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Picking a family plan isn’t as easy as it should be. There are multiple carriers, each with their own variety of plans that have a host of pros, cons and fine print. Then there are upgrades and device deals to consider, as well as what features everyone needs or if the perks dangled by providers like free Netflix, hotspot data or international roaming make sense for you.
Having covered the wireless industry for over a decade, this is my guide to figuring out the best family plans for three or more lines, what you should consider and CNET’s picks for the best deals available today from the three major providers.
If you’re considering a prepaid provider, see our prepaid guide here on how to navigate that.
Best family phone plans
Because of T-Mobile’s restructuring of its cheapest plans, this has gotten a bit more complicated. As mentioned above, both T-Mobile Essentials and Essentials Saver include unlimited talk, text and data for all the carrier’s base unlimited plans, including 5G access.
In short, if you need two lines, Essentials Saver is your best pick, while those looking for three or more lines may want to go with regular Essentials.
Two lines of Essentials Saver runs $80 a month, while a similar offering from Verizon costs $110 a month, and a similar deal from AT&T runs $120 a month. Three lines will also run $90 at T-Mobile for its regular Essentials thanks to a promotion, compared with $120 at Verizon (for Unlimited Welcome) and $135 at AT&T (for Unlimited Starter). The four-line option is now back to $100 at T-Mobile thanks a to new promotion, compared with $120 at Verizon and $140 at AT&T.
If you’re comparing prices on multiple carriers’ websites, it’s worth keeping in mind that Verizon’s pricing by default factors in a switching promotional discount of $180 over three years for Unlimited Welcome or $540 if you’re getting Unlimited Plus. In both cases it’s also assuming you aren’t also getting a new phone when you switch.
To get the real numbers of Verizon’s plans make sure to add $5 a line to its Welcome prices and $15 a line for Plus. Our pricing above removes the BYOD device credit. Our pricing here also assumes no perks from Verizon.
As for T-Mobile, its prices also come with a couple of caveats: Unlike the carrier’s Go5G or Magenta plans, taxes and fees aren’t included in any of these Essentials prices, making the final total a little higher. All the deals also require that you set up AutoPay and paperless billing.
And as mentioned, you may need to click “see more plans” and then “explore Essentials Saver plan” on T-Mobile’s site to get this option to appear.
Best family plan for switchers
T-Mobile Essentials iPhone 15 offer
Note: You need to switch to T-Mobile and have an eligible trade-in.
T-Mobile’s switcher offer is tempting if you’re looking to switch to the carrier and need new devices. You get four lines of its Essentials plan and four new iPhone 15 models for $100 a month. Here is the fine print.
Like other carriers, you need to commit to being with T-Mobile for 24 months (which is actually better than AT&T and Verizon’s respective 36-month installment plans). Leaving early loses you the credits and leaves you on the hook for the balance owed. You also need to have at least four lines and trade in an iPhone 11 or newer to get the full value for the deal. Older phones, like an iPhone 7, will only get you partial credit off an iPhone 15.
T-Mobile’s Essentials plan also doesn’t include perks like Netflix or bundling in of taxes and fees. You also will be on the hook for $35 a line “device connection” charges, which are one-time charges the carrier puts as part of activation (and is also fairly standard across the major carriers).
All that said, this is still a good deal, particularly if you have three- or four-year-old iPhones and were already considering switching. Each iPhone 15 retails for $830 per device most providers won’t give that type of credit for an iPhone 11.
Verizon has its own, similar free iPhone offer, but that deal gives you iPhone 14 Pluses instead of iPhone 15s. AT&T has no four-line deal that bundles in free iPhones.
Best plan for perks
Verizon Unlimited Welcome
This is a bit more complicated. Verizon used to be our pick with its Play More plan that bundled in the Disney bundle (ad-free Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu with ads) and services like Google Play Pass or Apple Arcade into the plan’s sticker price.
Now the carrier has updated its wireless plans to remove perks like the Disney bundle or Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass from being automatically included with its service. Even with its new plans it’s still our pick for best perks, but this will require a bit more explanation.
Instead of automatically putting services in, it now offers a variety of perks at $10 per month per perk, allowing you to pick and choose what you want. It also now allows its lower-cost plan, known as Unlimited Welcome, to participate.
Unlimited Welcome runs $65 a month for one line or $120 a month for four lines. You get unlimited talk, text and data, but you don’t get access to Verizon’s fastest 5G networks (what it calls “5G Ultra Wideband”) or hotspot data. For that, you will need to step up to its pricier Unlimited Plus plan ($80 for one line, $180 for four lines).
Both the Welcome and Plus plans include the ability to add perks at that $10 per month rate. This includes the Disney Bundle (normally $15 a month), Apple One individual (normally around $17 a month), Apple Music Family (which can be shared with five people and normally runs $17 a month) and Walmart Plus (normally $13 a month but also includes Paramount Plus Essential).
There are also other perks including an additional 100GB of hotspot data (normally $45 a month), 2TB of Verizon’s cloud storage (normally $15 a month), three days of international data (what the carrier calls TravelPass, normally $10 a day).
