For smartphone enthusiasts and anyone looking to buy a new high-end phone, January is shaping up to be a hell of a month. India has launched several high-end mobile phones in the country this month. Two of them, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the OnePlus 12, are the most talked about. There is a lot of interest in the S24 Ultra and OnePlus 12. However, if you take a quick look at these phones, you will get the impression that both belong to different categories. why? their prices.
Galaxy S24 Ultra will debut in India at Rs 129,999. This is expensive because this is an expensive phone. It's expensive, but it's mostly okay. There are other expensive phones on the market such as the iPhone 15 Pro Max and OnePlus Open. So you shouldn't get too high on the S24 Ultra, at least not until you look into it further.
The OnePlus 12, on the other hand, starts at Rs 64,999 in India. This is not low, but it is not very high either.
Now, if you look at the price alone, the S24 Ultra is something special, while the OnePlus 12 feels more affordable despite its high-end credentials. The reality is completely different.
Taking a closer look at the S24 Ultra and OnePlus 12, this price difference is likely due to the different approaches OnePlus and Samsung take with their flagship phones. Samsung is focused on making its S24 Ultra a powerful platform for its AI, but the actual benefits for users are less clear. OnePlus stayed true to the basics.
similar core hardware
When it comes to fundamentals, the OnePlus 12 and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra are neck and neck. This is because the Galaxy S24 Ultra and OnePlus 12 are equipped with more or less similar hardware, despite the huge price difference between the two (Rs 65,000 to be exact).
What this means is that both phones are powered by the same core chipset (Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3). The basic version has the same amount of RAM (12 GB and 256 GB of storage). It has a similar screen with a screen size of approximately 6.8 inches and a resolution of 1440P. Display quality and battery life are similar. The core feature set is similar. In some cases, the OnePlus 12 has the advantage, for example for fast charging, but in other cases, if you need a stylus, the S24 Ultra has the advantage.
Even in the camera department, the S24 Ultra and OnePlus 12 are very close, and even more so now that OnePlus has improved the camera. However, the S24 Ultra still has a slightly better camera, especially with the 5x periscope zoom lens. On the other hand, OnePlus 12 is limited to his 3X periscope lens. However, while the OnePlus 12 has significantly improved color handling this year, we think the S24 Ultra's main camera is better in terms of detail and exposure.
slight difference
Now, before you get me wrong, everything I've written here isn't to say that the S24 Ultra isn't a good phone. Because it's a good phone. In fact, it's safe to say that the S24 Ultra is a great phone, according to the reviewer who gave the phone a score of 8.5 out of 10. Compared to the OnePlus 12, it also offers a more robust IP rating of IP68. OnePlus 12 is limited to IP65. And then there's the design. Both phones have excellent build quality with top-notch materials and craftsmanship with a Gorilla Glass layer, but for many customers, the S24 Ultra with flatter edges and a minimalist camera module may seem better.
However, design is subjective. What is not subjective is the price difference between mobile phones. The OnePlus 12 and S24 Ultra, despite being close to each other in core hardware and core features, simply exist in different price zones. The difference in price between the two phones is Rs 65,000. This means you can buy two OnePlus 12 smartphones for the price of one S24 Ultra.
So the question is: Should someone pay the hefty price Samsung is asking for the S24 Ultra? And the answer goes like this. Do you believe this AI story that Samsung is selling with his S24 Ultra?
The main difference between the S24 Ultra and other phones in the Indian market is the AI. Samsung believes that just because it has many AI features on the S24 Ultra, its flagship features are powered by its Google Gemini AI and will also be available on the Pixel 8 Pro. It seems that. Most likely, but many of these AI features are also available on other phones if you want to use them via third-party apps.
Is it worth paying the high price?
But as a consumer, you should take a closer look at these AI features that the S24 Ultra offers and decide how much you should pay for them. For some consumers, the small improvements the S24 Ultra offers over phones like the OnePlus 12 may be worth the price Samsung is asking. But for many consumers, it may not be worth paying the premium.
And if the AI features aren't worth the premium Samsung demands, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will be in a tough spot. Because this is a good phone, or rather a good phone. But in a world where phones like the OnePlus 12 exist and cost just Rs 64,999, it becomes difficult for most consumers to spend more than $100,000 on any phone. Even if that phone is the powerful Galaxy S24 Ultra.
