The OnePlus 12R has a broken promise: here’s why it might matter to you
Despite only being launched in the last few days, the new OnePlus 12R is now being subjected to previously unfounded criticism, and it’s all down to OnePlus itself.
In an announcement published on the OnePlus community page Today it was revealed that the storage on the new OnePlus 12R uses older technology than originally advertised.
In a post from OnePlus employee Kinder L. OnePlus stated: “Due to an error, we stated that the Trinity Engine enhanced storage would be UFS 4.0 in some variants. I can now confirm that the storage in all variants of the OnePlus 12R will be still enhanced by Trinity Engine, but is basically UFS 3.1.”
The OnePlus 12R was announced globally at an event on January 23, 2024, having already launched in China, and was unveiled alongside the more premium OnePlus 12.
What is UFS 4.0?
UFS (Universal Flash Storage) 4.0 is the latest version of the storage technology used to power the latest smartphones without requiring large amounts of space or high power consumption.
According to Samsung, UFS 4.0 is able to double the transfer speeds of UFS 3.1 while consuming significantly less power, making it an important part of the modern implementation of AI in new phones, and only slightly less powerful than the storage components you might encountered on some desktop computers.
Do you need UFS 4.0?
For most, UFS 4.0 will honestly go unnoticed in your daily phone use. Most mid-range phones available today use UFS 3.1 and this technology does the job more than well.
If your phone usage is higher than what many would consider normal, such as using it as your primary workstation to download, upload and edit files or using your phone for intensive AI-related tasks, then UFS 4.0 may be a better fit for your needs. But in those cases, it’s more than likely that the OnePlus 12R isn’t the phone you’re looking at after all, and that’s probably the right choice.
Is the OnePlus 12R worse because it doesn’t have UFS 4.0?
Absolutely not! As you’ll see in our OnePlus 12R review, it still sits comfortably above the competition in its price range, even using UFS 3.1 technology. Right now, only the most premium phones seriously need UFS 4.0 to reach their full potential, but this doesn’t mean UFS 3.1 is outdated.
Additionally, the OnePlus 12R still features a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 – only recently replaced with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S24 range – a 6.78-inch AMOLED ProXDR display with dynamic refresh rates between 1-120 Hz, and a triple rear camera setup with a 50MP main camera, overall giving the OnePlus 12R stiff competition for some of last year’s best phones and some of the mid-range devices we expect to see in the coming months.
If you’re looking for a great value mid-range device, the OnePlus 12R’s pre-order benefits also set it apart from some of its competitors. In the UK you can claim free OnePlus Buds Pro 2 when you buy the OnePlus 12R, while in the US you can claim up to $1,000 instant credit when you trade in your current device, and get access to 50% off OnePlus accessories when you buy a OnePlus 12R