All perks can be turned on or off at will, and you could forgo them entirely. You can even go with multiple perks on a single line.
Whether this makes sense for your situation may require some time with a spreadsheet going through what services work for you and what you’re willing to pay for them. The savings could add up if you’re paying for some of these services directly, but it also could be more expensive than your existing plan.
It’s also worth mentioning that Verizon allows you to “mix and match” lines, so if not everyone needs the faster 5G connectivity, they could be on Unlimited Welcome, while the one who does can go on Unlimited Plus.
AT&T allows something similar with its unlimited plans, but at the moment it no longer offers any streaming perks. To get T-Mobile’s perks, everyone has to be on the same plan.
But if you wanted a cheaper way to save on one or two services like the Disney bundle, you could have four lines for $120 a month, add the Disney perk for $10 and be paying $130 a month for the whole package.
Oh, and you can also combine these plans with Verizon’s other discounts for teachers, nurses, military and first responders to save a bit more.
Runner-up for perks
T-Mobile Go5G and Go5G Plus
T-Mobile’s new plans are also a bit complicated. For most people, T-Mobile’s Magenta and Magenta Max options are the better pick when it comes to looking for perks for one or two lines. They’re cheaper than the new Go5G options and have most of the same features, except with a cheaper monthly rate ($70 for one line on Magenta, $120 for two lines; $85 for one line on Magenta Max, $140 for two lines).
You get less hotspot and international data with a Magenta plan compared to a Go5G option, and Magenta Max users also don’t get the same ability to upgrade to a new device after two years while taking advantage of T-Mobile’s “new customer” deals.
Thanks to T-Mobile offering a free third line on its Go5G options, those plans become cheaper and a better value compared to the Magentas if you need three or more lines.
Among the benefits of Magenta and Go5G ($75 a month for one line, $155 a month for four lines) are unlimited international data (albeit at slow “2G speeds”) when traveling in over 210 countries, an hour of in-flight Wi-Fi on a number of airlines, T-Mobile Tuesdays weekly giveaways, the bundling of Netflix’s Basic plan (which is $10 a month and limited to watching on one screen at a time) and six free months of Apple TV Plus.
Its pricier Magenta Max and Go5G Plus ($90 a month for one line, $185 a month for four lines) plans bump the Netflix subscription to the more popular $15.49-a-month Standard plan (which allows for 1080p HD streaming on up to two screens at once), includes a full subscription to Apple TV Plus, ups the hotspot data from 15GB on Go5G to 50GB per month on Go5G Plus, adds 5GB of high-speed international data and gives you unlimited Wi-Fi on a host of flights including those from American, Alaska Airlines, Delta and United. Go5G Plus also has 15GB of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico, compared to 10GB on Go5G.
Unlike its Essentials plans discussed earlier, T-Mobile also includes taxes and fees with the pricing of both of its Magenta and Go5G plans.
How we test
Picking a wireless plan and carrier is an individualized process. What works for you and your family’s needs may be vastly different from your friends or neighbors. Even geographically, some areas have better AT&T coverage while others work best on Verizon or T-Mobile (and vice versa). The picks we make are based on over a decade of covering and evaluating the wireless carriers, their offerings and their performance.
Since choosing a provider is unique, we focus on larger plans and the value they provide; as well as calling out ways you can test the different networks in your area for yourself so you can make the best pick.
Factors to consider: Know your area
As we covered in our other wireless guides, to get the best deal you need to make sure you have the coverage that you need. This makes it hard to give a blanket recommendation of any one carrier. T-Mobile’s service in New York may be excellent, but if you’re in rural Iowa, Verizon is more reliable.
While your mileage may vary, the good news is that these networks are growing and improving all the time, particularly as the three major players race to blanket the US with 5G. It’s quite possible that you left a network complaining about its sparse service a decade ago, but now it’s beefed itself up because of that race to acquire customers.
If you know any friends or family in your area that already use the carrier you’re considering, ask about their experience. You could also go to a carrier’s store and see if they offer any free ways to try out the service before switching over, such as T-Mobile’s Network Pass. Verizon offers a similar 30-day “Test Drive” program, while the Cricket prepaid service has its own trial program that lets you sample parent AT&T’s network.
Wireless plan FAQ
Woot Has Knocked These Bone Conduction Headphones Down to Just $55
With so many great wireless earbudsto pick from, you’d expect a lot more options for those who want to work out while wearing them. Bone-conducting headphones won’t fall out of your ears and they won’t block out the sound of dangerous traffic around you. This pair from Shockz is pretty solid: The brand has made several appearances on our list of best running headphones, so you know that you’re buying something with a good pedigree.
Right now, you can get your hands — and ears — on a pair of Shokz OpenMove bone conduction headphones for just $55, a price that is a full 31% off the original asking price and a match for the lowest we’ve seen these go. There are two different colors for you to choose from at Woot: blue and pink. The discount is due to end in seven days or when supplies run dry.
