The much-anticipated OnePlus 12 has finally been unveiled, boasting the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC and an impressive array of cameras. Thanks to a unit generously provided by OnePlus, I had the opportunity to explore their latest flagship for almost a week prior to its official launch. Additionally, the AzMo Tech office had the iQOO 12 on hand, prompting me to conduct a thorough comparison between these two flagship smartphones. Both devices not only share the powerful 8 Gen 3 chipset but also feature quite similar camera setups. So, which one ultimately takes the lead? Let’s delve into this comprehensive OnePlus 12 vs iQOO 12 comparison to find out!
Specs At a Glance
Design
In our possession, we have the iQOO 12 Legend and the OnePlus 12 in the captivating color options of Flowy Emerald and Legend White, respectively. The iQOO 12 Legend showcases a white exterior adorned with the iQOO emblem and the BMW M series branding on the rear. In contrast, the OnePlus 12 boasts a striking green hue with captivating darker green ripples on its back. At first glance, the OnePlus 12’s aesthetics immediately captured my attention.
While the OnePlus 12 won me over in terms of looks, the iQOO 12 had two design elements that stood out to me. Firstly, its distinctive rounded-square (rhombus?) camera module at the back, encircled by a textured border. Secondly, the play of light on the back glass, forming a pentagram, added a remarkably cool touch.
Moving on to the in-hand feel of both devices, the OnePlus 12 exuded a sense of premium quality. This impression was not only attributed to the matte finish on the back, shielded by a sturdy metal frame, but also to the overall curved design. The phone’s ergonomic construction ensures that it sits comfortably in hand, allowing for extended usage without causing discomfort.
Contrary to the OnePlus 12, the iQOO 12 presented a less comfortable user experience despite its lighter weight. The phone’s ‘boxy’ design contributed to a perception of increased weight during prolonged usage, making it less ergonomic. Additionally, even though the iQOO 12 features an aluminum frame, it did not impart the same premium feel as the OnePlus 12, possibly owing to differences in finish.
As someone prone to clumsiness, I found a sense of security in using the OnePlus 12, primarily due to its Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the back. In contrast, the iQOO 12 disappointed in this aspect, lacking Gorilla Glass protection, and the manufacturer’s website doesn’t specify the type of glass used. Considering Vivo’s past choices, it’s likely that the iQOO 12 incorporates Schott AG’s Xensation Up protection, which falls short of the Gorilla Glass standard.
The OnePlus 12’s overall curved design not only enhanced its aesthetic appeal but also contributed to a more secure grip, providing an anti-slip property. In contrast, the iQOO 12, based on my week-long testing, tended to be slippery.
In terms of water and dust resistance, the OnePlus 12 boasts an IP65 rating, while the iQOO 12 features an IP64 rating. Despite the slight difference, both phones offer practical protection against splashes and accidental spills.
The placement of volume rockers and ports remains nearly identical on both devices. However, the OnePlus 12 distinguishes itself with the inclusion of the much-appreciated alert slider on the left side of its frame. It’s worth noting that the alert slider’s placement has been altered, and personally, I find this new arrangement more favorable.
Display
Upon turning on the displays of both phones, the OnePlus 12 showcased a stunning 6.82-inch Quad-HD+ AMOLED display with an impressive resolution of 3168 x 1440p. This display not only features a rapid 120Hz refresh rate but is also backed by LTPO technology. Notably, OnePlus claims that the OnePlus 12 delivers a remarkable peak brightness of 4,500 nits.
While the exact frequency of achieving this peak brightness remains uncertain, a direct comparison with the Galaxy S23 Ultra, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the OnePlus 11 demonstrated that the OnePlus 12 emerged as the brightest in our recently posted video.
On the other hand, the iQOO 12’s display, while slightly smaller at 6.78 inches, boasts a quad-HD+ (2800 x 1260 pixels) LTPO AMOLED screen. It stands out with a faster 144Hz refresh rate and up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness, ensuring a visually impressive experience.
When it came to viewing content on both devices, the difference was barely noticeable. The high-quality panels of both phones ensured excellent color reproduction, wide viewing angles, and overall picture clarity that felt remarkably similar. Whether used indoors with ample lighting or outdoors in bright sunlight, both the OnePlus 12 and iQOO 12 performed admirably, delivering vibrant and clear visuals.
Throughout activities like binge-watching the latest seasons of Suits and Jack Reacher or rewatching The Batman on Netflix, I encountered no issues with either phone. Both displays excelled in showcasing deep blacks, and the various color profiles for content viewing were faithfully reproduced.
