Phones with 12GB of RAM: What are your best options?

More companies are releasing phones with 12GB of RAM including big names like Samsung, as well as Chinese manufacturers like OnePlus and Xiaomi. We’ll show you the best ones in this post, but before we jump in, it’s important to note that 12GB of RAM is an overkill for a smartphone right now. As our very own Gary Sims said, “Once you go over 8GB, you enter Nonsense land where Mr. Silly lives”.

That being said, having as much RAM as possible does make sense if you plan to keep your phone for a longer period of time. So while 12GB of RAM for a phone may be overkill now, it could become standard on flagships a few years down the line.

The best phones with 12GB of RAM:

1. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G
2. Samsung Galaxy S20 series
3. OnePlus 8 series
4. OnePlus Nord
5. Asus ROG Phone 3
6. Oppo Find X2 Pro
7. Nubia Red Magic 5S
8. Motorola Edge Plus

1. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra holds its place as one of the most powerful devices this year. It makes sense that it leads this list of the best phones with 12GB of RAM. You need to make sure you get the 5G version of the phone, though, as the standard Galaxy Note 20 comes with “only” 8GB of RAM. The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G has 12GB of RAM.

Other benefits to getting this phone are the beautiful QHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, the useful S Pen, a huge 4,500mAh battery, and amazing performance. All these benefits will make a difference in wallet thickness, though. This phone is by no means cheap. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G specs:

• Display: 6.9-inch, QHD+
• SoC: SD 865 Plus or Exynos 990
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: 128/256/512GB
• Cameras: 12, 12, and 108MP
• Front camera: 10MP
• Battery: 4,500mAh
• Software: Android 10

2. Samsung Galaxy S20 series
The Samsung Galaxy S20 5G, S20 Plus 5G, and S20 Ultra 5G are definitely among the best phones with 12GB of RAM. All three boast powerful specs, Samsung’s beloved design language, and amazing AMOLED screens with a 120Hz refresh rate.

These are expensive and many believe you might as well go with a Note 20 series instead, but the standard versions are still a great buy if you don’t mind spending the money and want a simpler experience than the one in the S Pet-touting Note. Check the specs below for more details.

Samsung Galaxy S20 5G specs:

• Display: 6.2-inch, QHD+
• SoC: SD 865 or Exynos 990
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: 128GB
• Cameras: 12, 12, and 64MP
• Front camera: 10MP
• Battery: 4,000mAh
• Software: Android 10

Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 5G specs:

• Display: 6.7-inch, QHD+
• SoC: SD 865 or Exynos 990
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: 128/256/512GB
• Cameras: 0.3, 12, 12, and 64MP
• Front camera: 10MP
• Battery: 4,500mAh
• Software: Android 10

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G specs:

• Display: 6.9-inch, QHD+
• SoC: SD 865 or Exynos 990
• RAM: 12/16GB
• Storage: 128/256/512GB
• Cameras: 0.3, 12, 48, and 108MP
• Front camera: 40MP
• Battery: 5,000mAh
• Software: Android 10

3. OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro
OnePlus’ current flagship series offers great options for those who are into photography. These have some of the best camera setups we-ve seen coming from OnePlus phones. That said, the Pro version comes with more cameras and slightly better performance. The OnePlus 8 Pro sports a 48MP main sensor, a 48MP wide-angle camera, a 12MP telephoto lens, and a 5MP color filter camera. You can learn more about it in our OnePlus 8 Pro review at the link. Meanwhile, the base OnePlus 8 settles with a 48MP wide camera, a 16MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP sensor with a macro lens.

You’ll also love the performance coming from these devices. Both pack the Snapdragon 865 chipset under the hood. You also get large screens with high refresh rates, dual-SIM support, and a fantastic software experience.

OnePlus 8 specs:

• Display: 6.55-inch, Full HD+
• SoC: Snapdragon 865
• RAM: 8/12GB
• Storage: 128/256GB
• Cameras: 48, 16, and 2MP
• Front camera: 16MP
• Battery: 4,300mAh
• Software: Android 10

OnePlus 8 Pro specs:

• Display: 6.78-inch, QHD+
• SoC: Snapdragon 865
• RAM: 8/12GB
• Storage: 128/256GB
• Cameras: 48, 48, 8, and 5MP
• Front camera: 16MP
• Battery: 4,510mAh
• Software: Android 10

4. OnePlus Nord
Don’t want to spend as much cash to get one of the best phones with 12GB of RAM? OnePlus has a more affordable option for you. The OnePlus Nord is no flagship, but it is surprisingly good for the price.

