89 F
Average: 30.7 °C = 87 F
Power Supply (max.)  29.1 °C = 84 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.4 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 36.9 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 31.7 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.2 °C / 86 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heat-map of the front case under load
Heat-map of the front case under load
Heat-map of the back case under load
Heat-map of the back case under load

Speakers

The Desire 12 Plus has two speakers: One on the underside of the device and one above the display. The speakers reach 81.1 dB(A), which is quieter than our comparison devices despite having an additional speaker.

The sound quality is good overall. Medium to high pitch tones between 500 Hz and 7 kHz sound slightly linear, while super high tones above 8 kHz are adequately reproduced. There is an absence of bass though.

By contrast, listening to music over wired headphones sounds overly quiet and lacking in quality.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.235.42532.936.83137.234.54031.7415039.638.66328.332.88027.332.410026.930.512526.728.51602428.920020.930.325020.934.531519.538.840018.549.850017.555.363017.56080015.759.8100015.861.5125016.667.3160015.868.6200015.465.8250015.566.231501668.8400015.872.750001672630016.371.6800016.371.61000016.272.81250016.470.31600016.457.5SPL28.681.1N1.146median 16.4median 61.5Delta2.213.335.24232.941.837.230.431.736.639.641.828.331.427.331.526.934.226.731.42429.620.938.320.947.619.546.618.55417.562.817.559.415.758.915.86316.666.415.869.315.471.315.573.41674.815.875.91676.516.371.216.371.616.271.316.467.516.459.628.684.11.153.6median 16.4median 632.211.335.239.232.937.437.23831.739.839.639.928.335.727.32926.931.726.732.42441.620.948.920.95419.554.718.563.317.564.717.567.315.768.315.873.616.675.215.873.815.472.415.570.21671.715.8771677.516.378.316.372.816.276.216.471.116.460.528.686.31.167median 16.4median 70.22.28.835.245.832.946.537.232.231.738.439.639.728.332.227.330.926.929.726.732.52433.620.939.120.947.319.551.118.559.217.568.517.566.715.768.515.872.916.673.615.87515.476.815.578.51676.715.876.41676.116.375.516.375.516.268.616.463.616.452.128.687.21.167.9median 16.4median 68.52.211.928.627.224.929.624.624.826.428.830.828.623.62020.222.219.920.717.625.119.142.319.142.917.449.716.95316.857.215.159.216.560.615.664.41567.615.568.715.373.215.775.715.575.315.575.515.47715.875.61674.415.873.516.17116.16717.357.427.985.6159.9median 16median 670.711.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHTC Desire 12 PlusHuawei P20 LiteMotorola Moto G6 PlusNokia 6 2018Sony Xperia XA2
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
HTC Desire 12 Plus audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 29.6% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 9.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (2.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (29.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 72% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 24% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 85% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 13% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei P20 Lite audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 10.5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 57% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 75% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 20% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Motorola Moto G6 Plus audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 15% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 76% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 37% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Nokia 6 2018 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 29.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.9% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 45% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 47% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 64% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 29% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Sony Xperia XA2 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.5% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.6% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (2.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 47% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 45% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 66% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 27% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life

Power Consumption

The Desire 12 Plus’ power consumption is on par with the competition. Our test device consumes a minimum of 0.68 W and averages 2.05 W at idle. Power consumption rises to an average of 3 W under load and a maximum of 4.57 W. Overall, our test device consumes slightly more than the average of Snapdragon 450-powered devices that we have tested. Conversely, the Desire 12 Plus is about 11% more efficient than class average power consumption.

