OnePlus has been making phones for over a decade, and its latest flagship, the OnePlus 12, is one of the best Android phones available today. In fact, Android Police’s Chris Wedel even called it a “complete package” in the OnePlus 12 review. However, no phone is perfect, and the OnePlus 12 has its drawbacks. Here are six reasons why you might consider skipping this flagship.
Should you buy the OnePlus 12, or wait for the OnePlus 13?
You probably shouldn’t wait for the next generation, unless you have to
1 The water and dust protection isn’t quite flagship-level
Falls short in terms of IP rating compared to rivals
For a flagship phone with top-end specs and a high price tag, the OnePlus 12 falls short in IP rating compared to flagship smartphones from other brands like Samsung, Google, and Apple. While the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and Pixel 8 Pro all feature IP68 dust and water resistance, the OnePlus 12 only offers IP65.
But why does the IP rating matter? Well, the first digit in the IP rating indicates dust resistance, while the second digit shows water resistance — the higher the number, the better. While the OnePlus 12 matches other flagships in dust resistance, it falls behind in water resistance, which is important since, nowadays, we use our phones in the rain, while swimming, at the beach, and more.
OnePlus has been criticized before for offering lower IP ratings compared to other flagships, but here we are in 2024, and the OnePlus 12 still doesn’t measure up in this area.
2 Not-so-long software support
C’mon OnePlus, it’s time to catch up with Samsung and Google
The OnePlus 12 comes with four years of major software updates and an extra year of security updates. While this sounds great, if you plan to keep your phone for a (really!) long time, you may have to consider other devices like the Pixel 8 series or the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, which offer up to seven years of software support. Personally, I can’t imagine using a device for seven years — imagine using the Samsung Galaxy S9 today — but if you plan to keep your phone for a very long time, you might want to look at these alternatives.
3 A bit too chunky for comfortable use
OnePlus 12 isn’t the slimmest phone around
If you’re looking for a phone that’s easier to hold and use with one hand, the OnePlus 12 may not be the best choice. With dimensions of 164.3 x 75.8 x 9.2 mm, it is both wider and thicker than most other flagship smartphones, though OnePlus does a good job of using the extra space for a larger battery. But, the fact remains, the OnePlus 12 is bulkier and harder to handle with one hand.
To improve usability, OnePlus has opted for a curved back and screen on the OnePlus 12, but not everyone is a fan of curved screens. Moreover, curved screens can take space at the top and bottom when watching videos, reducing visible content. To add to the list of concerns, many OnePlus 12 users have also complained about the phone being quite slippery.
4 Optical zoom maxes at 3x
Zoom capabilities could leave you wanting more
With the OnePlus 12, OnePlus made a significant upgrade in camera hardware compared to the OnePlus 11, moving to a better-quality Sony LYT-808 50MP primary camera lens and incorporating a new 64 MP lens with 3x optical zoom and 120x digital zoom. For comparison, the OnePlus 11 only offered 2x optical zoom. However, despite this improvement, the OnePlus 12 still falls behind the competition.
Competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra offer up to 10x optical zoom, and even Apple upgraded the optical zoom capabilities to 5x on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. While the OnePlus 12 isn’t terrible at taking zoom shots, as seen in our review, if you’re someone who often takes shots of far-off subjects, the OnePlus 12 might not be the best smartphone for you.
5 Limited AI capabilities
OnePlus isn’t keeping up with AI trends
There has been a significant shift in the market since the launch of ChatGPT, and smartphones, as of late, have all been about AI. OnePlus’ competitors, for example, Google, have been shipping AI features with Pixel smartphones for years now, offering some of our favorite tools like Circle to Search, Magic Editor, and more. Samsung also joined the trend with the launch of the Galaxy S24 series earlier this year, debuting its Galaxy AI features.
However, the OnePlus 12 arrived with a lackluster AI feature setup. While it is a powerful device, it doesn’t offer enough to lure the AI-savvy customers of today. And even though the company has improved on this front, shipping its own AI-based magic eraser tool and partnering with Google to bring Gemini to its smartphones, the OnePlus 12 still falls short.
While Google has been adding Gemini-based features to its apps like Messages and Gmail, which will eventually be available on the OnePlus 12, OnePlus hasn’t developed many of its own AI features yet. Maybe something new is coming later this year, but for now, if you’re looking for advanced AI features in an Android phone, the OnePlus 12 isn’t the best choice.
6 Price Seems Too High
OnePlus 12R seems like a smarter buy
And finally, let’s talk about the price. The OnePlus 12 is an expensive smartphone, starting at $800 in the US and €949 in Europe (without offers). At this price, it seems quite costly, especially considering the company also launched the OnePlus 12R alongside it. The OnePlus 12R, at a much lower price, offers almost the same features and seems like a great value for money.
Instead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, you get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and most users won’t even notice a drop in performance. You still get a large OLED display, an even larger battery, similar wired charging speeds, and a capable camera setup. If you’re looking to save money and get the OnePlus smartphone experience, the OnePlus 12R might be the better choice.
OnePlus 12 is still a great phone
Despite the drawbacks, the OnePlus 12 is still a great smartphone. With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a 120Hz LTPO AMOLED display, 100W wired charging, a large battery, and a Hasselblad-tuned camera that delivers excellent primary shots, the OnePlus 12 is a strong contender. If you prioritize performance, display quality, charging speed, and camera capabilities, the OnePlus 12 is still a fantastic choice — especially now that you can save up to $200 on it, thanks to ongoing deals.
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OnePlus 12
$600 $800 Save $200Despite its flaws, the OnePlus 12 is one of the best smartphones you can buy today. It features a top-tier processor, a large AMOLED display, high-quality build materials, a clean software experience, and reliable battery backup.
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OnePlus 12R
$530 $600 Save $70However, if you’re on a tight budget and want a similar experience, the OnePlus 12R is an excellent option. It features a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a large 6.78-inch 120Hz OLED display, and a big battery, all at a lower price.
