1. Specifications Comparison
| Feature | OnePlus 9 | Realme 12 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 160 × 74.2 × 8.7 mm | 161.5 × 74 × 8.8 mm | Virtually identical size, Realme 12 Pro is slightly taller. Minor difference in hand feel. |
| Weight | 192g | 190g | Negligible weight difference, both feel similar in hand. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.55" | 6.7" | Realme 12 Pro offers a slightly more immersive viewing experience due to the larger screen. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1080x2412 | Both offer a similar level of sharpness. No practical difference in daily use. |
| PPI | 402 | 394 | Similar pixel density, both offer sharp images for text and video. |
| Technology | AMOLED | AMOLED | Both displays have vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast, ideal for media consumption. |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | Both offer smooth scrolling and animations. No practical difference in daily use. |
| Brightness | 1100 nits | 950 nits | OnePlus 9's display is noticeably brighter, making it more visible in direct sunlight. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 (4 nm) | OnePlus 9's chipset is significantly more powerful, resulting in faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance. |
| AnTuTu Score | 880,900 | 574,000 | OnePlus 9 offers substantially better overall performance. Noticeable difference in responsiveness, especially for demanding tasks. |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 710 | OnePlus 9's GPU is more powerful, leading to smoother graphics in gaming and graphic-intensive tasks. |
| Battery | |||
| Capacity | 4500mAh | 5000mAh | Realme 12 Pro has a larger battery, potentially offering longer battery life. |
| Charging | 65W Fast Charging | 67W Fast Charging | Realme 12 Pro's charging is slightly faster, but both offer rapid charging. |
| Features | 15W Wireless Charging | Non-removable | OnePlus 9 offers wireless charging, adding convenience for users. Realme 12 Pro doesn't support wireless charging. |
| Camera | |||
| Main Camera | 48MP, f/1.79, 1/1.4", 1.12µm | 50MP, f/1.8, 1/2", 0.70µm | OnePlus 9 has a larger sensor and wider aperture, potentially capturing more light and detail, especially in low light. |
| Selfie Camera | 16MP, f/2.4 | 16MP, f/2.4 | Similar selfie camera performance. |
| Telephoto Lens | N/A | 32MP, f/2.0, 1/2.74", 0.80µm | Realme 12 Pro offers dedicated telephoto lens, enabling optical zoom capabilities, not present in OnePlus 9. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 50MP, f/2.2, 1/1.56", 1.00µm | N/A | OnePlus 9 offers a dedicated wide-angle lens, capturing more of the scene. |
| Wide + Macro | N/A | 8MP, f/2.2, 1/2.8", 1.12µm | Realme 12 Pro has a wide-angle/macro combination lens for versatile close-up and wide-angle photography. |
| Black & White | 2MP, f/2.4 | N/A | OnePlus 9 has a dedicated black and white sensor for artistic photography, which may not be frequently used. |
| Video | Up to 8K@30fps | Up to 4K@30fps | OnePlus 9 offers higher video resolution, suitable for professional-grade video content creation. |
| Video Stabilization | HDR, EIS | EIS | Both phones offer video stabilization, but the implementation differs |
| Features | 8K Video, Manual focus, RAW 12 bit | Optical zoom, Optical Stabilization (OIS) | OnePlus 9 includes advanced video features and RAW capture; Realme 12 Pro provides optical zoom and image stabilization. |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 11, Upgradable to 13 | Android 14 | Realme 12 Pro offers a more up-to-date Android version out of the box. |
| Connectivity | |||
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 | Both phones support modern Wi-Fi standards for fast wireless connectivity. |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 5.2 | Similar modern Bluetooth version on both devices. |
| GPS | GPS (L1+L5) | GPS, QZSS | OnePlus 9 offers more precise dual-band GPS. |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby | Dual SIM Dual Standby | Both phones support two SIM cards simultaneously. |
| Storage | |||
| Internal | 128/256 GB | 256/512 GB | Realme 12 Pro has a larger storage option (512GB). |
| RAM | 8/12 GB | 8/12 GB | Both phones offer adequate RAM for smooth performance. |
| Expandable | No | No | Neither phone has expandable storage. |
| Audio | |||
| Quality | Dolby Atmos, 3 microphones | Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res Audio, 2 microphones | Both phones have good quality audio. Realme 12 Pro has Hi-Res Audio certification for better playback, while OnePlus 9 has 3 microphones. |
| Security | |||
| Features | Fingerprint sensor | Fingerprint sensor | Both use basic fingerprint sensors, providing a standard level of security. |
| Build Quality | |||
| Protection | Gorilla Glass 5 | Unknown | OnePlus 9 offers confirmed Gorilla Glass screen protection, while Realme 12 Pro's screen protection is unconfirmed. |
| Sensors | |||
| Features | Compass | N/A | OnePlus 9 has a compass sensor, useful for navigation and AR. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
OnePlus 9 Advantages:
- Significantly Superior Performance: The Snapdragon 888 chipset provides noticeably faster processing, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance compared to the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 in the Realme 12 Pro.
