Last year we named the OnePlus 11 as one of the most worthwhile devices to own because of its reasonable price paired with a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and Hasselblad camera system.
Last January, the OnePlus 12R was launched in Malaysia with almost zero promotion, raising the question whether OnePlus is still serious about marketing their device in Malaysia? But we can see you asked us to comment. So here's my review for the OnePlus 12R.
SPECIFICATIONS
OnePlus 12R
6.78″ LTPO AMOLED screen, 120HZ
Dolby Vision, HDR10+
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor
1x 3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 chip
2x 2.8 GHz Cortex-A715
2x 2.8 GHz Cortex-A710
3x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A510
Adreno 740 Graphics Chip
RAM 16GB LPDDR5X
Internal Storage 256GB UFS 3.1
Primary Camera 50MP, f/1.8, OIS (Wide Angle)
8MP, f/2.2 (Ultra Wide Angle)
2MP, f/2.4 (Depth)
16MP f/2.4 Selfie Camera
5500 mAh battery
100W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual Nano/5G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
Waterproof None
Scan System Under-screen fingerprint scanner
face
Sale Price RM 3199 (16/256 GB)
SCREEN
6.78″ LTPO AMOLED screen with 1.5K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. This is a flagship screen that is extremely fast, responsive and with a peak brightness of up to 4500 nits. The panel also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ displays. The colors on the screen look vivid and all the touches are detected well. The smoothness of the screen is also excellent due to the high refresh rate.
I can play Dolby Vision content from Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar without any issues. The haptic system also feels realistic making the vibrations feel very natural. What I don't like is the curved sides of the screen. Since last year I've been saying it's time
BIOMETRIC
The fingerprint scanner is located under the screen of the optical type. It's fast with a very responsive unlocking process. The device can also be unlocked using the face with a scan still possible even in the dark. The screen will light up brightly so that the front camera can see the user's face.
DESIGN
When I received the OnePlus 12R I immediately asked for the OnePlus 11 which Fahim kept in the office. Then we do the activity "Find the differences between these two devices". Overall, the only change is in the camera bump. Other components with button locations are 100% recycled. This is not necessarily negative because Apple and Samsung also do it without any criticism since the design used is still good and ergonomic.
OnePlus 12R and OnePlus 11
The power button and audio adjustment are located on the right side which is very easy to access. On the left side is placed the notification drop-down button which is iconic on OnePlus devices. There is still an IR emitter on the top and also a hole for the speaker. Another speaker at the bottom for the stereo audio system is located next to the USB-C port and the SIM tray.
The metal frame is matched with a glass panel on the back as well as a camera bump that is also made of metal. On the hump of difference with the OnePlus 12 is the flash configuration and also the absence of Hasselblad camera branding. Flash is now placed outside the hump circle. This bump is still big so the device cannot be placed flat on the table.
The glass panel on the back traps dirt very easily. Just holding it for a while, it's already greasy. This is not helped by OnePlus no longer providing free frameworks that can solve the above two issues.
Notification dropdown button
Our final issue with the design of the OnePlus 12R is that officially in Malaysia it only has IP64 waterproof capability. It has the ability to be waterproof which is good but as a flagship device it would be better if it was IP68.
USAGE AND SOFTWARE
OxygenOS 14 operating system based on Android 14 is used and it is one of the best elements of OnePlus 12R. OnePlus software has a reputation for feeling light, smooth, fast and responsive. This reputation remains with the OnePlus 12R and the OnePlus 12 reviewed by Fahim a few days ago.
Although the design no longer looks like stock Android, the interface and icon selection of OxygenOS 14 is very neat. Various additional features are given to make it unique compared to other Android devices.
Among them is a virtual memory of up to 12GB allowing the RAM to be increased up to 28GB like the OnePlus Nord 3 5G which I quite like. With 16GB of RAM I feel it is more than enough for 99% of the applications I use. Then there's a mode for kids, a simple mode for seniors, Split View, Smart Sidebar and more. If you've used OnePlus and Oppo devices before, you'll know that all the features I've written about have been standard for years.
Background customization is possible with the phone theme changing with the selected image. There is nothing negative to say about OxygenOS as it is one of the most consistently trouble-free launchers I have ever used. OnePlus 12R receives Android updates for 3 years and security patches for 4 years. Admittedly this is not the longest support period but not all companies dare to follow the steps of Samsung and Google offering update support for 7 years.
BENCH MARK
OnePlus 12R uses last year's flagship chip Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. After a year of launch is it still competitive?
