Google’s new large flagship has arrived along with its siblings. We’ve reviewed it not long ago, and we’re now here to compare it to the best OnePlus has to offer. In this article we’ll be comparing the two flagship smartphones, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs OnePlus 12. Before we begin, do note that the OnePlus 12 is considerably more affordable than the Pixel 9 Pro XL, especially in the US.
We will first list the specifications of both of these smartphones. Following that, we will compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. These two phones are considerably different, and this should be a rather interesting comparison. It will hopefully help you make a purchasing decision. Let’s see if the Pixel 9 Pro XL is worth the extra money you’re required to spend.
Specs
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs OnePlus 12, respectively
– Screen size:
6.8-inch QHD+ OLED (120Hz, HDR, 3,000 nits)
6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display (curved, 120Hz LTPO, HDR10+, 4,500 nits)
– Display resolution:
2992 x 1344
3168 x 1440
– SoC:
Google Tensor G4
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
– RAM:
16GB (LPDDR5X)
12GB/16GB (LPDDR5X)
– Storage:
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 3.1)
256GB/512GB/1TB (NVMe)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (wide, f/1.7 aperture, 1.2um pixel size, OIS, EIS), 48MP (ultrawide, f/1.7 aperture, 123-degree FoV), 48MP (periscope telephoto, f/2.8 aperture, OIS, EIS, 5x optical zoom)
50MP (f/1.6 aperture, 23mm lens, 1.12um pixel size, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS), 48MP (ultrawide, 14mm lens, 114-degree FoV, f/2.2 aperture, 0.8um pixel size, PDAF), 64MP (periscope telephoto, 0.7um pixel size, OIS, PDAF, 3x optical zoom, 6x “in-sensor” zoom)
– Front cameras:
42MP (f/2.2 aperture)
32MP (f/2.4 aperture, 0.8um pixel size)
– Battery:
5,060mAh
5,400mAh
– Charging:
37W wired, 23W wireless (Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, 5W reverse wireless (no charger)
100W wired, 50W wireless, reverse wireless (charger included)
– Dimensions:
162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm
164.3 x 75.8 x 9.2mm
– Weight:
221 grams
220 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3/5.4
– Security:
Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner & facial scanning
In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) & facial scanning
– OS:
Android 14
Android 14 with OxygenOS 14
– Price:
$1,099+
$799.99+
– Buy:
Pixel 9 Pro XL (Best Buy, Google Store)
OnePlus 12 (Best Buy)
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs OnePlus 12: Design
Both of these phones are made out of metal and glass, but they’re entirely different design-wise. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a flat front, flat back, and a flat frame all around. Its frame does curve a bit towards the edges, but that’s about it. The OnePlus 12 has a curved front, and a curved display underneath the glass, a curved back, and even its sides are quite a bit curved. The in-hand feel with these two smartphones is entirely different, despite the fact they’re not that different in terms of dimensions.
There is a display camera hole on both of these phones. It’s centered at the top. The Pixel 9 Pro XL does have a larger camera hole, and it’s placed a bit lower than on the OnePlus 12. Both phones have very thin bezels around the display. The bezels on the Pixel 9 Pro XL are uniform, while the ones on the OnePlus 12… not so much, but almost. Still, the OnePlus 12 does have a slightly higher screen-to-body ratio.
The physical buttons sit on the right-hand side of both phones. The power/lock key sits above the volume rocker buttons on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. It’s the other way around on the OnePlus 12. The OnePlus 12 also has an alert slider switch on the left side. On the back, you’ll notice a pill-shaped camera island on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. It’s horizontal, and located at the top of the phone’s back. The OnePlus 12 has a circular camera island in the top-left corner, a more regular-looking one.
Both phones are quite slippery in the hand, though the Pixel 9 Pro XL feels a bit less so due to its flat sides. Google’s phone is IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. The OnePlus 12 comes with an IP65 rating. The OnePlus 12 is slightly taller, and thicker, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL is wider. They’re about the same weight, the difference is only 1 gram.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs OnePlus 12: Display
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL features a 6.8-inch 2992 x 1344 LTPO OLED display. This panel is flat, and it has an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. HDR10+ content is supported on the device, and the peak brightness is at 3,000 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 88%, while the display aspect ratio is 20:9. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this phone’s display.
The OnePlus 12, on the flip side, has a 6.82-inch curved panel. It has a resolution of 3168 x 1440. That is an LTPO AMOLED display, and it can project up to 1 billion colors. The phone also has an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Dolby Vision is supported here, as is HDR10+ content. The peak brightness is 4,500 nits, while the screen-to-body ratio is at around 90%. The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects this panel.
