OnePlus 12 vs 12R Refurbished (UK): Still Worth Buying in 2026?

A refurbished OnePlus 12 is still worth buying in 2026 if you want a 3x periscope camera, wireless charging and eSIM for under £450, and you're happy to replace the phone in early 2029. OnePlus UK lists security updates for the OnePlus 12 until 1 February 2029, about 28 months from 5 October 2026. The OnePlus 12R's support ends on 1 February 2028, about 16 months away, which makes it a short-term buy.

The OnePlus 12 costs from £431.99 for 256GB in Very Good condition, and the 12R from £349.99 for 128GB (both checked 5 October 2026). The biggest catch is the newer OnePlus 13R: in Very Good condition it costs £412.99, just £2.00 more than a 256GB 12R and £19.00 less than the OnePlus 12, with security support listed until January 2031. Neither refurbished 12 model comes with a charger.

Quick decision: OnePlus 12 or 12R?

• Best for: choose the OnePlus 12 when you want zoom, wireless charging and eSIM at a lower price than a OnePlus 13. Choose the 12R in 128GB when you want the cheapest fast OnePlus we sell and expect to replace it within about 16 months.
• Choose something else when: you'd pay roughly the same for a 256GB 12R. The OnePlus 13R costs £2.00 more in Very Good condition and has nearly three more years of security support.
• Check before buying: that you have a fast USB-C charger, that you don't need eSIM if you choose the 12R, and how much RAM a 128GB 12R has, which the listing says depends on the model supplied.

OnePlus 12 vs 12R: buying facts at a glance

The first table uses OnePlus UK's published specifications, which describe each phone as manufactured.

The second table shows what The Tech Gadgets lists for each refurbished phone.

Is the OnePlus 12 still worth buying in 2026?

Yes, with conditions. The OnePlus 12 still has a flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, a QHD+ screen, a 3x periscope camera and 50W wireless charging, and OnePlus lists security updates until 1 February 2029. It suits buyers who want those features below OnePlus 13 prices and will replace the phone in roughly two and a half years.

The OnePlus 12 phone's problem in 2026 isn't its hardware. It's the price of its newer relatives. A Very Good OnePlus 13R costs £19.00 less and shares the 12's processor, though it lacks the periscope lens and wireless charging. A Very Good 256GB OnePlus 13 costs £91.00 more (£522.99 minus £431.99) and adds about 23 more months of security support. The 12 makes sense when you specifically want its camera and charging mix at the lowest price.

What is the difference between the OnePlus 12 and 12R?

The OnePlus 12 is the full 2024 flagship and the 12R is the lower-priced performance model. The 12 adds a newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, a sharper QHD+ screen, a 64MP 3x periscope telephoto, Hasselblad camera tuning, 50W wireless charging and eSIM. The 12R counters with a slightly larger 5,500mAh battery and a lighter body, but has a year less of security updates.

Performance and storage

The 12R's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 was Qualcomm's flagship chip of 2023, and the 12's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 was its 2024 successor. Both are fast for everyday apps and games. The 12 also pairs its chip with UFS 4.0 storage and USB 3.2 Gen 1, where the 12R uses UFS 3.1 and USB 2.0, which matters mostly when you copy large video files by cable. OnePlus UK sold the 12R only with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, so the listing says RAM on 128GB units depends on the model supplied; message the team to confirm it before ordering.

Screen and size

The 12's 6.82-inch QHD+ display has 510 pixels per inch and Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The 12R's 6.78-inch screen has 450 pixels per inch and the same cover glass. Both refresh at up to 120Hz. The 12R is lighter at 207g against 220g, and thinner at 8.8mm against 9.15mm.

Which has the better camera, the OnePlus 12 or 12R?

The OnePlus 12, clearly. It has a 50MP Sony LYT-808 main camera with optical stabilisation, a 64MP periscope telephoto with 3x optical zoom and a 48MP ultrawide, tuned under OnePlus's fourth-generation Hasselblad partnership. The 12R has a 50MP Sony IMX890 main camera with stabilisation, an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro, with no telephoto lens at all.

That missing telephoto is the 12R's biggest gap. Any zoomed photo on the 12R is a digital crop of the main camera, while the 12 can frame a subject three times closer optically. The front cameras differ too: 32MP on the 12 and 16MP on the 12R. If you mainly photograph people and places at normal distances, the 12R's main camera does the work; if you zoom, choose the 12.

How long will the OnePlus 12 and 12R get updates?

OnePlus's UK Product Security Update page lists 1 February 2029 for the OnePlus 12 and 1 February 2028 for the 12R. From 5 October 2026, that's about 28 months and 16 months. At launch OnePlus promised four major Android upgrades for the 12, which leads to Android 18, and three for the 12R, which leads to Android 17.

