I bought this 12/256GB model here at TradingShenzhen: tradingshenzhen.com/en/oneplus-12/oneplus-12-12gb256gb?affp=28685 (Affiliate link) 00:00 - Intro 01:15 - Unboxing 02:00 - Design, screen and features 07:01 - ColorOS, Performance and 5G/4G signal? 11:04 - Bloatware was removed? 11:45 - Antutu score, storage speeds 12:53 - GPU stress test results 13:58 - DRM cert, Safetynet, and Camera 2 API 14:33 - Battery life and charge time 15:37 - Haptics, calls and loudspeaker sample 16:41 - Gaming with Genshin Impact max settings 17:42 - Camera samples, video and stills 20:30 - Final words with Pros and Cons
@@digitbuyno giztop sucks i bought xiaomi 14 pro it was defective i need to to send it back payed 65 euros for sending back and only received a partial refund on the device i basically lost around 170 euros. Because of receiving a faulty product giztop has no responsibility and dont do the things they say they would on their website like refund shipping cost if received a defective device receive a full device refund. I got to pay out of my own pocket because of them. If nothing goes wrong than its great i guess but if something goes wrong and you are located in europe i recommend tradingshenzhen they have repair center in germany poland and austria
Hahaha the one of the best phones. HTC Desire HD. HTC M7. Oneplus 2 5 7pro. Huawei mate 7 8 9 P9 P10 LG G3 Sony Xperia Z Nexus I9250 Samsung Note Edge Note 4 Note 5 9 Xiaomi 11 Ultra 12 Pro 13 Ultra
If you see i have stopped using oneplus since 7pro (of course I did buy 8pro 9pro. But everyone knows).. I have switched to xiaomi since then. Hopefully my next phone could be oneplus flagship 13.
Great Review! I always opt to upgrade to older flagships if I can find them new, and that is because I genuinely believe that older designs and builds hit a maximum sweet spot. That was around 2019/2020. What manufacturers have done since is go down, and with devices like the OnePlus 12, it seems they are attempting to find that sweet spot again. Recently, I bought myself an Oppo Find X2 Pro from 2020, for well below $500 new. As I watch this review, I feel like this is merely a one-generation upgrade from my current phone, if that!!! (2K LTPO display? Check, properly positioned UDFS? Check, Excellent built/design? Check). The only upgrade to me would be the cameras. However, if you use Google cameras on any phone with decent lenses, you would get solid results. Also, I challenge any new processor to outperform the 865 with real-world differences (game fps/Gitter scores/ general speed).
Great point, I often meantion to others to also look at 2 year old flagships in good condition is a very nice option. As you have stated here they offer almost the same not much has changed.
The whole deal with older phones is to get them used. Why pay... full price for an old phone? X2 is ancient. Oppo still can't really do processing, and back then were barely above Xiaomi. S20 Ultra was available in good condition for 300 eur for at least a year. I helped a person buy P40 Pro in perfect condition for 200 eur just recently. For 400+eur I could've hunted for S22 Ultra at this point, because S21 Ultra even 256GB models were around 400 eur for the last year. And that's for a relatively podunk place(Naples, Italy). Any big city would have a much better used phone selection. Even though phones have indeed somewhat stagnated since 2020(realistically after the camera trifecta revolution of 2019, but 2020 cemented it) - the processing power(especially if you use the phone the right way - with power saving on), the camera hardware and software, RAM and storage - have all improved. Heck, it's not like you are talking about an SD card(which S20 Ultra still had) or SD+headphone jack(that would require a 2019 phone). It is your money and your choice, and 865-870 was indeed the last optimal Snapdragon in terms of performance and power efficiency and manufacturing. However, it is ancient. Even if modern chips throttle by 20% at minimum(it's not like 865 was throttle free entirely) - they are more than twice as fast in almost every regard. From CPU performance that covers EIS and camera processing(better encoding, less judder) to GPU that is approaching PS4 Pro levels of performance to any NPU\AI acceleration that is only going to be more useful as software pool grows. There's a reason why apple is advertising straight up Death Stranding and the likes, with RT to boot - on a PHONE. Though I have to admit that your choice is still better than my friend's who was really adamant about getting Poco F5 just for its SD7g2+ and global ROM. Even though he had it for 300 eur. At least you are getting SOME cameras.