Unfortunately, the Desire 12 Plus does not support Quick Charge, so the device takes around two hours to fully recharge.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.01 / 0.27 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.68 / 2.05 / 2.12 Watt
Load midlight 3 / 4.57 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
HTC Desire 12 Plus
2965 mAh
Huawei P20 Lite
3000 mAh
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
3200 mAh
Nokia 6 2018
3000 mAh
Sony Xperia XA2
3300 mAh
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-19%
6%
7%
15%
-19%
-29%
Idle Minimum *
0.68
0.98
-44%
0.5
26%
0.67
1%
0.39
43%
0.794 ?(0.51 - 1.26, n=14)
-17%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
-31%
Idle Average *
2.05
2
2%
1.78
13%
1.76
14%
1.61
21%
2.27 ?(0.96 - 4.45, n=14)
-11%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
29%
Idle Maximum *
2.12
2.11
-0%
1.81
15%
1.78
16%
1.62
24%
2.48 ?(0.99 - 4.51, n=14)
-17%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
23%
Load Average *
3
3.9
-30%
3.3
-10%
2.82
6%
3.12
-4%
3.95 ?(1.85 - 7.1, n=14)
-32%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-85%
Load Maximum *
4.57
5.62
-23%
5.14
-12%
4.56
-0%
4.92
-8%
5.38 ?(3.04 - 8.8, n=14)
-18%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-80%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The Desire 12 Plus has a 2,965 mAh battery, which is marginally smaller than those in our comparison devices. We tested the Desire 12 Plus using our Wi-Fi battery test in which we run a script that simulates the load required to render websites and measure how long it takes for devices to fully discharge. The Desire 12 Plus lasted just over nine hours in this test. This is considerably lower than the Nokia 6 (2018) and the Sony Xperia XA2, which lasted almost 16 and 15 hours, respectively.

The Desire 12 Plus should last a full day in practice though, but most of our comparison devices should last closer to two days.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
9h 05min
HTC Desire 12 Plus
2965 mAh
Huawei P20 Lite
3000 mAh
Motorola Moto G6 Plus
3200 mAh
Nokia 6 2018
3000 mAh
Sony Xperia XA2
3300 mAh
Battery Runtime
WiFi v1.3
545
582
7%
702
29%
942
73%
886
63%

Pros

+ support for up to 2 TB microSD cards
+ large 18:9 aspect ratio display
+ dual-SIM and LTE support for either SIM card

Cons

- the back case is too smooth and is prone to fingerprints
- weak battery life
- reflective and flickering display with a high PWM value

Verdict

The HTC Desire 12 Plus in review. Test device courtesy of HTC Germany.
The HTC Desire 12 Plus in review. Test device courtesy of HTC Germany.

The greatest strength of the HTC Desire 12 Plus is its flexibility. The ample 32 GB of internal storage can be expanded with up to 2 TB microSD cards. The device even supports two nano-SIMs, although this comes at the cost of using a microSD card.

The HTC Desire 12 Plus has a huge display that allows the smartphone to double as a tablet replacement too. The inclusion of support for 2 TB microSD cards and dual-SIM is impressive, but HTC has done little else to make the Desire 12 Plus stand out from its competitors.

The positives for the display end at its size. It has a low resolution, which combined with low maximum brightness and a comparatively weak contrast ratio makes for a bad overall experience. What’s more, the display has a highly reflective finish that renders the Desire 12 Plus impractical to use outside on sunny days.

The choice of CPU is adequate but not impressive. Neither is the battery life, which falls well short of our comparison devices.

The Desire 12 Plus ships with Android Oreo 8.0, which is a newer version of Android than the Desire 12 is currently operating on. The Desire 12 Plus has a fingerprint scanner too, which is another advantage that the device has over its smaller sibling. The fingerprint scanner takes a while to unlock the device though.

HTC Desire 12 Plus - 06/27/2018 v6(old)
Thomas Meyer

Chassis
79%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 89%
Pointing Device
71%
Connectivity
37 / 60 → 61%
Weight
92%
Battery
92%
Display
81%
Games Performance
24 / 63 → 39%
Application Performance
27 / 70 → 38%
Temperature
92%
Noise
100%
Audio
54 / 91 → 59%
Camera
51%
Average
67%
76%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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Thomas Meyer, 2018-07- 3 (Update: 2019-03- 9)