OnePlus 12 vs Galaxy S24: Samsung phone more expensive and comes with Exynos, OnePlus 12 better in every way


It is that time of the year when Android phone users who are looking to upgrade to the best possible option tend to get goodies from phone companies. While many other brands will launch their flagship phones in the coming weeks and months, the two big names — OnePlus and Samsung — are already out with their big guns. On the OnePlus side you have the OnePlus 12, launched in India on January 23. On the Samsung side, there is the Galaxy S24 series which the company announced on January 17. So which one is better between the OnePlus 12 and the Galaxy S24 phones? The OnePlus 12, without doubt. This time, it is just so much better and yet so much cheaper than the Samsung options.


But before we go to a direct head-to-head, a disclaimer. We are not, in this piece, comparing the OnePlus 12 with the Galaxy S24 Ultra. That is because the Galaxy 24 Ultra is priced at Rs 129,999. That is double of the starting price of the OnePlus 12. As an aside, even in a fight with the 24 Ultra and OnePlus 12 kind of wins. But let's leave that for some other piece. In this piece, we take a closer look at the OnePlus 12 vs the Galaxy S24 and the Galaxy S24 Plus. Even here, the natural competitor to the OnePlus 12, which starts at Rs 64,999, in India is the Galaxy S24, which starts at Rs 79,999. But just for the sake even if we compare the OnePlus 12 to Galaxy S24 Plus — priced at Rs 99,999 — the OnePlus phone wins.


But why? Because OnePlus 12 is better in almost every way and costs a cool Rs 15,000 less than what Samsung is charging for the Exynos-powered Galaxy S24. And not just Exynos, there is the matter of RAM as well. The Galaxy S24 base variant has 8GB RAM and it is sold for Rs 79,999. The OnePlus 12 kicks things off with a more robust 12GB variant.


Exynos vs Snapdragon


This year Samsung is back to its Exynos ways. In other words, in the US market — for some reason — Samsung is selling Galaxy S24 phones powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. But in India, the company has reserved the Snapdragon only for the much pricier and its top phone that is the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The regular S24 and the S24 Plus get only the Exynos 2400.


So, what's the big deal? The big deal is that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is indeed a better processor. Even Samsung acknowledges it by reserving it for its most premium phone. So when it comes to choosing between a phone like the OnePlus 12, which is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and the Galaxy S24 that uses Exynos 2400, we are going to lean towards the OnePlus phone.


See, when it comes to performance the OnePlus 12 is simply better here. Not only it has a processor that is faster in benchmarks, runs cooler and has proven power-efficiency performance, it also comes with more RAM — 12GB vs 8GB in the S24. Then there is the matter of heating. While we are yet to put the Exynos 2400 under throttling and heating tests, Exynos do have a reputation for running slightly hot. For example, the Pixel 8 phones — which used rebadged versions of Exynos — run a tad hot. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 — and we have seen this in multiple phones, including in the OnePlus 12 — runs relatively cooler.


OnePlus 12 has a better screen


The relatively lower price may not give this impression but the OnePlus 12 is a truly high-end phone with components that are absolutely top class. And nowhere it is more evident than on the screen of the phone. Compared to the screen on the Galaxy S24, the OnePlus 12 has a better screen in every way. It has a larger 6.8-inch screen compared to the 6.2-inch display on the S24. It is sharper with a resolution of 1440 x 3168 pixels whereas the S24 screen is limited to 1080P with a more modest and average resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. More significantly, the OnePlus 12 also has a more vibrant and brighter display with support for Dolby Vision and HDR 10+ and peak brightness of 4500 nits. The S24, again, is more moderate, with support for only HDR 10 and peak brightness of just 2600 nits.


Better camera system


The story with the camera systems in the OnePlus 12 and the Galaxy S24 is similar to what we saw with the screen. While both phones have three rear cameras — regular, ultra-wide and telephoto, only OnePlus 12 uses the periscope lens to get its 3X optical zoom. Periscope is a superior technology to get the optical zoom, as Samsung also knows. This is the reason why the S24 Ultra has a periscope lens. But not the regular S24.


The OnePlus 12, however, despite its more modest price uses the periscope lens.


In terms of sensors too, the OnePlus 12 has brighter lenses — F1.6 on the main camera — compared to F1.8 camera on the S24. And the OnePlus has higher resolution sensors — 50-megapixel main camera, 64-megapixel telephoto camera and 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The Galaxy S24 camera system has — 50-megapixel main camera, 10-megapixel telephoto camera and 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The OnePlus 12 also sports sensors that are bigger in size, potentially giving it ability to perform better in low light.


Beyond the hardware too — and this is something we found in our OnePlus 12 review — the camera system in the OnePlus 12 performs admirably well. It arguably captures the best colours a phone currently does, no doubt thanks to the OnePlus partnership with camera company Hasselblad. This is not to say that S24 would not be capable of clicking good photos. It certainly would be. But we are seeing that this time OnePlus has really upped its camera game with the OnePlus 12.


Bigger battery, ultra fast charger included


One more compelling reason to lean towards the OnePlus 12 instead of the Galaxy S24 is the battery. The OnePlus 12 packs a hefty 5400 mAh battery, and it's not just about the size – it supports lightning-fast 100W charging. Now, granted, the OnePlus 12 is a bit bulkier at 220 grams but that extra size translates to more power to keep you going.


While reviewing the phone we found that the OnePlus 12 easily lasted a day and then some more. And let's not forget that 100W fast charger it comes with. This charger can juice up the phone in flat 30 minutes.


The Galaxy S24, meanwhile, has a 4000mAh battery. Yes, the phone is a bit smaller, but it also means less juice to play with. Not to mention, you won't find a charger in the box with the Galaxy S24. You take your pick.


OnePlus 12 vs Galaxy S24: A clear winner


Now, there are a few other aspects here. There is the matter of design and looks, which are subjective. But as far as build and quality is concerned, we are certain that both the OnePlus 12 and the S24 are up to the mark. Although, do note that the OnePlus 12 comes with IP65 rating for water and dust protection while the S24 has IP68 rating.


Then there is the software. Aesthetically and functionally, we find the Oxygen OS 14 better than the Samsung OneUI 6.1, which with its garishly coloured app icons and overly rounded edges, continues to look dated. But again, just like design, this too is a subjective part. Both Oxygen OS and OneUI are super smooth and animations too are mature enough to not give users any trouble.


Similarly, there are a few other bits: speakers, network performance and so on and so forth. But do understand these are high-end phones — like top of the top — and they are going to be good enough in these areas. We know for sure that the OnePlus 12 is because we have already reviewed it.


But when you put all of it together and then look at the price of these two phones, a clear winner emerges. In fact, there is no competition at all. The OnePlus 12 is an alpha phone. In the world of Samsung, the right competitor for the OnePlus 12 is Galaxy S24 Ultra and not the plain vanilla S24. And yet, the OnePlus 12 costs Rs 15,000 less than the Galaxy S24. Unless you are brand loyalist, who would stick with a brand whether their product is good or not, when it comes to choosing between the OnePlus 12 and Galaxy S24, there is no reason to choose the Samsung phone.