Thanks for taking the time to share your perspective. You make solid arguments, for sure. However, in response to each; I did not pay full price for my Find X2 Pro (€330 to be exact) and it is brand new (12+256)! The full price at its time was €1200. The S20 series was definitely on my radar, however, I could not get any model in a new condition (which was a big deal for me). Regarding the improvements that u mentioned. I briefly used the S21 & 22 & 23 & OnePlus 11, & I believe the S20 series & Find 2 series wipe the flour with the newer models in terms of build and sturdiness & even design in my opinion. As for Software, I most certainly choose Oppo in no small part for the software coherence and features like external Icon pack support & more mature-looking essential apps (phone, messages, … etc). Regarding the remaining hardware, you mentioned. I genuinely challenge you to do a speed test between an 865 phone and an 870/888/8-gen1/ 8+ gen1 & heck even the mighty 8-gen2. Let me know If you can find any differences, to attribute to RAM being LPDDR4 instead of LPDDR4X or storage being UFS 3.0 rather than 3.1. I run G-Impact at 60+ fps for hours on end, with no throttling whatsoever, let's see the 8-gen1 take it for just an hour. I wouldn't dispute your point regarding cameras. However, as I have mentioned, with an appropriate Google camera app and add-ons you would get very solid results with any decent lens system. I don't see any game developer utilizing this so-called PS4-like graphics power, and If you watch Geekerwan's processor analysis video, you would conclude that Android games are mostly CPU-heavy games, and not much has changed since the Adreno 630(SD-845). Apple Silicon is a different game altogether, and I believe they can reach the heights they claim. Also, Xiaomi can never touch any of the BBK electronics brands. OnePlus, on its worst day, would destroy Xiaomi. Although, they did a good job with the 13/14 series to be completely fair. @@WirxawTanev
Challenge accepted. Red Magic 8 Pro demolishes the 865 by miles in intensive and gaming tasks no matter what phone uses it including previous of the same brand.
@@DivineSword1 I assumed that 500$ was mentioned for a reason. That is - that the price was 450 or so. My bad. And by full price I meant retail\clearance price. I won't dispute any software or icon or whatever, I don't customize. And I gave up on Genshin about 2 years ago. I can only compare results of, for example, 3DMark WildLife Extreme, if that one is free. I'll do mine in power saving mode, naturally, you can do yours in any mode, and we can compare the GPU result with my S22. Yes, it's synthetic, but it's representative, unlike Antutu. Otherwise... I'm glad that you enjoy the phone. For all intents and purposes, for 330$ that is definitely not a bad choice, even compared to the newest budget phones.
Great review. The US and global versions will hopefully be polished up. Its beautiful and the price point will, once again, bring more people in the US over from the dark side..cough, cough Apple and Samsung.
It has been reported online by many users in China that OnePlus, in order to hide the little gap between camera deco plate and middle frame, has injected glue in between them and therefore you'll be able to see the glue filling from the outside, especially on white models. For black and green models they just left the gap there with no glue and the gap will be quite visible. This is most likely a design flaw due to them insisting on this camera deco/island shape, but many people were quite unsatisfied to see such a design flaw on a flagship device that costs this much.
Great review as always! Thanks for your great reviews always. I've owned several OnePlus phones in the past and my favorite phone was the OnePlus 8 pro. I was really hoping for OnePlus to finally go to a flat screen however, that's not the case. I'm sick and tired of curved screens. Such a nightmare finding a good screen protector for curved screens.
As Chris didn't mention it for some reason. I will. It's only got an IP65 rating not IP68, that combined with the awful throttling really is disappointing for a so called flagship phone. And it will probably be at least €1,000 when it launches in Europe. Just get an iPhone 15 Pro
@@Kwistenbiebel200 Consumer Law is worth having in the UK as we get 2 years warranty and six years of support for parts that fail within that time that shouldn't. I would not exchange the cost to lose these advantages and better support.
All marketing BS! Next one of these brands Oppo or Xiaomi will claim 7,000 nits. Maybe Oppo will say the Find X7 Pro when released can do 7,000 nits lol. Yet nobody will prove it or be able to reproduce it, what a joke!
