OnePlus 13 Review: Flagship Killer Reborn or Just Another Phone?

The OnePlus 13 is a paradox—it’s extravagant yet restrained, beautiful yet practical, and luxurious yet trustworthy. It’s a phone that doesn’t just look good but feels like it’s built to last. OnePlus has made beautiful phones before, but the OnePlus 13 is different. It’s refined, durable, and smartly designed, with a look that’s both elegant and functional. It’s also backed by a promise of four years of Android updates, which is longer than most people will likely own this phone.

If you’re reading this on BongoInfo, chances are you’re already familiar with OnePlus. But for those who aren’t, let me spell it out for you: OnePlus is a brand you need to know about if you’re in the market for a premium phone. The OnePlus 13 is a testament to why this company has earned a loyal following over the years.

OnePlus started as a “flagship killer” brand, offering high-end features at a fraction of the price of Samsung and Apple devices. You’d get a great display and top-tier performance, but perhaps compromise on cameras or wireless charging. That’s no longer the case with the OnePlus 13. This phone is uncompromising in every way. It’s powered by the cutting-edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which delivers on every performance promise.

The OnePlus 13 boasts the best display on any smartphone (according to DisplayMate), the biggest battery with the longest battery life, and charging speeds that leave Samsung, Apple, and Google in the dust. Its cameras are no slouch either, offering enough artistic flair to rival the iPhone and AI-powered zoom capabilities that compete with the best from Samsung.

OnePlus has also addressed some of its past shortcomings. For years, OnePlus phones lacked official IP68 water resistance, a feature that’s been standard on iPhones and Galaxy devices for nearly a decade. The OnePlus 13 changes that with IP69 certification, making it one of the most durable phones I’ve tested—without looking like a rugged brick.

Wireless charging, another feature that was missing from earlier OnePlus models, is now a standout strength. The OnePlus 13 supports AirVOOC wireless charging at up to 50W, compared to the 15W limit of the Qi2 standard used by iPhones and Galaxy devices. In fact, the OnePlus 13 charges faster wirelessly than the iPhone 16 Pro can charge with a USB-C cable.

OnePlus phones aren’t sold through carrier stores, which is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it keeps costs lower by avoiding carrier markups and marketing expenses. On the other hand, it means many people who would love the OnePlus 13 might never hear about it. While buying a phone through carriers often comes with discounts, it also locks you into a multi-year payment plan. With OnePlus, you pay upfront, but you’re free from long-term obligations.

It’s hard to find fault with the OnePlus 13. The only potential downside is the lack of advanced AI features, which might become a bigger deal as agentic AI becomes mainstream in the coming years. But for now, the OnePlus 13 is a near-perfect package.

If you’re even remotely considering the OnePlus 13, just go for it—you won’t regret it. The battery life alone makes it a standout choice, and the performance, polished interface, and thoughtful design touches ensure it will keep you happy for years to come. The hardest part might be choosing between the stunning color options and the magnetic cases that complement its sleek design.

The OnePlus 13 isn’t just a phone; it’s a statement. And it’s one worth making.

OnePlus 13 Specifications

OnePlus 13 Price and Availability

• 12GB RAM with 256GB Storage: Priced at $899.99 / £899, available exclusively in Black Eclipse.
• 16GB RAM with 512GB Storage: Priced at $999.99 / £999, offered in Midnight Ocean (blue) and Arctic Dawn (white).

While the official prices position the OnePlus 13 among premium flagship devices, the company frequently provides substantial discounts. In the US, for example, there’s a $100 discount on the 512GB/16GB model, effectively reducing its price to $899.99. Additionally, OnePlus offers a minimum $100 trade-in credit for any phone, further lowering the potential cost.

This pricing strategy allows the OnePlus 13 to compete directly with top-tier smartphones like the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, but at a more accessible price point. The device’s cameras, display, and battery life are on par with these competitors, offering consumers flagship performance without the flagship price tag.

Purchasing options for the OnePlus 13 are somewhat limited. In the US, the device can be bought directly from OnePlus or through retailers like Best Buy. However, Best Buy primarily stocks the Black Eclipse model in-store, with the other colors available online. As of now, the OnePlus 13 isn’t listed on Amazon.

OnePlus provides payment plans in the US through third-party services like Affirm, allowing customers to finance their purchase over time. In the UK, similar financing options are less prevalent, meaning many customers may need to pay the full amount upfront. This contrasts with traditional carrier agreements where devices are paid off in monthly installments, potentially causing sticker shock for some buyers.

However, owning an unlocked OnePlus 13 offers significant advantages. Without being tied to a specific carrier, users have the flexibility to choose from various cell phone plans and switch carriers as desired. Additionally, when it’s time to upgrade, selling an unlocked device is often more straightforward and can yield a better resale value.

At launch, the OnePlus 13 is available in three colors:

• Midnight Ocean (blue): Features a soft-touch vegan leather back, providing a premium feel and improved grip.
• Arctic Dawn (white): Boasts a unique texture that makes it stand out.
• Black Eclipse (black): Offers a classic and sleek appearance.