The Nord comes with a 6.44-inch Full HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate and is powered by the 5G-capable Snapdragon 765G processor. It also manages to squeeze in more cameras than any other OnePlus smartphone so far, with four on the back and a dual setup up front. The Nord may not come with a flagship processor like every other recent OnePlus release, but it’s still an extremely capable phone, especially when you consider its comparatively cheaper price tag.

OnePlus Nord specs:

• Display: 6.44-inch, Full HD+
• SoC: Snapdragon 765G
• RAM: 8/12GB
• Storage: 128/256GB
• Cameras: 48, 8, 5, and 2MP
• Front camera: 32 and 8MP
• Battery: 4,115mAh
• Software: Android 10

5. Asus ROG Phone 3
The Asus ROG Phone 3 is one of the best gaming phones available. As such, you can be sure it packs enough power to handle anything you throw at it, including a massive amount of RAM memory. This is hands-down one of the best phones with 12GB of RAM. Not only due to raw power, but there are some other features that make the phone an enticing buy.

For starters, 12GB of RAM isn’t the limit with the Asus ROG Phone 3; you can get up to 16GB of RAM! Other specs include a Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset, a stunning screen with a 144Hz refresh rate, a huge 6,000mAh battery, and it even comes with an AeroActive 3 cooling fan. It’s one heck of a phone!

Asus ROG Phone 3 specs:

• Display: 6.59-inch, Full HD+
• SoC: Snapdragon 865 Plus
• RAM: 12/16GB
• Storage: 512GB
• Cameras: 64, 13, and 5MP
• Front camera: 24MP
• Battery: 6,000mAh
• Software: Android 10

6. Oppo Find X2 Pro
The Oppo Find X2 Pro performs, looks, and feels great. It’s a very powerful, albeit expensive, device that won’t disappoint. Of course, it comes with 12GB of RAM, but it also has a gorgeous 120Hz QHD+ display, a Snapdragon 865 processor, IP68 certification, and more. And while there are better camera phones out there, this device won’t disappoint most casual shooters.

Oppo Find X2 Pro specs:

• Display: 6.7-inch, QHD+
• SoC: Snapdragon 865
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: 512GB
• Cameras: 48, 48, and 13MP
• Front camera: 32MP
• Battery: 4,260mAh
• Software: Android 10

7. Nubia Red Magic 5S
The Nubia Red Magic 5S is the latest in the former ZTE sub-brand’s gaming line, and there’s more to it than the stereotypically garish gamer design. It’s one of the best phones with 12GB of RAM and one of the few to offer a 144Hz AMOLED display.

It isn’t a big change from its predecessor the Red Magic 5G, packing the same screen, shoulder buttons, battery capacity, and Snapdragon 865 processor (no plus here). It does, however, feature a much improved cooling system that should extend your battery life and improve performance while gaming. There are also a host of accessories available that also enhance your gaming experience.

Nubia Red Magic 5S specs:

• Display: 6.65-inch, Full HD+
• SoC: Snapdragon 865
• RAM: 8/12GB
• Storage: 128/256GB
• Cameras: 64, 8, and 2MP
• Front camera: 8MP
• Battery: 4,500mAh
• Software: Android 10

8. Motorola Edge Plus
The Motorola Edge Plus has all the specs you need to make a high-end smartphone. Of course, this includes a high RAM memory count, making this one of the best phones with 12GB of RAM. It also packs a powerful Snapdragon 865 processor, 256GB of storage, and a capable 5,000mAh battery.

To make matters even better, Motorola has been trying hard to build its camera cred and the Edge Plus may be its best effort yet. For the first time, we feel like a Motorola phone actually holds up to the competition. The phone packs a 108MP main sensor that bins down by a factor of four to 27MP. Motorola did the right thing and loaded the phone with a 3x optical telephoto lens and a combined ultra wide-angle/macro lens. The 25MP selfie camera also bins down by a factor of four to 6MP. Reuters