OnePlus 12R vs Nothing Phone 2 vs Pixel 7a: Which is the Best Smartphone Under Rs 40,000 in India?

The OnePlus 12R is set to go on sale in India for the second time today. In our first impressions of the OnePlus 12R, we noted that the phone had all the makings of a top-tier premium mid-range phone, presumably the best smartphone under Rs 40,000.

However, the OnePlus 12R 5G is not alone at the top of the ladder. Enter its two greatest competitors, the Google Pixel 7a and the Nothing Phone (2). So let's take a look at the three main competitors for the title of best premium mid-range smartphone in India.

OnePlus 12R vs Nothing Phone 2 vs Pixel 7a: Full Specs Compared

Design and Build

In terms of build quality, the Nothing Phone 2 and OnePlus 12R feature Gorilla Glass protection on both the front and back, with the latter offering superior Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on the front. On the other hand, the Pixel 7a cuts some corners with a plastic back.

However, the Pixel 7a does feature a superior IP67 rating for resistance to dust and water. On the other hand, the OnePlus 12R gets a downgraded IP65 rating, while the Nothing Phone (2) falls short with minor resistance to splashes and dust with an IP54 rating.

The Nothing Phone (2) stands out in terms of its design. And this is primarily down to the phone's glyph interface and customizable LED lighting on the back, not to mention the transparent back. The Pixel 7a boasts a more compact design with flat sides, while the OnePlus 12R's features a curved screen.

Display

All three smartphones use an OLED display, although the Pixel 7a maxes out at 90Hz, while OnePlus and Nothing step it up to 120Hz. Moreover, the Nothing Phone 2 and OnePlus 12R feature LTPO panels with an adaptive refresh rate, although the latter uses the latest LTPO 4.0 technology.

The OnePlus 12R's screen is also brighter than its competitors, capable of reaching a peak brightness of 4,500 nits. The OnePlus 12R also features better dimming levels than the competition. While the displays on the Pixel 7a and Nothing Phone (2) support HDR, the OnePlus 12R's screen supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.

Performance

For performance, both OnePlus and Nothing use Qualcomm chipset, while the Pixel 7a goes the Tensor route. In terms of raw performance, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip on the OnePlus 12R leads the race. On the other hand, the Nothing Phone (2) comes in a close second place.

The Tensor G2 SoC on the Pixel 7a is the weakest of the bunch here, although it does excel in AI performance. Moreover, the OnePlus 12R puts a major emphasis on cooling tech, to deliver solid sustained performance. The 12R 5G also uses faster LPDDR5X RAM, while UFS 3.1 storage is common across all three handsets.

Cameras

For optics, the tables appear to have turned on the OnePlus 12R as both the Pixel 7a and Nothing Phone (2) feature a clear advantage against it. While the Pixel 7a has the weakest hardware of the three devices, its heavy reliance on software makes it the best camera smartphone for under Rs 40,000 in India.

Moving on to the Nothing Phone (2), which does features a superior ultrawide and selfie camera than those on the OnePlus 12R. The decision to bring two high-res camera sensors instead of one appears to be the right call. Lastly, the OnePlus 12R's camera system does feel a bit dated, compared to the overall package on offer, although it does retain the same primary sensor as the Phone (2).

Battery and Charging

OnePlus also smokes the competition in the battery department, offering a substantially larger battery than the Nothing Phone 2 and Pixel 7a. While the Pixel 7a features a smaller battery, it has a smaller screen and will drain less battery life, giving it a slight advantage over the Phone (2), in theory.

Both the Nothing Phone 2 and Pixel 7a features wired and wireless fast charging, although the OnePlus 12R settles for the latter. On the other hand, the OnePlus 12R's charging support is substantially faster and it comes with an adapter in the box. Moreover, it is touted to retain over 80% of its battery capacity for four years.

Software

If you are looking for a smartphone with a clean operating system, free of bloatware, then you've come to the right place as the software on all three phones fit that bill. We are yet to test all three devices. However, if we had to pick one, it would be the OG, with stock-Android the most preferrable route.

But that isn't to say that Nothing OS and OxygenOS are too far behind. The software experience on all three phones will undoubtedly be excellent. All three phones come with three years of OS updates, although the Pixel 7a gets an extra year of regular security updates. Considering the OnePlus 12R was released with Android 14, it does hold the edge here.

Should you Buy the OnePlus 12R?

The OnePlus 12R is the best of the three phones if you are looking for an overall package. It is a flagship in almost every aspect, apart from the price and cameras. OnePlus offers the best display, performance, battery life, charging support, and build quality in the segment. And the main camera is pretty versatile in most scenarios.

Should you Buy the Nothing Phone (2)?

The Nothing Phone 2 is easily the most eye-catching handset under Rs 40,000. But despite its looks, the Phone 2 is quite tough thanks to its glass and metal build. The Phone (2) also steps up in terms of performance and visuals thanks to the top-notch display. It also features the second-best cameras and strikes the perfect balance of specifications.

Should you Buy the Pixel 7a?

If cameras are for the upmost importance to you, then the Pixel 7a should be your default pick. The Pixel 7a does excel in photography and can compete with some of India's more premium smartphones.

Google also offers the best software experience in the segment. However, it is not much of a performer, while the battery life and the display also fall short of their mark. Lastly, the Pixel 7a is the only one on the list to offer a proper flagship-grade IP67 rating.