Screen max brightness level is probably tested on a small 4x4cm (or even smaller) rectangle so that value is significantly lover for the whole screen. Just like on modern TV where manufacturers are using the ABL feature (Automatic Brightness Limiter) which is designed to reduce the risk of burn in when the brightness is not needed, the screen is protecting itself.
This is the very first I've heard of the problems you had with the throttling. Hopefully, you just have a slight lemon phone. My OnePlus 12 will arrive soon and I'm really looking forward to it. With discounts, I paid $599.
I've had my 12 for about a week and i think this phone is an absolute beast, i get 10 hours screen on time with mixed usage. The only 2 things i would change is i wish it was a bit lighter and screen was flat.
I knew that the OnePlus 12 global is coming in Januari 2024. I was planning to buy the OP 12 but I bought the OP 11 (4 weeks ago) 16+256 GB global Black, brand new in a sealed box for €500 Euros in the Netherlands, Europe. Got the update already Android 14 on the smartphone. I am satisfied with my OP 11. As always Excellent Review !.
@@TechtabletsThanks ! BTW: I do not like the green one. Already got the Nillkin cover case black with camera protection for my OnePlus 11. Good luck with your channel !
@@glenn1964Was it because it's slippery? Mine (OP10pro) feels like it would slip off anytime without a case. A sandstone shell case gave it the grip it needed with a minimal bit of protection.
Interesting to note Samsung has abandoned curved edges on S24 Ultra launched today. Oneplus 12 is a nice design but maybe the curved edges looking a bit dated now...
Just a thought regarding screen brightness. What if phone companies advertise panel capability of achieving screen brightness of this or that nits, but in reality it is dialed down by software due to thermal/battery drain issues? Have you considered this?
Rly nice to see u pay attention to small but valuable details like the UI smoothness in 1080p compared to 1440. Appreciated 👍 If possible, pls do a review on the OnePlus 12R and the Redmi K70 (and comparison with the 13T pro) too
💯 haven't found a replacement yet and like you, my OnePlus 7 Pro is working as good as The day I bought it 4 1/2 years ago. I do miss wireless charging.
Could you please comment on: 1) voice to text. Google really raised the bar with the Pixel 8 using the Tensor chip's AI hardware to do this, providing excellent V2T in terms of speed and accuracy, whether online or not. Qualcomm is jumping on that train too. Some of us would love to speak our textual messages instead of having to use our fat thumbs on narrow screens. How does the OnePlus 12 do? 2) Does the phone do call recording and, if so, does it work with Bluetooth headsets too? This is important to some of us (thanks for taking that capability away from the Pixels, Google 😡) These are important features for some of us. Your reviews are very good, but they should really cover this too.
1) You get the normal gboard voice to text with it if you install it. Doesn't work great with my NZ accent. 2) Yes this CN ROM allows for call recording. I can't cover every little thing people ask for. Reviews are long enough as they are without trying to factor in call record. Chinese roms have it normally, global ones do not at least EU roms .
@techtablets there's many RU-vidrs that cover phones, if you want a bigger slice of the market you should cover things like this user said. Even so though, you are very active in the comments which makes up for it but might be a bit more hassle and time for you. Great work man thanks for answering our questions!
Hi Chris, excellent review as always! White variant looks cool, added black case is also nice (BTW OnePlus still can add everything in the box, shame on some other brands...). Could you please put the case on and take a photo of the phone in it? I am really interested how does it look 😁
I like the still pictures color. Haven't had a oneplus before. Wanna a oneplus one but still a student at that time. Also a bigger battery is a big plus.
OnePlus 12 seems like a minor improvement from the previous OnePlus 11. Apart from 4K capable front camera (more like upscaled 1440p video), new chipset, USB 3.2 port, slightly larger screen & a periscope telephoto lens, there's no incentive for me to buy this over Oppo Find X6 Pro (SD 8 Gen 2 sure but better features).
There's a few of massive quality of life improvements for me: 1. The low brightness lack of flicker and the built in blue light filter in the screen that help reduce eye strain and headaches and improve sleep. 2. The aquatouch screen that means you can use it when moisture on the screen. 3. Finally the battery is amazing both in size, longevity and charging speed.
Some reviewers saying on RU-vid that they have got defective One Plus 12 . There is a small defect in camera visor and fog and moisture are getting into the lenses. There is also defect in auto brightness sesor , screen is getting completely darkar when on. He shown all that in the video. In china many people returning op12 because of these defects. What is your opinion about that?