It’s important to highlight that the iQOO 12 lacks Corning Gorilla Glass protection, instead opting for Schott AG’s Xensation Up glass protection. In contrast, the OnePlus 12 is equipped with Gorilla Glass Victus 2, enhancing its durability and reducing the likelihood of breakage during accidental bumps and drops.
Speaker Quality
In the realm of entertainment, let’s discuss the stereo sound output on both the OnePlus 12 and iQOO 12. To assess the audio quality, I typically use John Wick 4’s Le Castle Vania track, as it presents a dynamic range that allows for a comprehensive evaluation of smartphone and laptop speakers.
Playing this track on both phones, a notable distinction arose around the 1:41 mark, where the audio starts building up to the beat drop. The OnePlus 12’s speaker setup struggled to capture this buildup effectively.
Conversely, the iQOO 12 delivered a beautiful rendition, successfully capturing the essence of the track while maintaining the intricacies of the buildup. In terms of audio quality, my preference leans towards the iQOO 12. While the OnePlus 12 boasts a robust set of speakers, they tend to be too bass-heavy for my taste and lack the richness found in the iQOO 12’s audio output.
Cameras
Delving into the camera specifications, the OnePlus 12 boasts a top-of-the-line 1/1.4-inch 50MP Sony LYT-808 primary sensor with an f/1.6 aperture and optical image stabilization (OIS). Complementing this is a 48MP Sony IMX581 ultra-wide-angle sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. Adding versatility, the device features a 64MP OmniVision OV64B periscope telephoto sensor with an f/2.6 aperture and 6x optical zoom. On the front, a 32MP Sony IMX615 sensor takes care of selfies.
Meanwhile, the iQOO 12 houses a 50MP Omnivision OV50H primary sensor with an f/1.68 aperture and OIS. This is accompanied by a 64MP Omnivision OV64B telephoto sensor with an f/2.57 aperture, offering 3x optical zoom. The camera setup is completed by a 50MP Samsung JN1 sensor with an f/2.0 aperture.
While on paper, both phones feature impressive camera setups, the real-life performance is where the true test lies. Let’s delve into how these cameras fare in practical scenarios.
Human Subjects
Capturing accurate representations of human skin can be a challenging task, and both the OnePlus 12 and iQOO 12 manage to avoid excessive skin smoothening, allowing for clear details when zoomed in. However, indoors, the iQOO 12 exhibits slightly better details than the OnePlus 12. Notably, the iQOO 12 tends to enhance picture colors, while the OnePlus 12 strives to maintain more natural color tones.
Conversely, in outdoor shots, the OnePlus 12 outshines the iQOO 12. Both phones excel in portrait modes, demonstrating well-executed edge detection. However, the OnePlus 12’s portraits appeared more natural to me, with a preferable depth of field. On the other hand, the iQOO 12 injects more exuberance and vividness into its pictures, albeit at the cost of minimizing depth of field. Additionally, the iQOO 12 tends to deliver warmer tones compared to the cooler tones observed in the OnePlus 12’s images.
Daylight
In daytime photography, both the OnePlus 12 and iQOO 12 excel, capturing impressive photos. However, a notable distinction emerges, with the OnePlus 12 exhibiting a slight edge in maintaining overall white balance and contrast in photos. Additionally, the OnePlus 12 demonstrates a superior dynamic range in its shots, further enhanced by its effective HDR capabilities. Consequently, in this aspect, the OnePlus 12 takes the lead over the iQOO 12.
Night-time
Testing a phone camera’s capabilities under low-light conditions is a true litmus test, and both the OnePlus 12 and iQOO 12 manage to deliver impressive night mode shots. However, a distinction arises once again, as there is some noticeable unnatural processing on the iQOO 12. Additionally, the iQOO 12 takes a few seconds to process a night mode shot, introducing a slight delay.
In contrast, the OnePlus 12 stands out by capturing visibly better low-light shots, showcasing its prowess in low-light photography. The efficiency of the OnePlus 12 in night mode contributes to its overall superiority in this aspect over the iQOO 12.
In the iQOO 12’s night mode shots, there’s a slight tendency for the images to appear a bit too bright, giving the nighttime scene a more evening-like ambiance. Despite this, the iQOO 12 impressively maintains exposure levels, preventing light sources from blowing out. When zooming in, both devices maintain good detailing in their respective night mode captures.
Notably, the iQOO 12 distinguishes itself with a dedicated Supermoon mode, designed for capturing detailed images of the moon. Functioning similarly to Samsung’s AI camera features, the Supermoon mode on the iQOO 12, although AI-generated, performs admirably. Attempting to replicate this effect with the OnePlus 12’s pro mode proved less successful, as it struggled to capture moon details as effectively as a dedicated camera. In this context, the OnePlus 12 presents a more realistic approach.
