The OnePlus 13 comes as the first phone from the Chinese smartphone brand in 2025 and also their first to run the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which was there in Realme GT 7 Pro and iQOO 13 as well. Traditionally, OnePlus’ flagship phones have challenged the high-end flagships from Samsung and Apple. It will be really interesting to see how the new OnePlus 13, which starts at ₹69,999, will convince the buyers in India. That being said, the phone surely packs the grit to be a top choice for users who like to have a balance of power and style.
The phone comes packed with some major upgrades over its predecessor, like a re-defined approach in terms of phone design, camera power, user interface, and processor. So, let’s find out more in detail about the all-new OnePlus 13.
Design
Personally, I liked the new approach of the company in terms of the design. I got the Arctic Dawn variant, which uses next-generation surface-based glass coating, making the phone stand really distinct and elegant. The aluminium rim mixes really well with the phone colour and the circular camera frame, giving the phone a beautiful finish. The placements of the ports and buttons are usual, just like what we have seen in the flagships from OnePlus, including our favourite Alert slider.
OnePlus 13 design
| Photo Credit:
Haider Ali Khan
The hand feel of the phone is very good. The device is light and slim, making it easy to operate. The company has used quad-curved glass on the front of the OnePlus 13, blending seamlessly into a flat mid-frame, providing all-day comfort and a solid grip. The phone also holds the “H” logo close to the camera frame, showing its association with Hasselblad.
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In terms of protection, the OnePlus 13 is built to last. It boasts IP68 and IP69 ratings, ensuring resistance to dust, water immersion, and high-pressure water jets. This is a rare combination in flagship phones, especially built for outdoor use. The display is protected by a Ceramic Guard glass, offering superior scratch resistance and drop protection.
The ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor is responsive and works even when your fingers are wet, making it one of the most reliable sensors we’ve tested.
Display
The OnePlus 13’s 6.82-inch QHD+ ProXDR display is a visual treat. With a resolution of 3168 x 1440 and a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, the screen offers vibrant colours, sharp details, and excellent sunlight readability. The LTPO 4.1 panel allows for a dynamic refresh rate from 1 Hz to 120 Hz, ensuring smooth scrolling and efficient power consumption.
Watching anime and streaming HDR content on platforms like Netflix felt immersive, with deep blacks and vivid colours. The display’s RadiantView technology enhances readability under bright sunlight by dynamically boosting pixel brightness, ensuring clarity without overexposure. A noteworthy addition is the Glove Mode and Aqua Touch 2.0, allowing seamless operation even with gloves or wet hands. This makes the phone more versatile in extreme weather conditions.
For eye comfort, the display supports 2160Hz PWM dimming, significantly reducing flicker and eye strain during prolonged use, especially in low-light environments. This display has received DisplayMate A++ certification, reinforcing its excellence.
OS & AI
Running on OxygenOS 15 (based on Android 15), the OnePlus 13 delivers a fast, smooth, and responsive user experience. The UI feels light and intuitive, with fluid animations and minimal bloatware. OnePlus introduces several AI features that enhance productivity and creativity. AI Detail Boost restores cropped images to 4K resolution without pixelation, while AI Unblur sharpens blurry photos. The AI Reflection Eraser removes reflections from images, making them cleaner and more professional.
For productivity, Intelligent Search leverages AI to quickly search files using natural language, while AI Notes refines and organizes notes automatically. Circle to Search lets users highlight text or images to perform instant searches, streamlining multitasking.
With four years of software updates and six years of security patches, the OnePlus 13 promises longevity, ensuring the phone remains fast and secure for years to come.
Processor
OnePlus 13 features Qualcomm’s most advanced chipset Snapdragon 8 Elite. Built on the 4nm process, the Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers industry-leading speeds, efficiency, and AI capabilities, making the OnePlus 13 a true powerhouse for demanding tasks, gaming, and multitasking. Paired with 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512 GB of UFS 4.0 storage, the OnePlus 13 handles intensive workflows effortlessly.
I tested multiple heavy apps running in the background, and the phone showed no signs of lag or stutter, maintaining fluid performance throughout. App launches are instant, and background processes continue seamlessly without interruptions.
