Already confirmed to be launching on January 23rd, the OnePlus 12R will be the first of its series to go on sale in Europe and the US. While we wait for the big day, it’s being reported that the OnePlus 12R is being specced out as a more affordable flagship and a design more similar to the OnePlus 11 5G than its sibling, the OnePlus 12.
A Different Type Of Flagship
Thanks to serial leaker, Max Jambor, we have a fairly comprehensive list of hardware specifications for the OnePlus 12R – all of which point to a very capable handset. In fact. just three months ago, one might have said the OnePlus 12R was packing top-of-the-line hardware.
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- 8/16GB LPDDR5X RAM
- 128GB UFS 3.1/256GB UFS 4.0 Storage
- 6.78-Inch ProXDR Display LTPO 4.0 (AMOLED)
- 1-120Hz Refresh Rate, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Protection
- 5,500mAh Battery
- 100W SuperVOOC Wired Charging
- 50MP (Sony IMX890) + 8MP Ultra-Wide + 2MP Macro
- Iron Gray/Cool Blue Colorways
As you can see from the list above, the OnePlus 12R is a flagship for all intents and purposes so long as you get the 256GB variant which has the speedier UFS 4.0 storage technology.
The Only Obvious Weakness Is…
The camera setup is where the OnePlus 12R looks a little weak because while the Sony IMX890 main sensor is a high-level camera, the accompanying 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP Macro cameras aren’t exactly what you want to see on a flagship in 2024. Even a mid-range flagship like the OnePlus 12R. Also, from the leaked image it seems that Hasselblad branding isn’t present which means that the sensors may not have been tuned by the camera company.
Having said all that, the main camera will do most of the work and produce excellent images, it’s just a shame that a 2MP sensor was added to make up the numbers. We’d much rather choose to have an improved secondary camera than the 2MP macro lens.
More Than Enough Grunt
Under the hood is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, the same one that is found in most 2023 flagship smartphones. Despite the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset being the new go-to powerplant for 2024, the Gen 2 still offers top-class performance and power efficiency. I’d go as far as saying that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is Qualcomm’s best processor in years, so the fact that OnePlus chose it to power the 12R isn’t a bad thing in my eyes as it helps keep the price down while delivering that all-important flagship grunt.
Battery Life Should be….
Pretty great thanks to the big 5,500mAh battery and when it does reach its limits, the 100W SuperVOOC wired charging should managed a full charge in under 45 minutes if previous experience is anything to go by. OnePlus will almost certainly include a 100W charger in the retails box as well, unlike some other brands.
Parting Thoughts
The OnePlus 12R would seem to be a true successor to the OnePlus 10T, focusing on speed and performance and sporting a capable camera setup rather than the state-of-the-art hardware we expect with the OnePlus 12 which will be a more all-round flagship smartphone. Plus, unlike most other handsets on the market, it also features OnePlus’s renowned alert slider.
If OnePlus gets the pricing right for the 12R in the US and Europe, it could sew up the mid-range flagship segment before its rivals launch their competing handsets. Which of the new OnePlus 12 series smartphones are you most likely to consider?