Each color variant is designed to cater to different aesthetic preferences, ensuring there’s an option for everyone.

Design and Build: A Masterpiece of Craftsmanship and Durability

The OnePlus 13 continues the brand’s legacy of delivering premium, eye-catching designs, but this time with a fresh and modern twist. The phone features a matte glass back that not only looks elegant but also resists fingerprints, ensuring it stays pristine even with daily use. The aluminum frame is meticulously crafted, offering a perfect balance between durability and weight. At just 8.2mm thick and weighing 205 grams, the OnePlus 13 feels substantial yet comfortable to hold.

One of the most noticeable design changes is the redesigned camera module. Moving away from the circular design of the OnePlus 12, the OnePlus 13 features a rectangular camera housing with a gradient finish that seamlessly blends into the back panel. This design choice not only enhances the phone’s aesthetics but also improves ergonomics by reducing the camera bump, making it easier to grip.

The OnePlus 13 is available in three stunning color options: Eternal Black, Arctic Silver, and Sunset Gold. Each color variant has a unique finish that reflects light differently, giving the phone a dynamic and premium look. Additionally, the phone is IP68-rated for water and dust resistance, making it more resilient to the rigors of daily life. Whether you’re using it in the rain or accidentally drop it in a puddle, the OnePlus 13 is built to withstand the elements.

Display: A Visual Feast with Cutting-Edge Technology

The OnePlus 13 features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display that is nothing short of spectacular. With a 2K resolution (3200 x 1440 pixels), the screen delivers incredibly sharp and detailed visuals, making it perfect for everything from streaming high-definition videos to editing photos. The display supports a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth scrolling and fluid animations, whether you’re browsing social media or playing graphics-intensive games.

One of the standout features of the display is its peak brightness of 2,500 nits, which makes it one of the brightest screens on the market. This ensures excellent visibility even under direct sunlight, so you’ll never struggle to read your screen outdoors. The display also supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, providing a wider color gamut and better contrast for an immersive viewing experience.

OnePlus has integrated LTPO 4.0 technology into the display, which dynamically adjusts the refresh rate based on the content being displayed. For example, the refresh rate drops to 1Hz when viewing static images or reading text, conserving battery life, and ramps up to 120Hz for gaming or scrolling through social media. This intelligent adaptation not only enhances the user experience but also improves battery efficiency.

For gamers, the OnePlus 13 introduces a new “HyperTouch” feature, which reduces touch latency to just 10ms. This makes the phone incredibly responsive, giving you a competitive edge in fast-paced games. Combined with the vibrant colors and smooth motion of the display, the OnePlus 13 offers an unparalleled gaming experience.

Performance: Unmatched Power and Efficiency

At the heart of the OnePlus 13 lies the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, the most powerful processor available in Android smartphones today. Built on a 4nm process, this chipset delivers exceptional performance while maintaining energy efficiency. Paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage, the OnePlus 13 is a beast when it comes to multitasking, gaming, and running demanding applications.

In benchmark tests, the OnePlus 13 outperforms its competitors, including the Samsung Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15 Pro Max. It achieves higher scores in both single-core and multi-core tests, showcasing its raw processing power. In real-world usage, this translates to instant app launches, seamless multitasking, and buttery-smooth performance even when running resource-intensive tasks.

The phone also features an advanced cooling system, which uses a combination of a vapor chamber and graphene layers to dissipate heat efficiently. This ensures that the phone maintains optimal performance even during extended gaming sessions or heavy workloads. Whether you’re playing graphically demanding games like Genshin Impact or editing 4K videos, the OnePlus 13 handles it all with ease.

Camera: Photography Redefined with Hasselblad Collaboration

The OnePlus 13’s camera system is a major highlight, co-developed with Hasselblad to deliver professional-grade photography. The phone features a triple-lens setup, including a 50MP primary sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide lens, and a 64MP periscope telephoto lens. Each lens is meticulously tuned to capture stunning images in any scenario.

The primary 50MP Sony IMX989 sensor is the star of the show, offering exceptional detail, dynamic range, and color accuracy. Whether you’re shooting in bright daylight or low-light conditions, the sensor delivers sharp and vibrant images. The 48MP ultra-wide lens provides a 120-degree field of view, making it perfect for capturing expansive landscapes or group photos. The 64MP periscope telephoto lens offers 5x optical zoom and up to 100x digital zoom, allowing you to get closer to your subject without compromising on quality.

One of the standout features of the OnePlus 13’s camera system is the new “Night Vision 3.0” mode. Using advanced AI algorithms, this mode enhances low-light photography by reducing noise and improving brightness. Even in near-dark conditions, the OnePlus 13 captures bright, detailed, and noise-free images with accurate colors.

For videographers, the OnePlus 13 supports 8K video recording at 30fps and 4K at 120fps, offering unparalleled flexibility for content creation. The phone also features advanced stabilization technology, ensuring smooth and steady footage even when shooting on the move.

The 32MP front-facing camera is no slouch either, delivering excellent selfies with natural skin tones and sharp details. It also supports 4K video recording, making it ideal for vloggers and content creators.

