OnePlus launched the 12 and 12R for the international market this week (they were already available in China). This includes the United States, where the market is not as competitive as Europe and Asia and is dominated by Apple and Samsung.
But check it out: $800 gets you a real flagship with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, lots of memory (16/512GB thanks to a free upgrade), and a 6.82-inch QHD+ LTPO display. The cameras are quite good (50MP main, 64MP 3x tele, and 48MP ultra-wide, plus a lovely 32MP selfie camera), although daytime video recording could have been better. Our only other complaint is that the phone is only IP65 rated rather than IP68 like other flagships (and even some mid-range ones). This year, wireless charging (50W) is also available for the 5,400mAh battery, you can also do 80W via cable.
You can also save with OnePlus 12R. This drops down to last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (it’s still a very fast chip), and the 6.78-inch screen drops slightly in resolution to 1,264 x 2,780 px (between FHD+ and QHD+). The cameras also take a hit with a smaller sensor on the main 50MP, only an 8MP ultra wide angle and no tele lens. The 5,500mAh battery only supports 80W wired charging.
Keep these prices in mind as we look at the Samsung Galaxy S24 series. We already listed them last week, but Amazon and Best Buy offer gift cards that help make the price easier to swallow. Plus, free storage upgrades are still in effect. Even so, $800 buys you an 8/256GB Galaxy S24 (well, $750 if you subtract the gift card). The Galaxy S24 Ultra has great video recording (including 4K 120fps and 8K modes), and Amazon’s $200 gift card softens the blow on your wallet.
As for cheaper prices, the Samsung Galaxy A25 and A15 5G also get gift cards – just $25, but these are budget phones (and the S24 only got $50).
The Beads Studio Buds+ are TWS earbuds from last year. They have good listening time (up to 36 hours with the case), good quality sound (with emphasis on bass, as is typical of the brand) and better noise cancellation.
For some reason Apple brought back the Beats Solo3, originally released in 2016! We’re not sure why the guys from Cupertino did this, but these are a nice pair of on-ear headphones with Apple’s W1 chip. They could have used an update or two, for example, microUSB is definitely ancient!
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