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OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: a by-the-numbers cheap Android phone

6:00 pm | August 11, 2024

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite two-minute review

OnePlus’ family of Nord CE phones remains its most forgettable, a fact demonstrated by the fact that I had nearly finished this OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review before I realized that the TechRadar writer who tested its predecessor was in fact me. Way to make a lasting impression...

A much more affordable alternative to the various other OnePlus phones, including t=recent models from the OnePlus Nord line, the CE 4 Lite makes a few choice tweaks to its predecessor, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite, but does little more to actually impress. If you’re looking at it in a line-up of similarly-priced rivals, it’s not going to stand out much.

Let’s start by looking at improvements: the Nord CE 4 Lite has a smaller screen than its predecessor but it ditches the LCD in favor of AMOLED, making a marked improvement; it’s also quite a bit brighter, though that’s not saying much.

Another apparently loss is of a 108MP camera, though frankly the 50MP snapper that’s replacing it is miles better. It still falls just shy of ‘good’, with pictures that lack some color, but it’s still progress.

I’m also going to call out Aqua Touch, a feature OnePlus has been introducing to some of its new phones, which makes it much easier to use the phone screen when you’re hands are wet. It’s a small addition but it can have dramatic quality-of-life benefits to bathtime testers.

The Nord CE 4 Lite’s charging speed and battery size both trump the CE 3 Lite — and a few choice budget rivals, I should add — as an established OnePlus trait I’m quite fond of.

A few more minor improvements like the presence of an under-display fingerprint scanner, newer software, an IP rating (only IP54, mind you) and more storage space all mark minor but welcome improvements.

Not everything is changed here, though. The Nord CE 4 Lite retains its predecessor’s sluggish chipset, as well as its selfie camera, screen resolution and plasticky design.

These improvements do bring the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite more in line with what you’d expect from the price — that’s why this mobile gets a higher score than the 3 Lite. But ‘good enough’ isn’t enough to win the new smartphone a glowing recommendation.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: price and availability

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite against a green curtain. — (Image credit: Future)

Announced in June 2024
Single model for £299 (roughly $380, AU$580)
No availability in Australia or US at time of writing

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite was announced in mid-June 2024, and put on sale shortly afterward, although it was quickly overshadowed by the more premium OnePlus Nord 4, announced a month later.

Only limited availability has been announced for the Nord CE 4 Lite at the time of writing, but that fits OnePlus’ modus operandi: its Nord phones often vary by region. The CE 4 Lite has been confirmed in the UK, and could also come to Australia in the future given that the CE 3 Lite is on sale there, but it’s very unlikely it'll reach the US for the reasons stated above.

In the UK, you can pick up the phone in its sole configuration for £299 — that roughly translates to $380 or AU$580, for context. That’s the exact same price the CE 3 Lite released for, putting the mobile in the cheap phone market segment.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: specs

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite is an archetypal low-cost phone, and its specs match:

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: design

Standard-looking Android in silver or blue
Plastic body and IP54 for protection
Has a 3.5mm headphone jack

It's hard to get away from the idea that the OnePlus Nord CE 4's design. That’s not a criticism per se, but the phone won’t win any design awards.

Measuring in at 162.9 x 75.6 x 8.1mm, it’s big just like most other low-cost Android phones. It weighs 191g so it’s not too heavy; its plastic frame and back are likely to thank for this — this material doesn’t always feel particularly premium, but it offers better protection than glass.

Talking of protection, the phone has an IP54 rating, meaning it’s protected against soft particle ingress but only against splashes of water, not more, so don’t try for any underwater photography.

The size of the phone means that the volume rocker on the right edge is pretty much out of reach unless you employ two hands. I found the power button, just below it, is within reach though. On its bottom edge, there's a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack, but no alert slider here like on certain other OnePlus mobiles.

On the back of the phone, there are two vertical circular blocks that hold the camera lenses. Due to a reflective panel around them these actually look a lot bigger than they actually are; they don’t stick out too far and only open the phone up to minor wobbles when it was placed flat on a surface.

You can pick the phone up in two different color options, at least in the UK: blue and silver. As you can tell from the review photos, I used the latter, but there’s no difference beyond the hue.

What you might not gleam from that list of specs is that, despite its by-the-numbers build, the Nord CE 4 Lite feels pretty minimal in its design. You’ve got everything you need and nothing that you don’t. And your hand isn’t distracted by random bumps, levers and dials like on many other Android phones I’ve tested.

Design score: 3 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: display

6.67-inch, 1080 x 2400 resolution
AMOLED marks improvement over predecessor
Aqua Touch for wet hand use

OnePlus has opted for a 6.67-inch AMOLED display on the Nord CE 4 Lite, which is the exact same size that the vast majority of Android rivals have, though AMOLED marks an upgrade over the 3 Lite's flat-looking LCD.

That’s also true of the 1080x2400 resolution and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The CE 4 Lite reaches the bar of what you’d expect at this price but doesn’t exceed it in any way. This is reflected in the experience of using the display: everything is clear and smooth, but opting for a pricier phone will get you brighter colors and a higher max brightness.

There is one stand-out display feature, but it won’t impact your viewing ability: this is Aqua Touch, a feature OnePlus has begun installing on its phones. This handy tech ensures your touch is registered accurately when you have moist or wet hands, making your phone much easier to use in the rain or in the shower.

Display score: 3.5 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: software

Android 14 with OxygenOS 14.1
Two software updates promised
Good-looking user interface, but with bloatware

When you boot it up, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite comes with OxygenOS 14.1 pre-loaded — this is a fork of Android 14, with OnePlus making tweaks to Google’s stock operating system. The company has promised two years of updates (so, to Android 16) and three of security updates. That’s not a huge amount but it’s certainly better than nothing.

OxygenOS continues to be a popular user interface amongst phone fans, and I think I get it: it has a distinct look, with a unique font and style that makes it distinct but ensures icons and buttons are easily understandable.

Loads of cool features are included like Zen Space, which lets you lock your phone to concentrate, and a hearty offering of customization offers.

Also on the table are a boat-load of pre-installed apps, which is a little less impressive. It’s the usual offenders like LinkedIn, Netflix, Facebook, Amazon Shopping and AliExpress, as well as a few games. There’s nothing especially heinous, considering how many cheap phones come stuffed with annoying extras you need to download, but fans can and should complain about this.

Software score: 3.5 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: cameras

50MP main and 2MP depth cameras, with 16MP on front
Pictures a clear but a little dull
Standard arsenal of extra modes

To put it politely, cameras clearly aren’t a focus for the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite — it has the mandatory amount (and one straggler) of snappers.

The main camera comprises a 50-megapixel, f/1.8 sensor; if you’ve been considering many options in the budget phone market you’ve probably seen this same tech on… well, most phones these days. The main camera is joined by a 2MP, f/2.4 companion that, from my testing, doesn’t seem to do a whole lot — autofocus seemed just as quick and just as accurate when I covered up this part with some sticky tape.

Photos taken on the phone are fine: they’re light and detailed enough for you to see your subject without any rogue errors or massive problems. However, the photos aren’t exactly colorful, as you can see from the camera samples section, and I found that there were contrast issues in some shots.

Sometimes in phones, AI-powered scene optimization can save the day, but I didn’t notice much of that to speak of in the Nord CE 4 Lite. As I said, photos are fit for everyday use but they’ll never elicit a ‘wow’.

OnePlus has granted CE 4 Lite users access to a magic eraser feature, which isn't all that commonplace in phones at this price point. It works reasonably well, as long as you bear in mind the phone's processing power (which is limited) and only give the AI easy tasks.

The lack of an ultra-wide camera means you get what you’re given when you point the phone at a subject, and can’t digitally step back to view more of a scene. I’d say the same about the lack of a telephoto camera for zoom, but was pleasantly surprised with digital zoom; the fact you can only go up to 10x this way means you’re getting a fair amount of detail at maximum range.

On the front of the phone is a 16MP, f/2.4 camera, and most of what I said about the rear camera applies here too. Pictures are clear but lack vibrancy, and I also found that even the briefest amount of sun would blow out selfies.

There’s the bare minimum of extra modes here: photographers get portrait, pro, night and panorama options while videographers get dual-view, time-lapse and slow-mo. In normal video mode, you can go up to 1080p and 30 frames per second.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite camera samples

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Camera score: 2.5 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite: performance and audio

Snapdragon 695 doesn't provide much power
8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
Stereo speakers plus 3.5mm headphone jack

One of my biggest gripes with the Nord CE 3 Lite’s predecessor was its weak processor, and the company’s response was evidently to use the exact same piece of kit in this new phone.

That’s the Snapdragon 695 chip, a stalwart of budget mobiles for any years now. In the Geekbench 6 benchmark test it returned a multi-core score of 1,968, which isn’t exactly blazing fast.

When playing top-end titles I occasionally noticed the odd lag or stutter, and during intense action I found that inputs could sometimes be a little delayed. However, in the interests of fairness I should say that my issues didn’t feel as dramatic as with the CE 3 Lite, despite them using the same processor.

Like its older sibling, the Nord CE 4 Lite has 8GB of RAM. But it’s seen a storage size increase up to 256GB, so you can fit a lot more on the phone – bear in mind that this is all for the same price as last year’s model. That’s a nice upgrade.

