Samsung Galaxy S24 vs OnePlus 12: Which should you buy?

The OnePlus 12 is finally here. After waiting a few months, the global audience can access the company’s latest flagship. However, it’s not the only big-name handset to debut this month. Samsung launched the Galaxy S24 series, hoping to entice users with its fancy AI cheer. How do these high-end phones size up against each other? Find out in this Galaxy S24 vs OnePlus 12 comparison.

The Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus take the signature S-series design and make subtle changes to it. The mid-frame is now flat, and the edges end sharper than before. But beyond that, these phones look largely like their predecessor. The phones do have a flat display, as they have in years prior.

The OnePlus 12 is in a similar position, where it closely resembles the OnePlus 11, but with a larger rear camera module and other smaller changes. The OnePlus 12 keeps its curved display.

The Galaxy S24 measures 147.0 x 70.6 x 7.6mm and weighs 167g, while the Galaxy S24 Plus measures 158.5 x 75.9 x 7.7mm and weighs 197g. On the other hand, the OnePlus 12 measures 164.3 x 75.8 x 9.2mm and weighs 220g, making it larger and heavier than both the Samsung phones. The Galaxy S24 is thus suited for users who prefer smaller phones, while the OnePlus 12 is definitely only for those who like bigger phones.

As for colors, the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus come in Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Violet, and Amber Yellow as standard colors, and the Samsung.com exclusive Jade Green, Sapphire Blue, and Sandstone Orange colors. The OnePlus 12 comes in Black, Green, and Silver colors, though there’s a chance that the Silver color remains exclusive to China.

Starting with the display, the Galaxy S24 has the smallest and lowest resolution display in this comparison at Full HD+, though its smaller size lets it coast by with the lower resolution. The Galaxy S24 Plus and the OnePlus 12 are closer in specifications. All three phones come with a 120Hz variable refresh rate, so you get an excellent display no matter which phone you choose.

On the inside, you get the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy on the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus in the US. This is a slightly different Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 than what you see on the OnePlus 12, with Samsung phones getting higher clock speeds on the prime core but lower clock speeds on the other three core clusters. In regions outside of the USA, Samsung is equipping the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus with the Exynos 2400, which offers a bit less overall than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

The OnePlus 12 has a leg up when it comes to memory. The phone can be had with a maximum of 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. The Galaxy S24 Plus doesn’t lag too far behind, with a top offering of 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. The standard Galaxy S24 settles for a maximum of 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

Where the OnePlus 12 has an uncontested win is in the battery life and charging department. The OnePlus 12 has a substantially larger 5,400mAh battery compared to the Galaxy S24 Plus’s 4,900mAh battery and the Galaxy S24’s even smaller 4,000mAh battery. While all phones last through the day, and the Galaxy S24 Plus would last a quarter of a day more than the Galaxy S24, you’d get a few more hours out of the OnePlus 12 in a charging cycle.

Similarly, Samsung has stuck to slow 25W charging on the Galaxy S24 and 45W on the Galaxy S24 Plus. On the other hand, the OnePlus 12 comes with 80W wired fast charging in global markets, and 100W charging in China. There is also a compatible fast charger present in the box.

The lead extends for wireless charging too, as the OnePlus 12 has 50W wireless charging through its proprietary wireless charger, while the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus can achieve 15W wireless charging through Samsung’s proprietary solution. The OnePlus 12 even bumps up reverse wireless charging to 10W compared to 5W on the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus.

Another significant point of difference between the two phones is the camera setup. While all three phones have a 50MP sensor, the OnePlus 12 has a wider aperture that can perform better in low light, at least on paper. The gap widens with the ultrawide camera, which is a 48MP shooter on the OnePlus 12 that can capture in more details than the Galaxy S24’s 12MP sensor.

The OnePlus 12 also has a 64MP periscope zoom lens that does 3x optical zoom, whereas the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus have a 10MP telephoto zoom. The higher MP periscope zoom lens allows for in-sensor zooming beyond the optical zoom range by cropping into a full 64MP shot, so the OnePlus 12 has the lead here again. OnePlus also equips the OnePlus 12 with a 32MP front camera, compared to the 12MP on the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus.

If you care about 5G in the US, and more specifically, on Verizon, then the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus’s mmWave support on Verizon models will keep you happy. The OnePlus 12 misses out on mmWave 5G, but you can still use sub-6GHz 5G in the US. OnePlus regains some of its lead with future-proof Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 support.

Another big point of difference is their IP rating. Samsung leads the way with an impressive IP68 rating on the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus, while the OnePlus 12 has an IP65 rating, which doesn’t protect against strong jets of water or sustained immersion in it.

The Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus run on One UI 6.1 based on Android 14, while the OnePlus 12 runs on Oxygen OS 14 based on Android 14.

Samsung has another lead with its software update promise. The Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus are promised seven years of platform and security updates. OnePlus hasn’t made any specific promises for the OnePlus 12 yet, but the OnePlus 11 was promised four years of platform updates and five years of security updates.

Samsung launched the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus on January 17, 2024. They are available to pre-order, with store availability starting January 31. Pre-order offers include a free storage upgrade, a $100 Samsung credit (if purchased through Samsung.com), and 20% off on Samsung Care Plus with Theft and Loss plan.

The OnePlus 12 was launched in China in December 2023 and globally on January 23, 2024. The phone will be offered in two configurations. The 12GB/256GB model starts at $799.99, growing by $100 for the 16GB/512GB model. Pre-orders open on January 23, 2024, with general availability from OnePlus.com, Amazon, and Best Buy starting on February 7. OnePlus offers a trade-in deal, allowing any phone in any condition for an additional $100 off the device.

The Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus, and OnePlus 12 are all flagship phones, but there’s a clear winner when you add up the leads.

The OnePlus 12 makes a lot of sense for users who want a proper flagship that comes with comfortably overkill specifications. It offers faster charging and better battery life, among other things.

Samsung reserved most of its killer specifications for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and it becomes apparent in this comparison. Even though it can easily compete with the Galaxy S24 Plus, the OnePlus 12 is priced on par with the base Galaxy S24. For these reasons, we recommend the OnePlus 12 to users who want the best flagship.

Where the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus lead is with their promise of software updates and better IP ratings. For Verizon users, there is also mmWave 5G support. Samsung’s ecosystem is also better laid out; it offers a lengthy software support period, and the company also has more retail presence in stores and carriers across the country. The company has become synonymous with reliability, and the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus are smartphones you buy if you want something to last a while without any trouble.