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OnePlus 13 Rumors: Everything We Know So Far And What We Want To See

The OnePlus 12 launched globally back in January, but we've already seen some OnePlus 13 leaks and rumors start to trickle in. So what do we know about the upcoming flagship phone? Read on to find out all the major details and leaks we've managed to gather.

OnePlus 13: At a glance

When is it expected to come out? We're expecting the OnePlus 13 to launch in China in December 2023 and in global markets in Q1 2024.

What new features could there be? Rumors and leaks point to the OnePlus 13 having a brand-new design, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset, and a similar camera system as the current flagship.

How much might it cost? There are no rumors regarding the OnePlus 13 price just yet, but we're expecting a similar price as the OnePlus 12.

Will there be a OnePlus 13?

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

OnePlus hasn't officially confirmed whether there'll be a OnePlus 13. Nevertheless, the company has offered at least one flagship phone in the series each year since 2014. We've also seen some early leaks and rumors regarding the phone, suggesting that it is in the pipeline.

What is the most likely OnePlus 13 release date?

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

OnePlus 10 Pro — January 11, 2022 (China) / March 31, 2022 (global)

OnePlus 11 — January 4, 2022 (China) / February 7, 2023 (global)

OnePlus 12 — December 5, 2023 (China) / January 23, 2024 (global)

OnePlus has been launching its flagship phones earlier and earlier. In fact, the OnePlus 12 actually launched in China in December 2023 before getting a global launch in January 2024. If history is anything to go by, then that means the OnePlus 13 could debut in China in December 2024 before receiving a global launch in January 2025.

What will the OnePlus 13 look like?

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

We haven't seen any leaked OnePlus 13 renders just yet, but we have heard some claims regarding the phone's design. For one, Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station claimed that the phone will have a new design. More specifically, it sounds like the rear camera housing could get a change. That would be welcome news as OnePlus has used this same toilet-shaped housing since the OnePlus 11. This was echoed by tipster Yogesh Brar on April 17, who said we should expect a new rear camera design and arrangement.

Brar also asserted in early April that the OnePlus 13 (and OPPO Find X8 Ultra) could debut a "micro quad-curved panel." That ostensibly means a quad-curved screen with subtle curves rather than anything approaching a waterfall display.

We haven't heard much else about the OnePlus 13 design just yet, such as the presence of an alert slider or an IP rating. But we'll update this rumor hub as soon as more info appears online.

What rumored specs and features could the OnePlus 13 have?

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

Every OnePlus flagship phone in recent years has come with the latest and greatest Snapdragon flagship processor. Qualcomm is expected to launch the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in late 2024 and we're expecting the OnePlus 13 to be

The two sources also assert that the phone will offer a 2K screen, which would be in line with recent releases. Brar further claimed that the OnePlus 13 packs a 5,400mAh battery and 100W wired charging — in line with the OnePlus 12. He added that the new phone will have the same camera sensors as the OnePlus 12 too. That means we should expect a 50MP main camera, a 64MP 3x periscope camera, and a 48MP ultrawide lens.

The OnePlus 13 might be more of an iterative upgrade over the OnePlus 12 as far as specs are concerned.

Digital Chat Station corroborated some of the camera claims, asserting that the phone will have a large 50MP main camera and an unspecified periscope lens.

Google and OPPO/OnePlus announced in April that AI features

There are still a few unanswered questions regarding the OnePlus 13 specs, such as RAM/storage details and the availability of wireless charging. But we'll undoubtedly see these details leak as we get closer to the phone's launch window later this year.

What might the OnePlus 13 price be?

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

OnePlus 10 Pro — $799.99

OnePlus 11 — $699.99

OnePlus 12 — $799.99

OnePlus has generally been all over the place regarding pricing in recent years, so it's not easy to predict a price point. Nevertheless, the OnePlus 12 matched the base Galaxy S24's price tag. It, therefore, seems like a safe bet that the OnePlus 13 could match the base Galaxy S25.

We wouldn't rule out a slightly cheaper OnePlus 13, though. A cheaper price tag would be possible in theory if the phone is indeed an iterative upgrade rather than a significant step up from the OnePlus 12.

Should you wait for the OnePlus 13?