These earbuds are comfortable and lightweight while offering strong battery life and USB-C charging. You can listen to music and make calls for up to 6 hours without needing any top-ups, and the bone-conduction tech means that you’ll still be able to hear your surroundings — perfect for running or walking around a busy city.
Other noteworthy features include support for Bluetooth 5.1 and an IP55 rating, ensuring that you can wear these things in the rain and while working out, although they’re not designed for swimming or wearing in the shower.
Prefer your earbuds to be the old-fashioned kind? Don’t worry, there are plenty of regular earbud and headphone deals to be had right now.
Some Older Unlimited Wireless Plans Will Get a Price Hike Next Month
Verizon customers with 5G Get More, 5G Play More, 5G Do More and 5G Start unlimited mobile plans will soon be seeing bigger bills. The mobile carrier has confirmed to CNET that it will be increasing the cost of those plans by $4, starting March 1.
“Starting March 1, Verizon customers on select older Unlimited mobile plans will see a monthly plan increase of $4 per line, effective their next billing cycle,” a Verizon spokesperson told CNET in a statement.
The move is the latest Verizon price increase, with the carrier previously raising rates on some of its older unlimited plans last summer while also adding in new fees for other plans. In 2022, it raised the prices on its shared data plans. Plans that previously got a rate hike will not be seeing another increase with this move.
As with its other price increases, the move seems designed to push users to switch to some of its recent “myPlan” unlimited plans dubbed Unlimited Ultimate, Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Welcome. These new plans don’t come with included streaming services like the Disney bundle or international data roaming days, but instead lets you add them as $10 per month “perks.”
Read more: Best Unlimited Plans
In the statement, the spokesperson made it clear that the goal is to get customers to move to newer plans, noting that users on older plans “can easily move to myPlan and take advantage of the network option that works best for them, plus exclusive savings on the entertainment, shopping and experiences that matter to them, including Disney Plus, Apple One, Netflix, Max, Walmart and many others.”
The spokesperson notes that the pricing for any of its newer plans will “remain the same.”
Verizon is the latest wireless provider to adjust its pricing. In January, AT&T upped the price of its unlimited plans by 99 cents per line, while T-Mobile also confirmed it would be raising the prices for its Home Internet service.
How to fix a Windows 11 laptop that’s plugged in but isn’t charging
It’s a good idea to keep up with Windows updates so your system can continue to run smoothly and your data stays secure. On occasion, however, an update can cause a conflict that breaks something. After installing a previous Windows update, for example, my laptop’s battery stopped charging. My laptop showed it was plugged in, but then at the same time it would tell me it was also not charging. Argh!
Thankfully, I found that this problem was not uncommon and would occasionally arise after a Windows update. And more thankfully, there was an easy fix. I haven’t been able to replicate it since it occurred on my previous laptop running Windows 10, but the Device Manager in Windows 11 hasn’t changed since then, so my fix is worth trying if you encounter this problem. Here’s how I got my laptop’s battery back to charging when it was plugged in.
Read more: Ditch These Windows 11 Default Settings
Plugged in, not charging
If your laptop refuses to charge the battery even though it acknowledges that it’s plugged in, here’s what you need to do:
- Open the Device Manager by searching for it or right-clicking the Start button and selecting Device Manager.
- Click Batteries on the list to expand it and you should see two items: Microsoft AC Adapter and Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery.
- Right-click on each item and choose Uninstall device. Yes, you are uninstalling your laptop’s battery drivers, but don’t worry because they will automatically be reinstalled when you restart your laptop.
- Shut down your laptop.
- Unplug the power cable from your laptop.
- If your laptop has a removable battery, remove it. My Lenovo laptop did not have a removable battery. I tried skipping this step but it didn’t work, so I removed the bottom panel of my laptop and then removed the battery by disconnecting it from the motherboard.
- Put the battery back in if you removed it.
- Plug in your laptop.
- Power on your laptop.
- Click the battery icon in the system tray and you should see that your laptop is plugged in and charging.
By reinstalling my Lenovo laptop’s battery drivers and disconnecting its battery and then reconnecting it, I got my laptop’s battery back to charging when it’s plugged in. With differences in manufacturers, however, your mileage may vary.
Two other possible fixes: Update or restore
If uninstalling and reinstalling the battery drivers didn’t get your battery back and charging, I suggest you check for updates or restore Windows 11 to an earlier point.
To update Windows, open Settings, choose Windows Update and click the blue Check for updates button.
Instead of moving forward with an update, you can try moving backward to an earlier point in time when your battery was fully operational and able to be charged. This possible fix is available only if you had previously created restore points using System Protection.
To check to see if you have any restore points to which you can return, open the Control Panel by searching for in the Taskbar and then search for Recovery. On the Recovery page in the Control Panel, click Open System Restore, click Next and choose and restore point from a point in time before your battery stopped charging.