Telephoto
Examining the telephoto capabilities of both phones, the OnePlus 12 features 3x optical zoom and supports up to 120x digital zoom, while the iQOO 12 boasts 3x optical zoom and supports up to 100x digital zoom. To compare their performance, HDR was enabled, and shots were taken at 1x, 3x, and 10x optical zoom.
Up to 10x or slightly beyond, both phones produced usable shots. The iQOO 12’s shots exhibited slightly more contrast, providing sharpness and crisp details that the OnePlus 12 lacked. This trend persisted up to 20x optical zoom. However, it’s crucial to note that beyond 20x, both telephoto sensors started capturing nearly identical photos, indicating a similarity in their capabilities at extreme zoom levels.
Ultra-Wide
Both the OnePlus 12 and iQOO 12 deliver commendable performance in capturing ultra-wide-angle shots. However, the OnePlus 12 struggles with handling shadows, resulting in slightly darker images. In contrast, the iQOO 12 excels in producing well-balanced ultra-wide shots, establishing itself as the superior sensor in this aspect. Notably, both phones effectively capture details in their ultra-wide-angle shots.
Examining image quality, there is a bit more noise observed in the OnePlus 12’s pictures, while the iQOO 12 manages to handle all elements adeptly. The iQOO 12 maintains a good dynamic range and white balance in its ultra-wide shots, contributing to a more refined and visually appealing result.
Selfie Camera
Both flagship smartphones showcase impressive performance with their selfie shooters, yet the iQOO 12 manages to capture slightly superior details. While the OnePlus 12 maintains a natural skin tone, the iQOO 12 employs a bit of unnatural processing, a personal preference that might not be to everyone’s liking. The OnePlus 12’s ProXDR feature serves as an additional enhancement for capturing shots.
Occasionally, one of the phones may produce overexposed photos. However, in the realm of portrait shots using the selfie shooter, the OnePlus 12 stands out with more natural and accurate edge detection.
Videos
When it comes to video quality, notice differences between the iQOO 12 and OnePlus 12 was challenging, with both capable of capturing 4K videos at 60 FPS and 8K videos. However, the OnePlus 12 was restricted to 8K at 24 FPS, whereas the iQOO 12 could achieve a smoother 30 FPS, providing a noticeable difference in fluidity. Video samples for both phones (OnePlus 12) and (iQOO 12) are interlinked here for reference.
In contrast, a significant disparity arises with the front shooter’s video capabilities. While the OnePlus 12 supports 4K at 30 FPS, the iQOO 12 is limited to 1080p at 30 FPS. A closer look at the samples reveals a clear distinction in quality, securing a win for OnePlus in this aspect.
Performance
Now, let’s delve into the performance aspect of this comparison, breaking it down into three key segments for a more comprehensive evaluation.
Benchmarks
Before delving into benchmarks, it’s essential to note that OnePlus phones, even the OnePlus 11, have historically not scored as well in benchmarks compared to other devices with similar SoCs.
However, this doesn’t necessarily equate to poor real-life performance. In my testing, while the OnePlus 12 may lag slightly behind the iQOO 12 in benchmarks, it proves to be a formidable performer. Now, let’s explore the series of tests conducted on both devices.
Day-to-Day Usage
During my week-long usage of both the OnePlus 12 and iQOO 12, I encountered no issues with daily performance. The phones operated seamlessly, devoid of any jitters or lags, performing in line with expectations. To push their limits, I engaged in various activities, including opening 20 apps simultaneously in the background and having over 40 tabs open on Chrome. Remarkably, neither phone showed signs of strain or sluggishness.
It became evident that both devices are true flagships, capable of handling multitasking without encountering any threshold limitations. The RAM management on both phones was exemplary, allowing for easy resumption from where I left off in apps running in the background. This aspect of their performance was truly commendable.
Gaming
Benefiting from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, gaming performance on both the OnePlus 12 and iQOO 12 is exceptional. The inclusion of LPDDR5x and UFS 4.0 technologies further contributes to a seamless gaming experience. In my gaming sessions across various titles, both phones demonstrated impressive capabilities.
Both devices handled all the games in maximum settings seamlessly. However, during the Genshin Impact gameplay, the iQOO 12 provided a slightly superior experience. While the performance levels were comparable, the iQOO 12’s 4D Game Vibration feature added an extra layer to the gaming experience, elevating it beyond what the OnePlus 12 offered.
