2024 has already given us two amazing new flagship phones that attempt to shake up the market. Both phones do this in their own unique way. First of all, we have the Samsung S24 Ultra, which is Samsung's latest premium flagship phone that revolutionises what it means to have AI in your phone. We also have the OnePlus 12, one of the most bang-for-buck phones we've seen in the market in recent years. Find out which flagship will suit you better in this OnePlus 12 vs Samsung S24 Ultra comparison.
You should also check out our comparison between the standard S24 vs OnePlus 12. If you're still on the fence, learn if Samsung's AI features are worth it and the S24 Ultra's release date.
OnePlus 12 vs Samsung S24: Specs
First of all, let's go over a general rundown of the specs and price to see what we're dealing with here.
Category | Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
| OnePlus 12 |
|---|---|---|
Size | 162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm (6.39 x 3.11 x 0.34 in) | 164.3 x 75.8 x 9.2mm (6.46 x 2.98 x 0.36) |
Weight | 232 g or 233 g (8.18 oz) | 220 grams (7.76 ounces) |
Screen | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak)
6.8 inches, 113.5 cm2 (~88.5% screen-to-body ratio)
1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~505 ppi density)
Corning Gorilla Armor | 6.82 inches LTPO OLED, 1440 x 3168 pixels
120Hz
HDR10+, Dolby Vision
1,600 nits brightness, 4,500 nits peak brightness
Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
Operating system | One UI 6.1 based on Android 14 | OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14 (expected) |
RAM & Storage | 256GB + 12GB RAM
512GB + 12GB RAM
1TB + 12GB RAM | 12GB + 256GB (UFS 4.0)
16GB + 512GB |
Processor | Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
CPU | 8-core (1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.1GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.2GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) |
GPU | Adreno 750 (1 GHz) | Adreno 750 |
Camera | Triple Rear Cameras
200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
50 MP, f/3.4, 111mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom
10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
| Triple rear cameras:
50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS
64 MP, f/2.6, 70mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF
|
Front Camera | 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, Super Steady video | 32 MP, f/2.4, 21mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
Performance
For more than 90% of users, the difference in performance between these two phones will be completely negligible. The load times are almost identical, with the S24 Ultra being faster by a few milliseconds at best. However, the OnePlus 12 does have a slight advantage in multitasking due to its larger RAM.
Furthermore, while both phones are beasts in terms of heat management, the OnePlus 12 is theoretically more stable for longer gaming sessions and hot weather due to its larger cooling chamber.
These are minor differences that won't matter to most, but they're worth mentioning.
Software
Software surprisingly comes down to a matter of personal preference between the two phones. The Samsung S24 Ultra comes loaded with more features in terms of software. The new AI features, such as image selection and search, alongside the Samsung Dex compatibility, live translation, and AI-powered photo editing, are all cutting edge. Those of you looking to make full use of the S-pen and the Samsung ecosystem will find it to be the better choice.
On the other hand, OnePlus has always been known for its blazing-fast UI, and they've done it again. The OnePlus 12 offers what might be the smoothest Android experience on the market right now. It's minimalist, focused, lacks clutter and has a handy bunch of shortcuts and quick launch options that'll make your experience smooth and effortless.
Go with personal preference on this one depending on what you want.
Camera
For photos, both phones will give you excellent results. As far as personal preferences go, the S24 Ultra gives that signature Samsung touch to your photos with higher saturation that makes them social media-ready. The OnePlus 12, on the other hand, gives a more realistic and muted shot. The S24 Ultra also has an advantage with its 5x zoom lens options that let you take high-res shots from far away with a few simple clicks. Switching between the lenses is also seamless on the S24 Ultra compared to the more tedious zoom wheel, which also faces lens switching lag on the OnePlus 12.
For videos, the S24 Ultra is hands down superior due to better dynamic range, stabilisation, and zoom. It's not a comparison, as the current video capture software for the S24 Ultra is far ahead of the OnePlus 12.
Price
The OnePlus 12 competes directly with the Samsung S24 Ultra in terms of hardware while being priced $500 lower. That's enough to buy a decent midrange phone and the OnePlus 12 is walking away with this win. However, to Samsung's credit, they have some excellent trade-in deals that can give up to $750 worth of credits.
Display
While the S24 Ultra boasts a fairly high peak brightness of 2600 nits, the OnePlus 12 blows this out of the water with a peak brightness of 4500 nits. Not even the full power of the sun can dull your display. However, both phones have sufficiently high brightness for general usage.
The Samsung S24 Ultra has an anti-reflective display, and the OnePlus 12 has an extremely well-functioning aqua-resistant display that lets you comfortably use your phone even when the screen is wet. The anti-reflective display is more useful in daily usage.
This category can go either way, depending on your personal preferences.
Battery life
The OnePlus 12 features a larger battery with a fast-charging capability of 100W that will fully charge your phone within 25 minutes(according to advertisements). Furthermore, the 100W charger brick is included in the box, unlike the Samsung S24 Ultra's 45W fast charger. The OnePlus 12 takes this round.
Design
The S24 Ultra features a more premium build with a sharp boxy design. This is great for those of you who prefer sleek-looking phones with premium finishes. However, these won't be factors for those who prefer the comfort of a more curved design and for those who plan on using a phone case anyway.
OnePlus 12 vs Samsung S24 Ultra - which is best?
If money is not an issue for you and you want the best of the best available in the market right now, then the Samsung S24 Ultra and its premium features will be perfect for you. This also applies to those enthusiastic about Samsung's upcoming AI features and using Samsung's ecosystem for productivity.
If you're simply looking for the best bang for your buck, then it's really hard to go wrong with the OnePlus 12. It marks the full checklist of what an average user would want in a good phone, and it does this while offering a price that's hard to turn down for the features provided. The OnePlus 12 will not be a regrettable purchase for most users.
If you're looking to buy the new Samsung, learn if the AI features will make their way to the S23 and about Samsung's killer new fold phone.