In terms of audio, the Nord has a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can plug in wired headphones. Its Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity isn’t quite on par with the 5.2 to 5.4 standards you see on most smartphones these days, but the differences will be negligible beyond the distance you can listen at from your phone.

The stereo speakers are as tinny as you’d expect on your smartphone, but are fine for listening to voice notes, social media videos and the like.

Performance score: 3 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: battery life

Long-lasting 5,110mAh battery
Lasts over a day of use
Nice fast 80W charging

If there’s one trait that you can rely on with all budget phones, it’s their battery life — space saved on fancy internals can instead be used on a larger battery, and the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite is no exception.

The phone packs a 5,110mAh battery, marking it as one of the new wave of budget phones that jumps up from the previous standard 5,000mAh battery.

Having this much juice ensures that the Nord easily lasts through a day of use, whether you’re just checking the weather or are laid up with a cold playing Call of Duty: Mobile all day.

In my most intensive testing days, the Nord had at least a quarter of its charge upon a second day of use, and that number was higher when I hadn’t been using the phone much the prior day. I don’t imagine you’d be able to see the phone through two days of use without charging it under any circumstances, but its lasting power was still admirable.

Equally laudable is its charging speed: 80 watts of power delivery ensure that the phone will go from empty to full in just over half an hour. You’ll need a compatible charger of course, and in the box you’ll only get a USB-A to USB-C cable.

The handset offers reverse wireless charging, so you can plug a cable into the phone and use it to charge another device. This will require a cord that’s USB-C to whatever you need, whether it’s another USB-C device, micro USB or Lightning.

Battery score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: value

You’re basically getting what you pay for with the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite, just like with its predecessor and basically the entirety of the Nord line.

So you won’t pick up the CE 4 Lite and feel cheated: its screen, speed, battery life and camera prowess all roughly fit what you should be expecting given its price tag.

However if you have a budget that’ll stretch a little higher, know that you will be able to buy a better phone without having to shell out that much more cash.

Value score: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite?

Buy it if...

You need a long battery life
Don't get many opportunities to charge your phone? The Nord CE 4 Lite's power might make it a reliable pick.

You want OxygenOS on a budget
If you've heard tell of OxygenOS and want to try it, the CE 4 Lite is one of the cheapest OnePlus phones out there right now.

You text with wet hands
I may sound like I'm being sarcastic, but I'm not: Aqua Touch is really useful in day-to-day use. You can use the Nord in the rain or in the bath.

Don't buy it if...

You like taking photos
Budding phone photographers will only be disappointed by the Nord CE 4 Lite's disappointing camera hardware and feature set.

You're a mobile gamer
You're not going to get blazing power for games on the Nord. In the competitive budget mobile world, it's one of the weaker cheap phones out there.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review: Also consider

While largely positive, this OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite review should make it clear that the phone has issues. So here are some other options you may want to consider:

How I tested the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite

Review test period = 2.5 weeks
Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used = Geekbench 6, Geekbench ML, GFXBench, native Android stats

I tested the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite for about three weeks, and the testing was done alongside the contemporary Nord 4.

The testing process involves both real-word use (taking photos, making calls, playing games, streaming Netflix) and some lab tests (benchmarking, battery tests and software checks) to give a well-rounded view of the device.

I've been reviewing smartphones for TechRadar since early 2019, and in that time have used plenty of mobiles from OnePlus, as well as other devices in the price segment. As stated in the intro, I tested the Nord CE 3 Lite.

OnePlus Nord 4 two-minute review

There’s a comfort in knowing exactly what you’re getting with a phone before you’ve even picked it up, and that’s certainly the case with the OnePlus Nord 4. Given the brand, you know you're getting an Android phone with a focus on performance; given the sub-brand you know it’ll have some competitive features for its mid-range price; and given the '4' you know that the company has been doing this for long enough now to nail the concept.

Chinese company OnePlus created the Nord line as an affordable counterpart to its feature-packed but pricey main series of phones, the most recent of which is the OnePlus 12, and it’s grown into a bustling family of varyingly-priced mobiles.

A brief glance at the OnePlus Nord 4’s specs sheet shows that this is an iterative upgrade over 2023’s OnePlus Nord 3; it takes the same basic design and feature set, improves some of the aspects a little, and throws in a few extra features for good measure.

So you’re getting many of the OnePlus Nord 3 features we liked, including its big, bold, high-res screen and fine camera array. But then there are a few spec improvements: the battery is slightly bigger, the charging is a bit faster, the chipset is newer and quicker, the software is a more recent Android build, and the screen goes quite a bit brighter.

These all bring welcome, even if not especially needed, improvements, and I particularly appreciated the brighter screen and quicker charging during my testing period.

But my favorite part is the new features. OnePlus has made a song and dance about the AI additions to OxygenOS, which let you read auto-summaries of voice recordings or online articles, but I particularly loved a new screen addition called Aqua Touch, which means you can carry on using the display even if your hands are wet. No more annoying mis-touches here.

It’s also worth bearing in mind two things: the OnePlus Nord 4’s base model costs less than the Nord 3 did. And while that 2023 mobile only saw a limited release due to shipping issues, the Nord 4 is a lot easier to buy in most countries.

These considerations make it easier to look past the unchanged screen and the near-identical camera array, which has gained features but lost a lens.

I found it hard to think of ‘cons’ for this OnePlus Nord 4 review; that’s not to say it’s perfect, just that its flaws can be overlooked when you consider its competitive price. Sure, you can ask for better cameras or a more interesting design or wired charging, but it’s unrealistic to expect too much in a phone like this.

A few software problems did detract from my experience using the phone, as did the fact that the high-storage model is quite a bit pricier than the standard one, and the pre-installed bloatware; however, for the price, it’s easy to overlook these.

So the OnePlus Nord 4 continues the Nord-ic tradition of offering lots of power at a low price, and the discount over last year’s model, plus some tweaks across the board, ensure that the newer model is the preferable one to buy.

OnePlus Nord 4 review: price and availability

The OnePlus Nord 4 before a leafy backdrop. — (Image credit: Future)

Released in UK in July 2024; AU launch possible, US unlikely
£429 (roughly $550, AU$820) gets you 12GB RAM, 256GB storage
£529 (roughly $680, AU$1,000) gets you 16GB RAM, 512GB storage

The OnePlus Nord 4 was announced at a launch event in mid-July 2024 ahead of a release in mid-August, alongside the OnePlus Pad 2, OnePlus Watch 2R, and OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro.

The phone hasn’t been announced for the US, and there’s a chance that it won’t be given that OnePlus markets different Nord models in different areas. The phone is listed on the OnePlus Australia website, so it’ll likely be available there, but there’s no pricing yet.

In the UK, two versions of the phone are on sale. The base model comes with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, and you can pick it up for £429 (roughly $550, AU$820), while if you want more power there’s a 16GB and 512GB alternative for £529 (roughly $680, AU$1,000), which is the model I tested.

Those prices puts this phone in the ‘mid-range’ bracket, where it goes up against rivals including the Google Pixel 8a, Samsung Galaxy A55 and Oppo Reno 12 Pro – particularly the latter, which comes from OnePlus' parent company and has quite a few specs in common with the Nord 4 (more on that at the end of this review).

OnePlus Nord 4 review: specs

The OnePlus Nord 4 is a mid-ranged mobile with specs to match. Here's the spec sheet in full:

OnePlus Nord 4 review: design

Two-tone body
IP65 rating and metal frame for protection
Camera bumps stick out a fair way

The OnePlus Nord 4 offers a small design twist on the generic Android phone.

Its flagship silver edition comes with a two-tone body: the lower three-fifths has a striped ridged-looking pattern (the effect is just optical, as it feels totally flat to touch) while the top two-thirds that surrounds the camera bumps has the flat look of a typical phone. It's a small touch that makes the Nord look distinct.

Other than that, though, this is barely different to any other phone on the market. It’s pretty big, measuring 162.6 x 75 x 7.9mm, and bang-average in terms of weight, tipping the scales at 199.5g.

Typical for modern-day Androids, it has a USB-C port on the bottom and a power button and volume rocker on the right edge; I’d say the power button is well within reach for hands of varying sizes, although those with smaller mitts might struggle to adjust the volume one-handed. Breaking the norm somewhat, the Nord also has an alert slider (yes, like old OnePlus phones – throwback!) which lets you easily switch between silent, vibrate and full-volume modes. It’s an easy way to ensure that your phone is muted in important meetings or moments, though I found it hard to easily set the slider into the middle position (vibrate), as it tended to jump all the way to the left or right.

The metal frame and rear make the OnePlus Nord 4 feel well-protected from drops and knocks, as does the IP65 rating against dust and beads of water.

With two big camera bumps on the rear for the two lenses, the Nord doesn’t sit flat against a table, but these two protrusions weren’t as distinct as those on many of the phone's rivals; I never caught the camera lenses while sliding the phone into my pocket, for example.

My review unit was the silver model, which seems to be the one shown in promotional materials. There are also black and green options, and these have the same two-tone rear, although the lower part isn’t striped, instead having a matted look.

Design score: 3.5 / 5

OnePlus Nord 4 review: display

6.74-inch, 1240 x 2772 resolution
Bold colors thanks to AMOLED display
Aqua Touch feature lets you use display with wet hands

When you look at the OnePlus Nord 4, you can instantly tell it has a big screen: clocking in at 6.74 inches diagonally, this is certainly a beast. What might surprise you though is the resolution: at 1240 x 2772 (roughly 2.5K) you’re getting more pixels here than on the majority of similarly-priced Android phones.

