OnePlus 12 Review: The Comeback of the “Never Settle” Spirit

Let’s rewind a bit. OnePlus had a rough patch a few years ago. But with the OnePlus 12, they didn’t just fix the cracks; they rebuilt the foundation. This phone was launched as the “10th Anniversary Masterpiece,” and honestly, even in 2026, it holds its ground like a Toyota Fortuner—reliable, powerful, and holds its value.

With a current market price hovering around ₹54,999 to ₹59,999, it sits in that sweet spot where it challenges the “Ultra” phones of the world without charging “Ultra” prices. I’ve used the OnePlus 12 (Flowy Emerald variant) extensively to answer one question: Is this the best all-rounder money can buy?

Quick Specs: The Engine Under the Hood

Before we start “driving” this beast, let’s look at the raw numbers.

Design & “In-Hand” Presence: A Luxury Sedan

Read more: Redmi Note 15 5G

If phones were cars, the OnePlus 12 would be a Jaguar. It’s curvy, elegant, and feels expensive.

• The Look: The Flowy Emerald glass back has a marble-like texture. It looks different every time light hits it. Unlike glossy backs that look cheap, this screams premium.
• The Build: It uses an aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2. It feels solid, heavy (220g), and dense.
• The Alert Slider: It’s on the left side now! Muscle memory took a few days to adjust, but it’s still the most satisfying “click” in the smartphone world. It’s like closing the door of a German car.

Cons? The curved screen edges. While they look premium, accidental touches are still a thing if you don’t use a case.

Display & Visuals: A 2K Sunroof

The screen is a 6.82-inch BOE X1 Oriental Panel.

• Brightness: 4,500 nits peak brightness. I tested this under the scorching Delhi sun at 1 PM. Maps, texts, and even dark mode UI were crystal clear. It is arguably the brightest panel in its segment.
• Smoothness: The 120Hz LTPO technology works flawlessly. Scrolling through Twitter (X) or Instagram feels like hot knife through butter.
• Aqua Touch: This is a cool feature. If it’s raining or your fingers are wet, the screen still registers touches accurately. I tried using it with wet hands after washing them—it actually works!

Performance: The “V8 Engine” Test

This phone runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. In automobile terms, this is a V8 Twin-Turbo.

• City Drive (Daily Use): Overkill. Apps open instantly. RAM management is aggressive but keeps apps in memory. I kept 15 apps open, including heavy games, and switching between them was instant.
• Highway Drive (Gaming):
  • BGMI/PUBG: Runs at 90 FPS smooth. No frame drops even in hot drops like Pochinki.
  • Genshin Impact: Max settings. The large vapor chamber cooling system (the “Radiator”) does its job. The phone gets warm (42°C) but never uncomfortably hot.
  • The Haptics: The O-Haptics motor is tight and precise. Gunshots in games feel punchy.

Camera: The Hasselblad Magic

OnePlus used to be “average” at cameras. The OnePlus 12 changes that.

1. Main Camera (50MP Sony LYT-808):

• It’s fantastic. The dynamic range is improved massively. Shadows are preserved, and highlights aren’t blown out. The “Hasselblad Color Science” gives photos a natural, slightly cinematic look rather than the oversaturated look of Samsung.

2. The Star: 64MP Periscope Telephoto (3x Optical):

• This lens is a masterpiece.
• Portraits: At 3x, the bokeh roll-off is DSLR-like. Skin tones are maintained beautifully—it doesn’t whiten your face like Vivo/Oppo sometimes do.
• Zoom: Digital zoom up to 10x is very usable. 100x is a gimmick, but 6x-10x is great for concert shots.

3. Ultrawide (48MP):

• Better than most 8MP ultrawides, but edges are slightly soft. Color consistency with the main camera is spot on.

Real World Battery (The Mileage): 5400 mAh!

This is the biggest upgrade.

• The Tank Size: 5,400 mAh.
• The Mileage: I took it off charge at 8 AM.
  • 2 hours of Navigation.
  • 1 hour of Gaming.
  • 3 hours of Social Media/Video.
  • Result: At 10 PM, I still had 25% left.
  • Screen On Time (SOT): Easily touches 7 to 8 hours. This is a true “fill it, shut it, forget it” phone.
• Refueling: The 100W Charger (included in the box) fills it from 0-100% in 26 minutes. It also supports 50W Wireless Charging, which is faster than the wired charging of an iPhone or Samsung!

The Competition: OnePlus 12 vs Rivals

We auto-detected the strongest rivals: iQOO 12 and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

• Vs iQOO 12: iQOO is cheaper and better for hardcore gamers. But OnePlus feels more premium, has better software (OxygenOS), and better wireless charging support.
• Vs Samsung S24 Ultra: Samsung wins on S-Pen and 10x Zoom. But is it worth double the price? For 90% of people, the OnePlus 12 offers 95% of the experience at half the cost.

Final Verdict: The “Innovator” Returns

The OnePlus 12 is not just a spec-sheet monster; it has a soul. It feels cohesive, polished, and reliable. It fixes every complaint we had with the OnePlus 9 and 10 series.

It gives you the performance of a sports car with the mileage of a hatchback.

Buy it if:

• You want a balanced flagship: Great camera, great battery, great screen. No compromises.
• You hate slow charging: 100W charging changes your life habits.
• You consume a lot of media: The 2K screen + stereo speakers are a portable theatre.

Skip it if:

• You need AI Features: Pixel and Samsung are miles ahead in AI editing/translation features.
• You hate Curved Screens: Finding a good tempered glass is a headache.
• IP68 is a must: It is IP65 rated (splash proof), not IP68 (submersible) like the S24 or iPhone 15.

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