TechRadar Verdict
The OnePlus 13 aims higher than ever for OnePlus and it hits the mark.
The cameras take photos that capture the action with clarity.
This is a phone that turns heads, but its more than just a pretty face.
A OnePlus 13 in the aramid fiber case with the AirVOOC charger attached
It lasts all day and through the night, then gets back up for work after a power nap.
Just buy it already.
OnePlus 13: Two-minute review
The OnePlus 13 is extravagant and restrained.
A OnePlus 13 in the aramid fiber case with the AirVOOC charger attached
Its a beautiful phone, sure, but OnePlus has made beautiful phones before.
The OnePlus 13 is trustworthy.
Its durable, maybe the most durable phone Ive tested that wasnt made with military standards in mind.
Its also refined, with a look that is equally pretty and smart.
OnePlus fans know the company very well; other folks… not so much.
OnePlus is a company you gotta know about if youre in the market for a premium phone.
OnePlus 13 in every color: black, blue, and white
OnePlus had a fascinating trajectory.
You might get a great display and amazing performance but middling cameras and no wireless charging.
Youd also pay hundreds less.
Thats not true for the OnePlus 13.
This phone is uncompromising in every way.
The OnePlus 13 has the best display on any smartphone* (*according to DisplayMate).
The OnePlus 13 has great cameras, too.
Missing features that used to hold OnePlus back have become its biggest strengths on the OnePlus 13.
My key complaint about OnePlus phones was the lack of IP68 certification.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
The OnePlus 13 charges faster wirelessly than theiPhone 16 Procan charge with a USB-C cable.
You cant buy a OnePlus phone at your local carrier store.
Thats probably why your friends or your parents havent heard of OnePlus.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
By skipping the carriers and selling direct (mostly), OnePlus says it keeps its prices lower.
It also means the OnePlus 13 is harder to afford.
You dont get the massive discount with a OnePlus phone, but you also dont get the three-year obligation.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Its hard to find anything I dont like about the OnePlus 13.
If youre remotely considering the OnePlus 13, just buy it, youll be happy.
The hardest part might be choosing the color and the magnetic case to go with it.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
That means the price is effectively $799.99.
Hang in there, though, because having an unlocked phone that you own is a huge benefit.
Also, theres black.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
The chipset delivers on Qualcomms promises.
The wins dont stop there.
The most impressive specs might be the 6,000mAh battery and the accompanying 80W charging.
The OnePlus 13 with my favorite Peak Design magnetic tripod, thanks to the magnetic case
Ive never seen a battery this big in a phone that wasnt made for hardcore gaming.
That all changes with the OnePlus 13, and it changes in a big way.
For such a gorgeous phone, the OnePlus 13 is shockingly durable.
OnePlus turns that dial to 11 with, it claims, the first IP69 certified phone.
Technically, IP69 just means IP68 plus more, and OnePlus gave this phone a lot more.
This phone doesnt just take a dunk.
It takes a dunk, a spray, and a punch to the face.
It cant handle salt water, sadly, but that only leaves room for future improvement.
OnePlus is also offering theOnePlus Buds Pro 3in a matching hue, a very nice touch.
Be proud of your cameras!
Its an incredibly smart system that sorry Apple every phone maker should adopt.
Lets make magnet placement a standard across all phones.
Google’s Circle To Search scanning for a lighthouse
Who am I to argue?
In our tests, the display was not as bright as the iPhone or Galaxy usingHDRmode.
The fingerprint reader under the display was a delight, the most responsive I think Ive ever used.
I even like the subtle curve all around the edges of the display.
It makes for a very appealing equipment to hold and swipe around.
My fingers never caught on the edges, and it gives the phone a premium feel.
OnePlus 13 review: software
At its best, the OnePlus Oxygen OS 15 interface is delightful.
Its colorful enough to be engaging and unique, without feeling cartoonish or distracting.
There is a fakeDynamic Islandon the OnePlus 13 that mimics the pill-shaped island on the latest Apple iPhone 16.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Unlike the iPhone, the OnePlus Dynamic Island persists even when the phone is in landscape mode.
All around the OnePlus 13 I found thoughtful touches and flourishes.
On the other hand, not everything is perfect.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
OnePlus also loads its phones with just a bit more first-party bloat than Id like.
Theres a Clone Phone app and that Zen Space app, and those should just be configs options.
The OnePlus Community app should be an optional download.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
There are sadly two Photos apps, because one is actuallyGoogle Photosand the other is from OnePlus.
And why is there a strange Internet web online window from third-party developer HeyTap?
What matters is the size of the sensor.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
The main sensor on the OnePlus 13 is theSonyLYT-808, the same sensor used on the OnePlus 12.
The OnePlus 13 has excellent cameras, and its one of thebest camera phonesyou can buy.
The OnePlus approach to mobile photography is going to be more and more important in the near future.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
The OnePlus 13 takes photos that are stylish and realistic, without being dull.
In some ways, the OnePlus camera is truly remarkable, like with zoom shots and action photos.
Shooting fast-action scenes gave the OnePlus 13 even more advantage.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Sometimes I dont want to see so much detail, I want a little more mystery.
It beat the iPhone 16 Pro Max handily in multi-core processing performance and on most graphics tests.
Against the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the OnePlus 13 was twice as fast on some tests.
In the real world?
Yes, its the fastest phone Ive ever used.
The problem is that Android software, especially, hasnt caught up to the performance benefits.
Where is the Final Cut for Android?
What apps justify the need for so much power?
I suspect that all of the Snapdragon 8 Elites processing power will be used eventually by upcoming AI features.
In the aramid fiber case with the AirVOOC charger
For now, the AI story is confusing.
It seems that the OnePlus 13 is offloading most of its AI work to various cloud servers.
I appreciate that OnePlus doesnt overload its phones with features Id hardly use.
Its the battery life, which is the best Ive ever experienced from a mobile phone.
In our lab testing, the OnePlus 13 lasted 15 minutes shy of 20 hours.
In my real-world use, honestly Im not entirely sure because charging the OnePlus 13 is very fun.
It chargessofast, its incredible.
Even with the wireless charger, the OnePlus 13 charges faster than my iPhone or Galaxy.
But connected to a special OnePlus red cable?
Superhuman (phone) speeds.
In 15 minutes, the OnePlus 13 charges to 52% full.
You must use the special OnePlus charger.
Should you buy the OnePlus 13?
Im happy to show them, the interface is just as pretty.
OnePlus had no say in any part of this review and did not ask for any consideration in return.
I had the OnePlus 13 for around three weeks before this review was published.
I also used Google Gemini Advanced with my own personal subscription to the service.
I benchmarked the OnePlus 13 using a variety of benchmarking software available from theGoogle Play Store.
The phone was also independently tested in Future Labs by our reviews testing team.
100s of smartphonesreviewed15 yearsof product testing Over16,000 productsreviewed in total Nearly200,000 hourstesting tech
First reviewed January 2025