The display looks good – it's an AMOLED panel with nice vibrant colors that supports HDR10+. The max brightness is apparently 2150 nits, which is very high, although during testing the phone’s display never seemed that bright to me, and I wouldn’t have minded some extra illumination in well-lit conditions.

The refresh rate is 120Hz, which means the screen image updates 120 times per second, which in turn ensures smooth motion when you’re navigating through menus, playing games or watching supported videos.

The display is broken up by a very small punch-hole gap for the front-facing camera; it’s so small that it barely takes any space away from the screen.

A feature OnePlus mentioned in its promotional material for the Nord 4 is Aqua Touch, which means that the display will still pick up your touch well when your hands are wet. I tested this in a few situations that’d normally cause me grief with my normal phone like after a shower, in a mild drizzle of rain and when doing the washing-up, and it always worked perfectly – Aqua Touch is a really impressive addition.

Display score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Nord 4 review: software

Android 14 with OxygenOS 14.1, and four updates
Good-looking UI and some extra features
Some software bloatware and bugs

Like most of its contemporaries, the OnePlus Nord 4 comes with Android 14 pre-installed, and as a OnePlus phone it has the company’s OxygenOS 14.1 user interface layered over the top.

The company has promised that the phone will see “up to” four updates too, bringing you to at most Android 18, which is a decent amount given that not all rivals at this price point guarantee you even one update.

OnePlus fans love OxygenOS, and it’s not hard to see why. The user interface and menus are attractive, with bold colors and punchy icons, but with enough restraint that your eyes aren’t being overwhelmed with colors and shapes. The quick settings menu is a great example with this, as it makes it easy for you to swipe down and toggle a feature, increase the brightness or turn on Bluetooth.

OxygenOS also brings some unique features. One I always use on OnePlus phones is Zen Space, which lets you soft-lock your mobile while you work so you can concentrate. Some relatively newer ones are available on the Nord 4 too, including a tool which summarizes online articles you’re reading, or audio notes into bullet-list agendas.

The Nord does have some bloatware, with pre-installed games, online retailers and social media platforms already present when you boot up the phone. It’s not nearly as bad as on some other phones at this price I’ve tested, but there’s no such thing as ‘good bloatware’, just ‘not-as-bad bloatware’.

During testing, I faced a few issues that affected my experience of using the phone; I don’t know whether these are limited to my review unit, or the current build of OxygenOS or come from another source, but I encountered them often enough that they bear flagging.

Minor issues include that auto-rotate wouldn’t always work properly, infrequently marooning the device in a horizontal orientation, and that sometimes I’d unlock the phone only for it to think I was trying to turn on the lock screen magazine feature.

An extra that I’m adding to this review at the eleventh hour is that the device struggled to connect to either of the PCs I tried to download its photos to using USB: sometimes my PC wouldn’t recognize any of the images, sometimes it would see a few but not let me download them, and sometimes my computer just wouldn’t detect that the phone was connected to it at all. On a few occasions, trying to open the Nord’s storage through my PC caused Windows to freeze for a little bit.

I go through this process of downloading photos from every phone I test, and I’ve never faced such inexplicable connection issues before. The camera samples you see below were therefore transferred via the cloud and have been compressed a little.

One final issue that I faced was that the phone would frequently lock without me pressing the lock button; it happened a lot during gameplay, and I’d need to hurriedly punch in the pass code when mid-way through a game.

Software score: 3 / 5

OnePlus Nord 4 review: cameras

50MP main and 8MP ultra-wide cameras, 16MP for selfies
AI scene optimization saves some shots
Magic eraser AI tool has okay results

You get two rear cameras on the OnePlus Nord 4, and one on the front, and they’re clearly not the important bits of this phone.

In terms of the rear array there’s a 50MP f/1.8 main camera joined by an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide one with a 112-degree field of view. If you’re a big OnePlus fan you might notice that that's one fewer rear camera than on the Nord 3, but the lack of a 2MP auxiliary camera here is no great loss; the other two cameras are the same.

Hardware-wise, these snappers are fine; they do the job but you’re not going to be uttering ‘wow’ too often at any of the results. Pictures are sufficiently bright and detailed, though they don't have a huge amount of dynamic range.

However I occasionally took a picture that looked distinctly better, and it seemed to be when the scene optimization jumped in to make some tweaks. I’ve included two pictures of flowers which show this well: the stark contrasts between the bright flowers and the shadows in the image really pull out the flora’s vibrancy.

On the topic of AI, OnePlus has included the same AI eraser tool that most phone brands have adopted, so you can remove unwanted objects from snaps. The mode was good at removing people from a scene, but not as good at actually identifying people to remove in the first place, and often I’d circle people or objects to be removed only for the phone to think I still wanted to keep their legs or hairstyles, or one part of the furniture they were seated on.

On the front you’re looking at a 16MP f/2.4 main camera – it’s nothing to write home about but it’s fit for purpose, letting you take bold selfies (thanks to some ample post-processing). Portrait mode is pretty light-touch, which I appreciate, giving gentle beauty tweaks and a soft bokeh that looks lovely and natural.

Perhaps unsurprisingly for a mid-range phone, you’re not getting any unique camera modes here, but the long list of expected ones show up: portrait, panorama, time-lapse, slow-mo, night, pro, pro video (here called Film) and so on. Video recording goes up to 4K at 60fps and down to 720p at 240fps or 1080p at 120fps.

OnePlus Nord 4 camera samples

Camera score: 3 / 5

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OnePlus Nord 4 camera sample — (Image credit: Future)

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OnePlus Nord 4: performance and audio

Really powerful thanks to Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 chipset
Two models: 12GB/256GB or 16GB/512GB
Bluetooth 5.4 or USB-C port for audio

Phone fans might see that the OnePlus Nord 4 totes a Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 chipset, and turn their nose up at the ‘7’ part, which denotes that this is a mid-range processor. I would have been the same if I didn’t begin my testing process with a benchmark test.

In the Geekbench 6 benchmark test, the OnePlus Nord 4 returned a surprisingly powerful multi-core score of 3863, which puts it above most of its same-priced contemporaries and comparable to the top-end powerhouse of yesteryear.

That’s a lot of power for a mid-range phone, and my day-to-day testing matches the high hopes that score instilled in me. The Nord is a beast for gaming, smashing through game after game of Call of Duty Mobile with little problem, even with graphics turned all the way up. I got a bit too into the gaming part of testing the phone as a result…

I was using the 16GB RAM model of phone, which comes with an indulgent 512GB memory, and people using the 12GB / 256GB might have a slightly slower experience when gaming. But I don’t imagine that lower-powered model will offer a drastically different experience for most mobile titles.

Moving on to audio, you may have noticed in the ‘design’ section that I didn’t mention a 3.5mm headphone jack, and that’s because OnePlus has ig-Nord this for its latest phone. Instead you can use the USB-C port with an adaptor for wired audio, the mobile’s Bluetooth 5.4 connection for wireless headphones, earbuds or speakers on the built-in stereo speakers to play out loud. I found the latter fine for mobile gaming and video calls but if you want high-quality sound for streaming TV shows or music, it won’t impress you.

Performance score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Nord 4 review: battery life

Phone easily lasts into second day of use
Blistering 100W charging
No wireless powering

OnePlus has outfitted the Nord 4 with a giant 5,500mAh battery, which serves its big screen well. The phone easily smashes through a day of use without breaking a sweat, and it works well into day two before you’ll need to charge it up.

This proved true even in the middle of my ‘games testing’ phase, showing that the mobile is a reliable blower for people who need a long-lasting device.

Charging the phone up is incredibly quick, too, with the mobile boasting 100W wired charging. This gets the device from empty to full in less than half an hour (if you have a compatible charger, of course). Incredibly quick.

Battery score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Nord 4 review: value

If you’re considering the lower-storage version of the OnePlus Nord, I’d say you’re getting great value for money: the processing power, charging speed and good-looking display are all offered for a relatively low cost.

Jump up to 16GB/512GB and there’s quite a price hike, and that muddles the value proposition somewhat; I can see people being skeptical buying the phone for this higher price.

Saying that, if you need lots of storage it’s your only real option (other than cloud storage) so you can justify the price increase that way.

Value score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the OnePlus Nord 4?

Buy it if...

You are a gamer on a budget
The Nord offers a lot of power compared to its same-priced rivals, and its attractive display and fast charging are just extra perks to make it a gaming powerhouse.

You often have wet hands
The Aqua Touch display is a game-changer in loads of different settings, and if you text in the bath, live somewhere rainy or just spill your Pimm's all the time, you'll notice the difference.

You want a big streaming mobile
Not too many cheap phones like this have screens that are both big and attractive, so if you're a Netflix fiend you might find this a great option.

Don't buy it if...

You own the Nord 3
As an iterative update, you really don't need to buy the Nord 4 if you own last year's model, and possibly even the previous Nord flagships unless they're ailing. It's not that huge of an upgrade.

You're a photography fan
If you spend ages trying to find the perfect shot with your phone, I don't think the Nord 4 will impress you. It's fine for QR codes, document scanning and snaps to send via WhatsApp though.

