Galaxy S24 • Unlocked vs OnePlus 12 • Unlocked

The Samsung Galaxy S24, released in January 2024, and the OnePlus 12, which saw its global launch in January 2024 following a December 2023 China release, are both prominent Android smartphones. While both devices offer a premium Android experience, they cater to slightly different user preferences. The Galaxy S24 emphasizes a more compact design and extensive software support, alongside integrated AI features, whereas the OnePlus 12 prioritizes a larger display, extended battery life, and rapid charging capabilities.

When considering the longevity of these devices, several factors come into play, including software support, physical durability, and repairability.

• Software Support: The Samsung Galaxy S24 offers a notable commitment to software longevity, promising seven years of operating system and security updates from its January 2024 release. The OnePlus 12, released slightly earlier in December 2023, typically receives four years of operating system updates and five years of security updates. This difference means the Galaxy S24 is projected to receive software support for a significantly longer period.
• Physical Durability: Both devices incorporate Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for display protection, offering a good level of scratch and drop resistance. The Galaxy S24 carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, indicating robust protection against immersion. The OnePlus 12 features an IP65 rating, providing protection against dust and water jets.
• Practical Lifespan: Given the extended software support, the Galaxy S24 is designed for users seeking the longest possible practical lifespan from a software perspective. For those considering an eco-friendly alternative, a quality-assured refurbished option for either device can further extend its useful life.

Both the Galaxy S24 and OnePlus 12 are equipped with powerful internal components designed to handle demanding tasks, though they differ in battery capacity and charging solutions.

• Processing Power: Both smartphones utilize current-generation processors, ensuring smooth performance for everyday applications, multitasking, and graphically intensive games. The OnePlus 12 also features an advanced cooling system, which can help maintain performance during prolonged heavy use.
• Memory and Storage: The Galaxy S24 typically comes with 8GB of RAM, with some variants offering 12GB, and storage options ranging from 128GB to 512GB. The OnePlus 12 offers more generous RAM configurations, starting at 12GB and going up to 16GB in global markets, with storage options of 256GB and 512GB. Both devices generally use UFS 4.0 storage for faster data access.
• Battery and Charging: The OnePlus 12 features a substantially larger 5400mAh battery, which users report often lasts a full day even with heavy usage. It also supports very fast wired charging (80W or 100W depending on region) and 50W wireless charging. The Galaxy S24 has a 4000mAh battery, which generally provides a full day of use for typical users, though intense activities can drain it more quickly. Its wired charging is rated at 25W and wireless charging at 15W.

The visual experience on both smartphones is vibrant, though they present different characteristics in terms of size, resolution, and design.

• Display Technology and Size: The Samsung Galaxy S24 features a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, offering a compact viewing experience. The OnePlus 12 comes with a larger 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display, providing more screen real estate.
• Resolution and Brightness: The Galaxy S24 has an FHD+ resolution (2340x1080 pixels), while the OnePlus 12 boasts a higher QHD+ resolution (3168x1440 pixels), resulting in a slightly sharper image on the larger screen. Both displays offer excellent brightness, with the Galaxy S24 reaching a peak of 2600 nits and the OnePlus 12 capable of an even higher 4500 nits peak brightness, ensuring good visibility even in bright outdoor conditions.
• Refresh Rate and Design: Both phones feature an adaptive refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz, contributing to smooth scrolling and responsive interactions. The Galaxy S24 has a flat display, which some users prefer for reduced accidental touches, while the OnePlus 12 features a curved display, offering a more immersive visual experience.

Both devices offer capable camera systems, but they approach photography with different strengths and features.

• Rear Camera Systems: The Galaxy S24 is equipped with a triple camera setup: a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide sensor with a 120-degree field of view, and a 10MP telephoto lens offering 3x optical zoom. The OnePlus 12 also features a triple camera system, including a 50MP main sensor, a 48MP ultrawide sensor with a 114-degree field of view, and a 64MP periscope telephoto lens providing 3x optical zoom.
• Photography Performance: The Galaxy S24 often delivers sharper images with consistent color science, particularly beneficial for capturing people and everyday scenes. It also tends to perform well in low-light conditions and offers strong video stabilization. The OnePlus 12's higher megapixel ultrawide camera can capture more detail, and its periscope telephoto lens offers impressive zoom capabilities that can rival higher-end phones.
• Front Camera and Audio: For selfies, the Galaxy S24 features a 12MP front camera that often produces sharper and more detailed results compared to the OnePlus 12's 32MP front camera. The Galaxy S24 also supports 4K 60fps video recording with its front camera, while the OnePlus 12 records at 4K 30fps. In terms of audio, users frequently praise the OnePlus 12 for its loud and clear speaker output.