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

The OnePlus 13 is still almost a year away from release, and that's a long time to wait. But the OnePlus 12 ($899.99 at Amazon) can be found at a cheaper price nowadays if you look around, and it's still worth a look if you want a high-end OnePlus device. It's also expected to get some nifty Google-powered AI features later this year.

Alternatively, you should consider the Galaxy S24 ($859.99 at Amazon) if you want a well-rounded Android flagship phone. It doesn't have blazing-fast charging speeds or a huge battery, but the S24 brings Samsung's Galaxy AI features, brisk performance, water resistance, and seven years of updates.

Another phone worth considering over the OnePlus 13 is the Google Pixel 8 ($699 at Amazon). It brings seven years of updates, premium extras (wireless charging, IP68), a pocket-friendly size, and AI-driven features like Best Take and Audio Magic Eraser. You do lose out on performance, screen quality, and charging speed by opting for the Google phone, though. Then again, it's also $100 cheaper.

OnePlus 13: What we want to see

That's all we know about the OnePlus 13 for now, but we've also got our own wishlist of features we'd like to see on the upcoming flagship phone.

Water resistance, please

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

OnePlus has had a complicated relationship with IP ratings. The OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 9 Pro, and OnePlus 10 Pro only had an IP68 rating for full water resistance if you bought them via T-Mobile — no rating for unlocked variants. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 11 and OnePlus 12 offer splash resistance, only.

We really hope OnePlus gives the OnePlus 13 an IP67 or IP68 rating for water resistance, bringing it in line with Google and Samsung's flagships. And this IP rating should be available on all variants rather than just being restricted to carrier models.

Great cameras (in all conditions)

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

The OnePlus 12 certainly brings impressive camera hardware, including a periscope camera for the first time in the mainline OnePlus series. We generally praised the daytime photos taken with these cameras but felt that the phone was disappointing in mixed or low light.

It's not enough for a phone to take great daytime shots anymore as even budget phones can take fantastic daytime snaps. So we hope OnePlus goes back to the drawing board and delivers much-improved low-light performance for the OnePlus 13. The OnePlus 12's low-light image quality is also regrettable when parent brand OPPO is able to knock it out of the park with the Find X7 Ultra.

Keep the alert slider

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

The alert slider has been available on OnePlus flagships since 2015's OnePlus 2, so it stands to reason that the OnePlus 13 will retain it. Nevertheless, we're still adding this to our wishlist just in case OnePlus is thinking about ditching the feature. After all, it wasn't that long ago that the company skipped the slider on the OnePlus 10T.

The slider is perhaps the most recognizable thing about OnePlus phones, so removing it would be a major step in the wrong direction for the brand. Here's hoping that cooler heads prevail.

Seven years of updates

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

OnePlus already delivers a very respectable update commitment, with the OnePlus 12 scheduled to receive four major OS updates and five years of security patches. That's pretty good, but it's not quite best-in-class.

Samsung and Google both offer seven years of updates these days, including seven years of OS upgrades. It would be great if OnePlus could match this commitment. We'd also like the brand to offer ready access to spare parts, such as batteries, over those seven years, so users can keep the hardware running for the support period.

What would you like to see from the OnePlus 13?

77 votes

Water resistance

22%

Great cameras in all conditions

38%

Keep the alert slider

12%

Seven years of updates

19%

Other (leave a comment)

9%

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Best OnePlus Phones 2024

Among the Android elite, OnePlus is one of the best brands when it comes to charging speed, display quality and value for money. So looking at this list of the best OnePlus phones is a wise decision indeed if you're looking for your next phone.

Even better is that despite its relatively small stable of devices, OnePlus covers the full range of devices from budget-priced Nord models to its signature numbered flagship phones to the cutting-edge Open foldable phone. And even better, they're all excellent, with many appearing on our best Android phones list too.

If you're determined to keep things focused on OnePlus right now though, read on to see our ranking of the best OnePlus phones we've tried to date, as well as descriptions and test data to explain why we put them in this order. We hope this will help you find your next device in a Fast and Smooth way - just like OnePlus would want.

The quick list

Best overall

The best OnePlus phone overall

The latest conventional OnePlus flagship offers a well-rounded set of premium features at a price you'd get much less from if you went with another brand. But the price has crept up from last year, and there's limited AI features if you're keen on trying those.

Read more below

Best value

Best OnePlus phone value

In return for downgraded photography, charging and chipset specs compared to the regular 12, the 12R gives even better battery life and near-identical performance overall at a lower price point, although the availability of the best version is limited.

