OnePlus 15 vs. OnePlus 12: Is it already time to upgrade?

OnePlus' latest flagship, the OnePlus 15, is now available in China, with global availability to follow. The smartphone represents a significant shift for OnePlus, partly driven by necessity.

Its camera deal with Hasselblad expired, so the brand pivoted, swapping out the camera sensors and switching to its own processing engine. Elsewhere, the OnePlus 15 features a new boxy design with a square camera bump and a new display with a lower resolution. It's all part of a new positioning for the OnePlus 15 as a gaming and performance-first handset, even if it required a few downgrades to achieve that.

That will make comparisons between the OnePlus 15 and older models like the OnePlus 12 tricky. Yes, the new model is expectedly to have the edge in overall performance and battery life. In other areas, the situation is different. The OnePlus 12 outperforms the OnePlus 15 in display quality and camera hardware, to start. So, which one should you buy? Let's compare the models to help you determine which one is best for you.

OnePlus 15 vs. OnePlus 12: Design and display

The OnePlus 15's design will be inherently controversial. You could identify previous OnePlus phones from afar by their circular rear camera arrangement, curved body, and two-toned finishes. None of these characteristics is present on the OnePlus 15. The smartphone features a boxy, rectangular design with flat sides. There's also a squircle rear camera arrangement and pretty bland finish options.

In fact, it appears to be inspired by last year's OnePlus 13s, which we described as "the compact iPhone clone you never wanted." The same may be true of the OnePlus 15, except for the bigger form factor. Many longtime OnePlus fans will be disappointed by the OnePlus 15's new design, which lacks uniqueness. Rounding out the design is a chassis that measures 161.42 x 76.67mm with a thickness of 8.2mm and weighs between 211 and 215 grams.

The older OnePlus 12 is larger and thicker, measuring 9.1mm in thickness and weighing 220 grams, but it retains the fan-favorite OnePlus design language. You get an off-center circular camera bump and a curvy chassis. There are also more striking finish options available, such as Flowy Emerald and Silky Black.

The OnePlus 15's screen is slightly smaller than the OnePlus 12's display, but the difference will be negligible. The newer model's panel measures 6.78 inches, which is only 0.04 inches smaller than the 6.78-inch panel on the older model. The bigger difference will be in display resolution and refresh rate.

OnePlus aimed to offer a 165Hz refresh rate option on the OnePlus 15 for mobile gaming, which necessitated a reduction in the display's resolution. It has a 2,772 x 2,772 (1.5K) resolution, a downgrade compared to the OnePlus 12's 3,168 x 1,440 resolution display. However, the OnePlus 12 only has a 120Hz refresh rate.

OnePlus explained that 165Hz refresh rates aren't possible on a QHD+ display, and it had to choose between one or the other. It went with refresh rates, whereas the OnePlus 12 prioritizes display clarity.

The OnePlus 15 is superior in durability, with an IP69 rating that not only protects against liquid submersion but also high-pressure water jets. In other words, it can withstand a dishwasher or washing machine (though we don't recommend doing so). Meanwhile, the OnePlus 12 is severely lacking in the durability department, as it only supports IP65, which does not cover submersion of any kind.

OnePlus 15 vs. OnePlus 12: Hardware and specs

From a hardware and performance standpoint, any phone will have trouble besting the OnePlus 15. It's powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, putting it a step above the already-great chip inside the OnePlus 13. While the OnePlus 12 is no slouch, its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor doesn't have the same AI and general performance improvements as newer Elite chips. Both handsets ship with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM.

Additionally, OnePlus is introducing a new "Gaming Core" technology that will enhance the OnePlus 15's capabilities for high-level mobile gaming. "The OP Gaming Core will deliver industry-leading per-frame power consumption control while maintaining a consistently stable 120 FPS experience in popular games with minimal frame rate fluctuations," OnePlus says. It's also 80% more efficient at per-frame rendering thanks to processor-level optimization.

Several of the OnePlus 15's changes are related to this new gaming focus, and the phone's gaming performance complements its 165Hz display support.

In terms of battery life, the OnePlus 12 still holds up nicely against modern smartphones. It has a 5,400mAh battery capacity, which is low by OnePlus' standards in 2025, although it'll still serve most users just fine. There's also 50W wireless charging support and 100W (80W internationally) fast wired charging support.

The OnePlus 15 elevates battery life to the next level with a 7,300mAh silicon-carbon battery, split into two cells. It's a massive 21% capacity increase over the OnePlus 13, and even larger compared to the OnePlus 12. This change is also related to gaming, as the company touts that you can play high-level games for up to 6.6 hours on a single charge at 165 FPS.

With the OnePlus 15, the dream of true multi-day phone battery life may have arrived.

OnePlus 15 vs. OnePlus 12: Cameras

Aside from the camera bump design and dropping the Hasselblad branding, OnePlus also switched out the camera sensors on the OnePlus 15. There is a trio of 50MP sensors that are technically downgrades compared to the OnePlus 13, with even the OnePlus 12 having a better primary camera sensor (on paper). It's worth noting that hardware downgrades don't always result in poorer photo quality, and both Apple and Google made similar moves in 2025.

Android Central has already taken 100 photos with the OnePlus 15, and the results are impressive. The in-house OnePlus DetailMax Engine, which replaces Hasselblad processing, is actually better at capturing true-to-life photos, according to our testing. OnePlus' CEO said the OnePlus 15's cameras "capture and interpret vastly more data, delivering images with unmatched depth and realism."

By comparison, the OnePlus 12 has a 50MP primary camera sensor, a 64MP telephoto lens, and a 48MP ultrawide camera. On the front, both phones have a 32MP selfie camera.

OnePlus 15 vs. OnePlus 12: Should you upgrade?

If you're a OnePlus 12 user who isn't a hardcore gamer, sticking with your current phone will likely be the best option. It's true that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 platform doesn't have the same improvements as the newer Elite chips. The OnePlus 12 was ahead of its time regardless. Specs like Wi-Fi 7 and a 5,400mAh battery capacity still beat some flagships, namely the Google Pixel 10, in 2025.

The OnePlus 12 is also somewhat outdated in other areas, such as its limited support for IP65 water resistance. If you can look past that, though, there's a lot to like even two years later.

For everyone else, there's the OnePlus 15. It doesn't have the raw specs of older OnePlus phones, and clearly takes inspiration from the boxy designs of Samsung, Apple, and Google phones. However, let's remember that phones like the OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 13 had a tendency to overemphasize specs. In many ways, the OnePlus 15 is a regression to the mean.

The OnePlus 15 remains an excellent phone, thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and a 7,300mAh battery capacity, which allows it to do almost anything.