After we shared a previous hands-on review of the OnePlus 12, we now have our quick take on the OnePlus 12R which has hit Canada for the first time. This budget “R” series smartphone from OnePlus previously was only available in markets such as India and China.
The OnePlus 12R has snappy performance and a beautiful display, as it looks to challenge flagships at a far lower price point.
At the heart of the OnePlus 12R is the company’s Trinity Engine, which enhances the device’s CPU, RAM, and ROM, making the OnePlus 12R offer decent app multitasking. The RAM-Vita features ensures a seamless experience when launching and switching between applications, thanks to AI RAM acceleration and OnePlus’ Live Lock feature, which keeps up to six apps running smoothly in the background.
The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, offering a 35% improvement in CPU performance and a 25% boost in GPU performance over its predecessor. The OnePlus 12R is available in two configurations: 8GB of RAM with 128GB storage or 16GB of RAM with 256GB storage.
OnePlus has also equipped the 12R with the largest battery in its history, coming in at 5,500mAh supported by 100W SUPERVOOC charging. This means it can get a full charge in just 26 minutes.
The alert slider has shifted to the left side of the phone, which OnePlus says enhances its gaming capabilities, while two contrasting colourways are available: Cool Blue (our unit) and Iron Gray.
The OnePlus 12R has a fourth-generation LTPO 120Hz ProXDR Display, offering dynamic refresh rates between 1Hz and 120Hz for optimized battery life. The screen’s responsiveness adjusts to the speed of finger swipes, ensuring efficiency whether browsing or gaming. It’s a pretty bright and vivid display which makes for enjoyable browsing of the web and watching YouTube.
As for the camera’s main sensor, it’s the Sony IMX890, a 50-megapixel sensor known for its speed and quality in all lighting conditions. The device also features a Sony IMX355 ultra-wide camera and a macro camera, though it lacks a telephoto lens (you can’t get everything at this price point, eh?). Pictures looked fine and there was nothing that shocked us, good or bad.
Running on the company’s OxygenOS 14 Android skin, the OnePlus 12R gets only four years of software updates, however. Despite its ambitious specs, the device is priced competitively, starting at $519.99 in Canada after the trade-in of any device, in any condition.
OnePlus 12R Canadian pricing is below. You can get a guaranteed $150 off with any phone trade-in:
Students can save 10% off the 256GB version. Also, your purchase of the OnePlus 12R takes $30 off the new OnePlus Buds 3.
It’s worth noting the absence of wireless charging and the device’s IP64 rating, which may deter some users.
It’s an excellent choice for users looking for a high-performance device at a more accessible price point, without the need to spend thousands compared to other Android flagships such as the Galaxy S24 series. Google is rumoured to debut its Pixel 9 series smartphones soon so if you’re seeking a pure Android software experience, that might be something to hold out for. But expect to pay at least $800 for the next entry Pixel phone from Google. With the Pixel 8a rumoured to debut soon as well, it’ll be interesting as another option will appear for the mid-range market (the Pixel 7a is now down to $399, at $200 off).
The OnePlus 12R stands out as a budget-friendly Android phone that does not compromise on performance, display quality, or battery life. The phone design is not offensive by any means and could be mistaken as the OnePlus 12. Students and even your kids seeking a decent Android phone can get solid specs at a price point that undercuts other manufacturers. If only price matters to you then this is definitely one to consider, especially with all the promo discounts at the moment.
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