Read more below

Best premium

Best premium OnePlus phone

OnePlus absolutely cracked the foldable phone formula on its first try, with a gorgeous design, ingenious multitasking and the performance, battery and charging abilities you'd expect. But you'll be paying quite a bit for it.

Read more below

Best budget

Best budget OnePlus phone

It's not too strong in the photography department, but you'll love how high the battery life, charging speed and display refresh rate are on this sub $300 phone.

Read more below

The best OnePlus phones you can buy The best OnePlus phone overall

(Image credit: Future)

The best OnePlus phone ever

Specifications

Screen size: 6.82-inch 2K 120Hz OLED

Refresh rate: 1-120Hz

CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

RAM / Storage: 12GB/16GB, 256GB/512GB

Rear / front cameras: 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 64MP 3x telephoto / 32MP selfie

Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 17:41

Charging speed: 80W (US) / 100W (international)

Reasons to buy +

Wireless charging is back

+

Well-balanced Hasselblad cameras

+

Amazing display

+

Speedy chipset

Reasons to avoid -

More expensive than OnePlus 11 was

-

Lacking in AI features

It feels like the best part of half a decade's efforts to crack the flagship phone market have finally come together in the OnePlus 12. It's got the quality and breadth of features that previous top-tier OnePlus phones have always missed one or two checklist items from, and even if it's more expensive than the OnePlus 11 that preceded it, it's still cheaper than equivalently sized and specced Androids from other brands.

The standout features, as you'd expect, are battery life (enhanced by an enlarged cell) and charging speed. The 12 comes with a 100W wired charger in the box (80W in the U.S.), and can also be powered up at 50W wirelessly. But don't forget the top-notch chipset and display either, which help deliver the rest of the all-rounder experience.

Read our full OnePlus 12 review.

The best OnePlus phone value

(Image credit: Future)

Tons of horsepower for less

Specifications

Screen size: 6.78-inch FHD OLED

Refresh rate: 120Hz

CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

RAM / Storage: 8GB, 12GB / 128GB, 256GB

Rear / Front cameras: 50MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro /16MP selfie

Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 18:42

Charging: 80W (US) / 100W (international)

Reasons to buy +

One of the best battery life stats we've seen

+

Great performance for price

+

Vivid display

Reasons to avoid -

No wireless charging

-

Cheapest model isn't sold in U.K.

OnePlus' R models have not come to the U.S. And Europe prior to the 12R, and all we can say is better late than never. In exchange for an older chipset, less hi-tech display and cameras (including a macro sensor in place of the telephoto), OnePlus knocks a few hundred off the price, and increases the battery size.

The result is a mid-range phone with a surprising amount in common with a full-blown flagship device, and the current second place on our best phone battery life page, with first place belonging to a premium gaming phone almost twice the price.

If your priority for your new phone is the most power at the least cost, then the OnePlus 12R will be worth the trade-offs for you. Just be aware that the cheapest version is tragically not on offer for U.K. Buyers.

Read our full OnePlus 12R review.

The best premium OnePlus phone

(Image credit: Future)

The best budget OnePlus phone

Specifications

Screen size: 7.82-inch inner, 6.31-inch outer (both OLED)

Refresh rate: 120Hz (inner and outer)

CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

RAM/Storage: 16GB/512GB

Rear/Front cameras: 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 64MP 3x telephoto, 20MP outer selfie, 32MP inner selfie

Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11:45

Charging speed: 67W (wired)

Reasons to buy +

Light and thin for a foldable

+

Open Canvas is a great multitasking system

+

Generous RAM/storage specs

Reasons to avoid -

Camera performance is inconsistent

-

Expensive

Thanks to some help from sister company Oppo, OnePlus' maiden voyage into the world of foldables turned out brilliantly. The OnePlus Open is our favorite foldable around right now, due to its compact folded size and light weight, lengthy battery life and impressive specs like 512GB of storage by default, two 48MP cameras and a 64MP telephoto one on the back, and the Open Canvas system that lets you open and work between multiple apps very easily.

This is a foldable phone though, which means it's not the best photography phone, even among OnePlus' own phones. There's also no wireless charging, which is an odd thing to leave out on a premium phone, but unfortunately this is something OnePlus has missed off of its phones historically. If you can live with that though, there's little to turn you off of this impressive example of a foldable phone.