OnePlus Nord 4 review: Also consider

While largely positive, this OnePlus Nord 4 review should make it clear that the phone has issues. So here are some other options you may want to consider:

How I tested the OnePlus Nord 4

Review test period = 2.5 weeks
Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used = Geekbench 6, Geekbench ML, GFXBench, native Android stats

I tested the OnePlus Nord 4 for just shy of three weeks, so I had ample time to put it through its paces.

To test it I used it as though it was my own smartphone: I used it for texting, calling, taking photos, playing games, watching TV shows, checking my hair do and everything else you'd hope your phone would do.

As you can tell by my software gripes, this testing is rigorous, and it also involves some benchmark tests and tools so that we can compare phones against themselves in an objective way.

I've been reviewing smartphones for TechRadar since early 2019, and in that time have used plenty of mobiles from OnePlus, as well as other devices in the price segment. In fact I recently reviewed one of the competitors mentioned above, and moved straight from the Nord 4 onto another OnePlus blower.

OnePlus 12R: Two-minute review

OnePlus is kicking off 2024 with a pair of new phones, its latest flagship OnePlus 12 and the intriguing OnePlus 12R; which marks the first time an R-series device has launched internationally and not just in India.

While we've seen T-series entries on the global stage before, the R more closely delivers on the promises of the company's full-fat flagship phones and this year's 12R is no exception; running on familiar hardware for those who knew last year's OnePlus 11, while also serving up some company and industry firsts all its own.

OnePlus 12R review back straight perspective — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

At a glance, you'd be forgiven for mistaking the 12R for both the OnePlus 11 and the OnePlus 12, as all three phones sport a familiar aesthetic, with rounded edges and the distinct 'Starlight Dial' circular camera surround that we were first introduced to on 2023's OnePlus flagship.

The iconic physical alert slider may have swapped sides (OnePlus says this improves antenna performance), and the phone may lack wireless charging and full IP68 dust and water resistance, but it's otherwise a beautifully crafted and premium-feeling phone with plenty of power and battery longevity to boot.

If it weren't for the lesser secondary cameras, the 12R amounts to a revamped OnePlus 11, with the same flagship-class Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 found in 2023's finest, up to 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and the biggest battery ever seen in a OnePlus phone, which translates to the best longevity we've ever gotten from a OnePlus phone – battery life that matches the likes of the mighty Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

OnePlus has also included its latest OxygenOS 14 user experience out of the box, which comes with a heap of branded technologies; most importantly the 'Trinity Engine': an umbrella term for a number of features that ensure the 12R's performance doesn't degrade over time, focusing on CPU, RAM, and ROM management.

A killer 1.5K LTPO 4.0 AMOLED display fronts the phone, with a more advanced adaptive refresh rate, touch response rate and peak brightness (4,500nits) than even the OnePlus 11.

OnePlus 12R review front angled — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

If there's one area where the 12R does fall short of its otherwise flagship standing, it's with camera versatility. The main 50MP Sony sensor delivers a similar experience to that of last year's flagship – running on the same sensor and with a fast shutter not to mention a year's worth of refinement from OnePlus. However the 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro cameras don't keep step with regards to quality and consistency.

For the price, there's little that matches the 12R directly, however, alternatives like the OnePlus 11, Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and iPhone 14 come close; provided you're willing to trade away the phone's excellent display tech and battery prowess. One of the best OnePlus phones yet? Quite possibly, even without being a fully-fledged flagship in its own right.

OnePlus 12R review: Price and availability

Priced from $499.99 / £649
Announced January 23, on sale February 13
$300 / £200 lower starting price than equivalent storage OnePlus 12

The OnePlus 12R serves as the global variant of the OnePlus Ace 3, which launched in China at the very start of 2024. The 12R made its debut as part of the OnePlus 12's global launch event in India on January 23, with a staggered on-sale date that sees the phone released first in India (on February 6), before arriving in markets including the US, UK and Europe on February 13.

US customers get the choice of two storage configurations, starting at $499.99 with 128GB of space, while UK and European customers only have access to the single higher-capacity 256GB model, which sells for $599.99 in the US and £649 / €699 in those two other markets, respectively.

Pricing means it undercuts other newcomers, like the Samsung Galaxy S24, Google Pixel 8 and baseline iPhone 15 by quite a margin, and in truth, there's little worth considering around the 12R's launch price, save for more expensive but older phones that have had time to drop in price, including the company's own OnePlus 11.

The company's 2024 flagship – the OnePlus 12 – comfortably sits around $300 / £200 more expensive for the same amount of storage, but for the extra cash you're getting a sharper screen, better cameras, longer-term software support, and Qualcomm's latest and greatest flagship silicon in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

Note though that there's no current Australian availability for the OnePlus 12R or the standard OnePlus 12.

Value score: 4 / 5

OnePlus 12R review: Specs

OnePlus 12R review: Design

OnePlus 12R review back angled floating — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Elegant, premium curved glass and metal aesthetics
Physical alert slider on left side
IP64-certified against dust and water

The OnePlus 12R presents itself as a premium handset, with a level of fit and finish on par with any of the latest top-tier phones out there, not least because it shares in the 'Starlight Dial' design language of this year's and last year's OnePlus flagships.

The Iron Gray model (pictured) has a matte glass back that's superb at repelling fingerprints (and other marks) but has an almost Teflon-like low friction coefficient, meaning it's a little slippery in the hand. The Cool Blue alternative, meanwhile, is the more head-turning option, that's better at catching the light (and fingerprints), if you're in the market for a little more flare. It's worth noting that colorway availability varies by region and storage variant too.

If you're not a fan of the straight-sided iPhones or Galaxy phones (or the rumored design of the forthcoming Pixel 9 series) leading the market, the 12R is the perfect remedy. The front and back glass curve elegantly into the thin metal frame, which makes it a touch trickier to hold by comparison but nicer in the hand and on the eye.

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OnePlus 12R review alert slider — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

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OnePlus 12R review alert slider UI — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

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OnePlus 12R review top — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

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OnePlus 12R review handheld front — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

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OnePlus 12R review back straight — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

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OnePlus 12R review camera — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

A trait that's slipped in since OnePlus more closely buddied up to sister company Oppo is the adoption of a flat top and bottom to some of its phones' frames, and that's the case with the 12R. A USB-C port, SIM tray and speaker grille reside along the bottom, while microphones and – perhaps most intriguingly of all – an IR blaster can be found on the phone's top edge. This is a novel addition that's seldom seen on phones nowadays, but gives the 12R universal remote functionality which you won't readily find on the competition; great for controlling your TV, aircon, projector, and even some smart lights, all from the one device.

OnePlus' iconic alert slider (oddly absent from previous performance flagships like the OnePlus 10T) is reassuringly present on the 12R, although perhaps not as 'correct' as long-time OnePlus users might expect, as across both entries in the series, this knurled three-stage switch is now found on the opposing side to where it usually sits (the right side). OnePlus claims this helps with antenna performance – especially when gaming in landscape – and in practice, the learning curve of adjusting to a swapped alert slider and volume rocker is negligible.

While the 12R is notably thinner (and a touch lighter) than the standard OnePlus 12, that's partly down to the lack of wireless charging, while that finely-crafted bodywork also falls short of the industry-standard dust and water resistance, with only IP64 certification (most flagships boast IP68 protection against water ingress).

Design score: 3.5 / 5

OnePlus 12R review: Display

OnePlus 12R review front angled straight on — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

6.78-inch 1.5K 19.8:9 120Hz LTPO 4.0 ProXDR AMOLED display
Outstanding peak brightness up to 4,500nits
Aqua Touch for accurate use in the wet

Look past the marketing spiel (which there's a lot of) and the 12R's display is spec'd as one of the market's best right now. Beyond the fundamentals as a 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the ProXDR screen on the 12R boasts the same peak brightness as the OnePlus 12, at a whopping 4,500nits (with an HBM or high brightness mode peak of 1,600nits).

For comparison, the iPhone 15 series tops out at 2,000nits, while the S24 series reaches 2,600nits. Although that peak isn't an increment you'll likely hit in day to day use, the additional headroom over screens of the most prominent players in the industry means everything from outdoor legibility to HDR content consumption (it's also Dolby Vision, HDR Vivid and HDR10+ compliant for good measure) is comparatively better. Speaking of HDR content, being able to view HDR imagery shot on device, natively in both the OnePlus Photos app and the Google Photos app – similarly to the likes of the latest Pixel 8 Pro – is a nice flex.

The LTPO 4.0 tech at work also means improved power efficiency (relative to LTPO 3.0, as on the OnePlus 11), as this new panel is able to switch between more frequency increments through its 1Hz to 120Hz range, depending on the situation (lower frequencies equal less power drain, higher frequencies offer more fluid visuals).

As for gamers, an impressive 1,000Hz touch response rate (branded 'HyperTouch') is on-hand to ensure accurate touch input at any pace (that's faster than any of the best gaming phones currently out there), while 'HyperRender' is responsible for backlight calibration when gaming; accounting for the environment you're playing in and optimizing contrast and brightness dynamically.

There's also the presence of Aqua Touch: an algorithm that helps the 12R discern between water droplets and true touch inputs on a wet display; making use in rain or similarly wet conditions far more reliable than you'd experience with a conventional touchscreen and in practice, it's a huge win for convenience, especially if, like me, you're a Londoner all too familiar with the Great British weather's habits.