For more, check out nine hidden Windows 11 features, how to manage Windows 11 updates on your terms and Windows 11 features to help boost your productivity.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Play Palworld, Persona 3 Reload and Others Now
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games that you can play on your Xbox Series X or Series S, Xbox One and PC for $17 a month. With a subscription, you get new games every month — like the gaming world’s latest obsession, Palworld — and other benefits, like online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.
Here are the titles Game Pass Ultimate added recently.
Palworld
If you’ve ever played any of the Pokemon games and thought, “Yeah, these creatures are adorable and cute, but I wish they had guns,” Palworld is for you. In this open-world adventure, you can use weapons to collect over 100 creatures, called Pals. Then you can use your Pals to fight bosses or accomplish tasks for you.
According to Xbox.com, Palworld is the largest third-party game release in Game Pass history. More than 7 million people have played the title.
“The response from fans has been tremendous and it’s incredible to see the millions of players around the world enjoying Palworld,” Takuro Mizobe, CEO of Palworld developer PocketPair, told Xbox.com. “This is just the beginning for us and Palworld…”
Persona 3 Reload
This game is a much-anticipated remake of the award-winning 2006 roleplaying game Persona 3, but its director, Takuya Yamaguchi, hopes players feel the remake is something new.
“I wanted users to think that when they played this game, ‘I’m playing not a remake of something old, but I’m playing something that is the newest entry to the Persona series,’” Yamaguchi told Xbox.com. “I wanted to leave all of the parts that made Persona 3 what it was … but then try to address the things that have changed in the interim.”
New to the Persona franchise? Here’s some info. Your character can summon a physical manifestation of their inner spirit, called a Persona. As you explore areas, you and your Persona will fight different enemies, like Demons, Shadows and other Personas. And there’s also a social aspect to the Persona games, where you can perform activities like cooking, gardening and chatting with other characters. Besides being pleasant and relaxing, these activities also have in-game benefits, like improving relationships and raising some stats. So if you’re having trouble with a certain fight, try reading a book. You might learn a thing or two.
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank
This quirky adventure game is filled with roguelite elements, heists and your daily recommended amount of vegetables. You play as the titular Turnip Boy as he teams up with the Pickled Gang as they shake down hostages, steal valuables and plan what is likely the strangest heist you’ve ever seen.
F1 23
The official video game of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship is coming to Game Pass Ultimate. You can create your own dream team of some of the best Formula 1 drivers in the world, and test out your own skills in this exhilarating racing game. And maybe stop Red Bull winning it this time.
Go Mecha Ball
This game puts a new spin on roguelike gameplay. In it, you blast through arcade-style levels using a combination of pinball-style physics and an arsenal of weapons. You’ll also have to upgrade your mech along the way to take on waves of enemies and huge boss battles.
Brotato
In this top-down roguelite arena shooter, you fight off hordes of aliens until help arrives. And if that wasn’t enough to pique your interest, you play as a rootin’, tootin’, gun-totin’ potato. What else needs to be said, bro?
Anuchard
A kingdom has fallen, and you’ve been selected to bring it back to its former glory. In this action RPG, you explore dungeons, solve puzzles and battle monsters. Then, it’s up to you to decide whether bringing back the kingdom is worth it.
Titles leaving Game Pass
While you’ll be able to play the above games on Game Pass Ultimate in the coming weeks, there are two titles that left the service. So if you had any side-quests left to finish, you’ll have to buy these games separately.
For more on Xbox, here are other titles available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate now and what to know about the gaming service.
The Great TikTok-UMG Music Purge: Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Others Are Gone From Site
TikTok users are still caught in a fight between Universal Music Group and TikTok. But the musicians themselves aren’t standing still, with some of them adding new Grammy Awards to their trophy case on Feb. 4. That’s a positive ending to a week where many users woke up on Feb. 1 to discover the music from videos they made or watched had been removed due to a dispute between UMG and the video-sharing social media platform.
Videos were muted, even if only a few seconds of the song by the UMG artist was included, and UMG music is no longer available for use in new videos.
Huge stars are involved in the dispute with TikTok — UMG artists include Taylor Swift, the Beatles, Billie Eilish, Drake, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny and many more. You can see the full list of artists on UMG’s site. Swift and Eilish were among those presented with Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, and Grammy host Trevor Noah even joked about the feud in his introductory monologue.
“The Grammys has everyone, unlike TikTok!” Noah said at the awards show. “You saw that, right? Universal has just pulled all of their artists off TikTok … And you know what, TikTok? Shame on you! Shame on you for ripping off all of these artists, yeah! … How dare you do that? That’s Spotify’s job.”
TikTok is a massive social platform and music app, with more than a billion users worldwide, and more than 100 million in the US. And the site is no stranger to controversy, thanks in part to the fact that its parent company, Bytedance, is Chinese. US lawmakers say Chinese laws allow China’s government to demand data from companies based there, though TikTok says such fears are unfounded. Still, the federal government, and some states, have banned its use on government or state devices.
TikTok creators can make videos using music accessed via the site’s library. Millions of TikTok videos use those sounds. According to Forbes, Taylor Swift’s song Cruel Summer alone had been used in almost 2.5 million videos. Here’s what you should know about the dispute, and how to swap in other music if your videos have been affected.
