After arriving in China last month, the global OnePlus 12 launch date is finally here, with the latest flagship offerings from the tech brand taking center stage at a reveal event live from New Dehli. While OnePlus might not be the biggest brand in the West, the company is a major player in the worldwide mobile market, and its latest pair of smartphones is a statement of intent from a manufacturer with a lot to offer.
Due to the fact the OnePlus 12 is already available in certain parts of the world, we already knew a fair bit about the specs of this latest flagship going into the event. The OnePlus 12 is a competitive Android offering, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset powering gaming performance, an upgraded 5,400mAh battery with 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, and a 120Hz AMOLED display. Still, the biggest revelation for the OnePlus 12 is the Hasselblad camera setup, featuring the brand’s first attempt at a 64MP periscope lens, plus 50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, and 32MP selfie shooters.
The OnePlus 12R is a more moderately priced alternative but still has some pretty spectacular specs compared to other mid-range devices and previous OnePlus phones. It utilizes a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, the same as many of last year’s flagship smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy 23 Ultra and Xiaomi 13 Pro, features 100W wired charging like the 12, and its triple camera setup has a lot to offer amateur photographers with 50MP wide, 8MP ultrawide, and 2MP macro lenses.
Much of the presentation concentrated on the OnePlus 12’s powerful cameras, with the smartphone brand continuing its relationship with Hasselblad into a fourth generation. It’s not just in terms of hardware, either, with the introduction of Hasselblad Master Mode, a new way to take snaps inspired by the Hasselblad X2D digital camera. If you want to try your hand at a bit of photography with the latest OnePlus tech, the OnePlus Photography Awards are returning for 2024, with entries opening in February.
Still, photography isn’t the only selling point of the OnePlus 12 Series, with the company keen to point out the improved gaming performance of its latest flagships. According to its data, both the OnePlus 12 and 12R outperform the Samsung S23 Ultra and Google Pixel 8 Pro in terms of FPS on the highest graphics settings, offering a smooth experience over three hours of gaming. There’s also the promise of 120 FPS for all games, which is incredibly impressive if true.
We also found out more about the OnePlus 12 Genshin Impact Edition during the big OnePlus launch event, following Hoyoverse teasing the device during the last Genshin Impact livestream. As you might imagine, OnePlus has custom-built this device for Genshin gameplay, and it’s coming on February 28 in an exclusive Electro Violet colorway.
In terms of pricing and availability for the 12 Series, you can pick up a OnePlus 12 from February 6 with either 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage for $799.99 or with 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage for $899.99. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 12R slots into the mid-range category when it goes on sale on February 13, with prices starting at $499.99 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB version or $599.99 for the souped-up 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage alternative. Pre-orders are now open for both devices via the OnePlus website.
You can find both versions of the OnePlus 12 in the Silky Black colorway, or choose between the dark shade and a Flowy Emerald alternative with the 16GB version. The default color for the OnePlus 12R is Iron Grey, with the 12GB version also available in Cool Blue.
The big OnePlus 12 launch event caps off an already busy month for the smartphone industry, following last week’s reveal of the sparkling new Samsung S24 Series and ASUS announcing the ROG Phone 8 during CES 2024. Things should get even more interesting next month, with the biggest brands taking to Barcelona for MWC – Mobile World Conference – 2024. While we’re not sure what to expect from the event yet, if it’s anything like last year, we should see at least a couple of new launches.
There you have it, all you need to know about the global OnePlus 12 launch, featuring both the 12 and 12R devices. While you’re here, be sure to check out some other fantastic flagships with our lists of the best Google Pixel phones and the best Samsung phones. Or, if you’re more of an Apple fan, see our guide on all the rumors and speculation surrounding the iPhone 16.