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Head to head

OnePlus 12 vs OnePlus 13

OnePlus 13 leads 5 to 1 on the 6 rankable specs, but OnePlus 12 costs $100 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

OnePlus 12
$7991 spec win
Swap
OnePlus 13
$8995 spec wins
Swap

Generational Upgrade Analysis

Generational Comparison

OnePlus sibling models compared across generations.

Our recommendation: Compare the spec differences below to see if the price premium justifies the newer model's additions.

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your phone.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 1 to 5

Buy the OnePlus 13.

  • Leads 5 of 6 rankable overall specs; OnePlus 12 takes 1.
  • Weight: 213 g vs 220 g
  • Capacity: 6,000 mAh vs 5,400 mAh
  • OnePlus 12 is $100 cheaper. Pay the difference only if weight matters to you.
1 OnePlus 126 rankable of 48 specsOnePlus 13 5

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

  • row

    No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

    Trips:OnePlus 12 · NoTrips:OnePlus 13 · No
  • row

    Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.

    Trips:OnePlus 12 · NoTrips:OnePlus 13 · No
  • row

    Security patches stop sooner and resale value falls faster.

    Trips:OnePlus 12 · 4 major Android OS updates + 5 years se…Trips:OnePlus 13 · 4 major Android OS updates & 6 years se…
  • row

    Less dust and water protection than an IP68 rival.

    Trips:OnePlus 12 · IP65 (water resistant splash/spray)Clear:OnePlus 13 · IP68 and IP69 dust and high-pressure wa…
  • row

    Storage is fixed at what you buy.

    Trips:OnePlus 12 · NoTrips:OnePlus 13 · No

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

5 of 6 differ

Weight

OnePlus 12

220 g

OnePlus 13

213 g (7.51 oz)

Sizesame

OnePlus 12

6.82 inches

OnePlus 13

6.82 inches

Chipset

OnePlus 12

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)

OnePlus 13

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm)

RAM

OnePlus 12

16 GB LPDDR5X

OnePlus 13

16 GB LPDDR5X (up to 24 GB)

Max optical zoom

OnePlus 12

3x optical (6x in-sensor zoom / 120x digital)

OnePlus 13

3x optical zoom (6x in-sensor lossless zoom, up to 120x digital)

Capacity

OnePlus 12

5,400 mAh (dual-cell)

OnePlus 13

6,000 mAh

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

OnePlus 12: What to watch for

  • Hidden Cost

    No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.

    Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

OnePlus 13: What to watch for

  • Hidden Cost

    No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.

    Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

Body

leads 1-0
Body specifications. Middle column is OnePlus 12, right column is OnePlus 13.
Dimensions164.3 × 75.8 × 9.15 mm162.9 × 76.5 × 8.5 mm
Weight220 g213 g (7.51 oz) (wins this row: lower)
BuildCorning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front, glass back, aluminum frameAluminum frame with Crystal Shield glass front and ceramic/glass back
Water / dust ratingIP65 (water resistant splash/spray)IP68 and IP69 dust and high-pressure water resistant
ColorsSilky Black, Flowy EmeraldMidnight Ocean, Black Eclipse, Arctic Dawn
StylusNoNo

Display

leads 1-0
Display specifications. Middle column is OnePlus 12, right column is OnePlus 13.
TypeProXDR LTPO AMOLED with Aqua Touch2K Oriental LTPO AMOLED (DisplayMate A++)
Size6.82 inches6.82 inches
Resolution1440 × 3168 (2K)3168 × 1440 (2K ProXDR) (wins this row: higher)
Pixel density~510 ppi510 ppi
Refresh rate1–120 Hz dynamic120 Hz (1–120Hz dynamic LTPO)
Peak brightness4,500 nits peak / 1,600 nits HBM4,500 nits peak / 1,600 nits HBM
HDRDolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLGDolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR Vivid
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass Victus 2OnePlus Crystal Shield Ceramic Glass
Always-on displayYesYes

Platform

5 differences
Platform specifications. Middle column is OnePlus 12, right column is OnePlus 13.
Operating systemOxygenOS 14 based on Android 14OxygenOS 15 (Android 15)
Software support4 major Android OS updates + 5 years security4 major Android OS updates & 6 years security updates
ChipsetSnapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm)
CPU8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)8-core Oryon CPU (2× 4.32 GHz Prime + 6× 3.53 GHz Performance)
GPUAdreno 750Adreno 830

Memory

2 differences
Memory specifications. Middle column is OnePlus 12, right column is OnePlus 13.
RAM16 GB LPDDR5X16 GB LPDDR5X (up to 24 GB)
Storage512 GB UFS 4.0512 GB UFS 4.0
Storage options256 GB / 512 GB256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB
microSDNoNo

