OnePlus 15 vs OnePlus 12: Expected differences
OnePlus has come a long way as a company, and ever since the first flagship killer launched back in 2014, the brand has been evolving and expanding its cult following. So much so that now, on the eve of the OnePlus 15 launch, we're looking at the latest flagship of the company as a worthy rival of the latest Apple and Samsung phones.
However, today we're going to compare the upcoming OnePlus 15 with a distant relative—the OnePlus 12. These two devices are two years apart, despite the bigger gap in the numbering scheme (OnePlus has decided to skip 14).
The new model is expected to bring some cool upgrades and serve as a platform for the launch of the Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 chipset, so given the two-year upgrade cycle that most people follow, it'd be interesting to see how these two phones compare and whether or not it's time to put down your OnePlus 12 and get the latest OnePlus 15 model.
The new model is expected to bring some cool upgrades and serve as a platform for the launch of the Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 chipset, so given the two-year upgrade cycle that most people follow, it'd be interesting to see how these two phones compare and whether or not it's time to put down your OnePlus 12 and get the latest OnePlus 15 model.
OnePlus 15 vs OnePlus 12 expected differences:
| OnePlus 15* | OnePlus 12 |
|---|---|
| New camera housing design (similar to Pixel 10 Pro Fold) | Circular camera bump |
| Slightly smaller 6.78-inch AMOLED screen | 6.82-inch display |
| 1-165Hz LTPO panel | 120Hz dynamic refresh rate |
| New Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 silicon |
| Triple 50MP camera system | 50MP main, 64MP telephoto 3x, 48MP ultrawide cameras |
| Huge 7,300 mAh battery (silicon-carbon) | Smaller 5,400 mAh lithium-ion battery |
| 120W wired fast charging | 100W wired fast charging (80W in the US) |
| Better IP69 dust and water protection | IP65 level of protection |
| Ultrasonic under-display fingerprint reader | Optical fingerprint reader |
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
Camera design changes
Some of the official promo materials for the OnePlus 15 have leaked, and there's even an unboxing video of the Chinese version of the phone, so we have a pretty good idea of how the phone looks.
There's a change compared to the last couple of OnePlus generations, and it concerns the camera design. The new phone features a square camera bump with one oval and two circular cutouts for the cameras and the LED flash. The design is reminiscent of the camera housing used on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
In terms of dimensions and weight, there's not much information available. One post on Weibo said the new phone will be 8.1 mm thick and between 211 and 215 grams, but there are no other leaks to corroborate these claims.
There's a change compared to the last couple of OnePlus generations, and it concerns the camera design. The new phone features a square camera bump with one oval and two circular cutouts for the cameras and the LED flash. The design is reminiscent of the camera housing used on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
In terms of dimensions and weight, there's not much information available. One post on Weibo said the new phone will be 8.1 mm thick and between 211 and 215 grams, but there are no other leaks to corroborate these claims.
| OnePlus 15* | OnePlus 12 |
|---|---|
| Thickness 8.1 mm | Thickness 9.2 mm |
| Dimensions - | Dimensions 164.3 x 75.8 |
| Weight 211-215 grams | Weight 220 grams |
The OnePlus 15 is expected to feature the same metal-glass sandwich design as the OnePlus 12. There's one report suggesting that the OnePlus 15 might use a new type of "aerospace-grade nano-ceramic metal" midframe, claimed to be stronger than titanium, stainless steel, and aluminum.
According to the latest leaks on Weibo, the OnePlus 15 will feature an IP69 dust and water resistance rating, the highest in the industry currently. Check out our IP69 explainer article for more details. The OnePlus 12, on the other hand, only has IP65.
One of the official colors for the OnePlus 15 has been revealed in the leaked promo materials - it's called Sand Storm (check out the pictures). The other three expected hues are Purple, Titanium, and Black.
Display Differences
There are a couple of upgrades expected on the OnePlus 15 when it comes to display tech. The latest information points toward a 6.78-inch Super AMOLED panel made by BOE using X3 material.
