OnePlus debuts double trouble – the flagship OnePlus 12 and accessible 12R

OnePlus has debuted two new high-end smartphones for global release. The flagship OnePlus 12 was previously announced in China and is only just coming to the US, Europe and India.

But the OnePlus 12R is a brand new launch, designed to slot in at a cheaper price point than the flagship model, at $599/£649/699 Euros for 256GB compared to $799/£849/949 Euros for the OnePlus 12 with the same capacity.

• Check out our full OnePlus 12 review

While the OnePlus 12 takes the flagship glory with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 from Qualcomm, the 12R isn’t far behind with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and has a very modest price point for a phone with many of last year’s flagship specs. It’s the sensible choice for most, but when was getting a premium phone about being sensible?

While the 12R follows the pattern of the 11R from last year, it’s the first time OnePlus has rolled out the ‘R’ series globally and seems to suggest a doubling down of its strategy in terms of an attempt to recapture some of its ‘flagship specs for less’ glory of the past.

OnePlus has also debuted the Buds 3, true wireless buds. Like many rivals they’re super lightweight at just 4.8g per bud. This time OnePlus has paired a 10.4mm woofer with a 6mm tweeter, which the company claims offers enhanced sound quality over the Buds 2, And there’s noise cancellation on board, too. They’re available in blue and grey colours.

Here’s the full price list of the new products– the OnePlus 12 will be available from 6 February, with the 12R and Buds 3 available from 13 February.

• OnePlus 12R 256GB – $599/£649/699 Euros
• OnePlus 12 256GB – $799/£849/949 Euros
• OnePlus 12 512GB –  $899/£999/1099 Euros
• OnePlus Buds 3 – $99/£99/99 Euros