- Brighter Display: The OnePlus 9's display is 150 nits brighter, providing better visibility in direct sunlight.
- Wider Aperture and Larger Main Camera Sensor: Better light gathering for improved low-light photography.
- Dedicated Wide-Angle Lens: Allows for high-resolution wide-angle shots, a feature missing in the Realme 12 Pro.
- 8K Video Recording: Offers higher video resolution, suitable for professional video content.
- Wireless Charging: Provides added convenience for charging.
- More Precise GPS: Dual-band GPS for better location accuracy.
- Screen Protection: Confirmed Gorilla Glass 5 for better durability
- Additional sensor: Has Compass
Realme 12 Pro Advantages:
- Telephoto Lens with Optical Zoom: Enables lossless zoom capabilities, which are missing on the OnePlus 9.
- Larger Battery Capacity: Provides a longer battery life.
- Newer OS: Comes with Android 14 out of the box.
- Larger Storage Options: Up to 512GB of internal storage, offering more space for media and applications.
- Optical Image Stabilization (OIS): Enhanced image stability for sharper photos and videos, especially in challenging conditions
- Hi-Res Audio Certification: Enhanced audio playback for audiophiles.
- Dedicated Wide-Angle + Macro Lens Better for close up photography.
Trade-offs:
- OnePlus 9: Trades battery life and telephoto zoom for better overall performance, a brighter display, and advanced video features.
- Realme 12 Pro: Trades raw processing power and a higher resolution video camera for optical zoom capabilities, larger battery capacity and more recent software.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
OnePlus 9:
- Ideal User: Power users, gamers, photography enthusiasts who value processing power, a quality display, and advanced video features.
- Use Cases:
- High-end mobile gaming
- Demanding multitasking
- Shooting professional-grade videos
- Taking high-quality photos in various lighting conditions
- Users who need wireless charging.
Realme 12 Pro:
- Ideal User: Users who prioritize battery life, telephoto zoom, and a more recent Android experience, and value higher storage.
- Use Cases:
- All-day usage without frequent charging
- Photography enthusiasts who value optical zoom
- Users who require a recent Android OS.
- Users who need higher amounts of local storage for media
Price-to-Value Ratio:
- The OnePlus 9 will likely offer better value for users who prioritize performance and camera capabilities, especially if found at a discounted price due to its age.
- The Realme 12 Pro might be a better option for those who prioritize battery life, optical zoom, a more recent software version, and potentially a more affordable price in the current market.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions to Consider:
- Do you prioritize raw processing power and gaming performance, or battery life and zoom capabilities?
- Do you need wireless charging and 8k video, or telephoto capabilities and the latest Android software version?
- Is a brighter screen important for outdoor visibility?
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Power User/Gamer: If your primary use case is gaming, demanding applications, or professional video creation, the OnePlus 9 is the better choice because of its superior chipset and display.
- Scenario 2: Photography Enthusiast: If optical zoom and good battery life are priorities, the Realme 12 Pro is better due to its telephoto lens and larger battery.
- Scenario 3: Everyday User: If you are looking for an all-around phone with good performance, decent battery life, and modern features, the Realme 12 Pro would likely fit better due to the new software and storage capacity.
My Choice
If I were choosing, I would lean towards the OnePlus 9. While the Realme 12 Pro offers compelling features such as a telephoto lens and a larger battery, the significantly better performance of the OnePlus 9 is more important to me personally. I prioritize a snappy and responsive user experience, and the Snapdragon 888 chipset will provide that for longer than the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1. Additionally, the brighter display of the OnePlus 9 would be very useful to me in outdoor usage scenarios, and the 8K Video mode and wireless charging would be beneficial for my personal use case. I'm also less reliant on telephoto zoom features, and so the OnePlus 9's superior processing power, higher brightness display, and excellent camera hardware is more attractive to me, and I can live without the telephoto lens, larger battery and newer OS of the Realme 12 Pro.