Throw in 2160Hz PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) dimming for reduced eye strain in low light (backed by independent certification from TÜV Rheinland), and an overall A+ rating from DisplayMate, and OnePlus has receipts to back up its claims surrounding the 12R's screen tech.

Sure, these aren't all headline features worth buying the phone for explicitly but they're 'nice to haves' that elevate the 12R's viewing experience beyond both expectation and more prominent competitors.

Display score: 5 / 5

OnePlus 12R review: Software

OnePlus 12R review apps drawer — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

OxygenOS 14 atop Android 14 out of the box
Customizable user experience without feeling overwhelming
3 years of OS + 4 years of security updates

If you're a long-time OnePlus user, you'll know OxygenOS has lost a little of its individuality since OnePlus and Oppo more closely collaborated on their respective mobile user experiences (we lost the 1+ calculator easter egg with OxygenOS 13), however, OxygenOS 14 (running atop the latest Android 14) still delivers on the core values of OnePlus' software from previous generations; packed with sparks of software design so good that you'd wish other brands would crib from it.

While delivering a relatively clean aesthetic and user experience, OxygenOS has supported user generated wallpapers long before Samsung and Asus called upon AI smarts to offer similar results with their latest-generation phones, Zen Space is a one-stop destination for mindfulness that supports Android's native Digital Wellbeing toolset, gestures and floating windows add a heap of flexibility to the base OS's multitasking experience, and being able to quick-launch apps from the fingerprint sensor is a nice trick too.

OnePlus 12R review The Shelf — The Shelf on OxygenOS 14 (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

The Shelf is an interesting inclusion that OnePlus has struggled to find a consistent home for within OxygenOS and I'm not convinced its current location – accessed by swiping down on the home screen, replacing quick access to notifications and quick settings – should be its final destination. Nevertheless, as a dedicated home for widgets – akin to Today View on iPadOS – it's a nice way to keep glanceable information all in one place.

OxygenOS manages to walk the line between simplicity and functionality where other brands' user experiences tend to err on the side of 'more features equals better', even if that's at the expense of intuitive navigation and interaction.

The 12R's standing below that of the company's true current flagship does mean that its software support isn't quite as extensive – at three years of OS upgrades and four years of security updates – but that does at least keep it in step with the similarly-spec'd OnePlus 11, meaning both phones won't fall out of favor until Android 18 (and presumably OxygenOS 18).

Software score: 4 / 5

OnePlus 12R review: Cameras

OnePlus 12R review camera closeup — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Robust 50MP Sony IMX890 lead sensor, as on OnePlus 11
Same RAW HDR algorithm, as on the OnePlus 12
Ineffectual macro camera

While at a glance the OnePlus 12R's rear camera setup may resemble the OnePlus 11's and 12's, it's likely the biggest departure from both phones and one of the biggest cost-saving aspects of the 12R's spec sheet. You still get the same 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX890 sensor that leads the OnePlus 11's camera setup, complete with a year's worth of software refinement, plus improved speed from mode switching to shutter lag, but beyond its main snapper, the 12R's photographic capabilities are more pedestrian.

The 8MP Sony IMX355 ultra-wide serves up consistent colors with the main camera in good lighting, but detail is noticeably lacking when comparing similar shots taken between the two, while the 2MP macro camera lacks the pixels, dynamic range and color depth to be anything other than novel.

OnePlus 12R camera samples

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OnePlus 12R camera sample main Citroen — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

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Portrait mode

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OnePlus 12R camera sample ultra wide high street — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Ultra wide camera

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OnePlus 12R camera sample main high street — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

1x zoom

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2x zoom

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5x zoom

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20x zoom

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OnePlus 12R camera sample main jumper sleeve — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Main camera

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OnePlus 12R camera sample macro jumper sleeve — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Macro camera

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OnePlus 12R camera sample main glass — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Main camera

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OnePlus 12R camera sample macro glass — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Macro camera

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OnePlus 12R camera sample main garden — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Ultra wide camera

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OnePlus 12R camera sample ultra wide garden — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Macro camera

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Low light

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Night mode

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OnePlus 12R camera sample main manual max ISO and shutter garden — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Low light w/ maximum ISO and shutter speed

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OnePlus 12R camera sample selfie — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Front

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OnePlus 12R camera sample selfie Portrait mode — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Front camera w/ Portrait mode

If you're serious about shooting on the 12R, all your photos should really come from the OIS-supported (optical image stabilization) main 50MP sensor. It offers enough versatility in its own right to satiate the average mobile photographer, and while there's no Hasselblad tuning to speak of – as on the brand's other premium phones – image quality is generally great; with a particular talent for HDR shooting, exemplified by the 'ProXDR' toggle in the phone's native gallery app that shows this trait off most clearly.

Along with excellent colors, detail, and dynamic range when snapping standard 12.6MP jpeg stills, you have the choice of capturing full-sensor 50MP images, as well as HDR shots in RAW, with the 12R benefitting from the same RAW HDR algorithm as found on the OnePlus 12.

One growing trend from the current era of smartphone photography that isn't as prevalent on the OnePlus 12R is AI-supported shooting, especially when it comes to editing tools. Features like generative fill are being popularized by the likes of the latest Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy smartphones, and is one such AI feature you won't find here.

Camera score: 3.5 / 5

OnePlus 12R review: Performance

OnePlus 12R review gaming — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC
Trinity Engine for CPU, RAM and ROM optimization
Dual vapor chamber cooling design

If you thought the branding for the various technologies in the display section of this review was a bit much, OnePlus kicks things into overdrive when it comes to talking about the phone's performance. Practically every performance-centric hardware and software optimization comes with a catchy name attached, with the 'Trinity Engine' being the umbrella brand under which they all sit.

Building on memory optimization features the company first introduced with the OnePlus 11, the Trinity Engine consists of three key parts: CPU-Vita, RAM-Vita and ROM-Vita, which collectively work to keep the 12R feeling fast and fluid long into your time with it. This is primarily achieved by throttling for heat management and battery longevity, prioritizing memory allocation for more frequently used apps, and on-the-fly defragmentation of storage to keep files accessible; all in the pursuit of peace of mind for users looking for a worthwhile long-term smartphone purchase.

Running on the same chipset as the OnePlus 11 – paired with the latest UFS 4.0 storage (on the 256GB model, at least) and LPDDR5X RAM for greater speed and power efficiency – you'd expect comparable flagship performance, and in artificial benchmarking tests, you'd be right. In fact, the OnePlus 12R feels as fast and as fluid to use as any current flagship, including more cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered phones. The performance shortfall likely won't be felt for at least a year or two, which is to say this phone is comfortable with whatever you throw at it, right now.

Gaming on Genshin Impact with default (medium) graphical settings and a bump up to a 60fps frame rate cap proved zero issue for the 12R for extended periods and seldom were frames dropped. The caveat to that is that despite a new 'Cryo-Velocity' dual vapor chamber cooling system – offering a reported three-times-larger vapor chamber area compared to the OnePlus 11 – heat build-up was more noticeable during intensive tasks than expected; never to a concerning degree, but still.

There are some great user-accessible performance tools worth digging into too. Live Lock is perfect for pinning apps that you want the system to leave resources available for – ideal for downloading system updates for Genshin while doing other things. Gaming Tools let you customize graphical settings, manage notifications and performance allowances, and even toggle improved HDR visuals.

There's also the fact that OnePlus (and Oppo and Realme) phones don't run in a high performance state out of the box. While the 12R feels perfectly tightly wound for responsive everyday use, dive into the phone's power menu and you'll find a toggle for 'high performance mode.' It's a little bonus that you'll likely never need, but additional grunt on tap is never to be sniffed at.

Performance score: 4 / 5

OnePlus 12R review: Battery

OnePlus 12R review USB — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Largest capacity battery in a OnePlus phone ever
Up to 100W SuperVOOC wired charging
Rated for only 20% capacity degradation after 1,600 cycles

Along with the screen, the battery is arguably one of the OnePlus 12R's greatest strengths. Around the same physical size as the OnePlus 11's battery, the company has managed to up the capacity to a whopping 5,500mAh – making this the largest power cell in a OnePlus phone ever.

Even without the latest-generation Qualcomm chipset, that larger capacity helps deliver the best battery life we've tested in a OnePlus phone, clocking in at around eight hours of screen-on time per charge, equivalent to two days of light to average use on a single charge. It's not quite iPhone 15 series longevity, but matches some of the best Android phones on the market, beating out mainstream rivals like the Pixel 8 series, handily.

Not only that, in most markets save for the US (where it peaks at 80W), the OnePlus 12R comes with rapid 100W fast charging, which OnePlus claims means you can hit 100% charge after only 26 minutes, In testing, the review sample used here reached 92% in the same time, fully charging at the 30-minute mark exactly; making this one of the faster-charging phones out there right now.

Being built for long-term use seems to be a key theme of the OnePlus 12R, with the company promising a four-year or 1,600-cycle on the battery, after which they claim longevity will equate to around 80% of the out-of-box performance. For comparison, Apple officially states that its iPhones reach this same 80% capacity threshold after just 500 cycles.

The only real fly in the ointment here is the reduced peak 80W charging speed in the US (a trait found on other OnePlus phones too) and the absence of any form of wireless charging.

Battery score: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the OnePlus 12R?

Buy it if...