Both of these displays are very nice. They’re very vivid and more than sharp enough. They also have great viewing angles, and the touch response is really good too. The blacks are also quite deep on both. The OnePlus 12 does have the advantage of offering high PWM dimming, to protect your eyes. Other than that, both are on the same level, kind of. Yes, both panels get more than bright enough, even outdoors when it’s quite sunny.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs OnePlus 12: Performance
The Google Tensor G4 processor fuels the Pixel 9 Pro XL. That is Google’s latest chip, a 4nm processor. The phone also includes 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The OnePlus 12, on the other hand, is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, also a 4nm chip. This processor is considerably more powerful, however. OnePlus also included 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM inside the phone and UFS 4.0 flash storage.
Now, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is a more powerful chip, but in day-to-day tasks, both smartphones are very snappy. The OnePlus 12 does load apps a bit faster, but other than that, they’re both very fluid. That goes for heavy multitasking as well, the Pixel 9 Pro XL did not truly slow down a single time during our testing. It can do it all without a problem, as the chip is well-optimized for that phone. It also enables a ton of AI features which are some of the main selling points of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. You can read more about those in our full review.
In terms of gaming, well, the OnePlus 12 is the better call. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a vapor chamber this time around too, but OnePlus went above and beyond with the OnePlus 12. It has a huge vapor chamber, and it does a great job of keeping the heat in check. It also has a more powerful SoC, and truly demanding games do run better on the OnePlus 12, especially on high settings. They’re playable on the Pixel 9 Pro XL too, however. Even demanding games run fine, but not as well as on the OnePlus 12.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs OnePlus 12: Battery
The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 5,060mAh battery on the inside. The OnePlus 12 includes a 5,400mAh unit. OnePlus’ flagship was one of the best smartphones for battery life this year. The Pixel 9 Pro XL did not disappoint either. Despite the fact it has a considerably smaller battery, it keeps up with the OnePlus 12, believe it or not. In our battery rundown test, the Pixel 9 Pro XL actually managed to last longer.
In regular, day-to-day use, however, the OnePlus 12 still pulls a bit ahead. Both smartphones offer outstanding battery life, however. Getting over 7 hours of screen on time, even 8 when needed, was not a problem for either phone. Depending on your use, both can provide even more. Your mileage may vary, though, of course, there are a ton of variables to consider here. Your usage, what apps are installed, if you’re playing games, your cell reception, and so on. There are so many variables.
The OnePlus 12 does wipe the floor with the Pixel 9 Pro XL when charging is concerned. Google’s flagship supports 37W wired, 23W wireless (with Pixel Stand), 12W Qi wireless, and 5W reverse wireless charging. The OnePlus 12 supports 100W (80W in the US) wired, 50W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless charging. It actually charges a lot faster wirelessly than the Pixel 9 Pro XL charges via a wired, which is saying a lot. OnePlus’ flagship even comes with a charger in the box, which is not something we can say for the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs OnePlus 12: Cameras
Both of these devices have three cameras on the back. The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a 50-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide unit (123-degree FoV), and a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (5x optical zoom). The OnePlus 12, on the flip side, has a 50-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide unit (114-degree FoV), and a 64-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (3x optical zoom). OnePlus also has Hasselblad’s expertise as part of its offering.
Now, both phones do a great job in the camera department. Both phones do prefer to offer contrasty images, though the Pixel 9 Pro XL has that Pixel look to its photos. The OnePlus 12 does tend to keep things a bit closer to real life, which is not a bad thing at all. Both provide plenty of detail, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL handles HDR situations a bit more aggressively, and most people prefer that look. Even though the OnePlus 12 does a great job in terms of HDR too.
In low light, the photos from the Pixel 9 Pro XL do look more unrealistic, but outstanding at the same time. It can brighten up such photos a bit too much but also retain a ton of detail. The OnePlus 12 does a similar thing but to a lesser degree. It keeps things a bit darker, and some people will definitely prefer that look more. It’s a thing of preference. Both phones have quite capable ultrawide and periscope telephoto cameras too, which do a good job of keeping the color science of the main cameras.
Audio
Both devices include a set of stereo speakers. Those speakers are good on both phones, but they’re louder on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. They’re not much louder, but it’s noticeable. The quality of sound output is good on both phones, that’s for sure.
Neither phone has an audio jack, though. You can always use their Type-C ports to connect your wired headphones, but just note that you’ll need a dongle. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, while the OnePlus 12 offers Bluetooth 5.4.
