Head to head

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs OnePlus 12

OnePlus 12 leads 12 to 2 on the 14 rankable specs and costs $500 less, which makes it the straightforward pick.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 232 g (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); OnePlus 12 lists 220 g (OnePlus sheet, 2026-09-02).
Size: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 6.8 inches (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); OnePlus 12 lists 6.82 inches (OnePlus sheet, 2026-09-02).
Chipset: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); OnePlus 12 lists Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) (OnePlus sheet, 2026-09-02).
RAM: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 12 GB (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); OnePlus 12 lists 16 GB LPDDR5X (OnePlus sheet, 2026-09-02).
Max optical zoom: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra lists 5x optical (10x lossless / 100x digital) (Samsung sheet, 2026-09-02); OnePlus 12 lists 3x optical (6x in-sensor zoom / 120x digital) (OnePlus sheet, 2026-09-02).

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your phone.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 2 to 12

Buy the OnePlus 12.

Leads 12 of 14 rankable overall specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra takes 2.
Weight: 220 g vs 232 g
Size: 6.82 inches vs 6.8 inches
It is also $500 cheaper.

Check first: the OnePlus 12 has no stylus. the OnePlus 12 has under 5 years of OS updates. the OnePlus 12 is not IP68. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

2 Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra14 rankable of 48 specsOnePlus 12 12

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No stylusrow
No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.
Clear:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · S Pen (integrated, IP68)Trips:OnePlus 12 · No
No headphone jackrow
Wired headphones need a USB-C dongle.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · NoTrips:OnePlus 12 · No
No charger in the boxrow
Budget another $20 to $40 for a fast charger.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · NoClear:OnePlus 12 · Yes (80W SUPERVOOC adapter included)
Under 5 years of OS updatesrow
Security patches stop sooner and resale value falls faster.
Clear:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · 7 major OS versions + 7 years securityTrips:OnePlus 12 · 4 major Android OS updates + 5 years se…
Not IP68row
Less dust and water protection than an IP68 rival.
Clear:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min)Trips:OnePlus 12 · IP65 (water resistant splash/spray)
No microSD slotrow
Storage is fixed at what you buy.
Trips:Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra · NoTrips:OnePlus 12 · No

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

6 of 6 differ

Weight

Samsung

232 g

OnePlus

220 g

Size

Samsung

6.8 inches

OnePlus

6.82 inches

Chipset≠

Samsung

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)

OnePlus

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)

RAM

Samsung

12 GB

OnePlus

16 GB LPDDR5X

Max optical zoom

Samsung

5x optical (10x lossless / 100x digital)

OnePlus

3x optical (6x in-sensor zoom / 120x digital)

Capacity

Samsung

5,000 mAh

OnePlus

5,400 mAh (dual-cell)

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Upfront list price$1,299

Essential add-ons (45W Super Fast Charging 2.0 brick (no charger in box))+$35

3-Year Estimated Total$1,334

OnePlus 12

Upfront list price$799

3-Year Estimated Total$799

Pocket, Palm & Desk Usability Check

One-handed reachability, pocket weight, and table wobble when typing without a case.

Ergonomic & Spatial Check

One-Handed Palm Reach

Widths under 72mm allow thumb access to opposite screen edges without shifting grip.

Samsung

6.8" display with 79.0mm wide squared edges (stretches palms)

OnePlus

Standard smartphone width

Desk Typing Table Wobble

Horizontal visor cameras sit flat on desks without annoying rocking while typing.

Samsung

Individual camera lens rings cause corner wobble on flat tables

OnePlus

Corner camera bump causes minor wobble

Pocket Weight & Heft

Samsung

232g (substantial titanium brick)

OnePlus

Standard phone weight

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Samsung: What to watch for

Ergonomics
Sharp 90-degree squared corners dig aggressively into palms.
One-handed typing causes the pointed lower corner to dig into your palm tissue unless cushioned by a rounded silicone case.
Hardware Quirk
Anti-reflective Gorilla Armor glass smudges easily with skin oils.
While outdoor glare reduction is class-leading, finger oils create noticeable rainbow sheen smudges in bright sunlight.