Read our full OnePlus Open review.

The best budget OnePlus phone

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

A good cheap 5G option

Specifications

Screen size: 6.72-inch AMOLED (2400 x 1080)

Refresh rate: 120Hz

CPU: Snapdragon 695

RAM / Storage: 8GB / 128GB, expandable

Rear / Front cameras: 108MP (f/1.7) main, 2MP (f/2.4) monochrome, 2MP (f/2.4) macro / 16MP (f/2.4)

Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 12:30 (120Hz); 12:42 (60Hz)

Charging speed: 50W wired

Reasons to buy +

Good battery life

+

Smooth display, especially for price

+

Fast charging

+

Low price

Reasons to avoid -

Subpar cameras without ultrawide lens

-

Weak chipset

The OnePlus Nord N30 5G (or OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite if you're outside the U.S.) is very affordable but still spoils you in some areas. Most notably that it gives you 50W charging and a 120Hz display in a device that costs less than $300. The battery life is strong too.

Its biggest limitation is photo quality, which could be a dealbreaker for some of you. This is unfortunately the literal price of making a cheap phone, as is the Nord N30's low-powered chipset. So hopefully if you want to save money, you will focus on the great display, charging and battery instead.

Read our full OnePlus Nord N30 5G review.

What to look for in a OnePlus phone

When shopping for the best OnePlus phones, keep in mind that OnePlus divides its smartphone product line into two different categories. The more expensive OnePlus flagships usually cost $700 and up and pack in the best features OnePlus has to offer. OnePlus Nord devices are the phone maker's budget devices — prices are lower and features are scaled back, though you'll still find a few notable capabilities.

OnePlus used to release flagships twice a year — once in the spring, followed by a T series version of that same phone in the fall. But OnePlus has changed a lot in recent years, so it's hard to predict what the company will do next. You can play the waiting game forever with OnePlus, so it's best to just go for the phone that stands out to you at the time it makes sense for you to upgrade.

How we test the best OnePlus phones

We take the same approach to finding the best OnePlus phones as we do any smartphone we review, running various tests and benchmarks. We use Geekbench 6 to measure overall performance and 3DMark Wild Life to test graphics performance. For real-world testing, we use Adobe Premier Rush to transcode a video, timing how long it takes. (This test does not work on all devices due to app compatibility issues.)

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Performance benchmarks Row 0 - Cell 0 Geekbench 6 (single-core / multicore) 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited (FPS) OnePlus 12 2,188 / 6,525 116.4 OnePlus 12R 1,553 / 5,135 84.4 OnePlus Open 1,087 / 4,203 84.8 OnePlus Nord N30 5G 690 / 2,011 7.2

In our lab, we test the brightness of the phone's display as well as how colorful each screen is (using both the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamut). We measure color accuracy as well.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Display benchmarks Row 0 - Cell 0 sRGB (%) DCI-P3 (%) Delta-E OnePlus 12 111.3 78.9 0.2 OnePlus 12R 113.2 80.2 0.21 OnePlus Open 111.8 111.8 0.14 OnePlus Nord N30 5G 152.7 108.2 0.09

We have a custom battery test in which we have phones surf the web continuously over a cellular connection, timing how long it takes until they run out of power. We also time how quickly a phone can recharge, checking the battery status after 15 and 30 minutes.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Battery life benchmark Row 0 - Cell 0 Battery life (Hrs:Mins) OnePlus 12 17:41 OnePlus 12R 18:42 OnePlus Open 11:31 (main display) OnePlus Nord N30 5G 12:42

Finally, to test cameras, we take the best OnePlus phones out into the field and shoot photos of landscapes, portraits, night images and other shots. We compare those shots to similar images captured by phones with comparable specs and prices.

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I Reviewed OnePlus' $500 Android Phone, And It's Spectacular

"The OnePlus 12R is the best $500 smartphone I've ever used. If it's not on your shopping list yet, it really needs to be."

Pros

Sleek, polished design

Top-notch display

Fast performance; runs cool

Excellent battery life

80W charging!

Unbeatable price

Cons

Poor ultrawide and macro cameras

No wireless charging

The OnePlus 12R is a special phone. It doesn't have the latest processor or the best camera system I've ever seen, and it's missing some features like wireless charging. The design is also a pretty standard affair. But it's still special.