My unit I haven't experienced any off those issues so this is why it's not mentioned. But the throttling is my main issue. New patch stopped 3DMark stress test from crashing but it still throttles like crazy far too much.
@@Techtablets i bought a OnePlus open buth i was to scared for it to break because its my first foldable phone, so i returned it and got back a OnePlus 11 should i upgrade to the 12 or stay with the 11, because i mis the periscope lens, buth if the 12 overheats that much, it would not be great for battery life
The OP Open looks stunning, a shame Oneplus has never send me anything and seems to hate me oh well. The overheating they are working on from todays new patch now lets 3Dmark run without using my fridge to cool it haha. But it still throttles like crazy to 54%
@Techtablets Chris, nice review as always, just one question these stress tests you put the phones through what does it achieve? nobody runs apps on their phones to the point where they crash at such a level, I've always wondered why you actually do these tests
@@Denny-G26 you really returned a phone because you were afraid of breaking it? I have had a foldable for over a year now and dropped it many time on the concrete floor where I work not a single crack on either screen only a few chips on the paint never once put a case or screen protector on
I still have a mate 20x and I kind of want to try something that is a bit shorter & a bit wider. The screens on a duo2 still look appealing. but the amount of times I drop my phone a single screen with rugged case is a must. Do you think we will see anything with a screen similar to a single duo screen or is tall skinny and foldable the only flavour for years to come?
Maybe it's only the ColorOS model that experiences this, we'd have to see how the OxygenOS equivalent handles it [unlikely, but you never know]. I however wonder, didn't you say in a previous video that there is no noticeable difference between the 8 gen 2 and the 8 gen 3? How is it suddenly different?
The best feature of my s23 ultra is the system equalizer. It makes my iems sound way better. It has 9 bands (63, 125, 250, 500, 1k, 2k, 4k, 8k, and 16k). Does the Oneplus12 have this feature? Can you please check?
Hey Tech!, big fan. I'll be going with one plus 12, I just wanted to know is the iqoo 12 camera far better than one Plus 12 or negligible difference? Since camera is my main priority between these two. Also Should I go with Vivo 100 base variant instead or stick with one plus 12? Would appreciate a reply!
OP12 should have a better camera setup. The main sensor is a new Sony that I think places right behind the 1 Inch sensors, the Zoom Camera should be the same on all 3 devices(not sure about X100. Can't tell you about the ultra wide angle. Since IQ12 is the cheapest by far it should have the worst hardware even tho software could be better on vivo than OP.
@@Jamorkian I think the Vivo X100 Pro uses 1080p as well and has an amazing front camera. There are several comparison videos. I don't know about the iqoo 12 but doesn't mean it's bad.
50W wireless yes. I think global it will be around 800. A huge mark up over the Chinese price. But later I can see this import version being around 600-650 euros.
We have 20% VAT so start with that and add in for extra bands, EU paperwork and safety, IP testing, etc. It all adds up. There is no rip-off, just the West has higher costs of entry versus China.
As someone in the UK who is upgrading from a Nord N10 I got about 3 years ago, I've got a bit more money to spend this time and I will probably go with the Oneplus12 although I feel no need to import one. There are some other phones I'm considering (Iqoo 12, the ner honour phone and waiting on announcements for the new RoG phone 8 and maybe the S24+ when we can see that)
The new Honor Magic 6 Pro and nice out should also be very interesting. So far one of my favorites is the IQOO 12 it has better cameras than this but mine is on the front camera with video. And it throttles a lot like this OP12.
The Rog 8 is great besides the Android updates.. you'll get two if you're lucky an they'll be super slow to update,months after google,samsung or oneplus..and the cameras are always subpar on gaming phones also if you're an avid photographer..but its still a beast of none of that matters.
4500 nits if for small part of the screen like 10% or something at once, in HDR mode. also you speak about 8k24fps that no one cares about, but can it shoot 4k120fps?
I think the alleged 4500 nits is only during HDR video playback and only reaches this level in certain parts of the display for a short amount of time. Misleading I know.
Actually, anyone who has used a OnePlus flagship automatically knows to turn on high performance mode when gaming. The setting is in the battery section and not that difficult to find.