You can check the dates on OnePlus's UK security update list, which OnePlus publishes for the UK's product security rules. Dividing the cheapest Very Good price by the months left shows the real cost: about £15.43 per month for a 256GB OnePlus 12 (£431.99 over 28 months), £21.87 for a 128GB 12R (£349.99 over 16) and £25.69 for a 256GB 12R (£410.99 over 16). A Very Good OnePlus 13R works out at about £8.10 per month over its 51 months.

When security support ends, the phone keeps working, but OnePlus stops fixing newly found security flaws. Plan to replace a 12R in early 2028 and a 12 in early 2029.

What is OxygenOS, and will the OnePlus 12 keep getting it?

OxygenOS is OnePlus's own version of Android, with its own design, settings and features layered on top of Google's software. The OnePlus 12 and 12R launched with OxygenOS 14, based on Android 14, and OnePlus lists both as compatible with OxygenOS 16. OnePlus's 2026 business notice says updates continue within each phone's existing commitment.

That notice, published on OnePlus UK's business adjustment page and confirmed in July 2026, says OnePlus has concluded product rollouts in Europe and North America. It also says existing devices keep their software updates, security patches and after-sales support, and that warranties are honoured. Once ColorOS 17 is officially released, eligible OnePlus phones will be offered an optional switch to ColorOS, the Android skin used by OPPO, with a way back to OxygenOS. The notice doesn't list which models qualify, so don't buy a 12 or 12R expecting that switch.

Is there a OnePlus 12 Pro?

No. OnePlus never released a OnePlus 12 Pro, so searches for one usually lead to the OnePlus 12 itself. The OnePlus 12 is the top model of its generation, with the Hasselblad camera system, the periscope telephoto, wireless charging and the QHD+ screen. The 12R is the lower-priced model alongside it. If you want a newer top model, look at the OnePlus 13.

Does a refurbished OnePlus 12 come with a charger?

No. When new, OnePlus put a 100W SUPERVOOC power adapter in the UK box of both the 12 and 12R. A refurbished unit from The Tech Gadgets comes with the phone, a free USB-C charging cable, a free SIM ejector pin and protective packaging, so you need your own plug. The 100W speed needs a compatible OnePlus SUPERVOOC charger.

You can see what came in the box when new on OnePlus UK's OnePlus 12 specifications. Any USB-C charger you already own will charge either phone, just more slowly than the headline figure. On the OnePlus 12, the 50W AIRVOOC wireless speed also needs OnePlus's own wireless charger; standard Qi pads charge it more slowly.

OnePlus 12 price: refurbished prices by grade and storage

This table shows the cheapest price for each grade and storage size on 5 October 2026, with the OnePlus 13R for comparison; colour doesn't change the price.

The maths points in two directions. The OnePlus 12 price gap over the 12R is small at 256GB: £431.99 minus £410.99 is £21.00 in Very Good, and the 12 brings the periscope, wireless charging and eSIM for that money. Against the 128GB 12R it's £82.00 (£431.99 minus £349.99). Doubling the 12's storage to 512GB adds £75.00 in Very Good (£506.99 minus £431.99).

The 256GB 12R is the configuration to avoid. A Very Good 13R costs £412.99, only £2.00 more than a Very Good 256GB 12R, and in Like New the 13R is £4.00 cheaper (£490.99 minus £486.99). For that you get a newer phone with a 2x telephoto and support until January 2031. If you want a 12R, buy the 128GB model.

A Fair option is listed on both 12 models, but the grading page doesn't define it, so ask the team about its condition before ordering. Very Good is the defined grade with the lowest price.

Should you buy a OnePlus 13R or a Pixel instead?

Often, yes. The OnePlus 13R beats the 256GB 12R on value and costs less than the OnePlus 12, with support listed to January 2031. A refurbished Google Pixel 8 Pro costs from £276.99 in Very Good 128GB (checked 5 October 2026), and Google promises it seven years of OS and security updates from launch, into 2030.

The refurbished OnePlus 13R has the same processor as the OnePlus 12 and a 6,000mAh battery, but no wireless charging and a 2x rather than 3x telephoto. Our OnePlus 13 vs 13R comparison covers that pair in detail. The Pixel 8 Pro is £155.00 cheaper than a Very Good OnePlus 12 (£431.99 minus £276.99) and is supported for longer, though it charges more slowly; see our Pixel 8 Pro deals page or the refurbished Google Pixel buying guide for the Pixel side.

For a single view of all four OnePlus models, read our guide to the OnePlus 12, 12R, 13 and 13R.

Refurbished condition, stock origin and what to check on arrival

Both phones are pre-owned. The listings say each one is tested, cleaned, factory reset and signed out of the previous Google account. The grade covers cosmetic condition only: Like New means no visible marks on the screen or body, Excellent means light signs of use that are hard to spot at arm's length, and Very Good means visible marks on the body with the screen in good shape. Every grade is fully working, and you can read our testing and grading standards for the detail.

