The OnePlus 12R could be an absolute flagship killer at $499

OnePlus is introducing the 12R, a mid-range device that brings a lot of the same killer specs that make flagship phones what they are. The new OnePlus 12R will come at a cost of $499 in the US.

OnePlus has had a long-standing “performance” lineup under the R series. That line of devices was previously not available in the US, which was dominated by OnePlus’s top-tier devices – most recently, the OnePlus 11.

Announced today, OnePlus is bringing that “R” line to the US and Europe, and it starts with the OnePlus 12R, which is essentially the midrange counterpart to the OnePlus 12. The OnePlus 12R looks extremely promising, both in design and in key specs. Many of those specs look to be taken directly from last year’s flagship device. It boasts a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 8/16GB of RAM with 128/256GB of internal storage.

The front of the phone is dominated by a 6.78-inch AMOLED display that can hit up to 120Hz with LPTO 4.0. The resolution of the display sits at 2780 x 1264 and qualifies for HDR10+. To support that display and processor, OnePlus has packed a 5,500mAh battery into the 12R. That battery will be charged by an 80W SUPERVOOC charger that brings it to 100% in 31 minutes.

The rear of the phone is what most will immediately recognize as a OnePlus device. While not as flashy as the camera on the OnePlus 12, the 12R still carries a large camera array with a 50MP main shooter and is accompanied by a macro and ultrawide lens.

Since the large capacity battery lends itself to gaming, OnePlus took some extra care to develop a new dual graphite vapor chamber for the 12R, which will help keep it cool during peak performance. According to OnePlus, the small chamber absorbs heat from the SoC and distributes it to the large chamber, which allows it to dissipate into coolant.

The OnePlus 12R will come in two colorways – Cool Blue and Iron Gray. Both colors will be available on February 13, starting at $499, with pre-orders beginning today. If the specs included tell the tale of an affordable, powerful smartphone, the OnePlus 12R could be a steal in 2024.