What Is the OnePlus R Series Phone and Is It Really a Flagship Killer?
Back in 2021, OnePlus expanded its smartphone lineup by introducing a new R series of devices, named after its main flagships. But these R series devices were never released worldwide, so they remained a mystery to many users. Dubbed “flagship killers” by OnePlus itself, the R series devices will see their first global release in 2024. But what exactly are these devices? Are they worth considering at all? Here’s what you need to know.
R series explained
The easiest way to explain the OnePlus R series of devices is to point to another similar variant from a different manufacturer. If you’ve been keeping an eye on Android devices at all, then you’re probably at least a little familiar with the Google Pixel A series of smartphones. These devices are based on the new technology used in the tech giant’s flagship devices, but lack some features and things to help keep the cost down. level of budget devices.
The OnePlus R series is exactly the same, offering some of the same features as the main OnePlus flagships, but at a lower price because it uses older hardware or lacks some of the famous features found in top-end OnePlus phones. . This is a new way to bridge the distance between flagship and more budget devices, and Google and OnePlus seem to have had a lot of success in offering these types of devices.
Looking at past R series releases, we see that the OnePlus 11R , launched in February 2023, offered the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, while the flagship OnePlus 11 was powered by the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Other specifications of the phones were similar: Additionally, the 11R features a 6.74-inch 1240 x 2772 120Hz display, while the main OnePlus 11 lineup features a 6.7-inch 2K 120Hz display with support for HDR10/10+ and Dolby Vision.
This means that the 11R was very similar to the 11, but offered slightly lower/older specs in some places, which helped keep the price down and make it even more affordable.
Are they really flagship killers?
This is a good question, and to answer it honestly, you have to look at the R series devices as more than just a line of budget or mid-range smartphones. Instead, it’s probably better to think of them as high-end devices from last year. That is, they build on the design changes made to the latest devices, but often use a slightly older chipset, which reduces their performance somewhat. So while they may not be as powerful as the latest high-end flagship devices, they are very close and offer more than enough power for most people while saving them money.
Based on this definition, it’s very easy to view smartphones like the OnePlus R series as flagship killers since they essentially eliminate the need to buy a flagship device. Of course, the smartphone industry is much more complex, and no matter how good a device is, there will always be users who want the latest and greatest from top flagship manufacturers like Samsung.
First global release of the R Series
All this brings us to January 2024, when OnePlus will launch the first global release of the R series with the OnePlus 12R. Not much is known about this upcoming device, but there is a lot of speculation about what it will include. Based on the previous specifications of other R series devices, the OnePlus 12R will likely be powered by the still new but slightly older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and will have some of the other specs and hardware features found in the new OnePlus 12, but will cut down on others.
I certainly don’t want to get too deep into speculation, but the global release of this R series device will make it a very tempting choice for users planning to upgrade their phone next year, as you’ll see. Another premium option to choose from that won’t require you to pay a higher price than the flagship. In this sense, OnePlus has a really great chance to take the global market by storm with its self-proclaimed “flagship killers” and, frankly, I’m intrigued by how this will impact the company.