How much did you pay for it to reach your hands? Was it just the price in the website? I live in Portugal and I believe we have the same customs laws so I'd really like to know, did you pay the 21% VAT?
im thinking of switching from my s22ultra to oneplus again. i had the oneplus 5 and rocked it for 3 years and sold it. had the samsung s10plus s20 plus and now s22 ultra. so i hope the oneplus 12 is just as good or better then my ultra
About 4G/5G connections. I heard that all China's market smartphones are working with 5G in Europe, so it's very good, because when you will buy your smartphone from U.S. market, the 5G won't work at all, or at least i don't know how to unlock the 5G, and i'm very sad with it.
I consider this as a upgrade from my Oneplus 7 Pro I use since 4.5 years. Altough there was never so little difference in between while I destroyed my phones every 2 years in the past and I am not sure spending ~800€ with the global release for a phone that cant really do much more and has a punchhole But looks like a great phone!
Same here, pop up cam was the future, terrible to see them abandon it in exchange for gaudy hole punches. I have a 7T pro but it wasn't made for the North American market, so I get kicked off 4g all the time and settled for 3g forever. Unfortunately they're trying to force everyone in Canada into 4/5g only going ahead for easier/accurate surveillance on citizens. Any tips on how to actually let me connect to 4g permanently would be greatly appreciated as I have no intentions of upgrading. 7tp was the peak, I haven't seen anything all that impressive since. Hardcore plateau if not going backwards with most released since.
Question, is there any way to download Google Services that isn't APK so it's equivalent to the Google Services that is pre installed in Global Version? Therefore, being able to automatically update itself? And how did Trading Shenzhen acquire the pre-installed version? Thanks for the review, insightful and I'm planning to buy one.
Thanks for a great review! Could you please summarise the main apps that struggle to run or won't run on a Chinese import version (ie. Apps that need to be system installed, e.g. Android auto)? I am also looking to get a new phone between the oneplus 12 and vivo x100 pro, I have seen your camera comparison video and both of your review videos - which would you recommend?
No Android auto, doesn't work for me even if you install it. Everything else is okay give it permissions and auto start. I recommend the X100 Pro over this phone. However, this is cheaper. IQOO 12 is also a very good option with better cameras than this OP12.
Thank you for the reply and happy new year! Thank you the recommendation, I was leaning towards getting the Vivo x100 pro as well for the better camera set up and I have been using the Vivo Nex 3 + the design is arguably nicer for the x100 pro vs the iqoo12. Thanks for the heads up regarding Android Auto, as the global launch event is on 03 Jan, I presume waiting for the global version would probably be the best option given android auto should work with that? Lastly, any idea on whether the screen for the x100 pro is Gorilla Glass Victus?
how would this compare to the realme gt5 pro, is it worth spending the extra cash to buy the oneplus should i better save it and buy the realme. i have seen very few camera comparison of these phones (onplus 12 and realme gt5 pro) amd i ahve learnt that the realme has its own edge over the oneplus and so does the oneplus which puts both of them on the same level aside from the ultrawide camera sensor difference which greatly sets them apart in numbers and very little in performance. for the benefit of better ultra wide camera, slightly enhanced periscope camera and a controversially better software with the oneplus, it it worth spending the extra cash to buy?
Realme : cheaper, likely better ui experience ( bbk has been focusing more on oppo/realme's ui more ). Oneplus: better camera ( overall ), better accessory availability In my opinions, just buy the one that has better support/availability/accessories in your country. ( You may want to replace the screen or the battery in the future, or maybe buy a new case/charger )
Just dropped my 7T, screen first, display went haywire, blue purple contrast leaking and covered the whole screen. Repaired with third party cheap screen and its not the same and now i want to buy the new one
I just got a new update today. Will see if it fixes the big issue of throttling itself like crazy. The SD8Gen3 is a damn hot chip in my experience testing a few now. You mean a pressure release hole on a module? There is none.
@@Techtablets in normal usage(social media, watching videos) i havent notice dramatic thermal issue. Maybe in demanding apps not yet optimised.. Lets see... So far im happy...Giving lots of Oppo find X6 pro experience. Its my first time with Oneplus. Mine got small hole apparently.. As far as in know is not effecting water resistance..
