OnePlus 9 vs iPhone 12 series: Which one is right for you?

The OnePlus 9 series is here, and now it’s time to see how it stacks up against the competition. We’re pitting the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro against all four devices in Apple’s iPhone 12 series to see the differences and similarities between them. That way, you’ll be able to decide which phone is right for you in this OnePlus 9 vs iPhone 12 battle. Let’s dive in.

OnePlus 9 vs iPhone 12

Specs

Design

The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro look pretty much the same at first glance. Both sport a glass back, a punch-hole display, and feature an alert slider on the side. However, there are a few design differences between the two, with the biggest one being that the Pro model has a slightly curved display, while the standard model has a flat one.

Our verdicts: OnePlus 9 review | OnePlus 9 Pro review

The camera modules are a bit different as well since the Pro model offers more sensors. The Pro also has a metal frame as opposed to the plastic one found on its smaller brother. Then there are the color options: the OnePlus 9 is available in Winter Mist, Arctic Sky, and Astral Black, while the OnePlus 9 Pro model can be had in Morning Mist, Pine Green, and Stellar Black.

All four iPhones also look more or less identical, with the major difference between them being the extra camera you get with the iPhone 12 Pro models.

When comparing the OnePlus 9 and iPhone 12 phones, you can see a big difference when looking at the front of the phones. While OnePlus’ flagships have a punch-hole display, the iPhones feature a huge notch. Its large size is due to the fact that it houses Apple’s Face ID tech.

All four iPhones have a flat display, so you don’t get those curved edges of the OnePlus 9 Pro. They feature different camera modules at the back that protrude quite a bit but still look great in my opinion.

As far as colors are concerned, you have plenty of options to choose from depending on the model you go for. The iPhone 12 Pro models come in Silver, Graphite, Gold, and Pacific Blue, while the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini are available in Black, White, Red, Green, and Blue.

Design is very subjective, so there’s no ultimate winner in this round. All phones look great and, more importantly, feel great in the hand. They all also offer minimal designs that are popular these days, with the camera modules being the main design elements that stand out.

Features

Let’s start by looking at the differences between the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro. The Pro model obviously offers more, coming with a larger display that’s curved on the sides and sports a higher resolution (6.7-inch QHD+ vs 6.55-inch Full HD+). It also has faster wireless charging (50W vs 15W), an extra camera on the back, and an IP68 rating.

When comparing the two with the iPhone 12 phones, the biggest difference is obviously the software. The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro run Android 11 with the company’s Oxygen OS on top, while the iPhones run iOS 14 out of the box. The two operating systems are quite different, with each one having its own fan base. Both get the job done, and which one is better comes down to personal preference. We obviously love Android here at Android Authority, as it’s more customizable and feature-packed, but your mileage may vary.

Related: 8 things iOS does better than Android

When it comes to specs and features, the OnePlus 9 and iPhone 12 series are aimed at demanding users. OnePlus’ flagships offer faster charging than the iPhones, coming in at 65W when plugged in and 50W (Pro model) or 15W (OnePlus 9) when using wireless charging. Using a cable, you can get the phones from 0 to 100% in around 30 minutes, which is crazy fast.

The iPhones charge at 18W, which means you’ll have to wait longer to get the battery from zero to full. In 30 minutes of charging, you can expect the batteries of the iPhone 12 models to get up to around 50 percent. Wireless charging is capped at 15W, or 12.5W for the iPhone 12 Mini.

You also get more RAM with the OnePlus 9 series, as both phones come with either 8 or 12GB of memory. The two iPhone 12 Pro models offer 6GB of RAM, while the other two devices come with 4GB. But keep in mind that iPhones don’t need as much RAM as Android devices to run smoothly, so you shouldn’t expect a massive difference between the handsets in actual performance.

The OnePlus 9 phones offer a higher-resolution display with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the iPhones come with a refresh rate of just 60Hz. You’ll also find a fast in-display fingerprint scanner on both OnePlus devices, which is something that’s not present on the latest iPhones.

The OnePlus 9 series has a lot of advantages over its rivals, but the iPhones have their pros as well. For one, they come with Apple’s Face ID tech that lets you safely unlock your phone just by looking at it. You can do that with the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro as well, but the phones only support basic 2D facial recognition that isn’t the safest to use.

