OnePlus 12 goes global with high-end specs and expensive price tag

The OnePlus 12 has been around in the Chinese market since its launch in December 2023. Initial retail units were plagued with literal bugs in the chassis and manufacturing effects. The phone has now been confirmed for a global launch, and one can hope the company has its manufacturing ironed out because the competition is fierce this time. The base OnePlus 12 variant (12 GB RAM, 256 GB storage) can be purchased now starting at €969.

The global OnePlus 12 version caps out at 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512 GB of UFS 4.0 storage. OnePlus' decision to keep the top-spec 24 GB RAM, 1 TB storage model exclusive to China remains consistent with the strategy adopted by other OEMs (and OnePlus). While it might seem overkill for most users, some power users could use it to run AI models on-device, which is now possible thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC.

OnePlus uses what it calls a "Dual Cryo-velocity VC" in the OnePlus 12 that spans 9,140 mm2. It can supposedly dissipate 17,000 W/mK and reduce hotspot temperatures by up to 7° C. Gaming hasn't really been one of OnePlus' strengths. Still, if the system works as advertised, it could help the OnePlus 12 perform on par with heavy hitters like the Exynos 2400-powered Galaxy S24. Combined with the Frameplus function, that should help it hit the coveted 120 FPS figure across demanding titles.

The OnePlus 12 comes with a 6.82-inch LTPO 3.0 QHD+ (3216 × 1440) OLED panel with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, peak brightness of 4,500 nits, DC dimming and a PWM frequency of 2,160 Hz. It joins the ever-growing list of Chinese phones with souped-up displays. The phone also comes with a PixelWorks X7 Visual processor. Lastly, the smartphone draws power from a 5,400 mAh battery that charges at 100 Watts (wired) and 50 Watts wirelessly. It isn't clear if the global variant gets reverse wireless charging functionality.

Camera-wise, the OnePlus includes a 50 MP Sony LYT-808 sensor (1/1.4-inch sensor, 50MP, 1.12 μm pixel size, f/ 1.6), a 48 MP IMX481 (16 mm equivalent focal lens, 0.8 μm pixel size) ultra-wide-angle lens that also doubles up as a macro lens and a 64MP Omnivision OV64B (3x optical zoom, 1/2-inch sensor, 64MP, 0.702 μm pixel size, 120x hybrid zoom) periscope telephoto lens. The camera app has been updated with a new HDR algorithm and a new Master Mode, which is essentially a Pro mode with granular control over parameters like tint, sharpness, contrast, and saturation.

The OnePlus 12 can record 8K 30 FPS, 4K 60 FPS and 1080p 480 FPS video. That alone puts it a generation behind the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which has much better video recording chops and a heftier price tag. Lastly, the camera layout is rounded off by a 32 MP Sony IMX615 sensor. Wireless connectivity features include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and 5G. An under-display fingerprint sensor facilitates biometric authentication.