OnePlus 12R Hands-on preview: An exciting surprise

OnePlus 12R Hands-on preview: An exciting surprise،

OnePlus may have just revealed the best-kept secret of the year.

We all knew that a flagship OnePlus 12 phone was coming, but who would have thought that there would be a second phone in the series with a similar design style, a high-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, and all this is expected to happen . at a very affordable price. And while we're still waiting to hear the exact price, we already have our first impressions with this phone: the intriguing and supposedly cost-conscious. OnePlus 12R!

Before we delve deeper, remember that OnePlus will officially unveil its new flagship 12 series on January 23, and that's when we hope to learn more about the cost and actual performance of the device.

But just by its looks and specs alone, we already know that this phone is making us nostalgic for OnePlus releases from the oh-so-recent past, all of which were based on this killer flagship premise. So let's dive in with our…

OnePlus 12R hands-on impressions

The OnePlus 12R is essentially similar to the OnePlus 12 regarding size and overall feel.

However, the 12R lacks a bit of sophistication compared to the decidedly more premium feel of the 12.

Still, it's a phone that seems very well designed. The aluminum frame blends masterfully with the backplate. Thanks to the curved sides, the phone is a pleasure to handle from a purely ergonomic point of view. It won't collapse into the skin of your palms like most flat-edged phones will these days.

What's impressive here is that the device is quite sleek for something that houses a giant 5,500mAh battery in the trunk. In fact, the OnePlus 12R feels much lighter compared to the OnePlus 12.

One downside we noticed though is the glossy backplate, which attracts fingerprints like there's no tomorrow. We have on us the Cool Blue variant of the OnePlus 12R, and design-wise, this one is quite clean and simple, but it doesn't stand out with anything in particular (unlike the eye-catching OnePlus 12).

A gorgeous camera, but no Hasselblad branding on this one

Just like the 12, the OnePlus 12R stands out with a rather imposing circular camera island on the back. An interesting design choice is the shimmering, textured finish of the camera island.

In terms of button placement, the OnePlus 12R also comes with a volume rocker on the right side of the phone, just above the power button, while the OnePlus signature ring switch now resides on the left side.

Yes, with an infrared transmitter you can use this phone as a remote control for your air conditioning or TV.

The OnePlus 12R also comes with an IR blaster right at the top, which should definitely come in handy for those with lots of appliances at home. Granted, IR sensors aren't new and are sort of standard on most phones from China, including Xiaomi devices, but it's definitely a new feature on OnePlus phones, which don't have never been equipped with an IR blaster until now.

Expectations of the OnePlus 12R

OnePlus aims to disrupt the mid-range, but the final price will be the deciding factor

It's pretty logical to see OnePlus releasing two devices side by side, a super premium flagship and a more affordable version with a less exciting design, but the core DNA is still present. We expect OnePlus purists to feel intrigued by the pragmatic offering that is the OnePlus 12R. Certainly, the OnePlus 12 will excite with its premium specs and more exciting design, but this one will cost more.

Overall, the OnePlus 12R is shaping up to be a disruptor in the Android space. With mostly high-end specs coupled with an expected affordable price, it could clash with popular devices like the Galaxy A and Pixel 7 or Pixel 7A series.

And who knows, if the price is right, it might just become the new go-to offering in mid-range Android devices.