All iPhones also have an IP68 rating, while only one the OnePlus 9 Pro has it as standard (in the US, the T-Mobile OnePlus 9 is also certified). Then there’s also better software support, as the iPhones will get the new version of iOS on the day of its release. OnePlus users will need to wait a month or so after the latest Android version is released. Likewise, while OnePlus’ typical two-years worth of Android upgrades (and three years of security patches) is a reasonable level for Android, Apple supports its own devices with fresh iOS upgrades for five-to-six years.

Now let’s talk cameras. You get four sensors on the back of the OnePlus 9 Pro — standard, ultra-wide, telephoto, and a monochrome depth sensor — and three on the regular model as it doesn’t have a zoom camera. When it comes to the latest iPhones, the Pro and Pro Max have three rear cameras (standard, ultra-wide, and telephoto), while the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini have two, again losing out on a dedicated zoom lens.

Apple’s iPhones have always been impressive when it comes to photography, and the story is the same with the latest series. OnePlus’ devices, on the other hand, have traditionally left a lot to be desired. However, the company has made a big leap forward this year thanks to its partnership with Hasselblad. The cameras on the two devices are very good — especially the OnePlus 9 Pro — although still not the best on the market.

There’s also a huge difference in the chipsets that power the devices. You’ll find the latest and greatest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset under the hood of the OnePlus phones, while the iPhones use Apple’s own A14 Bionic SoC. We have a full article covering the differences between the two, but the important thing to note is that while the A14 Bionic is the clear winner in benchmarks, both are very fast and should handle just about anything you throw at them.

Price

No matter which phone you go with, you’ll have to pay up. The OnePlus 9 series starts at $729, while the iPhone 12 series starts at $699. But keep in mind that the latter price is for the iPhone 12 Mini, which has a super small 5.4-inch display. To make a fairer comparison with OnePlus’ lineup, we should look at the pricing of the larger iPhone 12, which starts at $799.

Overall, the OnePlus 9 phones are cheaper than their iPhone 12 counterparts. If value for money is what you’re looking for, one of the OnePlus devices is the way to go. However, the differences in prices between these rival phones aren’t as big as they used to be, since OnePlus increases its prices every year. Check the links below to learn more.

OnePlus 9 vs iPhone 12: Which should you buy?

The biggest factor that will influence your purchase decision is the software. If you prefer Android over iOS or vice versa, you already know which brand to go for. However, there are other differences to keep in mind as well.

With the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, you get a higher resolution display, more RAM, an in-display fingerprint scanner, faster charging, bigger batteries, and a cheaper price tag. The Pro also comes with a curved display that some love, while others not so much.

Also read: The best Android phones

However, opting for an iPhone has its pros as well. You get Apple’s Face ID tech, an IP68 rating regardless of which phone you get, faster updates and longer support, and a better overall camera experience.

With that in mind, which phone to get comes down to personal preference. You have to decide which OS you think is best and which features you value more. However, no matter which phone you choose, you’ll likely be happy with it. All of them offer great performance, can take excellent photos, and have a bunch of extra features that should satisfy even the most demanding users.

What about the OnePlus 9R?

The OnePlus 9R was announced alongside the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, but it offers the least of the pack in terms of specs and features and is only available in India and China. While it may not be a proper competitor to the iPhone 12 phones, it’s still a great device that most people will be happy with.

Compared to the OnePlus 9, you get a slower chipset (Snapdragon 870 instead of 888) and less in the camera department. The handset also doesn’t have wireless charging. Other than that, the two phones are more or less identical.

See also: OnePlus 9 vs 9 Pro vs 9R — which is right for you?

For those in India, the OnePlus 9R will set you back at least Rs. 39,999. We haven’t reviewed the OnePlus 9R yet, but on paper, we recommend getting either the OnePlus 9 or 9 Pro over the 9R if you can afford it, both of which can stack up better against the iPhone 12 series. For more on the OnePlus 9R check out the article linked above.

Would you rather get one of the OnePlus 9 phones or an iPhone 12 model? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.