OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R

OnePlus has launched not one, but two new phones: the OnePlus 13 and the OnePlus 13R. The OnePlus 13, like its predecessor, the OnePlus 12, is expected to rank among the best Android phones of the year, while the OnePlus 13R remains a solid budget option packing great specs for the price.

How do these phones compare to one another, and should you spend big on the OnePlus 13 or save with the budget-friendly OnePlus 13R? We pitted both devices head-to-head to find out.

OnePlus 13 versus OnePlus 13R: specs

OnePlus 13 versus OnePlus 13R: design and display

At first glance, these two phones look pretty similar. In hand, however, they feel very different, with the OnePlus 13’s slightly curved back and polished metal chassis contrasting with the flatter design and matte aluminum frame of the 13R. Pick up the Midnight Ocean OnePlus 13 and you’ll get a supersoft vegan microfiber back with a grippy, leather-like pattern. Both devices have the OnePlus alert slider on the side, and both also pack an IR blaster.

The OLED displays are similar across both devices, too. The OnePlus 13 sports a flat screen compared to the curved edges of its predecessor, which eliminates the risk of accidental screen touches. While the OnePlus 13 has a slightly larger 6.82-inch screen and a higher resolution compared to the 13R’s 6.78-inch panel, it’s not enough to make a huge difference. Both phones support HDR10+ and have similar brightness levels.

In our OnePlus 13 review, we highlighted some interesting features including a mode specifically designed for use when wearing gloves and the ability to use the screen with wet fingers. The OnePlus 13 can also run two different refresh rates simultaneously. However, we noticed some issues with the phone’s display, which can be ultra-sensitive and sometimes struggles to separate intentional touches from accidental ones. It frequently fails to recognize upward swipes correctly, too.

As far as durability goes, the OnePlus 13 has Crystal Shield Ultra-Ceramic Glass protecting the display, and it’s designed to provide better shock and drop resistance. The OnePlus 13R’s screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 7i, which offers excellent protection against drops and bumps. The 13R is IP65 rated, meaning it’s water resistant rather than fully waterproof. It should be able to withstand splashes and rainy conditions. The 13 packs an IP68/IP69 rating, so it will survive immersion in water up to 1.5 meters deep, and can also handle high-pressure hot water jets.

Due to the early issues with the OnePlus 13’s display, the OnePlus 13R wins here.

Winner: OnePlus 13R

OnePlus 13 versus OnePlus 13R: performance

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The OnePlus 13 is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of onboard storage. Though we didn’t have any overheating concerns during everyday use and basic gaming, the phone’s metal chassis did get hot to the touch when the chip was under strain during more intense gaming sessions, though the back of the phone remained cool. The combination of the latest Snapdragon chip and OxygenOS 15 ensures no lag or stuttering and buttery smooth, effortless performance, even when multitasking.

Though the OnePlus 13R is powered by an older chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it’s incredibly fast. It’s the same chip you’ll find in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and OnePlus 12, though its performance lags slightly behind the S24 Ultra. You get 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage — there’s no larger storage option available — and we didn’t spot any noticeable overheating during 30- and 45-minute Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket sessions. Using the 13R felt like using a flagship.

This round is too close to call, with both devices providing excellent performance. Either phone should be more than capable of handling whatever you throw at it, unless you’re a hardcore gamer playing the most demanding titles, in which case the OnePlus 13’s more powerful chip might win out.

Winner: Tie

OnePlus 13 versus OnePlus 13R: cameras

On paper, the OnePlus 13 packs superior camera hardware, with three 50-megapixel cameras on the rear: a 50MP primary lens, 50MP wide-angle, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. The 13R packs a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultrawide shooter. The OnePlus 13 also has a 32MP selfie cam compared to the 16MP front-facing camera on the 13R.

Despite the less powerful hardware, the OnePlus 13R holds its own. For the price, it’s a genuinely solid camera setup that takes great photos, for the most part. It isn’t amazing, and it misses out on OnePlus’ Hasselblad partnership, plus the 2x optical zoom can’t compete with the zoom on flagships like the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but provided you don’t need your phone to boast extreme zoom capabilities, it’s pretty good.

