.png){kind=logo}
With the 2025 smartphone market becoming heated, OnePlus still remains an important contributor to the premium Android space. The latest offering of the brand are the OnePlus 12 5G and the newly launched OnePlus 13T, both great choices for tech enthusiasts. The OnePlus 12 5G was launched earlier this year, while the OnePlus 13T would freshen things with new internals and a fresh design. This comparison dives into design, display, performance, camera capabilities, battery life, and software to reach a conclusion on which model offers better value.
The OnePlus 12 5G is a slightly curved design that has a huge 6.82 LTPO AMOLED display. The QHD+ resolution is 3168 x 1440, and it's capable of peak brightness of 4500 nits, which means an intense content-viewing experience. Its heft is slightly over 220 grams and comes with IP65 water resistance, making it at par with regular worry-free daily use.
The OnePlus 13T, which is likely to go live on April 24, 2025, is taking a different and more compact role with a flat 6.31-inch OLED screen at about 1.5K for resolution. It also provides 120Hz refresh rate for smooth visuals; however, peak brightness and display protection aren't officially mentioned yet. The lightweight from factor and the new matte finishes make it one ergonomically friendly-in-user-craving-sleek-device.
This is where performance shines; both handsets act differently. The OnePlus 12 5G has Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, an ultra-competent processor providing a good overall performance for gaming, multitasking, and photography. It is offered in 12GB and 16GB RAM variants with storage options up to 1TB, making it the ideal phone for heavy users.
The OnePlus 13T will sport the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip built on a newly refined 3nm process. Energy efficiency has improved and peak performance increases, with it being paired with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The device ships with Android 15 out of the box, thus ensuring that it would contain the latest features and updates.
The real differences are in the camera setups. The OnePlus 12 5G comes with a triple-lens setup that includes a 50 MP main lens with OIS, a 64 MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 48 MP ultrawide lens. The front-facing camera that can take very clear selfies is a 32 MP one that also supports high-quality video calls.
Meanwhile, OnePlus 13T has a much simpler dual-camera setup: a 50 MP main sensor and a 50 MP telephoto lens. There is no ultrawide either, while details of the front-camera are yet to be confirmed. Camera-wise, the 13T will have very good optics, probably not as good as OnePlus 12 in terms of flexibility and professional- grade quality.
Battery capacity is a major strength for both devices. The OnePlus 12 5G houses a 5400 mAh battery with 100W fast wired charging (or 80W in the U.S.) and 50W wireless charging support. This ensures a full day’s use with minimal downtime.
The OnePlus 13T, however, packs a larger 6260 mAh battery, expected to deliver extended battery life. The charging speed has not yet been disclosed, but given OnePlus’s legacy, fast charging can be expected.
While the OnePlus 12 5G is an option for the power user looking for display quality, camera versatility, and premium performance configurations, it is a decent consideration for users who want a premium smartphone experience with all that it entails. On the contrary, the OnePlus 13T, sporting a newer processor and larger battery, is more efficient and pocket-sized. Its overall design favors modern minimalism while still retaining the performance all-around of flagship-grade users.
As far as performance and multimedia are concerned, the OnePlus 12 5G excels; conversely, the OnePlus 13T is a forward-thinking upgrade focused on fast efficiency and battery life. The final decision will depend on which is prioritized: performance and features or the newer hardware in a lighter and more modern form factor.