You like media and gaming
The combination of display, performance, and battery life make this a superb phone for high-fidelity gaming or enjoying HDR content for hours on end.

You like curved-edge smartphones
The latest iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones and, as it currently looks like, the next batch of Pixels have all adopted straight sided designs with flat screens. The OnePlus 12R shirks this design trend and places elegant curves first.

You want an Android phone with great battery performance
One of the longest-lasting Android phones on the market also packs in a battery that's built to charge quickly and last years upon years of recharge cycles with minimal degradation. Great for travelers, gamers, and power users.

Don't buy it if...

You want a killer camera
That main 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor is a real joy to use and highlights the strides OnePlus has made in its camera tuning over the years, but as the 12R packs three cameras on the back, you have to consider the whole packages and those other sensors don't pull their weight.

You need the best water resistance or wireless charging
Most flagships come packing IP68-certified dust and water ingress protection, the 12R falls short of the mark when it comes to withstanding the wet stuff by comparison, and that slim body may look good but leaves no room for wireless charging.

OnePlus 12R review: Also consider

Even though it's a great device, there are issues with the OnePlus 12R, so you might want to consider one of the following alternatives.

OnePlus 11
Similar specs and the same software update expiration date, but the previous year's OnePlus 11 boasts a superior camera with Hasselblad tuning to boot.

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
The last of Samsung's Galaxy S23 series is smaller than the 12R and doesn't pack the same degree of grunt, but it offers affordable access to a premium Samsung experience and is one of the few phones that comes to market around the same asking price as the 12R.

How I tested the OnePlus 12R

OnePlus 12R review camera closeup alt — (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Review test period: three weeks
Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used: Geekbench 6, Geekbench ML, GFXBench, native Android stats, OnePlus 100W SuperVOOC charger

Having received both the OnePlus 12 and 12R a week ahead of the OnePlus 12 series' launch, I got straight to using the 12R (check out our OnePlus 12 review if you're curious about the company's new flagship), adding my own Google account and OnePlus account before using the device as my main phone for the duration of the review period.

Usage included streaming video, snapping stills and video with the phone's various cameras, and toying with the ProXDR display's abilities with both compatible content and gaming.

Publicly available, industry standard benchmarking apps were used to meter the CPU, GPU, and AI performance of the OnePlus 12R, and while we don't always publish the results, we keep them on file for comment and comparison with other devices we've tested. Battery life was tested by recording screen-on time each day across a single charge from 100% to 0%, based on normal everyday use, while the in-box charger was used to recharge the phone, with the charge checked at intervals to assess the rate of replenishment.

The cameras were used in a myriad of conditions to test their versatility, with comparisons between sensors and the cameras of other phones as part of the testing process.

Having extensively reviewed numerous smartphones, including a myriad of OnePlus phones during my 12 years of journalistic experience, I felt confident in putting the OnePlus 12R through its paces and evaluating its abilities in a fair and informed manner, based on the market, its target audience, pricing, and the competition.

OnePlus Open: Two-minute review

OnePlus Open folded shut on a pedestal with sunrise behind — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

The OnePlus Open is the first tablet foldable phone that feels right. All the ‘Folds’ that came before, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Pixel Fold most recently, feel wrong. They’re shaped funny when closed: the Galaxy is too narrow; the Pixel too squat. The OnePlus Open gets the shape right, and it's the most important improvement OnePlus could have made to the form factor. If you’re paying twice as much for a phone, you shouldn’t feel like it’s the wrong size half the time.

Open the OnePlus Open and you’re greeted with a display that is the biggest, brightest, and most satisfying of all the big foldable phones'. You need to look hard to see the crease, and it’s not even noticeable when you touch it.

Best of all, this phone is easy and inviting to open. The Galaxy can be very stiff at first, and the Pixel Fold never wants to open flat – it requires an awkward second push, and I always felt like I would break my Pixel Fold. The OnePlus Open snaps to attention when I open the hinge.

Compared to other foldable tablets, the OnePlus Open is just better. It's a better size when it's closed. It’s easier to open. In every way, the Open is a better experience, but OnePlus didn’t stop at the folding hinge. It also added something that no other foldable phone maker has dared: really good cameras.

On every other foldable phone, the size limitations of the fold-in-half design has resulted in cameras that range from inferior to downright awful. The OnePlus Open has the best cameras of the bunch, and comes close to being as good as the best flat camera phones, closer than any foldable I've used so far.

OnePlus Open camera bump up close — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Of course, this requires a gigantic camera hump around back, and it is a mighty bubble, twice as thick as the biggest camera bump you’ve seen. It’s a worthwhile trade off, though, even if it did make the phone feel awkward in my pocket on occasion.

Foldable phones can be so versatile when it comes to camera angles, and it’s a shame that the best foldable phones so far haven’t had cameras to match the capabilities. The OnePlus Open mostly fixes that.

The OnePlus Open is the thinnest foldable phone I’ve seen when it’s closed, and it’s just as thin as the Pixel Fold when open. The OnePlus Open somehow manages to offer larger displays and more battery while remaining lighter than all the rest.

In fact, it’s much lighter than the Pixel, and that makes a huge difference when you're carrying it around. The OnePlus Open is about the same weight as last year’s iPhone 14 Pro Max. Fitting two displays, a larger battery, and the premium camera bump into a package that's the same weight as last year's best iPhone is an impressive achievement. Titanium makes this year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max lighter, but only slightly.

Using the OnePlus Open is a joy, thanks to OnePlus’s simple and elegant software design. This phone isn’t as feature-packed as a Galaxy Z Fold 5, and we’re the better for it. OnePlus has made it easy to create a useful home screen, navigate settings and tools, and open multiple windows simultaneously, without needing lengthy tutorials and pop-up reminders to help you discover hidden features.

OnePlus Open with Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 4 — Pixel Fold (left); OnePlus Open (center); Galaxy Z Fold (right) (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

It isn’t all good news. OnePlus doesn’t prioritize water resistance and durability on its phones, and that gives me serious pause in recommending them. The OnePlus Open is only IPX4 rated, which means that dust and lint could be a problem in the future, and the Open can only handle splashes of water; you can’t let it take a real dip in the pool. It can survive 10 straight minutes in light rain, so the news isn’t dire, but I wish OnePlus would offer nothing less than IP67 resistance against all dust and the occasional dunking.

The OnePlus Open comes with a simple bumper-frame case in the box. Our OnePlus reps told me to put the case on the phone, and that isn’t a request that I usually get from most phone makers during a review. I used it occasionally because it was light and unobtrusive, but the phone is much prettier without the case. I mostly took the risk without the bumper, but it's always better to be safe than sorry.

I’m not going back to my flat phone ... after this review is over. I won't stop using this Open

The OnePlus Open costs $1,699 / £1,599, and in the US OnePlus has a trade-in deal that will effectively drop the price by at least $200 for everyone, no matter what phone you trade. This deal will be available throughout the phone's lifespan, according to OnePlus, and that makes the OnePlus Open the most affordable big foldable phone to hit the US market, at least.

It’s still admittedly expensive. OnePlus isn’t selling the OnePlus Open through wireless carriers, which means you won’t be able to sign your life away for a sweet deal on a multi-year contract to get this phone for free.

The phone is certified for all the major carrier networks, it just won't be sold at those stores. You can buy it from OnePlus directly or from a major online retailer in your area, like Amazon and BestBuy in the US.

The OnePlus Open is also the first big foldable that’s really worth it. If you were set on a foldable before, I could recommend the best, but I never wanted to use one myself because of all the compromises. The Open doesn’t just fix the mistakes of every big foldable phone that came before, it also breaks new ground with a larger display and much better cameras. I’m not going back to my flat phone, a Galaxy S23 Ultra, after this review is over. I won't stop using this Open.

OnePlus Open review: Price and availability

OnePlus Open half open reflecting sunrise — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

$1,699 / £1,599 at launch for 512GB / 16GB model
At least $200 trade-in offer for any phone in any condition in US
Available from OnePlus, BestBuy and Amazon, but no carriers are selling it

While waiting for OnePlus to tell us the price of this phone, I played a game with fellow tech journalists to guess what it would cost. I guessed $1,499, while my colleagues guessed far too low.

OnePlus is known for shocking the market with bargain pricing on almost-flagship-quality devices, and everybody wants a big foldable phone that costs under $1,000 / £1,000, but these phones still haven’t achieved the volume that will make their fancy folding components affordable. I'm amazed that OnePlus can offer a phone with these features at such a low price, including the trade-in offer.

The price is $1,699 / £1,599 – OnePlus has yet to tell us if or when the Open will be released in Australia – but my guess was still right on the money, because OnePlus says it will offer a deal for the full life of this phone that gives you at least $200 off if you trade in any phone.

That’s any phone in any condition, and I take OnePlus at its word, because it really just wants to hand you a coupon, but offering a discount for a trade feels more high-end. You can get up to $1,000 off with a top trade, although nobody will be trading an iPhone 14 Pro Max for this phone, even if it is the same weight.

In the UK, customers who pre-order the OnePlus One will get a free pair of OnePlus Buds Pro 2, and when it goes on sale buyers will receive discounts on various other OnePlus devices.

