OnePlus 12 vs OnePlus 12R: What’s the difference?

The OnePlus 12 is going global, and it’s bringing its smaller sibling along for the adventure. The premium OnePlus 12 and mid-range OnePlus 12R may have similar looks and titles but differ vastly in theory and practice. While both are affordable relative to their competitors, which should you buy? We tackle this question below in our OnePlus 12 vs OnePlus 12R comparison.

The two OnePlus range-toppers appear somewhat similar from a distance, but you’ll notice some subtle design deviations if you lean in a little closer.

The larger OnePlus 12 carries many aesthetic traits pioneered by the OnePlus 11, with the off-center, circular camera array remaining a key visual feature. However, the OnePlus 12’s button layout is different, with the volume rocker and power button now residing on the phone’s right side.

The slightly smaller OnePlus 12R draws more design cues from the OnePlus 11 than its namesake, including the position of its buttons. The OnePlus 12R’s alert slider is located on the left side of the device, with the volume and power buttons on the right.

Regarding sheer footprint, the OnePlus 12 is a slightly larger but much heavier phone, measuring 163.3 x 75.8 x 9.2mm and weighing 220g. The OnePlus 12R is as long as the 12 but slightly narrower and a hair thinner. It also weighs less at 207g.

Colorways include Silky Black and Flowy Emerald (limited to the top configuration) for the OnePlus 12 and Iron Gray and Cool Blue (limited to the top configuration) for the 12R.

As the pricier phone, the OnePlus 12 houses the more impressive hardware inside and out. At its heart lies the performant Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, which brings higher clock speeds and more performance cores to the package than the 12R’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. That’s not to say the latter is slow to get going, but those looking for pure burst speed should opt for the OnePlus 12.

To further differentiate the two phones, OnePlus is opting for two different display specs. The OnePlus 12 has a 6.8-inch QHD+ LTPO AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate. The OnePlus 12R’s 6.78-inch display also uses a 120Hz LTPO AMOLED panel, but its resolution is lower (FHD+).

Regarding RAM and storage options, the OnePlus 12 has its 12R sibling beat again. Its base configuration includes 12GB of RAM, jumping to 16GB in the top global offering. The OnePlus 12R settles for 8GB at the lower end but gains a 16GB variant if you spend more. The OnePlus 12 also offers a higher base storage amount: 256GB vs 128GB.

Where the OnePlus 12R gains the upper hand is the battery capacity figures. It features a larger 5,500mAh cell versus the OnePlus 12’s 5,400mAh. The marginally larger battery alongside the lower resolution display could give the OnePlus 12R better longevity. It’s worth mentioning that the OnePlus 12’s battery is still larger than that of the OnePlus 11.

Charging specs are consistently quick across both the OnePlus 12 and 12R. Both devices support 80W wired charging, but only the 12 gains 50W wireless and 10W reverse charging.

As for imaging, the OnePlus 12R uses 50MP main, 8MP ultrawide, and 2MP macro cameras at its rear, with a 16MP selfie shooter up front. The low-resolution macro camera seems an odd addition in 2024, but we’ll have to see how well the entire package performs before casting a verdict. In any case, the phone’s camera specs pale compared to the OnePlus 12. It has a 50MP main, 64MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide. That zoom lens is particularly interesting, as OnePlus suggests the larger sensor size aids the phone’s low light zoom performance and cropping quality. Again, we’ll have to see for ourselves.

The OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12R launched globally on January 23, 2024, but the former will be available earlier. Pre-orders for the OnePlus 12 commenced on the same day, with general availability kicking off on February 7. The OnePlus 12R can be pre-ordered starting January 23 and purchased in stores starting February 13. Both devices can be found on OnePlus.com, Amazon, and Best Buy, while a trade-in offer allows users to swap any phone in any condition for $100 off either phone’s list price.

The OnePlus 12, as the more impressive phone, also bears a more impressive price. It starts at $799.99 for the 12GB/256GB configuration and $899.99 for the 16GB/512GB version. Notably, the Chinese model includes 24GB RAM and 1TB storage, which won’t be officially offered in North America.

The OnePlus 12R comes in $300 cheaper. It costs $499.99 for the 8GB/128GB base configuration and just $100 more for double the RAM and storage capacity. That’s not a bad deal at all. Those in Europe can grab the 16GB/512GB version for €699.

There’s a sizeable gulf between the two phones, both in price and core specs. The OnePlus 12 is an affordable phone for power users boasting Qualcomm’s latest silicon, an exciting camera lineup, and a great display. It’s also packed to the brim with RAM and storage, although it shows this with its hefty mass and large footprint. This is the OnePlus phone to get if you care about bleeding-edge hardware.

Meanwhile, the OnePlus 12R is the obvious choice for pragmatic buyers. For $300 less, you’ll get last year’s flagship chipset, a large battery, and a roomy display. It might not be as alluring as the OnePlus 12, but the 12R offers good value for those who don’t purely shop for numbers.

Which phone do you think is the better buy? Be sure to vote in our poll below.