The resolution is expected to be 1.5K, and the phone will feature a dynamic 1-165Hz refresh rate. For comparison, the OnePlus 12 comes equipped with a 6.82-inch LTPO panel with 1-120Hz refresh rate and resolution of 1440 x 3168 pixels.
| OnePlus 15* | OnePlus 12 |
|---|---|
| Size 6.78" | Size 6.82" |
| Brightness 1800 nits (typical) | Brightness 1600 nits (typical) |
| Refresh rate 1-165Hz | Refresh rate 1-120Hz |
*based on leaks and rumors
Another piece of information we were able to gather suggests the bezels around the display of the OnePlus 15 might be quite narrow—1.15 mm to be precise. Finally, the under-display fingerprint scanner is expected to be upgraded to an ultrasonic one on the OnePlus 15, compared to the optical reader found under the OnePlus 12's screen.
Performance and Software
Snapdragon Elite Gen 5?
Thanks to an official post by OnePlus India, we know what processor will tick inside the OnePlus 15. It's the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. The name might be a bit confusing, we skipped the Gen 4 (in favor of the switch to the Elite moniker), and now Qualcomm is combining Elite with the Gen 5. What gives?
Qualcomm made a detailed post explaining the naming scheme, but long story short, the company is back on track with the Generations, honoring the Elite moniker it adopted last year, which signified a big leap in performance.
| OnePlus 15* | OnePlus 12 |
|---|---|
| Chip Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Chip Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| Process 3nm | Process 4nm |
| RAM, Storage 12/256GB 12/512GB 16/256GB 16/512GB 16/1TB LPDDR5X RAM UFS 4.1 storage | RAM, Storage 12/256GB 12/512GB 16/256GB 16/512GB 16/1TB LPDDR5X RAM UFS 4.0 storage |
In terms of RAM, we expect a lot of configurations (but we still don't know which ones will arrive outside China or in the States). According to the latest info, we'll get two 12GB RAM variants, one with 256GB storage and one with 512GB. There will also be three 16GB RAM options, adding a 1TB storage variant on top of the 256GB and 512GB.
The OnePlus 15 will launch running OxygenOS 16, based on Android 16, and we expect the same 4-year software support cycle as the on the previous two generations.
Camera
50MP triplet
The latest specs leak from Weibo describes the camera system on the back of the OnePlus 15 with great detail. The main wide camera will use a Sony LYT-700 50MP sensor under a lens with an aperture of f/1.8. The equivalent focal length will be 24 mm, and there will be OIS on board.
The ultra-wide camera is expected to feature another 50 MP sensor, this time the Samsung JN5, coming in at 15 mm focal length, or 0.6X compared to the main camera. The aperture will be f/2.0. Finally, the telephoto camera will yet again rely on a 50MP sensor (the same Samsung JN5) with an f/2.8 aperture lens on top and 3.5X zoom (85 mm).
The ultra-wide camera is expected to feature another 50 MP sensor, this time the Samsung JN5, coming in at 15 mm focal length, or 0.6X compared to the main camera. The aperture will be f/2.0. Finally, the telephoto camera will yet again rely on a 50MP sensor (the same Samsung JN5) with an f/2.8 aperture lens on top and 3.5X zoom (85 mm).
| OnePlus 15* | OnePlus 12 |
|---|---|
| Main 50 MP, f/1.7 25 mm 1/1.31" sensor | Main 50 MP, f/1.8 24 mm 1/1.56" |
| Ultrawide 48 MP, f/1.7 13 mm sensor size | Ultrawide 12 MP, f/2.2 13 mm sensor size |
| Telephoto 48 MP, f/2.8 5X zoom (113mm) sensor size | Telephoto 10 MP, f/2.4 3X zoom (67mm) sensor size |
In comparison, the OnePlus 12 features a slightly different camera setup. The main camera is 50MP with an aperture of f/1.6, a 23mm focal length, and OIS. There's a 48MP ultrawide and a 64MP periscope telephoto with 3x optical zoom.
The camera score of the OnePlus 12 is 145 (out of 158), which is pretty good. We can't wait to test the OnePlus 15 and measure the improvement. As always, real-life side-by-side samples will be included as well.