Let's compare the performance of OnePlus 12R with OnePlus 12 (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), Xiaomi 13 Pro (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2), Galaxy S23 Ultra (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy), OnePlus 11 (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2), Vivo X90 (Dimensity 9200) and iPhone 14 Pro Max (Apple A16 Bionic)
Geekbench 6
OnePlus 12R – 1081/4204
OnePlus 12 – 967/5020
Xiaomi 13 Pro – 1868/5272
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – 1922/5017
OnePlus 11 – 1495/4805
Vivo X90 – 1668/4000
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 2524/6317
Antutu 3D
OnePlus 12R – 1,431,444
OnePlus 12 – 1,579,634
Xiaomi 13 Pro – 1,252,296
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – 1,171,384
OnePlus 11 – 1,104,135
Vivo X90 – 1,147,029
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 974,941
3D Mark Wild Life Extreme
OnePlus 12R – 3712
OnePlus 12 – 4632
Xiaomi 13 Pro – None
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – 3247
OnePlus 11 – 3712
Vivo X90 – 3176
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 3373
The score recorded by the OnePlus 12R is still high and in some tests even better than the OnePlus 11 which uses the same chip. The performance improvement between Gen 2 and Gen 3 is not like heaven and earth. Therefore the performance of OnePlus 12R is still good for 2024.
The likes of Asphalt 9, COD Mobile and Diablo Immortal can be played at high settings and frame rates. No heating issues occur as there is a large cooling chamber. I only noticed the heating issue when running Genshin Impact and COD Warzone Mobile. These two games will make the device "fever". But this issue also occurs on A17 Pro and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 devices.
TELEPHONY and GPS
The device simply supports 5G network and WiFi 7. Voice calls are clear and have no issues. The GPS capability also does not disappoint with my position on the map can be traced in just a few seconds. The telephony and GPS experience is comparable to flagship devices.
Camera
Without Hasselblad held OnePlus cameras would be bad? My answer is no. The pictures taken using the 50MP wide angle camera are very beautiful, the colors look vivid, there are no noise issues and most importantly the camera works fast. In adequate lighting situations, the details in the picture are clearly visible and the image looks sharp. The night mode is also solid because there is an OIS system. Just like the OnePlus 12 and OnePlus Nord 3 5G. The same sensor is used and not surprisingly the results are consistent.
The 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens is a little disappointing as the colors are not consistent with the wide-angle lens. The smaller sensor produces a softer looking image and the detail in the image is not comparable to the main lens. I think the 2MP macro sensor is just a gimmick. It would be better for OnePlus to follow in Nothing's footsteps and offer only a dual-camera device because this macro third lens is less useful given the low image quality.
The selfie camera is satisfactory with the bokeh effect detecting the background and the main subject well.
Battery
With a battery capacity of 5,500mAh, the device can last all day. At the end of the day around 10pm, there is still between 20-25% battery on moderate usage. SOT is between 9-10 hours on average. This is a very good battery life.
Even if the battery runs out, it can be recharged in just 26 minutes using a 100W charger. It's a shame the charger has to be purchased separately as OnPlus only provides a USB-C to USB-C charging cable in the box.
Audio
The stereo speakers used support Dolby Atmos. The audio is not very balanced because the speakers at the bottom are bigger. When music is played the audio sounds loud and clear. There is no audio jack but this is normal on most modern flagship devices.
In the box
Here's what's included in the box.
1x OnePlus 12R
1x USB-C to USB-C charging cable.
1x SIM Pin.
1x Guidebook.
1x Quick guide book.
CONCLUSION
The letter R on OnePlus 12R in my opinion is for "revamp". Like the cabinet reshuffle done by the government, not all the changes made will please the public. The OnePlus 12R improves on the weaknesses of the OnePlus 11 but at the same time reduces some of the interesting features it has
The screen, battery, chip performance, memory and software are clearly better. But the camera and the type of storage are also limited. At a price of RM3199 it is offered at a price that I feel is reasonable. But I have to tell you the truth. If there is a OnePlus 11 at a price almost comparable now, it is a more worthwhile device in our opinion in accordance with its status as one of the best devices 2023.
Pro
Bright and fast screen with Dolby Vision.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 performance is still solid.
Software that provides smoothness.
Long lasting battery and fast charging.
Stereo speakers.
Cons
The main camera alone is good with the other two cameras average.
A body that traps dirt quickly.
No charger or frame in the box.