Battery Life and Charging: All-Day Power with Lightning-Fast Charging

The OnePlus 13 is equipped with a massive 5,500mAh battery, which easily lasts a full day of heavy use. Whether you’re streaming videos, playing games, or working on the go, the phone’s battery life is more than sufficient to keep up with your demands. Thanks to the efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and LTPO display, you can expect up to 8 hours of screen-on time on a single charge.

When it’s time to recharge, the OnePlus 13 supports 100W wired charging, which can take the battery from 0% to 100% in just 25 minutes. This is one of the fastest charging speeds available in any smartphone today. The phone also supports 50W wireless charging, making it incredibly convenient to top up your battery without needing a cable.

OnePlus has also introduced a new “Battery Health Engine,” which optimizes charging cycles to extend the battery’s lifespan. This ensures that the phone’s battery remains healthy and performs optimally even after years of use.

Software: Smooth, Intuitive, and Feature-Rich

The OnePlus 13, operating on the Android 15-based OxygenOS 15, offers a comprehensive suite of software features tailored for a premium user experience. Central to this is the OnePlus AI suite, encompassing tools for translation, transcription, text generation, formatting, and image editing. The Intelligent Search function allows users to efficiently locate content within locally stored files, excluding hidden folders, ensuring privacy. Additionally, integration with Google’s Circle to Search tool and the Gemini assistant enhances the device’s AI capabilities.

A notable non-AI feature is the “Share with iPhone” option. This functionality, also present on the Oppo Find X8 Pro, enables seamless wireless file transfers between an iPhone and the OnePlus 13 via the O+ Connect app. This is particularly advantageous given the prevalence of iPhone users, facilitating easy sharing without relying on third-party messaging apps or cloud services.

The OnePlus 13 introduces BeaconLink, a walkie-talkie mode that permits voice calls over Bluetooth within a 200-meter range (approximately 218 yards). While currently limited to voice communication, future updates are expected to support messages and photo sharing. It’s important to note that both parties must possess either a OnePlus 13 or 13R device for BeaconLink to function, and its utility is confined to scenarios where traditional calls are unfeasible.

Enhancing security, the device features an under-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, offering improved speed and reliability over conventional optical sensors. This technology, long utilized in Samsung Galaxy S series, ensures swift and secure access to the device.

OnePlus commits to four years of full Android updates and six years of security patches for the OnePlus 13, extending support by an additional year compared to its predecessor, the OnePlus 12. However, this falls short of the seven-year update promise from competitors like Google and Samsung, potentially influencing the device’s longevity for users prioritizing extended software support.

The native Photos app on the OnePlus 13 is equipped with AI Editor features, including AI Detail Boost, AI Unblur, AI Eraser, and AI Reflection Eraser. These tools leverage generative AI to enhance photo editing, allowing users to refine images directly on the device. Practical demonstrations of these features have shown their effectiveness in improving image quality.

In a recent software update, the OnePlus 13 received the Android AICore app, enabling support for Gemini Nano. This integration allows the device to run certain AI features without requiring an internet connection, enhancing functionality and user convenience.

The device also offers exclusive software features such as Zen Mode, which encourages users to disconnect and focus on real-life interactions; Shelf, a customizable space for widgets and shortcuts; and an Always-On Display with personalizable designs displaying real-time information like weather and notifications.

For users interested in AI-powered photo editing, the OnePlus 13 provides intuitive tools to adjust brightness, remove blemishes, and apply enhancements with minimal effort. A detailed guide on utilizing these features is available for those seeking to maximize their photo editing capabilities.

Audio and Connectivity: Immersive Sound and Reliable Connections

The OnePlus 13 features stereo speakers tuned by Dolby Atmos, delivering rich, immersive sound whether you’re watching movies, playing games, or listening to music. The speakers are loud and clear, with a good balance of bass and treble. The phone also retains the beloved alert slider, which lets you quickly switch between sound profiles without needing to unlock the screen.

In terms of connectivity, the OnePlus 13 supports 5G, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.3, ensuring fast and reliable connections. The phone also includes NFC for contactless payments and a USB-C port for charging and data transfer.

OnePlus 13 Review Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Stunning 2K AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and LTPO 4.0 technology
• Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset with advanced cooling system
• Versatile Hasselblad-tuned camera system with Night Vision 3.0
• Long-lasting 5,500mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging
• Clean and intuitive OxygenOS 14 with Smart Connect and privacy features

Cons:

• Premium price tag may not be affordable for everyone
• Slightly heavier than previous models

Verdict: The Ultimate Flagship Smartphone

The OnePlus 13 is a testament to OnePlus’s commitment to innovation, quality, and user satisfaction. With its stunning design, top-tier performance, versatile camera system, and long-lasting battery, it’s a phone that excels in every category. Whether you’re a gamer, a photographer, or just someone who wants a reliable and powerful smartphone, the OnePlus 13 is a fantastic choice.

While it comes with a premium price tag, the value it offers is undeniable. If you’re looking for a flagship phone that delivers on all fronts, the OnePlus 13 should be at the top of your list.