OnePlus 13 review: Simple, classic, and may just be (almost) perfect

How I am used to the OnePlus 13: Even though I am not a content creator, I would consider my smartphone usage high, placing me in the category of Pro users. My OnePlus 13 is currently in a wooden grain case without a screen protector.

My top uses of the device, in no particular order, are:

Browsing and social media (Linkedin and Reddit, primarily)

Making calls (connected to OnePlus Buds Pro 3; typically 3-4 hrs/day for work and play)

Responding to family and friends through WhatsApp

Taking photos/videos

Listening to podcasts and music

Reviewing upcoming events and adding reminders

Flipping through Google News every hour

Regular use of ChatGPT and Gemini

Old-school meets new

Ever since I started using the OnePlus 13 as my daily driver, I have been fascinated by the strange dichotomy of the past and the present. The phone is beautiful to look at, with a large circular module on the back housing the camera, reminiscent of classic cameras and timepieces from the 1940s—something very traditional and nostalgic. My review unit is in a blue colour with a microfiber vegan leather finish that has grown on me. The finish is gorgeous, and the phone’s shape and layout fit perfectly in my hands. This is a luxurious device, but in a subtle way, and I believe that was the intention behind its design. For instance, the stainless steel sides have a slight shimmer, adding character to the device. OnePlus thoughtfully also included the multi-position Alert Slider on the side of the phone, allowing you to switch between silent, vibrate, and ring modes with a satisfying flick. It’s the kind of phone that looks great even without a case—and I’ve been using it without one. Since the phone feels lighter in hand (210 grams/8.5mm thick) and during general use, you’ll naturally want to hold and experience it. OnePlus has successfully reduced the device’s weight, which, for something I carry every day, is a feature I feel has always been underappreciated.

OnePlus 13 is far from bland. While it may be simple and true to its quintessential design, I feel the device strikes the perfect balance between classic aesthetics and a fresh look, without going overboard. Impressively, it also features the highest possible water- and dust-resistance certification: IP69—a first for a smartphone and a step up from the IP68 certification. This makes the OnePlus 13 even more rugged and durable.

OnePlus 13 also gets magnetic support, though I wouldn’t call it as well-executed as what you get on an iPhone. I love the idea of a MagSafe system—accessories can be effortlessly attached and removed without wires, creating a whole new way to use the smartphone. While the iPhone has built-in magnets on the back, the OnePlus 13 lacks them. However, OnePlus has found an alternative approach to MagSafe. The company offers cases with magnetic functionality and a few accessories, including a 50W wireless charger with a cooling fan. My only concern is whether third-party manufacturers will ever make magnetic accessories for the OnePlus 13. If OnePlus succeeds, it could provide a strong alternative to the iPhone.

Terrific display and speakers

The 6.8-inch OLED screen comes with improved eye protection features. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

The large display measures 6.82 inches diagonally, is almost flat, and features a QHD+ resolution with a sharpness of 500 ppi. Additionally, the panel automatically adjusts the refresh rate between 1 Hz and 120 Hz depending on the content. The screen is bright, crisp, and almost like holding a mini-tablet. Watching HDR video is fantastic, and the device includes a good set of stereo speakers. I have a habit of reading the e-edition of The Indian Express in the morning, often while on my morning walk. Although the OnePlus 13’s display is excellent for outdoor use, reflections on the glossy surface of the display glass can impact readability, especially under bright sunlight. This time, however, OnePlus has added an additional layer to protect the display from heat and humidity and is offering a lifetime warranty against the greenline issue on all OnePlus devices. I think this is a good step—at least the brand has acknowledged the issues that plagued previous generations of OnePlus devices.

Top performance and two-day battery

OnePlus 13 comes with Android 15 out of the box. ( Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

The Snapdragon 8 Elite (16GB RAM/512GB storage; base storage starts at 256GB, with a new 1TB option featuring 24GB LPDDR5X RAM at the top end) powering this device is indeed fast. This isn’t a new story—I believe silicon will remain as important in future smartphones as it is today. That said, the processor is a crucial and integral component because it determines the phone’s ability to receive additional software updates and key AI features that companies will roll out in the near future. For now, as with every smartphone we review, speed is paramount, and it’s hard to overlook. Performance is excellent: snappy, slick, and fast when opening apps, photos, and videos or playing games. I noticed no significant throttling after playing games like Genshin Impact for more than an hour, though the phone did get warm. Speeds on 5G were also impressive. If you’re on a Reliance Jio network, you can access their new 5.5G speeds, though I did not test this feature. The device also boasts a new Walkie-Talkie functionality via Bluetooth, which I think will be useful when travelling to mountainous areas or trekking where signal reception can be a challenge. However, it’s not live yet, along with a new Chat feature that will allow you to send messages and photos via Bluetooth.

