OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition review — Electrifying design & performance befitting Keqing

The OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition is HoYoverse’s latest offering in the mobile market, but is the Keqing-themed phone an electrifying purchase, or are you better off saving up for more Primogems instead? 

HoYoverse and OnePlus have teamed up to release the OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition phone, the latest mobile device that aims to wow fans with both its speed and electrifying design. 

The limited edition device costs $649.99/£649 and comes packed with OnePlus’ slightly older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a beefy 5,500mAh battery, vibrant 1.5K display, and plenty of Keqing-themed UI features and physical goodies. 

There’s even OnePlus’ signature triple camera system, that enables Travelers to document their real-world adventures. While Genshin Impact’s Keqing is known for her lightning-fast speed, elegance, and electrifying battle techniques, does her themed gaming phone live up to her in-game performance? 

Key specs

• Display: 6.78 AMOLED Panel with 2780 x 1264 pixels, 4,500nits Peak Brightness, 120 Hz refresh rate
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 8 Gen 2
• Memory: Up to 16GB RAM
• Storage: Up to 256GB
• Battery: 100W SUPERVOOC Fast Charging + 5,500mAh Battery
• Camera: Triple-camera setup with RAW HDR (50 MP main camera)
• OS: OxygenOS 14
• Price: $649.99/£649

Electrifying design befitting Keqing

The standout feature of the OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition is its beautiful design, which features a purple backing with swirling electro energy that enshrouds Keqing’s signature Lightning Stiletto. 

If that wasn’t enough, the letters “KEQING” have been carefully etched into the mirror-like surface at the top of the phone’s edge. While you won’t be able to decipher this by simply looking at it, you’ll be in for a treat as under the right light, “KEQING” is projected onto the surface. 

It’s a small addition and one that is incredibly easy to overlook, but its inclusion does make the OnePlus 12R Genshin Edition feel just that little bit more special. Once you’ve finished marveling at the phone’s design and summoning Keqing mains with your very own Bat-Signal, you’ll want to power it on. 

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Keqing’s electrical spirit has also been captured here, as, from the moment you unlock the screen, the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing flashes onto the screen. The 5-star Electro character has been decked out in a unique alternate outfit, and can even be seen holding the OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition phone. 

By default, Keqing is kept to the confines of the lock screen, while the phone’s main theme features a light purple background with her Lightning Stiletto motif. Of course, if you want to make Keqing the main set piece, or you’re not a fan of the violet background, you can change all of these settings and tailor-make them to your taste. 

Even actions like fast charging, fingerprint recognition, app icons, and custom ringtones all feature Keqing-related details.  

Genshin goodies galore

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It’s not just the OnePlus 12R that has been decked out in Keqing’s colors, as the display box hides some shockingly good surprises. Bundled inside this treasure chest of goodies is a plethora of limited-edition merchandise. There’s a Keqing-themed custom phone case, chibi-style emoji badges, Lightning Stilleto SIM ejector tool, Chibi Acrylic phone stand, a purple power adapter, and a full-body acrylic Keqing stand. 

Some limited-edition posters and stickers have also been thrown in for good measure. In fact, when this package arrived at my doorstep, I was instantly taken aback by the sheer weight of this thing, and this bundle certainly looks and feels like a premium product. 

While we’d have loved to have seen a collectible figure of the Driving Thunder or a free in-game unlock for Keqing (we still don’t have her), it’s clear HoYoverse and OnePlus have put a great deal of care into both the phone’s design and the Genshin goodies featured inside. 

Perfect for playing Genshin on the go

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The OnePlus 12R comes packed with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, up to 16GB RAM, 256GB storage, 5,500mAh battery, dual speakers with Dolby Atmos, and a 1.5K display with fourth-generation LTPO technology. This all sounds fantastic, but what does this exactly mean for your adventures across Teyvat? 

Well, to kick things off the performance and visual fidelity you get here is fantastic. I put the OnePlus 12R through its paces, ramping up Genshin’s graphics to the highest settings and switching on the phone’s signature Hyper HDR setting. 

Not only were the visuals positively stunning but the improved lighting and shadows from Hyper HDR made the game’s environments pop. Genshin Impact is known for its beautiful locations – a spectacle that is often lost on mobile devices. However, I was pleasantly surprised by not only the detail, but the overall performance the OnePlus 12R managed to squeeze out of its older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor was impressive.

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In my two-hour play session, I found the phone managed to deliver 60fps gameplay, which dipped down to 56fps in particularly hectic fights and busier environments. Loading into a new location also took no longer than four seconds, which is a bonus for completing commissions and location-hopping quests. 

I also found that the OnePlus 12R’s battery life to be impressive as well. After having played Genshin Impact for several hours, browsing the web, watching YouTube, and leaving the game running in the background, I found the battery had only dipped to around 70%, and with a 26-minute charge, you’ll be running around Teyvat in no time. 

Keeping things cool

Another thing that surprised me, was just how cool the OnePlus 12R ran. As an avid Genshin Impact and Monster Hunter Now player, I’m well aware of how hot mobile devices can run – in fact, a number of my past phones have even powered themselves off due to the heated gaming sessions. 

While the OnePlus 12R did run warm after a couple of hours of heavy play, it never reached the point where it was hot to touch. This is particularly useful for avid mobile gamers who want to put in the hours grinding or have a particularly long commute, without having the discomfort of holding a molten brick. 

Storage space galore 

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As most Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail fans will be aware, gaming on mobile can often come with some major caveats – namely down to the storage-related issues. This is especially true when updates can quickly chew through your mobile’s already limited storage. Well, fortunately, the OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition comes packed with a massive 16GB of RAM with LPDDR5X and large 256GB of ROM storage. 

This enables you to effortlessly download all those chunky Genshin updates and other game files without having to constantly delete apps to free up storage space. We also found multitasking to be seamless as well, with the OnePlus 12R able to run a suite of apps in the background without issue – handy for when you’re flicking between games, streaming Twitch/YouTube videos, or just taking calls on WhatsApp and Discord. 

Triple-camera Setup with RAW HDR

Lastly, the OnePlus OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition’s camera comes packed with a triple-camera setup and RAW HDR. Essentially, what this means, is you get richer details and uncompromised clarity. The camera itself has the usual 0.6x, 1x, 2x, and 5x zoom, which is great for snapping your usual quick pics and holiday snaps. 

While the photos I took did look good, I often found that the ones captured in low light often lacked details, and the zoom function of the 5x does appear rather grainy. Of course, this likely won’t be a deal breaker for those who aren’t looking for professional level, but if you want a little more detail and zoom clarity, then the OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition won’t blow you away. 

The verdict – 4

Overall, the OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition has all the whistles and bells of a premium mobile gaming device. It’s fast, it’s sleek, and most importantly it feels great to use. 

The Keqing-themed decals and collectible goodies won’t be for everyone, but for die-hard Genshin Impact fans and Keqing mains, this purple powerhouse is a perfect addition to your collection. 

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