Both listings are titled Refurbished (UK), with two qualifications on the OnePlus 12R product page. OnePlus UK sold the 12R in Iron Grey and Cool Blue, so the listing says Sunset Dune and Electric Violet units may be non-UK models, and RAM on 128GB units depends on the model supplied. Message the team before ordering if either matters to you. The OnePlus 12 in Silky Black or Flowy Emerald notes that eSIM support depends on your carrier and the model supplied.

Checks to make in the first few days

• Set the phone up straight away. If it asks for a previous owner's Google or OnePlus account, contact the team; a phone you can't set up is faulty.
• Check Settings for the security patch date and install any waiting update.
• Search Settings for “battery”. If your software version shows a battery health percentage, it should read 85% or more on a Like New, Excellent or Very Good unit.
• Compare the body and screen with the grade you paid for, in daylight.
• Test each camera, including the OnePlus 12's 3x periscope, and charge with your own charger.
• Make a call and check mobile data, 5G and Wi-Fi Calling on your network and plan.

Warranty, returns and delivery

Both phones come with a 12-month warranty from The Tech Gadgets, starting on delivery, covering faults that develop in normal use (not accidental or liquid damage). The warranty policy lists battery defects and reduced capacity as exclusions, so check battery health when the phone arrives; a faulty battery within 30 days is still covered by your Consumer Rights Act right to reject. You also get change-of-mind returns within 30 days if unused and complete (you pay return postage), plus your 14-day right to cancel. Read the refund and warranty policy, and our explainer on refurbished phone warranties and consumer rights.

Orders placed by 3pm Monday to Friday are dispatched the same day from Manchester. Standard delivery takes 1–3 working days and is free on orders of £50 or more, so it's free on either phone; Special Delivery for the next working day is £9.99. The shipping policy covers weekend and bank holiday timings.

OnePlus 12 vs 12R: buyer FAQ

Does the OnePlus 12 have wireless charging?

Yes. OnePlus lists 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging for the OnePlus 12, using OnePlus's own wireless charger, and standard Qi pads charge it more slowly. The 12R has no wireless charging and charges only by cable, at up to 100W with a compatible SUPERVOOC charger. If a bedside pad is part of your routine, the 12 is the one to buy.

Does the OnePlus 12R support eSIM?

No. OnePlus UK's specifications for the 12R list a dual nano-SIM slot and state that eSIM is not supported, so you need a physical SIM card from your network. The OnePlus 12 lists eSIM, subject to your carrier and the model supplied. If your plan is eSIM-only, choose the OnePlus 12 and message the team before ordering.

Is the OnePlus 12 waterproof?

Not fully. OnePlus rated the OnePlus 12 at IP65 and the 12R at IP64, which cover dust and splashes rather than submersion. Those ratings describe the phones when new; after a previous owner and refurbishment, don't rely on them. Liquid damage isn't covered by The Tech Gadgets' warranty, so keep either phone away from water as you would any used handset.

Is the OnePlus 12 good for gaming in 2026?

On paper, it's well equipped. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 was Qualcomm's flagship chip for 2024, the same one used in the newer OnePlus 13R, with 12GB or 16GB of fast memory and a 120Hz screen. The 12R's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a generation older but was also a flagship chip. Neither phone has a memory card slot, so choose enough storage.

Which OnePlus 12R colours did OnePlus sell in the UK?

OnePlus UK sold the 12R in Iron Grey and Cool Blue. The listing says Sunset Dune and Electric Violet units may be non-UK models, which can mean a different model code or network band list. All colours are unlocked and covered by the same 12-month warranty. If the exact model code matters to you, message the team before ordering one of those two colours.

Can I still get the OnePlus 12 repaired by OnePlus?

OnePlus's 2026 notice says existing devices keep after-sales support and that its customer service channels remain open. For a refurbished phone bought from The Tech Gadgets, your first route for a fault is our 12-month warranty and your Consumer Rights Act rights, not OnePlus, so contact us first if anything goes wrong.

Verdict: is a refurbished OnePlus 12 or 12R worth it?

Buy the OnePlus 12 if you want a periscope zoom, wireless charging and eSIM for £431.99 in Very Good condition, and you're comfortable replacing it around February 2029. It remains a well-specified phone; it just has less support left than the newer models beside it.

Buy the 12R only in 128GB, at £349.99, as a fast, big-battery phone for roughly the next 16 months of security support. Above that price, the OnePlus 13R is the better buy.

Who should not buy either: anyone who wants to keep a phone until 2030 or later, anyone on an eSIM-only plan who prefers the 12R, and anyone weighing a 256GB 12R against a 13R that costs only £2.00 more. Those buyers should look at the 13R, the OnePlus 13 or a refurbished Pixel instead.