Why? For all intents and purposes, the OnePlus 12R has the makings of an expensive flagship Android phone from 2023 — and you can buy it new for just $500. It's one of the best smartphone values I've seen in years, and even after a couple of weeks of using the OnePlus 12R, I still can't believe how good it is.

About our OnePlus 12R review

Joe Maring wrote the OnePlus 12R review after a couple of weeks of testing, and the review was originally published on February 5, 2024. Christine Romero-Chan has also used the OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition and has updated this review with her thoughts in the "second opinion" section.

OnePlus 12R: design Joe Maring / Digital Trends

If you ever used or saw the OnePlus 11, you'll be right at home with the OnePlus 12R's design. It has the same curved display, flat aluminum frame on the top and bottom, and circular camera housing on the back. It's a familiar and comfortable design, and one I really like.

There are some subtle differences between the OnePlus 12R and the OnePlus 11. The 12R is slightly thicker and a couple of grams heavier. The alert slider is also now on the left side of the phone, while the volume buttons are higher up on the right side. It's a pretty small change and one I got used to very quickly.

There are some other nice design touches on the 12R that we didn't get last year. The camera circle on the back now has a notched design along the edge, along with a subtle pattern underneath the glass. There's also an official IP64 dust- and water-resistance rating, and OnePlus even included an IR sensor for controlling TVs, projectors, cable boxes, etc. It's something we rarely see in smartphones these days, and I'm happy it's here.

The OnePlus 12R comes in two colors, including the Iron Gray color seen throughout this review, plus a really striking Cool Blue variant. While Cool Blue looks great in photos, I really like the matte finish of the Iron Gray on my review unit. It's a little slippery, but fingerprints and smudges are nonexistent on it.

OnePlus isn't breaking any new ground with the OnePlus 12R's design, but I think that's perfectly fine. This is a well-crafted and well-designed smartphone, even if it looks a bit familiar. It's comfortable to hold, feels sturdy, and has a few extra goodies in the alert slider and IR sensor. Especially when you consider the price, OnePlus killed it here.

OnePlus 12R: screen and performance Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Speaking of killing it, let's talk about the 12R's screen. The phone has a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a 2780 x 1264 resolution — giving you 450 pixels per inch. The variable refresh rate scales up to 120Hz and down to 1Hz, it has a ridiculous peak brightness of 4,500 nits, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ are supported, and the whole thing is covered with Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

This is a screen I'd expect on a $1,000 phone — not one that costs half the price.

Those are a lot of impressive numbers, and in practice, the OnePlus 12R's screen is a thing of beauty. Colors are bright and vivid, everything is razor sharp, and the refresh rate makes scrolling and other animations buttery smooth. This is a screen I'd expect on a $1,000 phone — not one that costs half the price.

If I have to complain about something, it'd be the curved edges of the screen. They're very reminiscent of the curved edges on the Motorola Edge Plus (2023), and just like on that phone, they can occasionally cause unwanted actions on the touchscreen. There have only been a handful of instances where this happened, though, so it's far from a deal breaker.

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Similarly, performance on the OnePlus 12R is top-notch. It's

Everything on the OnePlus 12R is fast. Apps open instantly, there's zero stutter when navigating the phone, and multitasking is handled with ease. I should note that I'm using the OnePlus 12R with 16GB of RAM, but the base model with 8GB of RAM should also be able to hold its own just fine.

I've also been impressed with the gaming experience on the OnePlus 12R. Not only does Call of Duty: Mobile play smoothly at 120 frames per second (fps) at Medium graphics, but it does so without ever feeling warm. This is thanks to a much larger vapor chamber design inside the 12R. It's not the flashiest thing to talk about, but in my testing, it works ridiculously well.

OnePlus 12R: cameras Joe Maring / Digital Trends

OK — let's talk cameras. The OnePlus 12R's main camera is a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 sensor with optical image stabilization and an f/1.8 aperture. It's joined by an 8MP ultrawide camera with a 112-degree field of view, plus a 2MP macro camera. On the front is a 16MP selfie camera. Unlike some other OnePlus phones, there is no image processing or tuning done in partnership with Hasselblad.

So, how do the photos look?  In the right conditions, the 50MP main camera can do a really good job of capturing a lot of detail with pleasing colors. There are some photos I've been thoroughly impressed with.