The battery life is equally impressive. As someone who hates stepping out with power banks, I was genuinely impressed with the OnePlus 13. The device’s 6000mAh battery lasted over a day and a half, and I believe it can easily reach two days depending on usage. It takes roughly 30 minutes to charge the battery from zero to 100 per cent, thanks to its support for 100W wired fast charging. Additionally, the phone supports 50W wireless charging as well. It’s the phone I would like to take to cover product launch events, even though the power adapter is a little bigger than average.

A heavy dose of AI features but subtly done

OnePlus has added a bunch of new AI features including Pass Scan and Intelligent Search. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/ Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 (the brand promises four years of software updates and an additional six years of security updates) ships with OxygenOS 15, which is based on Android 15. This is the cleanest and almost pure version of Android, with no bloatware, unnecessary apps, or ads preloaded on the device. The interface looks much different, and everything feels less cluttered—something I think Apple should take a page from OnePlus’ playbook. There are many small touches that make the user interface smoother and more refreshing to use, such as overhauled animations, redesigned widgets, an updated shelf—a designated page in the system UI for widgets that’s usually accessible by swiping down on the home screen—a new “Share with iPhone” feature for file sharing with iPhone users, and Fluid Cloud, a Dynamic Island-esque status indicator that now works with two popular apps in India: Zomato and Blinkit. Perhaps the most unique feature that made the OnePlus Open foldable smartphone impressive was how it made the user experience singular. This was made possible by a feature called Open Canvas, which allows apps to exist in various sizes without having to conform to the shape of the screen. OxygenOS 15 supports that too, and for the first time, on slab phones.

OnePlus is also adding new AI-powered features, some of which are actually useful. For instance, there’s a new Pass Scan in Camera, which can scan and save boarding passes in Google Wallet. Perhaps the most marketed feature is Intelligent Search, which makes searching for information across apps easier. Other AI features include Circle to Search, Gemini (which replaces Google Assistant on the new OS), AI Eraser (similar to Magic Eraser on Pixel phones, which can identify and remove distractions from photos), and AI Reflection Eraser (which removes reflections from images taken through glass windows for a clearer view), among others.

Pro cameras

The device is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite and up to 24GB of RAM. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

I spent a lot of time with the OnePlus 13 and its camera system. To be specific, I flew to Colombo to extensively test the camera. The big takeaway is that, while the image quality is great and there’s a noticeable improvement from the OnePlus 12, the competition is fierce. Phones like the Vivo X200 Pro are emerging as new challengers, alongside the iPhone 16 Pro Max (review) and Pixel 9 Pro XL (review), which remain the heavyweights in the camera department.

With the OnePlus 13, the brand continues its partnership with camera maker Hasselblad, giving you access to its image processing software, including its colour science expertise and other fine-tuning technologies, which the OnePlus 13 successfully taps into. The hardware is impressive: it features a 50MP Sony LYT-808 main camera with OIS, a 1/1.4″ sensor size, and an ƒ/1.6 aperture; a 50MP ultra-wide camera with a 120° field of view, 1/2.75″ sensor size; a 50MP Sony LYT-600 3X telephoto camera with a 1/1.95” sensor size, 73mm focal length, and an LDAF sensor.

The OnePlus 13’s camera can be placed somewhere between the Galaxy S24 Ultra (review) and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. In good lighting, almost any high-end smartphone performs well these days, but the OnePlus 13 has a bit of flair. Its pictures are more natural and balanced, with good colour accuracy and excellent control of high-contrast scenes. The phone also takes drastically better low-light photos than the last-generation model, even with night mode disabled. The good thing is it does not over-brighten images through software. Not that the OnePlus 13’s camera is perfect—there are many scenarios where the iPhone 16 Pro (review) and Pixel 9 Pro XL have an edge—but I think the OnePlus 13 holds its ground, with pictures coming out just right (if not the best) across good, low, and even medium lighting. The phone also impressed me when shooting videos. The videos I shot with the OnePlus 13 were super clear and had reduced background noise. The device can shoot 4K video at 60 frames per second, and in Dolby Vision HDR too.

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

OnePlus 13 camera sample. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

Should you buy the OnePlus 13?

You can find a large 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery inside. ( Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

After using the OnePlus 13, I realised one thing: there is something different about this phone, although it also reminds me of how mature our smartphones have become. I had no unrealistic expectations from the OnePlus 13, but I was surprised to see a mainstream flagship Android that is impressively better in new and different ways. Maybe that’s what the industry needs to follow—a more stable smartphone that seems less superficial, has long-term software update support, and can easily last you a few years.