The OnePlus 13 takes punchy, detailed shots in most environments, with mixed results in lowlight conditions and great color accuracy. It boasts the Hasselblad partnership, which gives you a few filters and X Pan mode, which is based on the brand’s film cameras, though it’s a bit of a niche feature that only hardcore photography fans will use. You also get Burst mode and Action mode for videos, which shoot at 60 frames per second (fps) regardless of which camera you’re using, Smart Scene modes for faraway shots, and a few other features that the 13R misses out on. There’s also 6x zoom — which takes excellent shots, despite being a hybrid zoom driven by the cameras, software, and AI.

Ultimately, the OnePlus 13 takes the crown here for its more powerful hardware and additional features, though the OnePlus 13R cameras are still solid enough to please most people.

Winner: OnePlus 13

OnePlus 13 versus OnePlus 13R: battery and charging

When it comes to battery life, things might appear similar across the board at first glance, with both the OnePlus 13 and 13R packing a beefy 6,000mAh battery. Of course, the different chipsets will impact battery life, but you can expect two days of juice from both phones, and possibly even a third day, depending on your usage. Our reviewer found the OnePlus 13 had around 50% battery left at the end of a busy day with over four hours of screen-on time.

Sadly, it’s charging that sets these two phones apart. The OnePlus 13 supports 100W charging via the OnePlus 100-watt SuperVOOC Charger — which isn’t included with the device —and can reach full from empty in 36 minutes (50 minutes using a 50W AirVOOC wireless charger). Charging is slower with third-party wired chargers, so it’s worth paying extra for the official OnePlus 100W charger. The OnePlus 13R, on the other hand, only supports 55W charging, which is disappointing, as that’s a downgrade from the 800W speeds supported by the OnePlus 12R. That means it takes just under an hour to reach 100% from empty — and there’s no wireless charging.

The OnePlus 13 is the clear winner here since the 13R disappoints with a slower charging speed than its predecessor and lack of wireless charging.

Winner: OnePlus 13

OnePlus 13 versus OnePlus 13R: software and updates

Both the OnePlus 13 and its budget sibling the 13R run Android 15 with OxygenOS 15. For those who enjoy personalizing their phones, this customized Android version packs a plethora of customization options into a close-to-stock Android interface. OxygenOS is generally responsive and smooth, with features such as customizable themes adding a personal touch.

OnePlus doesn’t have the greatest track record when it comes to updates, however. Compared to brands like Apple and Samsung, the company has often lagged behind when it comes to its update promises, with fewer years of security patches and Android updates. Provided that’s not a concern, there’s no difference between the two devices on the updates front: both will receive four years of OS updates and six years of security updates. That still falls short of the seven years Samsung provides for its S24 series, but it’s an improvement on the old standard of three years of support.

Since both devices run the same software and will receive the same number of years of updates, this one’s a tie.

Winner: Tie

OnePlus 13 versus OnePlus 13R: price and availability

The OnePlus 13 comes with 256GB or 512GB of onboard storage, with pricing starting at $900 for the 12GB/256GB variant and rising to $1,000 for the 16GB/512GB model. You can save $300 by choosing the OnePlus 13R, which comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage and is priced strating at $600. Both models come in Black Eclipse, Midnight Ocean, and Arctic Dawn colors and are currently available to purchase from OnePlus.

If you’re in Canada, you can pick up both devices at Best Buy. The 512GB OnePlus 13 and the OnePlus 13R are also available from Best Buy in the U.S., with some colors available online and some in-store. Both phones should be available from Amazon at a later date.

OnePlus 13 versus OnePlus 13R: verdict

The OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R are both amazing smartphones, and each device has its own strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, deciding which phone to buy might come down to how much you want to spend on a new phone.

Despite being pretty close to call, we’ve crowned the OnePlus 13 our winner, as it edges out its budget-friendly brethren. Though you’re paying $300 more, you’re getting a slightly larger display with features such as being able to use the screen with wet fingers, the latest Snapdragon chip for buttery smooth performance, the option for more RAM and storage, beefy, multiday battery life, 100W fast charging, and an impressive camera array.

We’d be happy taking home either one of these phones, but we can’t deny that the flagship OnePlus 13 deserves this win.

Buy the OnePlus 13:

Buy the OnePlus 13R:

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