OnePlus 12 vs Google Pixel 8 Pro: Which Android phone is better?

Google Pixel 8 Pro and OnePlus 12 are both great phones, but which one is better? Here’s a direct comparison between the two phones.

Pixel 8 Pro is Google’s latest superphone, with a flashy design, upgraded cameras, and a new Tensor chip. It stands as one of the best Android flagships available, but it faces stiff competition.

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra is already giving the Pixel 8 Pro a run for its money, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra will only make things tougher. However, the OnePlus 12 is a more direct threat to the Pixel 8 Pro than any other device on the market.

Announced globally on January 23, OnePlus 12 features a flagship Qualcomm processor, the brightest display in the market, a particularly large battery, and much more.

We compare the OnePlus 12 vs Pixel 8 Pro to help you decide which phone is a better buy.

Price

OnePlus 12 starts at $799 for the base 12GB RAM and 256GB storage option. The Pixel 8 Pro starts at a slightly higher price of $999 for the 12GB RAM and 128GB storage variant.

So, if you’re looking for a more affordable option, the OnePlus 12 might be a good choice. But if you prioritize the latest camera technology and seamless integration with Google services, the Pixel 8 Pro might be worth the extra $200.

Design and display

OnePlus

Google Pixel 8 Pro and OnePlus 12 both look very different from each other. The Pixel brings a design similar to the Pixel 7 Pro but with a round edge and metal finish while OnePlus 12 resembles last year’s OnePlus 11.

Both devices bring new color options. Pixel 8 Pro comes in Porcelain, Obsidian, and Bay Blue whereas the OnePlus 12 is available in either Black or Green color options.

Display is where you start to see the difference between these phones. Pixel 8 Pro brings a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and 2400 nits peak brightness.

OnePlus 12, by comparison, features a larger 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and a retina-burning 4500 nits peak brightness. This makes OnePlus 12’s display brighter than any other smartphone in the market.

The displays on the two phones are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and support Always on Display functionality.

Taking the dry specs into account, the OnePlus 12 has a better display than the Pixel. However, the real-world differences might not be very huge.

Camera

Google

Google’s camera game is top-notch. Pixel 8 Pro brings the camera system from the brand yet paired with an incredible array of AI features baked into photos and videos. There’s a 50MP (phase-detect autofocus) wide shooter with OIS, a new 48MP ultrawide, and a 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom and up to 30X Super-Res digital zoom.

The camera is one of the biggest areas of focus with any new phone launch. Not surprisingly, the OnePlus 12 also brings an impressive camera system. The smartphone has a 50MP Sony LYT-808 primary sensor with OIS. This new sensor promises to improve low-light photography.

Elsewhere, the OnePlus smartphone gets a 64MP OmniVision OV64B sensor with an OIS-assisted 3x periscope zoom lens and a 48MP Sony IMX581 ultrawide unit with autofocus.

The collaboration between OnePlus and Hasselblad continues, and the phone’s cameras are calibrated by the photography company.

There’s no clear winner in the camera department. While the camera system on the OnePlus 12 looks impressive on paper, we’ll have to wait and see how it actually performs.

Specifications

	OnePlus 12	Google Pixel 8 Pro
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm)	Google Tensor G3 (4 nm)
RAM	16GB LPDDR5X (max)	12GB LPDDR5 (max)
Battery	5400mAh	5050mAh
Charging	80W wired and 50W wireless	30W wired and 23 wireless
Display	6.8-inch AMOLED	6.7-inch OLED
Cameras	50+64+48, 32MP front. Triple camera with 3x optical zoom	50+ 48+ 48, 10.5MP front. Triple camera system with 5x optical zoom.
Price	Starting at $799	Starting at $999

OnePlus 12 and Pixel 8 Pro are both powerful phones with impressive performance capabilities. The Pixel comes with Google’s latest and greatest Tensor G3, which is more about AI and software features than raw performance.

OnePlus 12, on the other hand, packs the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which is Qualcomm’s most powerful chipset so far. It promises to deliver exceptional performance and efficiency. According to Geekbench 6 scores, the chip is nearly on par with the Apple A17 Bionic.

Google Pixel 8 Pro’s Tensor G3 chip falls short of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in terms of raw processing power. The former gets 4,429 points in Geekbench while the latter receives 7,501 points.

OnePlus pairs its smartphone with a whopping 16GB of RAM while the Pixel 8 Pro maxes out at 12GB. However, Pixel 8 Pro gets up to 1TB onboard storage while OnePlus 12 tops at 512GB.

Fueling the OnePlus 12 is a particularly large 5400mAh battery. The Pixel 8 Pro packs a 5050mAh battery. The OnePlus phone charges much faster than the Pixel 8 Pro, with support for 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. The Pixel only supports 30W wired charging and 23W wireless charging.

Which phone is better?

Both the OnePlus 12 and Pixel 8 Pro are packed with impressive features, but the OnePlus 12 may offer a better bang for your buck. Google’s flagship phone starts at $999, while the OnePlus 12 costs just $799.

The price difference between the two phones could make the OnePlus 12 a better option for people who aren’t looking to spend a lot of money.

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