What happened to the videos?
Videos that TikTok creators had previously made using then-allowed artists were still on the site Thursday. But they were marked with a note indicating that the music was no longer available. Sound for the entire video was muted, even if the affected artist’s music was used only briefly. The videos could still be watched, but on a site where dancing and lip-syncing are a huge part of the content, those videos are essentially useless without any sound.
The change is worldwide, not just affecting TikTok videos made in certain countries.
How to swap in other music
If the music was removed from one or more of your videos — and some TikTok creators had hundreds or thousands of videos affected — you’ll see a message on the thumbnail for those videos. TikTok should provide you with an option to select a new sound from music that isn’t from UMG. That list includes Paul Russell’s TikTok-popular song Lil Boo Thang, Cyndi Lauper’s 1983 hit Girls Just Want to Have Fun and music by Coolio, Green Day, Weezer and others.
Some video creators have tried the stopgap of using a sped-up or otherwise tweaked version of the UMG song they used originally, but audio-detection software will likely ban those clips as well. Video creators may want to start looking for independent music that’s available on TikTok, or provide their own background soundtrack. In fact, the ban could end up being a boon for savvy independent musical artists, if they’re able to see their music go viral due to many creators suddenly seeking out new music.
UMG’s complaints
The yanking of the music didn’t come as a surprise. Two days before the contract between the two businesses was set to expire, UMG published a letter on its site declaring its intent to “call time out” on TikTok. UMG said in the letter that the company had been pressing TikTok on three issues: “appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users.”
UMG also said that “TikTok proposed paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay.”
TikTok’s response, and UMG’s reply
UMG’s letter was lengthy. TikTok fired back with a short, three-paragraph response. Without giving details about the three issues mentioned in the UMG letter, TikTok called the dispute “sad and disappointing” and accused UMG of putting “their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.”
“TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher,” the statement said. “Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.”
In July, TikTok had reached a new agreement to license music from Warner Music Group, so songs from those artists are still available. They include Lizzo, Panic! at the Disco, Blake Shelton and the Doors.
In a statement sent to CNET after TikTok’s response, a representative for UMG expanded further.
“TikTok still argues that artists should be grateful for the ‘free promotion’ and that music companies are ‘greedy’ for expecting them to simply compensate artists and songwriters appropriately, and on similar levels as other social media platforms currently do,” the emailed statement said. “TikTok didn’t even attempt to address the other issues we raised regarding harmful AI and platform safety.”
TikTok didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Pay Just $30 for This Lifetime License for Microsoft Visio Pro 2021
Microsoft Visio Pro is one of the go-to apps for creating complex diagrams whether you’re someone who needs to draw a network diagram or lay out a storyboard. Whatever you’re doing, the app would normally cost around $310 — but if you place an order today that price will plummet to just $30.
This discount doesn’t require that you enter any of those pesky codes or clip any coupons, but you do need to make sure that you order your new software soon. We don’t know how long this deal is going to last, but StackSocial deals don’t tend to hang around for long.
Lifetime access to Visio Pro 2021 will cost you a whopping $310 if you purchase it through Microsoft directly, but you only have to pay a fraction of that. The app features hundreds of templates and thousands of shapes and stencils for flow charts, timelines, floor plans and much more so you can distill complex processes into simple, easy-to-follow visual guides. Plus, it allows you to import data from other Microsoft programs like Excel.
Just note that this deal is only available to new subscribers, and the license can only be used for a single PC running Windows 10 or 11. You’ll also need to have a Microsoft 365 subscription and access to the desktop version of Microsoft 365 apps, along with a Power BI and Power Automate subscription. And you’ll have to redeem this offer within 30 days of the purchase. Be sure to check out the full list of requirements on the StackSocial page if you’re at all unsure.
OnePlus 12R Review: Low in Price, Big in Power
The OnePlus 12 already impressed us with its powerful performance and epic battery life, but if its $800 starting price is too steep, you might want to consider the $500 ( 649, roughly AU$1,250) OnePlus 12R. This cheaper alternative shares some of its pricier sibling’s visual cues, along with a decent battery and solid performance. It makes some key tradeoffs to achieve its more affordable starting price.
The 12R runs on a slightly older Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor instead of the OnePlus 12’s brand new 8 Gen 3 chip, although it still packs a hell of a punch. The 12R also has a pared-back camera setup, which includes a 50-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 2-megapixel camera with a macro lens. It takes decent shots in mixed conditions, but those looking for a more fully-featured photography experience will want to opt for its flagship sibling.
Disappointing support periods
Both the camera and performance tradeoffs are to be expected for a more budget-focused phone, but what I find less excusable is the shorter software support period. OnePlus offers only three years of software updates and four years of security updates on the OnePlus 12R; a year less of each than the company offers on the standard OnePlus 12. Longer support means your phone will remain usable and continue to get new features for longer, which is better for you and the planet.
