OnePlus 12 Unboxing and First Impressions

February 4, 2024

14 4 minutes read

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Following its debut in China in late 2023, the OnePlus 12 has finally appeared on the global stage. With its flagship-level specifications and bang-for-the-buck approach, we bet the OnePlus 12 will be a popular smartphone option as it stares Apple, Google, and Samsung’s latest Galaxy S24 series in the face. We’ve gotten our hands on a retail OnePlus 12 device, and here is our initial impression of what it offers and why it might be worth considering as your next smartphone.

OnePlus 12 Unboxing

It’s 2024, yet we’re glad to report that the OnePlus 12 still comes with almost every essential smartphone accessory in the box. You’ll find yourself equipped with a 100W adapter, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, a thin yet acceptable silicone case (while you possibly wait for one of the best OnePlus 12 cases to arrive at your doorstep), and even an OTG adapter (in some regions) to help with data transfer. You’ll also notice that the device comes with a pre-applied screen protector.

OnePlus 12 Tech Specs

OnePlus 12

SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Display: 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED, 1440 x 3168, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1600 nits general
RAM: 12/16/24GB
Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB
Battery: 5,400 mAh
Ports: USB-C 3.2
Operating System: OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14
Front camera: 32MP, f/2.4, 21mm
Connectivity: 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC
Dimensions: 6.43 x 2.98 x 0.36 in (163.3 x 75.8 x 9.2 mm)
Colors: Silky Black, Flowy Emerald
Weight: 7.76 oz (220 g)
Charge speed: 100W wired (1-100% in 26-min), 50W wireless (1-100% in 55min), 10W reverse wireless
IP Rating: IP65
Material: Aluminium frame, Glass front and back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2)
Main Camera: 50MP, f/1.6, 23mm
Wide-Angle Camera: 48MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114-degree FoV
Telephoto: 64MP f/2.6, 70mm, periscope telephoto, 3x optical zoom

OnePlus 12 First Impressions: Pretty much a complete flagship

Coming to the device itself, when you pick it up for the first time, you’ll notice it carries a bit of heft. It isn’t unwieldy, but it was a big change for someone like me, who is coming from an iPhone 15 Pro. Putting it into a case is going to further add to its heft, but depending on your choice, it may make the device easy to hold.

But after once I powered on the device, I could see why users who use and prefer large phones would really enjoy the OnePlus 12. I’ll break the rest of this report into smaller bits that touch on the display, battery, and camera before I follow up with my comprehensive OnePlus 12 review.

OnePlus 12 Display

The device features a 6.82-inch QHD+ curved AMOLED display, supports a peak 120Hz refresh rate, and uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The display is everything you’d expect from a flagship, though I wonder why OnePlus set the default resolution mode and refresh rate to Auto-select.

The setting aims to determine the best refresh rate or resolution based on “your usage” and attempt to conserve battery power. I don’t think that’s really necessary here, as the 5,400 mAh cell has colored me impressed.

But before I move on to talk about battery life, the display is also said to peak at 4,500 nits of brightness, but you’ll experience 1,600 nits via its high brightness mode (when you’re outdoors) and 600-800 nits via the manual brightness slider. The manual levels are a bit disappointing, but overall, OnePlus 12’s brightness performance is acceptable.

OnePlus 12 Battery

OnePlus 12 Back Panel — Image Credit: Aryan Surendranath / Pocketnow

I already mentioned the 5,400 mAh capacity, but I didn’t expand upon how great it is at stretching through a day’s use. Battery stand-by times have been excellent, with the device hardly dropping a few percent overnight — this also speaks to how great its network module and antennae are, as it always picks up proper signals. As the device folds itself in my daily usage bit by bit, I’ll capture my usage stats and share them to give you an idea of what to expect.

One last thing when it comes to the battery is charging performance. Man, does this device charge up quickly? I’ve been impressed with the charging unit that comes in the box, and for someone who waits an hour and a bit for their iPhone to hit 100%, this device is refreshing.

OnePlus claims that the included adapter — 80W or 100W, depending on your region — will power the device from 0 to 100% in approximately 30 minutes. And the actual performance isn’t far off from the claim.

OnePlus 12 Camera

Now, touching upon the camera system that’s onboard. The OnePlus 12 comes with a revamped setup. Headling is a 50MP wide camera with OIS that uses the Sony LYT808 sensor, which is also found on the OnePlus Open. This bit of hardware is fairly new to the market, and since it’s my first time using it, I’m interested in seeing what a phone with this can do.

Then there’s the 64MP telephoto — with 3x optical zoom and a 6x in-sensor zoom — and 48MP ultrawide. Lastly, you’ll find a 32MP shooter on the front that uses the Sony IMX615 sensor.

For $800, the OnePlus 12 is packing a lot of exciting hardware, and at first glance, it ticks a lot of right boxes when it comes to being a flagship device in 2024. So, if you’re looking for a device in the sub-$1000 price bracket and planning to make an outright purchase, this might be the device to pick up. To learn more about the OnePlus 12, stick around to read our full review on Pocketnow.

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