The camera score of the OnePlus 12 is 145 (out of 158), which is pretty good. We can't wait to test the OnePlus 15 and measure the improvement. As always, real-life side-by-side samples will be included as well.
Battery Life and Charging
Massive gains!
OnePlus is notorious for bringing the silicon-carbon tech outside China and into the US. The OnePlus 15 is expected to bring new gains to the "Glacier" battery design (the company's fancy name for the si-ca tech). We expect a massive 7,300 mAh battery inside the phone, which will most likely put it in the top 10 spot when it comes to battery life.
The OnePlus 12 in comparison relies on a conventional lithium-ion cell with 5,400 mAh capacity, and it managed 8h 23m in our composite battery test, placing it in the 17th spot among phones tested in the past 2 years.
The OnePlus 12 in comparison relies on a conventional lithium-ion cell with 5,400 mAh capacity, and it managed 8h 23m in our composite battery test, placing it in the 17th spot among phones tested in the past 2 years.
| OnePlus 15* | OnePlus 12 |
|---|---|
| Battery size 7,300 mAh | Battery size 5,400 mAh |
Charging speeds 120W wired 50W wireless charging USB-C 3.2 | Charging speeds 100W wired 80W wired (US) 50W wireless charging USB-C 3.2 |
When it comes to charging, OnePlus is on the forefront with speeds pushing 100W (and even more). The OnePlus 15 is expected to support up to 120W of wired charging power, but we expect a lower number on the US model (due to regulations).
The OnePlus 12 supports 100W wired on the global model and 80W for the US. Both phones support up to 50W wireless, but you will need a proprietary wireless charger to get to these speeds.
The OnePlus 12 supports 100W wired on the global model and 80W for the US. Both phones support up to 50W wireless, but you will need a proprietary wireless charger to get to these speeds.
Specs Comparison
Here's a quick specs comparison between the OnePlus 15 and the OnePlus 12. Follow the link for a more detailed one on PhoneArena.com.
| OnePlus 15* | OnePlus 12 |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 8.1 mm thickness 211-215 grams | Size, weight WRITE-HERE |
| Screen 6.78" OLED 1-165Hz | Screen 6.1" OLED 120Hz |
| Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 3nm | Processor A17 Bionic 3nm |
| Versions: 12/256GB 12/512GB 16/256GB 16/512GB 16/1TB LPDDR5 | Versions: 12/256GB 12/512GB 16/256GB 16/512GB 16/1TB LPDDR5 |
| Cameras: 50MP main 50MP ultra 50MP 3.5X zoom 32MP front | Cameras: 50MP main 48MP ultra 64MP 3X zoom 32MP front |
| Battery: 7,300 mAh | Battery: 5,400 mAh* |
| Charging: USB-C 120W wired 50W wireless | Charging: USB-C 100W wired 50W wireless |
*based on leaks and rumors
Summary
Even though there are just two years between these two models, the OnePlus 15 is shaping up to be a big upgrade in several departments. The all-new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset is one of the most exciting processors this year.
We expect a massive 7,300 mAh battery that will most likely rocket the phone to the top spots in our battery benchmark. The screen is new with a high refresh rate and minimal bezels, and the camera system now features different sensors.
Compared to the two-year-old OnePlus 12, this new model is the clear winner, but there's one key aspect that may spoil the victory parade. The price. We don't have any info on the pricing for the OnePlus 15, but those high-end specs point toward a high-end price. Stay tuned for benchmarks and a final verdict once the OnePlus 15 arrives in our lab.
We expect a massive 7,300 mAh battery that will most likely rocket the phone to the top spots in our battery benchmark. The screen is new with a high refresh rate and minimal bezels, and the camera system now features different sensors.
Compared to the two-year-old OnePlus 12, this new model is the clear winner, but there's one key aspect that may spoil the victory parade. The price. We don't have any info on the pricing for the OnePlus 15, but those high-end specs point toward a high-end price. Stay tuned for benchmarks and a final verdict once the OnePlus 15 arrives in our lab.
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