On the flip side, I've also taken a few stinkers during my testing. When trying to take pictures of fidgety cats, the OnePlus 12R occasionally gave me blurry images. I've also had some shots where the colors don't always look 100% right — whether it's my cat's white fur being overexposed or my dog looking more saturated than he should. It's certainly not a perfect camera, but it also could have been a lot worse.

1. OnePlus 12R main camera

2. OnePlus 12R ultrawide camera

What about the other cameras? The ultrawide camera is handy to have for situations where you need a wider shot, but the low 8MP resolution is readily apparent if you zoom in closely at all.

The macro camera is hidden away in the in the More tab of the camera app, and your best to keep it hidden. It's very bad. Surprisingly, the 16MP selfie camera is actually quite good!

This isn't an amazing camera system, but considering everything else the OnePlus 12R brings to the table, I think it's perfectly adequate. The secondary camera sensors are particularly disappointing (and could have been ditched in favor of something like wireless charging), but for a $500 Android phone with a lot of other high-end specs, it's a pretty decent setup.

OnePlus 12R: battery life and charging Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Battery life was a big highlight of the OnePlus 11 last year, and the OnePlus 12R ensures that trend continues. Inside the 12R is a 5,500mAh battery — the largest battery OnePlus has ever put in one of its smartphones. Combined with the excellent efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, that translates to fantastic battery life.

Even with moderate to heavy use, the OnePlus 12R easily gets through a full day with plenty of battery to spare. I started one day at 9:30 a.M. With 100% battery and racked up four-and-a-half hours of screen time. After using the 12R for streaming YouTube TV, playing Call of Duty, and lots of Twitter and Telegram use, I still had 43% battery at 11:25 p.M. That evening.

The OnePlus 12R has fantastic battery life.

On a day with lighter use, starting the day at 9:35 a.M. And accumulating two-and-a-half hours of screen time, I still had 61% battery remaining at 11:55 p.M. That's outstanding performance.

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

When the OnePlus 12R does eventually run dry (which will take a while), you won't be waiting around long for the battery to get back up to 100%. That's because the OnePlus 12R has 80-watt wired charging speeds in the U.S. (100W in other markets), and it's lightning quick. Plug the phone in with 3% battery remaining, and you're back up to 40% after just 10 minutes. After 20 minutes of charging, you're all the way up to 70% — and you have a full battery after a little more than 30 minutes on the charger. You need to use OnePlus' own charging brick to get these speeds, but thankfully, it's included in the box.

The only downside here is that the OnePlus 12R does not have wireless charging. It's annoying, especially as someone who loves wireless charging, but I get it. OnePlus had to cut costs somewhere, and wireless charging is an easy thing to put on the chopping block.

OnePlus 12R: software Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Software-wise, the OnePlus 12R runs Android 14 with OnePlus' custom OxygenOS 14 interface layered on top of it. While technically an upgrade over the Android 13 and OxygenOS 13 that shipped on the OnePlus 11, it looks virtually identical. If you've used a OnePlus phone in the last year and a half, you'll be right at home on the OnePlus 12R.

Digital Trends

While the last couple of years haven't been great for OxygenOS, OxygenOS 14 has been a surprisingly good experience on my OnePlus 12R. It's fast, responsive, and feels a lot more polished than previous iterations. There were some weird scrolling and navigation bugs I'd regularly get on the OnePlus 11, but I haven't encountered them once on the OnePlus 12R.

Digital Trends

OxygenOS still has a lot of added software features I'll never use, but there are others I really appreciate. The theming/customization tools are great, split-screen multitasking is easy to use, and I've found instances where running apps in a small pop-up window can be genuinely helpful. I could do without OnePlus' obvious Memoji ripoff, and the always-on display that tells you to reduce your carbon emissions by walking 10,000 steps each day is just so odd. Thankfully, the weird bits are easy to ignore if you don't want them.

As OnePlus continues to improve OxygenOS over the years, the OnePlus 12R will keep getting better, too. That's because OnePlus promises that the 12R will receive three years of Android OS upgrades and four years of security patches. While not on the same level as the seven years of updates you get on recent Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones, it's also not the worst we've ever seen.

OnePlus 12R: a second opinion Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Trends

OnePlus has been around for many years now, and it's definitely making a name for itself. While I've only had a few of OnePlus' products so far, the OnePlus 12R is definitely at the top of the list of one of the best value phones I've seen in some time.