OnePlus: What to watch for

Hidden Cost
No wall charging adapter included in the retail box.
Packaging contains only a Type-C cable; high-speed wall charging bricks must be purchased separately if you do not already own one.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra$1,2992 wins

OnePlus 12$79912 wins

Body Display Platform Memory Rear camera Front camera Battery & charging Audio Connectivity Features

42 of 48 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Body

leads 1-0

Body specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is OnePlus 12.
Dimensions	162.3 × 79.0 × 8.6 mm	164.3 × 75.8 × 9.15 mm
Weight	232 g	220 g (wins this row: lower)
Build	Gorilla Armor front and back, titanium frame	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front, glass back, aluminum frame
Water / dust rating	IP68 (1.5 m / 30 min)	IP65 (water resistant splash/spray)
Colors	Titanium Black, Gray, Violet, Yellow (plus exclusives)	Silky Black, Flowy Emerald
Stylus	S Pen (integrated, IP68)	No

Display

leads 3-0

Display specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is OnePlus 12.
Type	Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, flat	ProXDR LTPO AMOLED with Aqua Touch
Size	6.8 inches	6.82 inches (wins this row: higher)
Resolution	1440 × 3120 (QHD+)	1440 × 3168 (2K)
Pixel density	~505 ppi	~510 ppi (wins this row: higher)
Refresh rate	1–120 Hz LTPO	1–120 Hz dynamic
Peak brightness	2,600 nits peak	4,500 nits peak / 1,600 nits HBM (wins this row: higher)
HDR	HDR10+	Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
Protection	Corning Gorilla Armor, anti-reflective	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Always-on display	Yes	Yes

Platform

3 differences

Platform specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is OnePlus 12.
Operating system	Android 14, One UI 6.1 (upgradable)	OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14
Software support	7 major OS versions + 7 years security	4 major Android OS updates + 5 years security
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4 nm)	Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)
CPU	8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)	8-core (1× Cortex-X4 + 5× A720 + 2× A520)
GPU	Adreno 750	Adreno 750

Memory

leads 2-0

Memory specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is OnePlus 12.
RAM	12 GB	16 GB LPDDR5X (wins this row: higher)
Storage	256 GB UFS 4.0	512 GB UFS 4.0 (wins this row: higher)
Storage options	256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB	256 GB / 512 GB
microSD	No	No

Rear camera

6 differences

Rear camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is OnePlus 12.
Main	200 MP, f/1.7, 24 mm, 1/1.3", OIS, multi-direction PDAF (wins this row: higher)	50 MP Sony LYT-808, f/1.6, 23 mm, 1/1.4", OIS
Ultrawide	12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°	48 MP Sony IMX581, f/2.2, 14 mm, 114° FOV (wins this row: higher)
Telephoto	10 MP 3x + 50 MP 5x periscope (both OIS)	64 MP OmniVision OV64B periscope, f/2.6, 70 mm, 3x optical, OIS (wins this row: higher)
Max optical zoom	5x optical (10x lossless / 100x digital) (wins this row: higher)	3x optical (6x in-sensor zoom / 120x digital)
Stabilization	OIS on main and both telephotos	OIS on main and periscope telephoto
Video	8K 30 fps, 4K 120 fps, HDR10+	8K 24 fps, 4K 30/60 fps Dolby Vision HDR

Front camera

leads 1-0

Front camera specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is OnePlus 12.
Selfie camera	12 MP, f/2.2, punch-hole	32 MP Sony IMX615, f/2.4 (wins this row: higher)
Selfie video	4K 60 fps	4K 30 fps