Read more: Best Android Phone of 2024
Intentionally offering shorter support periods on its cheaper model is a disappointing stance for OnePlus to take, as it suggests sustainability is a premium offering only available to those willing to spend more on the top model. I already argued that OnePlus needs to offer longer support on the OnePlus 12, as both Samsung and Google offer at least seven years of support on their higher-end phones. Even Samsung’s more midrange $599 Galaxy S23 FE is getting four years of software updates and five years of security updates. At the very least, I’d want OnePlus to offer the same support periods on both phones. Ideally OnePlus should take that even further to remain competitive with its rivals.
Familiar design, powerful performance
On the upside, the phone packs an impressive 5,500-mAh battery. It’s actually bigger than the one found in the OnePlus 12, which performed superbly on our drain tests. The 12R actually didn’t perform quite as well as its pricier sibling, likely due to the differences in power efficiency between each phone processor. That said, battery life is still much better than average, and a full day of mixed use is perfectly acceptable.
Like the OnePlus 12, the 12R offers super-fast 80-watt wireless charging, which takes it from empty to full in a little over 30 minutes. In the UK, the 12R actually offers 100-watt fast charging, which sucks down the juice even faster. A compatible fast charger comes in the box, which means you don’t need to factor buying a power adapter into your budget. Unlike the OnePlus 12, the 12R does not offer wireless charging.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip might be a generation older than the one found in the OnePlus 12, but it’s still a powerhouse of a processor. It earned excellent scores on benchmark tests, surprisingly beating the OnePlus 12 on CPU tests but underperforming on graphics tests. In general use, the phone feels extremely swift, with demanding games like Genshin Impact, PUBG and Asphalt 9: Legends all playing very smoothly at maximum graphics settings.
OnePlus 12R performance compared
- Geekbench 6 (multi-core)
- 3DMark Wild Life Extreme
The 12R sports a frosted glass back, which feels sturdy and premium. The 6.78-inch display looks very bright and vibrant in my testing, offering a great experience for mobile games and vibrant YouTube videos. It includes the same wet-touch tech seen on the OnePlus 12 that allows the screen to remain responsive even when wet, which worked well in my experience. This combined with the phone’s IP64 water resistance rating means it’s usable even during heavy rain.
Good enough cameras
The OnePlus 12R’s main 50-megapixel camera can take good-looking shots in a variety of conditions. I’ve been pleased with the overall richness of colors, level of detail and the solid exposure of many of my test shots.
Taken in good conditions, these images from the main camera look great, with satisfying contrast, colors and detail.
The 8-megapixel ultrawide lens is decent enough, but there’s a noticeable color shift between the two lenses, along with mushy details towards the edges of the frame.
There’s no telephoto optical zoom lens here, which isn’t shocking for a phone of this price. The camera interface includes toggles for 2x and 5x zoom levels, achieved by digitally cropping into the image from the main lens. The 2x zoom is actually not bad since the 50-megapixel resolution provides plenty of room for cropping, but images shot at 5x are very fuzzy.
It takes decent shots in low-light situations too, with generally sharp details and low image noise.
While the camera setup isn’t going to turn the heads of pro photographers, it’s reasonable for the low price of the phone. Those of you simply wanting to take snaps of your friends and family on vacation will be well served.
Should you buy the OnePlus 12R?
The OnePlus 12R manages to be much cheaper than its flagship sibling while still providing plenty to be excited about. Its processor performance is good enough for most people, its battery life is solid, it charges impressively fast and its camera is perfectly fine for casual snappers. It’s frustrating that OnePlus doesn’t provide longer software support. Those of you looking for a decent all-round Android phone that won’t blow your budget will be served by the OnePlus 12R.
The flagship OnePlus 12’s higher price brings with it better camera performance, even better battery life, wireless charging and longer software support. Whether that’s worth the additional $300 is a question you’ll need to decide for yourself.
How we test phones
Every phone tested by CNET’s reviews team is actually used in the real world. We test a phone’s features, play games and take photos. We examine the display to see if it’s bright, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and build to see how it is to hold and whether it has an IP rating for water resistance. We push the processor’s performance to the extremes, using standardized benchmark tools like GeekBench and 3DMark as well as our own anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution videos and playing graphically intense games at high refresh rates.
All the cameras are tested in a variety of conditions, from bright sunlight to dark indoor scenes. We try out special features like night mode and portrait mode and compare our findings against similarly priced competing phones. We also check out the battery life by using the phone daily as well as running a series of battery drain tests.