OnePlus Open with OnePlus 11, OnePlus Pad, and OnePlus Buds Pro 2 all in matching green — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

It’s still expensive. You can get two or more OnePlus 11 phones for the same price. Is it worth twice what a normal phone costs? The external display on the OnePlus Open is larger than an iPhone 15's, and the internal display is nearly as big as an iPad mini. It truly delivers on giving you a two-in-one experience, and if you bought both of those Apple devices separately, with the same amount of storage on board, you’d be paying more than you’ll pay for a OnePlus Open.

There's only one storage option for the OnePlus Open: 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM, making it the top-spec foldable for memory and the best buy for storage. It comes in Emerald Dusk green and Voyager Black, and oddly the two colors result in phones with different weights, because the Voyager Black uses vegan leather on the back (nicely textured plastic) instead of heavier glass.

I like that black finish quite a bit, but I’ve built a collection of green OnePlus products this year, with my OnePlus Pad and OnePlus Buds Pro 2, so I'm glad that my review model is matchy-matchy. In fact, it’s nice to see OnePlus offer consistent colors for fans to collect, especially in this great green hue; even Samsung, with its product synergy, hasn't offered one unique color across all device categories.

Value score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Open review: Specs

Here are the specs for the OnePlus Open, including the internal and external displays, and all of the cameras:

OnePlus Open review: Design

OnePlus Open camera bump closeup showing lenses — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Thinnest and lightest foldable you can buy (in most markets)
Larger displays compared to Samsung and Google
Crease is nearly invisible and barely tactile

What is the ideal size for a tablet foldable? It would be exactly the same size as a normal smartphone when it’s closed, and the same size as a mini tablet when it’s open – and of all the foldable phones I’ve seen, the OnePlus Open comes closest to achieving this ideal.

Most importantly, the aspect ratio of the cover display is almost identical to those of the best phones on the market. An iPhone has a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The OnePlus Open has a 20:9 aspect ratio. It doesn’t look too thin, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, and every other 'Galaxy Fold' Samsung has made, and it doesn’t look too squat and wide like the Pixel Fold. No one would know you were holding a foldable phone if they didn’t see it from the side.

The OnePlus Open is admittedly thick when closed, and I tried to recall the last time I’ve owned a flat phone that was this thick. The iPhone 3GS from 2009 was just as thick as the OnePlus Open, at about 12mm when closed. The iPhone 4 shrank considerably, and that phone sparked the revolution of thin phones with metal frames and glass on the front and back.

OnePlus Open with OnePlus 11 on top focusing on camera bumps — The camera bump on the OnePlus 11 (top) compared to the mound on the OnePlus Open (bottom) (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Will foldable phones get thinner than this? The Honor Magic Vs2 is already 1mm thinner than the OnePlus Open, so yes, of course they will. The thickness of the OnePlus Open, especially at its big camera bump, is the foldable’s biggest shortcoming against the best flat phones. But, if you're going to make good use the big internal screen (and you definitely will), the thickness is a fair trade.

That bump, though. If you think you’ve seen a big camera bump before, get ready. The camera circle on the OnePlus 11 is prominent, though not unattractive. The camera mound on the OnePlus Open is more of a hillock, with no sweeping, k-shaped metal to round out the design. It floats near the top of the back like a giant, glaring eye.

Also, I could definitely feel it in my pocket, and I preferred to wear the phone lens-side out from my butt. It’s not a huge problem; it’s just a huge camera bump. To get premium cameras on a foldable phone, especially compared to the sub-par cameras we’ve seen on past foldables that cost a lot more than the Open, I’ll accept the bump.

When you open the Open you see a fantastic internal display. There is a crease, but it's barely visible – I often had to tilt the phone for the light to catch the crease properly to show it to onlookers. If you run your finger back and forth over the crease slowly, you can’t feel it, but if you flick quickly you can perceive the slight dip.

OnePlus Open open with close up on crease in display — If you can't see the crease, is it really there? (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

The hinge on the OnePlus Open is satisfying and eager. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a bit stiff and takes some effort to open, while the Pixel Fold is a total disaster: the hinge opens most of the way, but you need to give an extra push to force the phone flat. It’s very off-putting.

The OnePlus Open, on the other hand, feels like it wants to be open just as much as it wants to be closed. There's no barrier keeping you from using the phone however you’d like, unlike those other large foldable phones.

The fingerprint scanner on the OnePlus Open is on the power button, and OnePlus uses great fingerprint tech, so it worked well every time I used it. The phone also has a good face unlock, and that’s usually how I unlocked the phone.

There's also a three-stop mute switch on the OnePlus Open, a standard on almost all OnePlus flagship phones (and a now-abandoned feature on the iPhone Pro models). You can go from full mute to vibrate to sound-on with a quick flick. If you’re someone who finds themselves in theaters and meetings often, a mute switch is a great feature to have.

The two color options are both worth considering. The black ‘vegan’ leather (aka plastic) is actually very nicely textured and looks classy. My review unit in green fits in splendidly with all the other green OnePlus gear I’ve been happily collecting this year. The company has had a banner year, and every flagship product it’s launched is worth a look.

Design score: 5 / 5

OnePlus Open review: Display

OnePlus Open with Genshin Impact game opening screen on inner display — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

6.3-inch cover display is larger than the iPhone 15's
7.82-inch inner display is a half-inch smaller than an iPad mini
Both screens are super-bright, with variable refresh to 120Hz

The two displays on the OnePlus Open are a marvel to behold, and both of them are just as good as the flagship phone or tablet they’ll replace in your collection. The cover display is 6.3 inches, with LTPO 3.0 technology that can slow down to 10Hz for a low-power, always-on mode. The inner display is a huge 7.82-inch screen that has almost the same screen area as an iPad Mini (2021). It can slow down to 1Hz, and both screens can refresh up to 120Hz.

Just as it did with the OnePlus Pad, the company continues to find the best displays for its devices, with superior brightness levels that trounce the competition. The Pixel Fold can reach peak brightness levels of 1,450 nits, for when the sun is shining directly on it. The OnePlus Open, on the other hand, can easily hit the same brightness in normal use, and peaks at a brilliant 2,800 nits. Even Google’s impressively bright new Pixel 8 Pro can only peak at 2,400 nits.

In terms of screen area, you really are getting more with the OnePlus Open than you would with the Pixel Fold or Galaxy Z Fold 5. The competitor phones may advertise a 7.6-inch screen, which doesn’t sound like it’s much smaller, but that’s a diagonal measurement, and the diagonal doesn’t tell us anything useful about screen size.

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OnePlus Open standing up next to an iPhone 15 Pro Max — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Here is the OnePlus Open, folded shut, next to an iPhone 15 Pro Max.

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Here is the OnePlus Open with the inner display unfolded next to an iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 5 actually give you around 28.4 square inches of screen real estate inside. The OnePlus Open gives you 30.4 square inches. That’s two square inches more, not just 0.22-inches measuring the diagonal. Does it feel like a lot? Not really; those other phones already felt big. Combined with the much better external display, though, the extra space on the OnePlus Open's inner screen feels like a nice bonus.

The external display on the OnePlus Open is the biggest difference, even though the diagonal measurement tells a misleading story. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a 6.2-inch external display, but it’s very tall and narrow, and it’s not much fun to use. The OnePlus Open has a 6.31-inch external display, so is it really much bigger? Oh yeah, it’s much bigger.

The iPhone 15 display gives you around 14.15 inches of screen space in square inches. The OnePlus Open’s external display is even bigger, giving you 14.9 square inches. The Galaxy Z Fold 5? That's almost two square inches smaller than the OnePlus, and more than an inch less space than the iPhone 15. Samsung’s most expensive phone doesn’t even give you as much external screen space as Apple’s base model iPhone, unless you unfold the Galaxy.

Display score: 5 / 5

OnePlus Open review: Software

OnePlus Open home screen arrangement screen with wallpapers icons and widgets options — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Elegant interface doesn’t get in the way
Not feature-packed like Samsung, for better and for worse
Nice synergy with OnePlus Pad

The OnePlus Oxygen OS interface on the OnePlus Open is clean and elegant, closer to Google’s Pixel version of Android than Samsung’s One UI interface. If that doesn’t mean much to you, just know that it’s easy to set up and use the Open, and there are no unexpected glitches or unforced errors.

For instance, you can start an app with the phone closed and then open the phone, and it's no problem for the OnePlus Open. On the Pixel Fold, this often causes problems, but on the Open it just works; in fact, apps look great on both the smaller and larger displays, unlike the Pixel, which has trouble displaying apps properly.

On the other hand, Samsung fans hold a shotgun of features ready to blast at any competitor, and a few of these can be undeniably useful. You can’t turn the OnePlus Open into a desktop computer like you can with Samsung’s DeX software. You won’t have a second virtual assistant like Bixby ready to manage all of your phone settings. You can’t use a precise pen on the Open’s display. I could go on and on.

OnePlus Open wallpaper settings screens with Live and Static wallpaper options — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

That said, there’s nothing missing here. Everything you’d expect to find on a good tablet foldable is here. You can run apps side-by-side easily by swiping at the edges of the screen. You can have apps in smaller pop-up windows on top of larger apps.

It’s very unfussy and easy to manage. The OnePlus Open isn’t quite as feature-packed as the Galaxy Z Fold 5, but you also don’t get endless layers of menus and options accompanying each feature.

OnePlus also deserves credit for building out its own product ecosystem, and since the OnePlus Pad is actually an excellent tablet, I should mention that it has special features that work with other OnePlus phones like the OnePlus Open. The devices will automatically connect and start sharing things like photos or anything you copy or cut into the clipboard. Copy an image on one device and it immediately appears on the other. Samsung and Apple have similar features, more advanced even, and it’s always nice to see a mobile maker reward its fans.