Battery & charging

leads 3-0

Battery & charging specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is OnePlus 12.
Capacity	5,000 mAh	5,400 mAh (dual-cell) (wins this row: higher)
Wired chargingNot on the official sheet	45 W (charger sold separately)	80 W SUPERVOOC (100W international) (wins this row: higher)
Wireless charging	15 W Qi / Fast Wireless	50 W AIRVOOC wireless
Reverse wireless	4.5 W Wireless PowerShare	10 W reverse wireless
Charger in box	No	Yes (80W SUPERVOOC adapter included) (wins this row: has it)

Audio

1 differences

Audio specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is OnePlus 12.
Speakers	Stereo tuned by AKG	Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos
Headphone jack	No	No

Connectivity

5 differences

Connectivity specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is OnePlus 12.
Cellular	5G (sub-6 + mmWave, region-dependent)	5G (sub-6 + mmWave)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.4
NFC	Yes (Samsung Pay / Google Wallet)	Yes
USB	USB-C 3.2	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1
SIM	Dual nano-SIM + eSIM (region-dependent)	Dual SIM (nano-SIM + eSIM)

Features

3 differences

Features specifications. Middle column is Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, right column is OnePlus 12.
Biometrics	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint + face unlock	Ultra-fast optical in-display fingerprint + face unlock
Extra controls	S Pen button, programmable side key	3-position Alert Slider, IR blaster
Standout features	S Pen, Samsung DeX, Galaxy AI, Vision Booster	Aqua Touch wet-finger technology, Hasselblad Color Calibration, Trinity Engine

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra source OnePlus 12 source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Android flagship with S Pen, 200MP camera, 6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED, and seven years of OS updates.

S Pen built in
200MP main + 5x periscope telephoto
7 years of OS and security updates

What you give up

Larger and heavier than iPhone 16 Pro
No charger in the box
Flat 6.8-inch body is harder one-handed

Full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra specs →

Pick this one if

OnePlus 12

Value flagship with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, 5400mAh battery, 80W wired charging, and 4th Gen Hasselblad camera.

Incredible value with top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 performance
Super-fast 80W wired and 50W wireless charging with charger in box
Massive 5,400 mAh battery capacity

What you give up

IP65 rating is lower than IP68 competitors
Curved display glass is more prone to accidental touches

Full OnePlus 12 specs →

Best for each use

Photos

Camera first: zoom reach, sensors, stabilisation and video

For photos, buy the OnePlus 12.

Leads 3 of 5 rankable photos specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra takes 2.
Ultrawide: 48 MP Sony IMX581, f/2.2, 14 mm, 114° FOV vs 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°
Telephoto: 64 MP OmniVision OV64B periscope, f/2.6, 70… vs 10 MP 3x + 50 MP 5x periscope
It is also $500 cheaper.

Battery & updates

All-day battery, fast top-ups and years of software support

For battery & updates, buy the OnePlus 12.

Leads 3 of 3 rankable battery & updates specs.
Capacity: 5,400 mAh vs 5,000 mAh
Wired charging: 80 W SUPERVOOC vs 45 W
It is also $500 cheaper.

Games & video

Games and streaming: chip, refresh rate, brightness, speakers

For games & video, buy the OnePlus 12.

Leads 3 of 3 rankable games & video specs.
RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X vs 12 GB
Size: 6.82 inches vs 6.8 inches
It is also $500 cheaper.

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra spec sheet OnePlus 12 spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra ↗ · OnePlus 12 ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or the OnePlus 12?

OnePlus 12 costs $500 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or OnePlus 12?

OnePlus 12 has this deal-breaker: no stylus. No pen input for handwritten notes or markup.

Which is better for photos, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or the OnePlus 12?

For photos, buy the OnePlus 12. Leads 3 of 5 rankable photos specs; Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra takes 2. Ultrawide: 48 MP Sony IMX581, f/2.2, 14 mm, 114° FOV vs 12 MP, f/2.2, 13 mm, 120°

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 48 specs tracked here, 34 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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