Gaming performance is particularly impressive. Genshin Impact and Call of Duty Mobile ran at maximum settings with consistent 120 fps gameplay, showcasing the raw power of the Adreno 830 GPU. Graphically intensive games delivered stunning visuals with rich details, thanks to the ProXDR display and the GPU’s capabilities. Even during prolonged gaming sessions exceeding an hour, the Dual Cryo-velocity VC cooling system effectively managed heat, ensuring the phone stayed cool to the touch.
In terms of benchmarks, the OnePlus 13 achieved an Antutu score of 1,761,977, reflecting its top-tier performance in both CPU and GPU-intensive tasks. On Geekbench, the phone recorded an impressive 3086 single-core score and a multi-core score of 9300, solidifying its place among the highest-performing Android devices currently available.
Camera
OnePlus has done a great deal with the cameras of the phone, and I really liked the output, and the sample images justify it. It features a 5th-Gen Hasselblad camera, with a triple 50 MP sensor array that pushes smartphone photography to new heights. The brand has focused heavily on enhancing both hardware and software to ensure top-notch image quality in all lighting conditions.
OnePlus 13 camera sample
| Photo Credit:
Haider Ali Khan
The main camera uses the Sony LYT-808 sensor, equipped with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and a large f/1.6 aperture. This combination allows the OnePlus 13 to capture bright, detailed shots even in low light. The larger sensor absorbs more light, reducing noise and preserving fine details. Night shots are particularly impressive, with vibrant colours and minimal grain highlighting enhanced NightScape 2.0 mode that processes low-light photos more effectively.
OnePlus 13 camera sample
| Photo Credit:
Haider Ali Khan
The ultra-wide camera also features a 50 MP sensor and provides a 120-degree field of view. This lens excels at capturing expansive landscapes and group shots without noticeable distortion at the edges. Thanks to Hasselblad’s colour tuning, the ultra-wide lens maintains consistent colour accuracy, aligning closely with the main sensor’s output.
OnePlus 13 camera sample
| Photo Credit:
Haider Ali Khan
OnePlus 13’s Triprism telephoto lens is a standout feature. This 50 MP telephoto sensor offers 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom. The periscope design reduces lens distortion, ensuring clarity and sharpness even at higher zoom levels. During our tests, zoomed-in shots retained good details. The portrait mode also amazed me. The qualities of the images that were taken really stood out matching the likes of Pixel 9 Pro and Vivo X200 Pro.
OnePlus 13 camera sample
| Photo Credit:
Haider Ali Khan
The 32 MP front camera is equally capable, delivering high-resolution selfies with enhanced detail. It supports 4K video recording, which is rare for front-facing cameras, ensuring high-quality video calls and vlogging. The OnePlus 13 also excels in video recording, supporting 8K at 30fps and 4K Dolby Vision HDR, making it an ideal choice for content creators.
Battery
The OnePlus 13 is equipped with a huge 6,000 mAh battery, ensuring it easily lasts over a day, even with heavy usage. During our testing, the phone consistently delivered 7 to 8 hours of screen-on time, handling demanding tasks like gaming, streaming, and camera use without requiring mid-day recharges. For moderate users, the battery comfortably stretches into the second day, making it a reliable companion for long travels or workdays.
Charging speed is another area where the OnePlus 13 excels. The phone supports 100 W wired SuperVOOC charging, fully replenishing the battery from 0 to 100% in just 35-38 minutes. Additionally, the OnePlus 13 offers 50 W wireless charging. Wireless charging is fast and efficient, bringing the phone to 100% in under an hour using a compatible charger. OnePlus has also incorporated Battery Health Engine technology, which optimises charge cycles to extend long-term battery life. The phone’s reverse wireless charging feature further enhances its utility, allowing users to charge smaller devices like earbuds or smartwatches directly from the OnePlus 13.
Verdict
The OnePlus 13 checks nearly every box for a well-packaged flagship smartphone – powerful performance, exceptional cameras, a stunning display, and long battery life. It holds the confidence people have in their flagship phones for being clean and complete at the same time. However, the higher price may give some users pause, raising doubt, especially in India, where brand fetishism is really high. That said, the latest OnePlus 13 does make a strong statement for anyone looking for top-tier specs and a refined user experience. For alternatives, buyers can also look for iQOO 13 or Realme GT 7 Pro for performance and Vivo X200 Pro for camera.
Published – January 07, 2025 09:50 pm IST
