Galaxy S23 FE • Unlocked vs OnePlus 12 • Unlocked

The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and the OnePlus 12 are both Android smartphones, released in late 2023. The Galaxy S23 FE, launched in October 2023, is part of Samsung's Fan Edition line, offering a blend of flagship features. The OnePlus 12, released in December 2023, represents OnePlus's latest flagship offering. While both devices operate on the Android platform, they present distinct approaches to performance, display technology, and camera capabilities, catering to different user preferences.

When considering the long-term usability of these devices, several factors contribute to their expected lifespan, including software support and physical durability.

• Release Timeline and Software Support: The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE was launched in October 2023, typically receiving four years of Android OS updates and five years of security patches. The OnePlus 12, released in December 2023, offers four years of Android updates and five years of security patches. This means the OnePlus 12 may receive software support for a slightly longer period due to its later release.
• Repairability: The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE has a relatively high repairability score, with pull tabs for battery removal and easily accessible components, scoring around 8.0 out of 10 in some assessments. The OnePlus 12 has a moderate repairability score of approximately 7.5 out of 10, with strong adhesive for the back cover and battery, though pull tabs are provided for battery removal.
• Physical Durability: The Galaxy S23 FE features Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back, with an IP68 rating for dust and water protection. The OnePlus 12 utilizes the newer Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for its front screen, which offers enhanced scratch resistance, and has an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance. This indicates the Galaxy S23 FE offers a higher degree of water immersion protection, while the OnePlus 12 may be more resistant to scratches and drops on its display.

The performance of a smartphone is largely determined by its internal components, impacting how smoothly applications run and how efficiently it handles demanding tasks.

• Processing Power: The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is equipped with a processor that handles everyday tasks smoothly, suitable for general use and moderate gaming. The OnePlus 12 features a more recent-generation processor, providing a noticeable advantage in handling intensive applications, complex multitasking, and high-fidelity gaming with greater responsiveness and sustained performance.
• Multitasking and Responsiveness: The Galaxy S23 FE comes with 8GB of RAM, which is sufficient for typical multitasking and app switching. The OnePlus 12 offers configurations with 12GB or 16GB of RAM, allowing for more seamless transitions between numerous applications and maintaining responsiveness even under heavy load.
• Battery Behavior: The Galaxy S23 FE has a 4500 mAh battery, supporting a full day of moderate use. The OnePlus 12 is equipped with a larger 5400 mAh battery, which generally translates to extended usage times, often lasting through a full day of heavy use. Both devices support wireless charging, with the OnePlus 12 also offering faster wired and wireless charging capabilities.

The display is a primary interface for user interaction, and its quality significantly influences the viewing experience for media, browsing, and daily tasks.

• Display Technology and Clarity: The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE features a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a Full HD+ resolution (2340 x 1080 pixels), offering vibrant colors and deep blacks. The OnePlus 12 boasts a larger 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a higher QHD+ resolution (3168 x 1440 pixels), providing a sharper and more detailed visual experience.
• Brightness Levels: The Galaxy S23 FE's display reaches a peak brightness of 1450 nits, ensuring good visibility in various lighting conditions, including outdoors. The OnePlus 12 offers significantly higher peak brightness, reaching up to 4500 nits in specific scenarios and 1600 nits in High Brightness Mode, making it exceptionally visible even in direct sunlight.
• Refresh Rate and Smoothness: Both devices feature a 120Hz refresh rate, contributing to smooth scrolling and fluid animations. The OnePlus 12's LTPO technology allows for a dynamic refresh rate that can scale down to 1Hz, which can contribute to power efficiency.

The camera systems on both smartphones offer distinct capabilities for capturing photos and videos, catering to different photographic needs.

• Rear Camera System: The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE features a versatile triple-camera setup, including a 50-megapixel main sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens, and an 8-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. The OnePlus 12 also has a triple-camera system, with a 50-megapixel main sensor (Sony LYT-808) with OIS, a 48-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 64-megapixel periscope telephoto lens offering 3x optical zoom and up to 6x in-sensor zoom.
• Photography Performance: The Galaxy S23 FE delivers solid image quality in daylight conditions, with improved low-light performance compared to previous FE models. The OnePlus 12 is noted for producing excellent images, particularly with its main and telephoto cameras, and offers good low-light performance, though some users report inconsistencies in very dim scenes. The OnePlus 12's telephoto capabilities are often praised for their detail.
• Video Recording and Front Camera: Both devices are capable of high-quality video recording. The Galaxy S23 FE has a 10-megapixel front camera. The OnePlus 12 features a higher resolution 32-megapixel front camera.