Rear camera

6 differences
Rear camera specifications. Middle column is OnePlus 12, right column is OnePlus 13.
Main50 MP Sony LYT-808, f/1.6, 23 mm, 1/1.4", OIS50 MP Sony LYT-808 (f/1.6, 23mm, 1/1.4", multi-directional PDAF, OIS)
Ultrawide48 MP Sony IMX581, f/2.2, 14 mm, 114° FOV50 MP (f/2.0, 15mm, 120° FOV, AF macro) (wins this row: higher)
Telephoto64 MP OmniVision OV64B periscope, f/2.6, 70 mm, 3x optical, OIS (wins this row: higher)50 MP 3x periscope telephoto (f/2.6, 73mm, 1/1.95", multi-prism, OIS)
Max optical zoom3x optical (6x in-sensor zoom / 120x digital)3x optical zoom (6x in-sensor lossless zoom, up to 120x digital)
StabilizationOIS on main and periscope telephotoOIS on main camera and 3x periscope telephoto
Video8K 24 fps, 4K 30/60 fps Dolby Vision HDR8K at 30 fps, 4K at 30/60 fps Dolby Vision HDR

Front camera

2 differences
Front camera specifications. Middle column is OnePlus 12, right column is OnePlus 13.
Selfie camera32 MP Sony IMX615, f/2.432 MP (f/2.4, 21mm, autofocus)
Selfie video4K 30 fps4K at 30/60 fps

Battery & charging

leads 2-0
Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is OnePlus 12, right column is OnePlus 13.
Capacity5,400 mAh (dual-cell)6,000 mAh (wins this row: higher)
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet80 W SUPERVOOC (100W international)100W SUPERVOOC fast charging (1–100% in 36 min) (wins this row: higher)
Wireless charging50 W AIRVOOC wireless50W AIRVOOC wireless fast charging
Reverse wireless10 W reverse wireless10W reverse wireless charging
Charger in boxYes (80W SUPERVOOC adapter included)Yes (100W SUPERVOOC adapter included in US)

Audio

1 differences
Audio specifications. Middle column is OnePlus 12, right column is OnePlus 13.
SpeakersDual stereo speakers with Dolby AtmosDual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos and spatial audio
Headphone jackNoNo

Connectivity

5 differences
Connectivity specifications. Middle column is OnePlus 12, right column is OnePlus 13.
Cellular5G (sub-6 + mmWave)5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave on US model)
Wi-FiWi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be tri-band)
BluetoothBluetooth 5.4Bluetooth 5.4
NFCYesYes (360° omnidirectional NFC antenna)
USBUSB-C 3.2 Gen 1USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (DisplayPort video out)
SIMDual SIM (nano-SIM + eSIM)Dual Nano-SIM + eSIM support

Features

3 differences
Features specifications. Middle column is OnePlus 12, right column is OnePlus 13.
BiometricsUltra-fast optical in-display fingerprint + face unlockUltrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor + Face Unlock
Extra controls3-position Alert Slider, IR blasterAlert Slider (Ring/Vibrate/Silent)
Standout featuresAqua Touch wet-finger technology, Hasselblad Color Calibration, Trinity Engine6,000 mAh Glacier Silicon-Carbon battery, 100W fast charging, IP69 rating, Hasselblad Master Camera System, Alert Slider
Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

OnePlus 12

Value flagship with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, 5400mAh battery, 80W wired charging, and 4th Gen Hasselblad camera.

  • Incredible value with top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 performance
  • Super-fast 80W wired and 50W wireless charging with charger in box
  • Massive 5,400 mAh battery capacity

What you give up

  • IP65 rating is lower than IP68 competitors
  • Curved display glass is more prone to accidental touches

Pick this one if

OnePlus 13

Flagship power smartphone featuring Snapdragon 8 Elite, massive 6,000 mAh Glacier battery with 100W charging, IP68/IP69 rating, and Hasselblad triple 50MP cameras.

  • Massive 6,000 mAh Silicon-Carbon Glacier battery with 100W wired / 50W wireless charging
  • Snapdragon 8 Elite flagship performance with up to 24GB RAM options
  • Stunning 2K 120Hz ProXDR display with 4,500 nits peak brightness and IP69 water/dust resistance

What you give up

  • USB-C cable in box requires proprietary SuperVOOC charger for top speeds
  • Thick circular camera island design

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

Tied on photos. OnePlus 12 is cheaper.

  • The 2 rankable photos specs split 1 to 1.
  • Saves $100 at list price.

Battery & updates

All-day battery, fast top-ups and years of software support

For battery & updates, buy the OnePlus 13.

  • Leads 2 of 2 rankable battery & updates specs.
  • Capacity: 6,000 mAh vs 5,400 mAh
  • Wired charging: 100W SUPERVOOC fast charging vs 80 W SUPERVOOC
  • OnePlus 12 is $100 cheaper. Pay the difference only if capacity matters to you.

Games & video

Games and streaming: chip, refresh rate, brightness, speakers

Too close to call on games & video from the spec sheets.

  • Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
  • GPU: Adreno 750 vs Adreno 830

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Manufacturer pages: OnePlus 12 · OnePlus 13

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the OnePlus 12 or the OnePlus 13?

OnePlus 12 costs $100 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the OnePlus 12 or OnePlus 13?

Both has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

Which is better for photos, the OnePlus 12 or the OnePlus 13?

Tied on photos. OnePlus 12 is cheaper. The 2 rankable photos specs split 1 to 1. Saves $100 at list price.

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 42 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

Other matchups