Software score: 4 / 5

Google Pixel 8 Pro review: Cameras

OnePlus Open camera lenses showing texture — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Excellent cameras beat all other foldable phones
Not quite as good as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but close
Image quality is good, but the camera software needs help

It’s hard to stick a good camera into a foldable phone. A foldable phone has less depth to accommodate the camera, and cameras need depth in their design in order to take great photos. OnePlus is using a new type of stacked sensor from Sony, and on paper it looks set to match or beat the OnePlus 11, which is a very good camera phone for taking cool and artsy photos.

Have I mentioned that the camera bump is big? I have? I'll move on, then. There are a lot of shooting modes on the OnePlus Open, maybe too many. I’m not sure that most folks will understand all the different options offered by Long Exposure, Slo-Mo, and Time-Lapse, let alone the more enigmatic XPAN and Movie modes, which are separate from basic Video.

OnePlus Open with camera app open pointed at bridge during sunrise — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

There’s also an Action mode that's separated from the other camera modes, and I’m not sure what it does, because I don’t see enough action to use it. Sometimes, a small circular button like a waning crescent moon would pop up on screen, and I could activate or deactivate some feature by tapping it, but I was never sure what effect it actually had.

A dive into the settings doesn’t help much. There aren’t tutorials for all of the features, and you don’t get all the settings you might expect. I couldn’t manually adjust the resolution of my photos, for instance, aside from choosing to use a 10-bit color mode that stores photos in a different format to save space. Does that count? I’m not really sure.

OnePlus Open camera image samples taken in New York CIty — A long exposure sample from the OnePlus Open camera (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

I also wish the OnePlus Open did a lot more to take advantage of its foldable design, photography-wise. You can swap the viewfinder to the smaller display while the phone is unfolded, and this way you can see yourself on the display while you take a selfie with the higher-quality main camera, instead of the 20MP selfie camera.

On a clamshell foldable like the Motorola Razr Ultra, you’ll find a lot more tricks to make this experience fun when you use the camera with crowds. You’ll find funny faces on the external display that make kids smile, or cool angles you can set up with the camera. That isn’t the case on the OnePlus Open. You get a much better camera than on other foldables, but it doesn’t benefit from being a foldable camera phone as much as I’d like.

OnePlus Open camera samples

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In this sample, the iPhone 15 Pro Max gave me disappointing color results compared to the OnePlus Open. The flag is supposed to be red, white, and blue, not orange.

Here is the 5X zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the enhanced 6X digital zoom on the OnePlus Open. The iPhone gives you more details, but also more noise. The OnePlus effect is pleasant, but it can cause problems, as you'll see.

Here's an extreme close-up at the edge of zoom range for the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the OnePlus Open. As you can see, both photos are terrible in their own way. The iPhone looks like a grainy photo, though, while the OnePlus made a pretty painting.

Camera score: 4 / 5

Google Pixel 8 Pro review: Performance

OnePlus Open with Marvel Snap game welcome screen on inner display — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Speedy performance matches the best Androids
Still can’t beat the iPhone 15
Phone ran smoothly but games stuttered

The OnePlus Open uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, making it the last major phone this year to launch with Qualcomm’s best Snapdragon. There’s equilibrium to that, as the OnePlus 11 was the first phone to launch with this chipset, even before the Galaxy S23 series earlier this year. OnePlus has bookended its year with the same Snapdragon.

Of course, that means its performance won’t reign as champ for long, and Qualcomm has its Snapdragon summit coming up, at which a new chip is expected. The OnePlus Open is certainly fast, but it isn’t the fastest phone around, and faster phones are coming.

Running the interface was nice and smooth, even on the transitions between the internal and external display. Whether I was switching screens while using an app to get a better view, or changing viewfinders on the camera so I could take a better selfie, there was never a hitch swapping views on the OnePlus Open.

OnePlus Open closed on a pedestal during sunrise — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

When I tried playing the most graphically intensive titles, the phone did stumble a bit compared to the best-performing Android phones on the market, like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. I never lost because of bad performance, but I saw some jumps and starts, especially on load screens. I have no complaints, but it’s fair to expect more.

The iPhone 15 gives you more performance, because Apple’s chips are much more powerful than the current Snapdragon generation. That means even the iPad mini, with its older A15 Bionic chip, is as fast as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. If you’re thinking of buying the OnePlus Open to replace an iPhone plus an iPad mini, you’re getting better performance from Apple’s devices.

Performance impact aside, I still reached for the OnePlus Open to play games over any other phone I had on hand. Playing on the big internal display is delightful, and adds a new level of immersion to mobile games. The most graphically intensive games, like Genshin Impact, could run without much trouble on the OnePlus Open, and having the much larger display made it easier to control my character and read the tiny text on screen.

Performance score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Open review: Battery life

OnePlus Open in protective bumper — This protective bumper comes with the OnePlus Open in the box (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Battery life is better than most foldables, still not the best
Fast charging speeds are great if you need them
This is the only compromise left

The OnePlus Open could last through a full day if I was judicious with my usage. If I opened the big screen and played a lot of battery-hogging mobile games, then of course I drained the battery faster. OnePlus has some innovative ways to add more power, but there’s only so much it can do without making the device much larger.

Normally, a flagship smartphone this size would come with a battery around 5,000mAh, but the OnePlus Open uses two cells that add up to 4,805mAh, so a bit smaller. Having two batteries doesn’t just help with the foldable design; it also allows the phone to use OnePlus’s faster SUPERVOOC charging, with speeds up to 67 watts.

OnePlus Open with Techradar.com on the web browser — (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

The iPhone 15 Pro can only charge at under 30W, and more power definitely means faster charge times. You can easily charge the OnePlus Open to full in around 30 minutes.

Sadly, there are no wireless charging features on the OnePlus Open. For some buyers this isn’t a big deal, but for other folks this is a total dealbreaker. I get it – you’ve grown accustomed to your wireless lifestyle. You charge your phone in your car and on the many expensive charging pads you’ve purchased. Sorry, we told OnePlus this was important, but they wanted to save space (and probably some money, too).

Battery score: 3 / 5

Should you buy the OnePlus Open?

Buy it if...

You want a phone and a tablet in one
That’s it – that’s the pitch, and no other tablet foldable has truly delivered on the phone part of that bargain as well as the OnePlus Open.

You were considering a foldable, but the cameras…
Whenever we review a foldable phone we lament the terrible cameras. Not this time. If bad cameras were holding you back, cut loose and buy the OnePlus Open.

You really like the color green
There are better reasons to buy the OnePlus Open, but I have to give OnePlus credit for a matching lineup of products this year that all work nicely together. Showing unified thinking across categories gives me more confidence recommending the brand.

Don't buy it if...

You don’t really want a phone and a tablet
If you just want the absolute-best phone, you can find faster, better cameras, better battery, and more features. You just can’t find a better two-in-one.

Cameras are the most important things
The OnePlus Open has better cameras than any foldable we’ve seen before, but you can find more versatile cameras on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, and a much easier camera experience on the iPhone 15.

All your stuff is Apple or Samsung:
While the OnePlus Open works well with a OnePlus Pad, both Samsung and Apple have better cross-device features for sharing and more – you can even move a mouse pointer straight from your Galaxy tablet to your Galaxy phone screen.

OnePlus Open review: Also consider

If you’re not convinced that the OnePlus Open is the right tablet foldable for you, or you want to check out a phone that does a little more, here are some options:

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 gives you so many more features it’s impossible to count. Most importantly, it’s water-resistant and dust-proof. It can run like a desktop computer. It uses the S Pen. The list is endless.

Google Pixel Fold
While the Pixel Fold doesn’t have the best performance or design, it has what no other foldable has: Google power. The Fold is the best device for taking advantage of the Tensor G2 chip’s exclusive machine learning features, including the new dual-screen translator that Google rolled out recently.

How I tested the OnePlus Open

OnePlus invited me to a day-long summit to learn about the OnePlus Open, and I left with a review unit. We had an opportunity to take photos around New York City, but in the weeks since I received the device OnePlus has updated the software multiple times, especially the image processing.

Photos have definitely improved since I received my review phone, but OnePlus told me to expect another software update before this review was published which didn't materialize. It’s therefore possible that image quality may change and improve, in which case I will revisit this review (and remove this paragraph).

I used the OnePlus Open as my primary work phone during my review period, so I used it for all of my work communications, scheduling, and calls, especially video calls on the go. I listened to music and played games with the phone as well.

I tested the camera using mostly the primary photo and video modes, with some venturing into the other camera modes. I used the camera during the day and at night, at home and while traveling, and for sharing as well as scanning documents.

I used benchmarking software to compare the OnePlus Open to other phones I've tested, but I report my experience in real-world usage terms and not benchmark results. For battery testing, I drained the phone as much as possible and recorded my battery percentage at the end of the day, as well as my screen time and other usage notes.

I tested the OnePlus Open with a variety of accessories, as well as with the Android Auto system on my Honda. I used it with many of this year’s OnePlus devices, including the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 and the OnePlus Pad, as well as Google Pixel Buds Pro, an Xbox game controller, and other audio accessories. Read more about how we test

First reviewed October 2023

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