OnePlus 12 Vs 12R specs comparison chart
| OnePlus 12 | OnePlus 12R | |
|---|---|---|
| Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate, brightness | 6.82-inch AMOLED; 3,168 x 1,440 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate | 6.78-inch AMOLED; 2,780 x 1,264 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate |
| Pixel density | 510 ppi | 450 ppi |
| Dimensions (inches) | 6.5 x 3 x 0.36 in. | 6.43 x 2.96 x 0.35 in. |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | 164.3 x 76 x 9.2 mm | 163.3 x 75.3 x 8.8 mm |
| Weight (grams, ounces) | 220 g (7.8 oz.) | 207 g ( 7.3 oz.) |
| Mobile software | Android 14 | Android 14 |
| Camera | 50-megapixel (wide), 48-megapixel (ultrawide), 64-megapixel (telephoto) | 50-megapixel (wide), 8-megapixel (ultrawide), 2-megapixel (macro) |
| Front-facing camera | 32-megapixel | 16-megapixel |
| Video capture | 8K | 4K |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM/storage | 12GB RAM + 256GB; 16GB RAM + 512GB | 8GB + 128GB; 16GB + 256GB |
| Expandable storage | None | None |
| Battery/charging speeds | 5,400 mAh (dual 2,700 mAh) | 5,500 mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | Under display | Under display |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | None | None |
| Special features | 4,500-nit peak brightness; 4 years of software and 5 years of security updates; 80-watt wired charging (100-watt wired charging outside US); 50-watt wireless charging with fan dock; IP65 water and dust resistance; Wi-Fi 7; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass; Gorilla Glass 5 back glass | 100-watt wired charging outside US; IP64 water and dust resistance; Wi-Fi 7; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass |
| US price off-contract | $800 (256GB) | $500 (128GB) |
| UK price | 849 (256GB) | 649 (256GB) |
| Australia price | Converts to AU$1,640 (256GB) | Converts to AU$1,250 (256GB) |
How to Watch the Super Bowl for Free: Paramount Plus’ Free Trial Is the Way to Go
With CBS the television network broadcasting this year’s Super Bowl, fans looking to stream the Big Game can once again turn to the company’s streaming service — Paramount Plus — if they don’t have an antenna, cable, satellite or streaming TV provider.
This will be CBS’ third Super Bowl that it streams on its own service, with 2019 and 2021’s Super Bowls having been available on CBS All Access (the precursor to Paramount Plus). Even better, Paramount Plus is one of the last streaming services that still offers a one-week free trial, so fans looking to watch can do so for free. No promo code is needed, you will just need to set a reminder to cancel the service after the Super Bowl in the event you don’t want to keep it.
Paramount Plus offers two tiers: A base “Essential” option that runs $6 per month and has ads as well as a pricier “With Showtime” plan that runs $12 per month, includes access to premium cable channel Showtime, allows you to download shows for offline viewing and has no ads “except live TV and a few shows.”
Both options are available at a discount if you want to sign up for an annual subscription ($60 per year for Essential, $120 per year for the “with Showtime” option) and either plan will get you live NFL games including this year’s Super Bowl.
You can stream Paramount Plus on a variety of devices ranging from iOS and Android phones and tablets and Xbox and PlayStation game consoles to smart TVs and streaming players running software from Amazon, Apple, Google, LG, Samsung, Vizio or Roku.
Paramount Plus details how to cancel the streaming service on its website, although for easiest use it may be best to sign up through a browser and then go sign in on your device of choice. If you do it this way, you can simply go to Paramount Plus’ website, click on your username in the upper right-hand corner, then head to “account” and select “cancel subscription” when you want to leave.
Signing up through other means can make canceling the service a bit more complicated. Going through other services like Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV Channels, for example, may require you to contact Amazon or Apple to close your Paramount Plus account.
Paramount’s approach of offering a free trial is a welcome change from other NFL streamers. Peacock, which had two exclusive NFL games this season including a Wild Card weekend contest between the Chiefs and Dolphins, notably does not offer a free trial, so fans looking for that game needed to sign up and pay. ESPN Plus, which similarly had an exclusive NFL game during the regular season, similarly does not offer any free trials.
In addition to the free trial, it’s worth pointing out that some services offer bundles that include Paramount Plus. Walmart Plus, for example, includes a subscription to Paramount Plus Essential with its Amazon Prime-rival subscription shopping service.
Going Outside? Check the New Features in the Weather Channel App First
On Monday, the Weather Channel unveiled a remodeled and rebuilt app that aims to help people be more prepared for disruptive weather. The app now provides more in-depth information about the weather, as well as new features to help you better understand how you’ll be impacted.
“Our mission has always been to keep people safe and help them lead better lives,” Sheri Bachstein, CEO of the Weather Company, said in a news release. “Whether it is getting ahead of a storm, planning a social event or trip, understanding how air quality could affect your health, or simply deciding when to go for a hike.”
The Weather Channel app still shows you the basics, like your daily and weekly forecast, but I found that the new features provide users with a better understanding of how good, or bad, the weather in their area will be.
Here are the new features and changes in the Weather Channel app.
Current weather and future outlook are prominently shown
As soon as you open the revamped app, you’ll see a live banner at the top of the home screen that shows the current temperature and conditions where you are. If it’s cloudy, you’ll see clouds rolling across the sky, and if it’s sunny, you’ll see a clear-blue sky. Sometimes though, there will be an ad in this banner, like from McDonald’s, which I found to be jarring when I saw a Big Mac at the bottom of a weather report.