The OnePlus 12R looks and feels like the higher-end OnePlus 12, which I reviewed. But I wanted to take my OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition for a spin, especially with the cameras, and it's been a mostly pleasurable experience.

For a $500 phone, the OnePlus 12R is excellent. I've become a fan of OnePlus' unique phone design, and the OnePlus 12R, especially the Genshin Impact Edition, continues that trend. Even though this is a mid-range phone, it feels incredibly premium, and the design stands out among the crowd — the Genshin Impact Edition, in particular, is a great conversation starter.

Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Trends

One of my favorite things about the OnePlus 12 was the display, and you can get the same high-resolution quality display with the OnePlus 12R. It's slightly smaller but still makes everything look good with bright and vivid colors, as well as sharp, easy-to-read text. It even has the same dynamic 1-120Hz refresh rate for super-smooth scrolling and retina-burning 4,500 nits of peak brightness, which is incredibly useful in bright sunlight.

Despite the fact that the OnePlus 12R is using 2023's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, the phone handles everything flawlessly. I'm able to multitask and switch between multiple apps with ease, and it has no issues with checking social media, email and messages, streaming video, taking a lot of photos, and more. I've had issues with performance on other midrange or budget-friendly phones, but I'm pleased to say that the OnePlus 12R definitely performs like a flagship phone.

Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Trends

The battery life is also incredible. With the 5,500mAh battery, this is easily a two-day phone. I've also been incredibly happy with the 80W wired charging, which blows even most flagship phones out of the water. The only drawback is the fact that there is no wireless charging with the OnePlus 12R, but hey, when you can charge it from empty to full in 30 minutes, you don't really need wireless charging.

My only issue with the OnePlus 12R is the camera quality. While it's decent enough, it lacks the Hasselblad color calibration that you get in the OnePlus 12. As a result, I found the photos I took to appear a bit dull and washed out at times.

The ultrawide camera is also lacking when compared with its higher-end sibling, and the digital zoom sucks since there's no telephoto lens. I also found that it's particularly fickle if there is the slightest bit of movement, which would always end up with something blurred.

If you care about camera quality at all, you may want to consider picking up the OnePlus 12 instead of the OnePlus 12R. Otherwise, the 12R is fantastic.

OnePlus 12R: price and availability Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The OnePlus 12R is available for purchase now. The base model with 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage is available for $500, while the 16GB RAM/256GB storage model costs $600. You can buy it from Amazon, Best Buy, and directly from the OnePlus website.

While Amazon and Best Buy availability is great to see, the best way to buy the OnePlus 12R is through the OnePlus website. For the entire life cycle of the 12R, you can trade in any phone in any condition to OnePlus and get a minimum $100 discount. That effectively makes the OnePlus 12R a $400 smartphone. And remember: This isn't a limited-time offer. So long as OnePlus is selling the 12R on its website, you'll be able to take advantage of this trade-in promo.

OnePlus 12R: verdict Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The OnePlus 12R feels like a smartphone that shouldn't exist. It feels too good to be true, a phone that bargain hunters can only dream about. But it is very real, and it's really damn good.

What are your other options beyond the OnePlus 12R? The flagship OnePlus 12 is also available, and it'll give you a newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, better cameras, and wireless charging. The Google Pixel 8 has a far superior camera system, cool AI features, and seven years of software updates. But those phones cost $300 and $200 more than the OnePlus 12R, respectively, which is a significant difference.

The OnePlus 12R is a near-perfect $500 smartphone.

The Google Pixel 7a shares the OnePlus 12R's $500 price tag. It's more compact and has wireless charging, but it also has a worse screen, a much less capable processor, mediocre battery life, and much slower charge speeds.

To be clear, there are some objective downsides to the OnePlus 12R compared to more expensive phones. The IP64 rating is nice, but it's not as resilient as the IP68 rating found on most flagship smartphones. The curved display isn't a deal-breaker, but I would have much preferred a flat one — just like what the Galaxy S24 offers. The ultrawide and macro cameras are disappointing, and unlike some other phones from Samsung and Google, you won't find any fancy AI features on the OnePlus 12R.

You can spend more money and get more capable and feature-rich smartphones, but when the OnePlus 12R is this good and this cheap, you really don't need to anymore.

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