OnePlus has launched the OnePlus 12R in Australia—a phone that promises flagship-level performance and features at a mid-range price. Following its global debut in early February 2024, the 12R marks OnePlus’s first mid-tier phone to be launched internationally, offering Australians an enticing alternative to premium handsets.
Design & Build Quality
The OnePlus 12R mirrors the premium aesthetic of the OnePlus 12 flagship: a sleek metal frame, curved edges, and a minimalist “alert slider” for Do Not Disturb mode. Its dimensions are 163.3 × 75.3 × 8.8 mm and it weighs 207 g. Protection arrives via Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and a matte-finished glass back. The phone holds an IP64 rating—safe from splashes but not full submersion.
Australian buyers can choose Iron Gray or Cool Blue; the stylish curved frame and color options earn high praise, though minor concerns arise from slight screen-to-frame ridges and susceptibility to fingerprints.
Display: Bright, Smooth and Immersive
At the heart of the 12R is its 6.78‑inch LTPO4.0 ProXDR AMOLED curved display, with a resolution of 2,780 × 1,264 px (~450 ppi), a 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate, pinch‑fast 1,000 Hz touch sampling, and ultra‑bright HDR10+ support.
While OnePlus claims peak brightness up to 4,500 nits, lab tests showed around 1,131 nits—still very bright and legible even under Australia’s harsh sun. Display quality receives 5/5 marks from reviewers for its color accuracy, sharpness, and battery efficiency.
Performance: Mid‑Range Powerhouse
The 12R is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset—one step below the flagship Gen 3, yet impractically fast for everyday use. Review benchmarks show:
Geekbench 6: 1,553 (single‑core), 5,135 (multi‑core)
3DMark Wild Life Unlimited: 84.4 fps, outperforming iPhone 15’s A16 Bionic (72.1 fps).
Even high-end gaming and video transcoding run smoothly, though the 12R trails the OnePlus 12 in Adobe Rush by around 20 seconds. RAM and storage options include 8/128 GB or 12/256 GB (Australian models lean toward the latter) with UFS 3.1 storage—though OnePlus mistakenly advertised UFS 4.0 for the 256 GB variant and later issued apologies.
Camera Setup: Solid Main Sensor, Basic Extras
Backed by a 50 MP Sony IMX890 main camera, a 8 MP ultra-wide, and a 2 MP macro sensor, the 12R omits the OnePlus 12’s telephoto lens, repositioning it as a performance-focused midranger. Reviewers commend the main sensor for daylight sharpness, color vibrancy, and detail preservation—though it tends slightly toward overexposure in challenging lighting .
Ultra-wide photos are decent, but macro shots come off more as equipping rather than a call to arms—it’s a nice-to-have, not a must . Night mode, while serviceable, doesn’t quite match competing Pixel phones in low-light detail . Portraits exhibit clean background blur but occasional edge artifacts in hair .
Aussie users who love point-and-shoot consistency will enjoy the 12R’s well-optimized main camera, even if it’s not the absolute best in its segment. The front camera—16 MP—delivers accurate selfies with natural skin tones .
Battery & Charging: Marathon Power
Battery life is a standout. The 5,500 mAh cell consistently delivers 18 hours 42 minutes on continuous web usage tests—marking it as second-only among all phones, and best among non-gaming devices. Australian usage patterns involving mixed 5G usage, gaming, and video streaming should easily see users through 1–2 days per charge.
Charging is speedy: 100 W wired in Australia (80 W in the U.S.), filling from zero to near-full in about 30 minutes. However, there’s no wireless charging—a slight drawback given many alternatives include it.
Software & Updates
The 12R boots with Android 14 under OxygenOS 14, with a planned software cycle delivering 3 major Android updates and 4 years of security patches. Expect an upgrade to Android 15/OxygenOS 15 around October 2024 in Australia alongside other flagship models .
OxygenOS is praised for its clean UI, extensive customization, and dependable features like Zen Mode, Game Mode, and Always-On Display, with minimal bloat. The platform’s privacy stance—eschewing background data collection by default—is a bonus for concerned users .
Value & Competition in Australia
At A$893–1,299, the 12R’s raging performance, blazing fast charging, and unbeatable battery life place it firmly as a flagship killer. Reviewers from Android Central, Tom’s Guide, TechRadar, and Wired echo this sentiment .
That said, it competes directly with:
Google Pixel 8a/7a: superior camera performance and wireless charging, but slower processing and battery life.
Samsung Galaxy A54: IP67 water resistance, solid mid-range performance, yet weaker battery and slower charging .
Nothing Phone (2a): unique design, fun LEDs, but lacks the 12R’s raw performance and battery longevity.
For Australians prioritizing speed, stamina, and value, the 12R’s trade-offs (no wireless charging, minor camera and water-resistance downgrades) feel very manageable.
Ideal User & Use Cases
The OnePlus 12R is perfect for:
Mobile gamers, who benefit from high refresh rate, top-tier GPU, and long battery life.
Frequent travelers & commuters, who need fast charging and solid battery for day-to-day reliability.
Media consumers, thanks to a bright 120 Hz AMOLED display that excels outdoors and for HDR.
General users, who get robust performance and great camera snaps without paying flagship premiums.
It’s less ideal for those who require wireless charging, advanced telephoto lenses, or IP68 water resistance.
Launch & Availability
The OnePlus 12R was officially unveiled on February 6, 2024 globally, marking a significant leap beyond its India–China exclusivity . In Australia, it arrived in December 2023 at a recommended retail price of A$1,299 for the 256 GB/12 GB variant . Local retailers—such as Wise Market AU and Skyphonez—offer the same model with perks like 13‑month warranties and free shipping. Price comparison sites report deals as low as A$893 for the 256 GB version—roughly 31% cheaper than the official launch price.
Conclusion
The OnePlus 12R offers Australians a rare combination: flagship-tier performance, weeks-long battery, fast charging, and a stunning display—at a mid-range price. Its minor compromises—no wireless charging, basic water resistance, and mid-grade auxiliary cameras—are outweighed by everyday benefits like speed and longevity.
At ~$900–1,300, the 12R stands as one of 2024’s top value smartphones. It’s a serious contender if you’re seeking near-flagship experience without flagship cost. Even with emerging competitors and potential successors (like a rumored 13R), this remains a smart buy today.