Beneath this banner you’ll see a menu with two options: Today and This Week. The Today option shows an hour-by-hour breakdown of your day. This menu can show you fluctuations in things like humidity, wind speed and the “feels like” temperature throughout the day. It can also show you a one- or two-sentence description of what to expect that day, like “Cold temperatures will result in the risk of frozen pipes tonight.”
This Week shows you a breakdown of the upcoming week’s weather. This menu also has a brief description of the week, which might read, “The nicest day in the next 7 days will be Saturday.”
The Weather Channel also said that when your area is expecting severe weather, like a winter storm or hurricane, another menu option will appear to offer you details about the forecast to help you prepare.
The short descriptions offered in both sections feel particularly useful, especially when warning about inclement weather. When I’m looking at the forecast, I can guess how good or bad the weather will be based on the temperature and sun or cloud icon, but having these descriptions about the forecast takes the guesswork out of it.
More health and wellness tools
If you’re worried about the spread of illnesses in your area, the Weather Channel app can now warn you before you head out the door. The Weather Channel said its app can now give you tools and tips related to several health conditions, like the cold and the flu, which could be affected by the weather. There’s also a skin health section that breaks down your risk of experiencing dry skin throughout the day or how likely you are to get sunburned outside at a given time.
The Weather Channel also added a new air quality forecast feature. This feature takes into account factors like air pollution, smoke from wildfires, humidity and more to create a new Breathing Index. This index is meant to give you a better idea of what steps you might need to take to protect yourself against air quality issues throughout the day.
These features are easy to read at a glance, thanks to color-coded bubbles and one- or two-word descriptions. So if the Breathing Index is good today, this feature will display a green bubble and read, “Very Good.” You can also tap into these features to see a more detailed breakdown of your day and week.
The Weather Channel said it’s planning to add more sections, like for heat illness, headaches and even pet health.
Be prepared for some confusion from advertising and sponsorships, though. Some of these features are sponsored by companies like CVS, and those features will display that sponsorship. So while you might be tempted to skip over something that reads, “Sponsored by CVS” because it seems like an ad, these are functional features. You will see other ads in the app, and they’ll usually have a banner over the top of them that reads Advertisement. I’m used to these sorts of in-app ads, but one time a full page ad popped up when I tried to open the radar. I didn’t see an X in a corner to close the ad, and I wasn’t sure how to get past the ad, so I ended up closing the app and reopening it.
Features to help you better plan outdoor activities
The Weather Channel app is introducing a new Activities tab to help you plan outdoor activities like walking with your pet. This tab is meant to give you a better idea of when the weather is ideal for doing things like hiking or going for a run. There are also new Sun and Moon features that are meant to help you plan for high and low tides, teach you about celestial events, and more.
I try to take my dog for a walk around my neighborhood every day. Before, I’d try to squeeze a walk in before it started to rain, based on my iPhone’s preloaded Weather app, only for the rain to start halfway through the walk. Or I’d try to wait for the rain to stop, because the app said it would stop in 10 minutes, only for the app to push that time back a half hour. Though the Activities tab may not be able to predict with total certainty the best times to take my pup for a walk, it’s also not telling me for certain that the rain will stop in five, no wait, 15 minutes.
The app shows what’s important to you
According to the Weather Channel, you can answer some questions in the app to give you more-customized content related to the weather conditions and topics that interest you the most, like gardening and pets. This content is presented in the app in the form of articles, videos and more, further down on the app’s home screen and in the app’s News tab. The Weather Channel also said that the more you use the app, the more the app learns what to show you.
While I do appreciate some of the food-related content presented to me in this section, what I really like is that this content doesn’t interrupt the forecast information. When I open a weather app, I want to see the weather for my area first and foremost, not how some zoo animals in Australia beat the heat — though I will check that out, because the animals are cute. I haven’t felt like these articles or videos have gotten in the way of presenting the weather to me.
Extended reality experience coming soon for some
If you have a premium subscription for the Weather Channel app ($5 a month or $30 annually) you’ll soon get access to an extended reality, or XR, experience within the app. The Weather Channel said this XR experience will show you virtual environments meant to help you better understand how certain weather conditions, like heavy pollen or storms, might impact your area.
I like the intent of the XR experience, but the ads here are more than a little surprising. In one video clip the Weather Channel sent me, the XR experience showed a sunny day outside, before a bottle of CVS sunscreen materialized from the ground. In a rainy day clip, the feature put rain puddles on the ground — which was great and exactly what I want from it — but then a can of Campbell’s tomato soup on a table appeared. Both these ads seem to be activated when you point your camera to the bottom-right corner of the XR field, so you might be able to avoid them as long as you don’t point your camera in that direction.
Overall though, I like the changes to the Weather Channel’s app. I find them to be mostly helpful, and useful for better planning my day — even if a stray McDonald’s ad rears its head from time to time.
You can download the Weather Channel app for free from either Apple’s App Store or the Google Play store.
For more on weather apps, you can check out our best weather apps of 2024, and you can also take a look at our best password managers and antivirus software of 2024.