OnePlus 12 launched: Specs, price, features, availability, and more

Following its launch in China, OnePlus has finally released the OnePlus 12 globally, alongside the OnePlus 12R and the OnePlus Buds 3. This refreshes the company’s lineup for another competitive year amongst Android flagships.

The OnePlus 12 retains the same fundamental design as the OnePlus 11. That means a distinctive camera housing, along with a glass back and a three-stage alert slider.

Unfortunately for those expecting full-fledged water resistance, the phone tops out at an IP65 rating. That means it’s not water-resistant, so you should avoid dropping it in the pool. But the rating does mean it’s better protected against jets of water, suggesting it should be okay in the shower or in a heavy downpour.

OnePlus 12: The fundamental specs

Unlike the OnePlus 12R, OnePlus spared no expense regarding the core specs of the new flagship, delivering the brand-new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, for one. China gets up to 24GB RAM and up to 1TB storage, though the global variant of the phone tops out at 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, which is still plenty.

The firm is also bringing a 5,400mAh battery to the table, making for a significant upgrade over the OnePlus 11 and OnePlus Open. The brand says that the OnePlus 12 battery should maintain 80% capacity after 1,600 charging cycles. This battery is joined by 80W wired charging (100W in China) and 50W wireless charging. The latter is a welcome return after the OnePlus 11 skipped wireless charging altogether.

OnePlus phones excel on the display front, and the OnePlus 12 seems no different on paper. You’re getting a 6.82-inch QHD+ OLED screen. This is a 120Hz LTPO display by BOE, capable of dropping down to 1Hz.

The screen also offers 4,500 nits of peak brightness, which is just the latest claim in an ever-escalating war among smartphone brands. Peak brightness is only relevant for HDR content, but the firm says the phone still supports up to 1,600 nits of brightness (presumably in high brightness mode).

Interestingly, OnePlus says the OnePlus 12 screen packs “medical-grade” eye protection features. In fact, OnePlus says the phone display has “melatonin protection,” preserving your melatonin levels so you don’t lose sleep after using your phone at night. The latter certainly seems like a lofty claim.

The company is also bringing its Rain Water Touch tech, announced earlier this year, to the phone, allowing for improved touch input when the screen or your hands are wet.

Other notable specs include Bluetooth 5.4, an in-display fingerprint sensor, an IR blaster, multi-directional NFC, and USB 3.2 Gen 1 speeds. The firm is also touting the most powerful vibration motor in a smartphone, specifically saying it beats Apple’s iPhones. So those who value haptic feedback might want to keep an eye on the OnePlus 12.

OnePlus 12 cameras: A major upgrade

Cameras have usually been the brand’s Achilles Heel, but the Hasselblad-branded OnePlus 12 is bringing some impressive hardware that’s largely identical to the OnePlus Open. There’s a 50MP main camera (LYT-808), a 48MP ultrawide camera (IMX581, 14mm), and a 64MP 3x periscope camera (Omnivison OV64B).

This is the first time we’re seeing a periscope camera on a conventional OnePlus smartphone, and we’re getting a relatively wide f/2.6 aperture which should make for respectable low-light image quality. OnePlus is also touting portrait shots via this camera, as well as its ability to capture 6x zoom snaps (presumably via cropping and super-resolution). The phone brings a multi-spectrum color sensor, too, ostensibly to ensure accurate color capture. Switch to the front, and you’ll find a 32MP camera in a punch-hole cutout, topping out at 4K/30fps video recording. This camera setup could compete well against the Galaxy S23 and versus the Pixel 8.

OnePlus 12 price and availability

The OnePlus 12 is available in the US in Silky Black and Flowy Emerald colors, though the Emerald color is only available in the higher 16GB + 512GB variant. The white color of the OnePlus 12 remains exclusive to China. Pricing for the phone is as below:

• OnePlus 12 (12GB + 256GB): $799.99
• OnePlus 12 (16GB + 512GB): $899.99

Preorders for the phone are live right now, with open sales beginning from February 6, 2024, across Amazon, Best Buy, and OnePlus.com. Customers who preorder the OnePlus 12 on OnePlus.com get a free memory upgrade to the 512GB version, get up to $700 instant trade-in credit, and a free wireless charger.

OnePlus is also offering customers a great trade-in deal throughout the lifecycle of the OnePlus 12. Post the pre-order period, customers can trade in any phone in any condition for an additional $100 off on the OnePlus 12.

In Europe, the OnePlus 12 will go on sale for €969 onwards for the 12GB + 256GB version. In India, the OnePlus 12 costs Rs. 64,999 for the 12GB + 256GB version and Rs. 69,999 for the 16GB + 512GB version.

OnePlus Buds 3

OnePlus has also launched the OnePlus Buds 3, a mid-range addition to the company’s TWS lineup. The Buds 3 features dual dynamic drivers (10.4mm woofer with 6mm tweeter). They also offer noise cancelation of up to 49dB, LHDC 5.0 support, up to 10 hours of playback on the earbuds, and 44 hours of total playback with the case. The company claims that a ten-minute recharge will give you up to seven hours of playback. The Buds 3 also fixes one of the bigger ommissions of past OnePlus earbuds by including a volume slider.

OnePlus Buds 3 price and availability

The OnePlus Buds 3 will be available in Metallic Gray and Splendid Blue colors, for $99.99/€99. They go on open sale from February 26, 2024, across Amazon and OnePlus.com.