Introducing the 4D Game Vibration feature, the iQOO 12 enhances the gaming experience in Genshin Impact, providing unique vibrations for different Genshin Impact character felt at the back panel. The Frame Interpolation feature on the iQOO 12 further contributes to added smoothness in gaming, giving it a slight advantage over the OnePlus 12. Across all other games, both phones demonstrated impeccable performance, with no frame drops or lags observed.
The listed games are among the most graphically demanding for smartphones. When played on the OnePlus 12 and iQOO 12, temperatures never exceeded 37 degrees, even in winter, with an anticipated maximum of 43 degrees in summer. The iQOO 12’s VC technology effectively manages temperatures, evident in its performance.
The OnePlus 12 is equally impressive, remaining comfortable to hold even during intense gaming sessions, such as running Genshin Impact at maximum settings. In conclusion, both phones stand out as two of the best gaming smartphones currently available.
Battery Backup and Charging
The OnePlus 12 is equipped with a 5,400mAh battery and supports 100W SUPERVOOC fast charging. In contrast, the iQOO 12 features a 5,000mAh battery with 120W wired charging.
To assess these specifications, I conducted extensive testing, including 2.5 hours of gaming, running major benchmarks, watching YouTube videos, and streaming Netflix for approximately 3 hours on both phones. It’s important to note that Always-On Display (AOD) was disabled during these tests, and both phones were fully charged at the start of the assessment.
In terms of screen-on-time, the OnePlus 12 delivered approximately 6.5 hours, while the iQOO 12 showcased an impressive 7.5 hours, marking a clear win for the iQOO 12 in battery optimization.
Regarding charging speeds, the OnePlus 12 lived up to its advertised capability, fully charging in around 23 minutes. In comparison, the iQOO 12 took approximately 30 minutes. Notably, the OnePlus 12, with its larger battery and slightly slower fast charging support, achieved an admirable full charge time.
Connectivity
In terms of connectivity, both phones offer identical features, including WiFi 7, Bluetooth, Bluetooth 5.4, and stereo speakers located at the top and bottom.
Both devices support dual-SIM and feature a USB Type-C port. However, there’s a distinction in the USB ports – the OnePlus 12 is equipped with a 3.2 Gen 1 port, while the iQOO 12 comes with an older Type 2.0 port.
The OnePlus 12 gains an advantage in the number of supported 5G bands, particularly in India, boasting 19 5G bands compared to the iQOO 12’s 12 supported bands. Both phones include NFC support.
Software Experience
The software experience becomes a clear win for the OnePlus 12, primarily due to the presence of OxygenOS. While personal preferences may vary, in my experience, Funtouch OS 14 on the iQOO 12 feels notably outdated. Whether on the lockscreen or in the app drawer, everything lacks the premium feel that OxygenOS 14 offers.
OnePlus’s latest OxygenOS 14 introduces numerous cool features like File Dock and Smart Cutout, which significantly enhanced day-to-day tasks. On the contrary, Funtouch OS 14 on the iQOO 12, despite having numerous features, doesn’t match the smoothness of OxygenOS. While I found myself using the minimized app windows on the iQOO 12, the overall experience felt less polished. Animations were clunky, detracting from the seamless performance expected of a high-powered phone.
Using Funtouch OS 14, I also encountered some annoying bugs, such as the inability to swipe back to the home screen when a YouTube video was in fullscreen mode. In contrast, the OnePlus 12 delivered a bug-free experience.
Final Verdict
Taking everything into account, the OnePlus 12 emerges as the more feature-packed device in my opinion. Despite the iQOO 12 being more affordable at Rs 52,999 in India, it falls short significantly in the software department. The Funtouch OS not only fails to meet expectations but also comes with only 3 years of OS updates from iQOO. In contrast, the OnePlus 12 boasts 4 years of OS updates, a noteworthy advantage.
While the iQOO 12 has received multiple updates since its release, its software performance still feels lackluster compared to the superior experience offered by OxygenOS. Additionally, in terms of design and overall feel, the OnePlus 12 easily takes the lead. It’s worth noting that a notable drawback of the iQOO 12 is the absence of any screen protection.
In terms of displays, both phones boast insanely bright and vivid screens, providing unparalleled visibility in any scenario, making it a draw in this department. However, the iQOO 12 stands out with a more balanced set of cameras, while the OnePlus 12’s cameras appear to be less optimized. It’s hoped that OnePlus addresses these issues with a Day 1 patch.
For those seeking a more balanced and optimized phone in the long run, willing to extend their budget to Rs 64,999, the OnePlus 12 emerges as the ideal choice. On the other hand, if you are on a strict budget, the iQOO 12 proves to be a good all-rounder flagship phone. Ultimately, no smartphone is perfect, and the choice should align with your budget and requirements.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, and let me know which phone seems like a better option to you!
