The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. the OnePlus 12—it’s a tough call to make between two of the biggest phone launches this year, both highly anticipated devices that have a loyal base of fans who revere their technology. For the more hardcore fans, there’s likely nothing to choose between, with their favorites quite well defined for them, but for the rest of us, there are many aspects of these new smartphones that come into play. Should you choose the Samsung S24 Ultra’s impressive camera specs and updated AI features or do you try something new with the OnePlus 12’s improved camera specs, lightweight design, and OxygenOS 14 system? The OnePlus 12 price also makes it a much more affordable alternative, but let’s explore the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs and the OnePlus 12 features in detail before we break down the costs to see exactly what you’re paying for.
Image: The OnePlus 12 on the left and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on the right
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs OnePlus 12—Samsung Galaxy AI Holds Sway
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra was announced on 17 January and saw a market release on 31 January 2024. The OnePlus 12 launch in the U.S. came just a little bit later on 6 February 2024, after its initial arrival in the Chinese market on 5 December 2023. The smartphone launches we see today all bring some element of surprise and detail in order to stay relevant in the market. Those that succeed at innovation thrive and the rest fade away from the minds of consumers quite quickly.
It is, however, quite difficult to develop entirely innovative features and technology at such a rapid pace, especially considering these major brands have a new launch scheduled every year. Still, there are quite a few things to appreciate about the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs and the OnePlus 12 display and design.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs OnePlus 12: Specs
Both the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and OnePlus 12 specs are built upon the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor but the S24 Ultra gets an additional “for Galaxy” treatment. We’re not entirely sure how different the processor is from the stock version of the processor but there are rumors that the phone runs faster than others on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. The OnePlus 12 also uses the same processor and the major attraction here is the chip’s ability to support generative AI capabilities but the OnePlus 12 hasn’t announced any such features for the device. The Galaxy S24 Ultra uses the Google Gemini AI in global markets and the Baidu Ernie AI within the Chinese space in order to bring some cool features to the device.
The Circle to Search feature allows you to look up information without leaving the app you’re on, and the AI chat assistant is available to help you customize the tone of your messages with ease. Samsung’s Live Translate feature has been a much-awaited one ever since its reveal last year, which allows users to translate a call while it’s occurring to allow ease of communication
with anyone, anywhere. The Note Assistant makes summarizing texts easier than ever before and the camera receives some nifty AI aid as well. The winner of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs vs the OnePlus 12 specs—the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra wins quite easily.
Additionally, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra features the One UI 6.1, and the OnePlus 12 operates on the OxygenOS 14. Both systems are built on the Android 14 interface, but the design of the OnePlus 12 is much more pleasant to interact with and often less frustrating. The unfortunate news for OnePlus however, is that the Galaxy S24 Ultra promises 7 years of software upgrades whereas the OnePlus has less than half of that number, standing at 3 years.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs OnePlus 12: Specs
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs OnePlus 12: Display and Design
The 8.18 oz Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 6.8 inch AMOLED 3,120×1,440 (Quad HD+) pixel screen that supports a 1-120 Hz adaptive refresh rate and 501 ppi. The 2600-nit brightness is likely to be quite sufficient to support your needs. Shifting away from its identity of curved screens, the S24 Ultra has a flat screen this time around and while it doesn’t look quite as good as its predecessors, it is significantly more convenient. With its pointed corners and titanium frame, the device looks like a Samsung phone but also echoes the design of the iPhone which detracts away from the originality of the device. As always, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes in a host of colors that ensure there’s something for everyone—Titanium Violet, Blue, Green, Orange, Grey, and Black. The S-Pen with the device also makes it a more versatile option for those who prefer to have that degree of intractability with their device.
The slighter lighter 7.76 oz OnePlus 12 display boasts a dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X screen with 1440 x 3120 pixel resolution and 505 ppi density. The peak brightness on the OnePlus 12 goes up to 4500 nits which is an ungodly amount for a smartphone with few opportunities for its use. We’re impressed by the device’s capabilities. The OnePlus 12 is available in only two colors, Flowy Emerald and Silky Black, so the options are more limited for those who prefer variety. An additional white option is available for customers in China.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs OnePlus 12: Camera
The camera setup often makes or breaks a smartphone’s reputation and these two are no different. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra camera combination includes four rear cameras and one 12MP selfie camera. The rear lenses include a 200MP wide-angle lens with 2x optical zoom, a 12MP ultrawide lens, a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 10x optical quality zoom. The additional AI tool in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra camera arsenal improves the extent to which you can interact with your photos and edit them to your heart’s content, moving objects around in your images with ease.
The OnePlus 12 camera features a triple rear camera setup with a 50MP primary camera, a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a 64MP periscope telephoto with 3x optical zoom. It has a 32 MP selfie camera in front. The 4th Gen Hasselblad camera system that is used on the OnePlus promises better quality of photos but if you’re looking for zoom tech and AI features, then you already know which phone is more suited to you. The camera layout on the OnePlus 12 is a polarizing one—you either love it or you hate it, but despite our initial resistance to the design, we seem to prefer it to the multiple holes on the back of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra frame.
Image: The OnePlus 12 on the left and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on the right
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs OnePlus 12: Storage and Battery
Another deciding factor for which phone is more suited to you might include the battery life and storage options with the devices. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra battery plays it safe with the 5000mAh battery and the 45W wired charging option or the 15W wireless charging capability. In this regard, the OnePlus 12 battery is better at 5400 mAh capacity, 80W SuperVOOC wired fast charging, and 50W AirVOOC wireless charging.
In terms of pricing, the OnePlus 12 price starts from $799.99 which is very reasonable in comparison to the flagship phones otherwise seen on the market these days. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra price begins from $1299, which is a whole $500 difference to put things into perspective. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra price varies from its 256GB to the 1TB models but they all come with a standard 12GB RAM. The OnePlus storage options are more limited to 12GM RAM with 256GB memory and 16GB RAM with 512GB storage.
| Storage | Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Price | OnePlus 12 Price |
| 256GB | $1299.99 | $799.99 |
| 512GB | $1419.99 | $899.99 |
| 1TB | $1659.99 | — |
In the fight between the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs OnePlus 12, another unexpected aspect to consider is the water and dust resistance. The criteria is unlikely to ever be at the forefront of your mind while picking a device but the fact that the OnePlus 12 has an IP65 water resistance rating as compared to the now standard IP68 is somewhat disappointing. Although we don’t intend to go dunking our smartphones into buckets of water, the extra measure of protection is often reassuring to have, something you almost see as a given on your device these days.
That aside, all things considered, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs do seem to come out on top in collaboration with the Samsung Galaxy AI and will only improve on features with time, paired with the seven-year software upgrade that will ensure a long life. Solely looking at the device capabilities, the battle of Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. the OnePlus 12 has an obvious winner, but whether you buy the S24 Ultra comes down to how important the AI experiences are to you. If you’re looking for a phone with a good camera, good storage RAM, a long battery life, fast charging, and one that is also unique in design, then the OnePlus 12 is a perfectly good option for you to invest in (it is also one of the rare devices to come with the fast charger.) The OnePlus 12 price makes it an easy buy for your smartphone needs but if you want to play around with something more advanced, then pick the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
