Smartphones have become so sophisticated that choosing a device comes down to personal preference or the intangible benefits. Most consumers aren’t just buying one of the best Android phones. They’re buying a mobile ecosystem that includes smartphones and devices like great smartwatches, earbuds, tablets, and laptops. Buying all of these devices can quickly get expensive. But does it have to be that way?
I’ve spent a couple of weeks digging into OnePlus’ budget ecosystem, which includes the OnePlus 12R, OnePlus Watch 2R, and OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro. I’ve already compared the OnePlus 12R with the Google Pixel 8a and found it to be the cheapest phone you can get that feels like a flagship. With the launch of the Watch 2R and Nord Buds 3 Pro, the mid-range OnePlus family is complete with all the essential features. Let’s find out how the experience compares to that of Google and Samsung.
Phone and software
The OnePlus 12R has flagship hardware, but OxygenOS is inconsistent
The core of any mobile ecosystem is the smartphone. It’s the piece that holds everything together. In this case, it’s the OnePlus 12R. This is the most ambitious and competitive $500 phone we’ve seen in years. The biggest downside to the OnePlus 12R is its curved display, which feels outdated in 2024. Beyond that, it’s shocking how close the OnePlus 12R comes to being a OnePlus 12.
The OnePlus 12R and the Google Pixel 8a at maximum brightness, on a sunny day but in a shaded area.
I’ve become a display snob over the past few years, especially when it comes to brightness. I spend a lot of time looking at my phone, so I don’t want to compromise on the screen for a lower price. OnePlus excels in this category with the OnePlus 12R. The screen is an LTPO OLED panel with a resolution of 2,780 × 1,264 and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. It looks brilliant and appears better compared to phones in its price range.
Maximum brightness claims are sometimes nonsense, and I don’t put much stock in the specifics of the 4,500 nit rating the OnePlus 12R claims. However, this screen is plenty bright even in direct sunlight. That’s a big plus for me. I can overlook a curved display, but not a lower-quality, less responsive, or dimmer panel. It seems OnePlus has chosen the right areas to give the OnePlus 12R a flagship feel.
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A phone with the performance you need at the price you want to pay
Under the hood, the OnePlus 12R is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and 8GB or 16GB of RAM. It’s a last-gen chipset, but this phone is pretty fast. OnePlus destroys the competition with a 5,500mAh battery that can charge at speeds of up to 80W with the right cable. The cameras are decent, if not outstanding, thanks to a 50MP main sensor with f/1.8.
From a hardware perspective, I had no problem leaving my iPhone 15 Pro Max and Google Pixel Fold behind to use the OnePlus 12R. My concerns are with the software, and that might be a dealbreaker for some. This phone ships with OxygenOS 14, which is based on Android 14. I’m not a huge fan of OxygenOS. I prefer the Material You and Nothing OS design languages. The bigger issue is that OnePlus only promises three years of OS upgrades and four years of security patches for this phone.
While many flagships offer up to seven years of updates and AI features, OnePlus can’t compete. The OnePlus 12R isn’t a bad centerpiece of a mobile ecosystem, and the hardware is impressive for the price. However, the software challenges are worth considering. A budget OnePlus ecosystem might cost half the price of Google, but it might also last half as long.
Wearables and Fitness
I like the OnePlus Watch 2R and the OHealth app for activity and running tracking
Besides a smartphone, the two components of the mobile ecosystem that I consider essential are a smartwatch and a pair of truly wireless earbuds. OnePlus has the former covered with the OnePlus Watch 2R, a budget smartwatch that retails for $230. It’s based on the regular OnePlus Watch 2, with the main differences being the lighter and cheaper aluminum body. I like the lightweight and stylish appearance of my green OnePlus Watch 2R. It’s one of my favorite Android smartwatches in any price range.
The highlight of OnePlus smartwatches is their excellent battery life. The Watch 2R offers up to 100 hours of runtime on a single charge. This watch also features the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 wearable smartwatch platform and a custom BES2700BP chip that boosts efficiency. There is an OLED display and various health sensors including an accelerometer, gyroscope, optical heart rate sensor, geomagnetic sensor, light sensor and barometer.
In everyday use, the OnePlus Watch 2R doesn’t disappoint. The only thing it can’t do is serve as a standalone device, as there’s no LTE option. That’s a shame, but everything else is excellent. I particularly liked the OnePlus Watch 2R’s fitness tracking and using the OnePlus OHealth app for further insights. Comparing the Watch 2R to the Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Instinct 2 Solar, I could confirm that OnePlus’ data is accurate. It’s presented in detail, but still in an appealing and colorful way, which is important.
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More than enough for most people
Audio
Nord Buds 3 Pro are great for their price, but upgrade if you can
The weakest part of OnePlus’ budget ecosystem is the Nord Buds 3 Pro. Don’t get me wrong, you get a great feature set for the earbuds’ usual retail price of $80. Sound quality is decent, there’s ANC and Transparency mode, and the charging case has been redesigned this year. Compared to options in this price range, like the Beats Solo Buds, the Nord Buds 3 Pro easily steal the crown.
If you can spend an extra $100 or $200 on your mobile ecosystem, I recommend spending the money on better earbuds. The OnePlus 12R and Watch 2R can hold their own against the flagship offerings in their respective categories. The gap between the Nord Buds 3 Pro and something like the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 is huge in comparison. I’ve only been using these new $180 earbuds for a few days and I can already say they’re $100 better than the Nord Buds 3 Pro.
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Numerous high-end features for under $100
Is the affordable OnePlus ecosystem worth it?
Well, you can get an entire ecosystem for less than the cost of a flagship phone
Let’s add it all up. The OnePlus 12R costs $500, the Watch 2R $230, and the Nord Buds 3 Pro $80. So the OnePlus ecosystem I tested costs $810, and you get more than just a Google Pixel 9 Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S24+. You can get a capable ecosystem for less than the price of a flagship phone alone, and that’s worth considering for buyers on a budget. The experience is close enough to Google and Samsung’s ecosystems, and the cost savings make it easy to overlook any shortcomings.
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OnePlus 12R
The OnePlus 12R is the cheaper sibling of the OnePlus 12 and offers almost the same experience as the flagship at a lower price. This is achieved through a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, a 6.78-inch FHD+ OLED display, and a powerful 5,500mAh battery.
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OnePlus Watch 2R
The OnePlus Watch 2R offers the same impressive specs and features as its more expensive sibling, the OnePlus Watch 2, at a lower price. This is achieved by switching to an aluminum body, which reduces the weight by 25% to 59g.
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OnePlus Nord 3 Pro
The OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro are some of the best earbuds you can get for under $100. They sound fantastic with a spacious soundstage, offer surprisingly good active noise cancellation, a super comfortable fit, and are a bit more durable too.
