The OnePlus 12r smartphone is positioned as a value offering in the company’s 2024 flagship OnePlus 12 series. At its core, the device leverages the power of last year’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 series processor while drawing inspiration from both his older brother and predecessor. Does this affordable flagship deliver on the company’s promise of providing a premium user experience? Let’s see:
Design
The OnePlus 12r is similar in design to its older sibling. At the back, the smartphone has a glossy glass panel with the OnePlus logo embossed on the bottom half. The back panel has a curve on the sides, flanked by a textured metal frame. For design symmetry, the frame extends to the back to form a ring-shaped camera module with an outline that resembles the rotating dial of a luxury watch. The circular camera module houses a triple camera setup and has a shiny metal finish under the glass cover.
On the front, the OnePlus 12r has a double-sided curved screen that contributes to a bezel-less appearance despite relatively thicker bezels on the top and bottom.
The frame has the power and volume buttons on the right side and the alert slider has now been shifted to the left side. The top and bottom of the frame have a flat design, just like its older sibling. The bottom of the frame has a removable SIM tray, primary microphone, USB-C port and speaker grilles. At the top, the frame houses a secondary microphone, IR blaster and a relatively smaller pill-shaped speaker opening.
At 207 grams, the smartphone leans towards the heavier side, but the balanced weight distribution ensures that the smartphone fits comfortably in the hand. The rounded edges and a modest camera bump add to the overall ergonomics. The slim camera module also ensures that the smartphone does not wobble when placed on a flat surface.
The OnePlus 12r looks and feels premium. However, the glossy back of the Cool Blue color (review unit) is sensitive to fingerprints. The serrated edges of the camera module also tend to collect dust, requiring regular cleaning.
Display and audio
With a 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED ProXDR display, the OnePlus 12r offers sharp images with vibrant colors for an exceptional viewing experience. However, the screen resolution is set to 2376 x 1080 in standard mode and requires manual adjustment to high mode (2780 x 1264) under the screen resolution menu in the display settings.
Within the display and brightness settings, OnePlus offers a range of options to improve the images. The Screen Color Mode introduces two professional modes: Cinematic, which uses Display P3 for a wider color gamut, and Brilliant, which enhances the brightness and vibrancy of colors. The OnePlus 12r excels in brightness in a variety of lighting conditions, even without activating Brilliant mode.
For content consumption, the smartphone supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ playback on streaming platforms, complemented by video enhancement features. The “Image Sharpener” improves video clarity and “Video Color Boost” converts SDR content to HDR. These features work on select apps, but affect commonly used apps like YouTube and Disney+ Hotstar.
On the audio front, the OnePlus 12r impresses with a stereo speaker system that delivers loud and clear audio. The device maintains impressive volume levels without compromising clarity and supports Dolby Atmos on the speaker side and wireless audio accessories.
Camera
The OnePlus 12r has a triple camera setup at the back, consisting of a 50-megapixel (Sony IMX890) primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2MP macro camera. However, the image experience of the reversing camera system is a mixed bag. The primary sensor excels and delivers sharp images with balanced colors and fine contrast, even in low light. Portraits demonstrate the camera’s ability to adjust depth, keeping subjects free of blurry outlines. However, the ultrawide camera falls short, especially in low-light scenarios, where colors appear washed out. Even in daylight, ultra-wide-angle photos are not sharp. Likewise, macro shots lack detail, especially in artificial lighting, where white balance issues affect the overall quality of the images.
For videography, the OnePlus 12r supports 4K video recording at 60 fps across 1x, 2x and 5x zoom levels. However, at 0.6x zoom (ultra-wide), video quality is limited to 1080p at 30 fps. The smartphone has an “Ultra Steady” mode that works well and improves stability during video recording. This feature is exclusive to the primary lens and only records at the standard 1080p and 60 fps. Recorded videos are sharp and the smartphone manages to keep the frame rates consistent. However, the colors appear a bit oversaturated, especially in artificial light environments.
Performance
The OnePlus 12r is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. Despite being from the previous generation, this powerful processor seamlessly handles everyday tasks, enabling fast app launches and effortless multitasking on the smartphone. Furthermore, the OnePlus 12r excels at maintaining an optimal temperature even during demanding scenarios such as recording high-resolution videos while simultaneously running multiple apps in the background.
However, the phone starts to get slightly warm when playing graphically intensive games like Genshin Impact on high settings for a long time. With apps running in the background, there are noticeable frame drops in the game that can easily be eliminated by clearing the background or switching to medium graphics settings.
Software and battery
With OxygenOS 14, the OnePlus 12r boots with a relatively cleaner user interface. There are not many pre-loaded third-party apps or unnecessary notifications piling up on the smartphone. The user interface is largely streamlined and it does not become awkward to navigate the smartphone. It’s worth noting that while the user interface is generally smooth, there are occasional issues, such as prolonged vibration on some notifications. Nevertheless, most of these issues can be resolved via software updates.
One of the standout features of the OnePlus 12r is its impressive battery life. The smartphone is powered by a 5,500mAh battery and can easily last a day and a half with normal use, allowing users to have longer periods between charges. When the need arises to refuel, the 100W SUPEVOOC charger included in the box will take the smartphone from zero to 100 percent in just under 40 minutes.
Pronunciation
With exceptional display, smooth performance and good battery life, the OnePlus 12r feels no less than a flagship when watching content, multitasking or enjoying casual gaming. However, in the camera area, the smartphone encounters a minor setback.
Priced starting at Rs 39,999, the OnePlus 12r proves to be a good choice for people who use smartphones mainly for performance-oriented tasks. The device is suitable for users who prioritize a premium screen for content consumption and a reliable battery that eliminates the worry of running out of power during daily activities.