OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R Review: Fast and Smooth

I have been using it OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R last month—through the 2024 holiday season and Cost of CES 2025-which means I’ve put them on some lighter and busier tasks. There’s not much to complain about in this update Android phoneswho know a little bit about everything. The flagship OnePlus 13 has almost everything you would expect in a modern smartphone.

The OnePlus 13 it starts at $900 on the basis of 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage model, slightly reducing its competitors, while OnePlus 13R it costs $600—it has fewer features than its sibling and misses a few features. This generation’s updates are all about finesse. The apps are smooth, the batteries last long, the displays are bright, and the phones are waterproof. If you’re looking to change the phone style, and battery life is the most important thing on your list, these OnePlus phones are worth considering.

Double Vision

OnePlus 13 (left) and OnePlus 13R (right)

Photo: Julian Chokkattu

The OnePlus 13 and 13R look similar but have a few differences in their dimensions—the flagship has a 6.82-inch screen, while the cheaper phone has a 6.78-inch display. The most obvious difference between the two is the Hasselblad logo on the OnePlus 13, including the edges of the display. The OnePlus 13R has a curved edge, which I like as it’s easy to hold.

There’s an interesting marble-like finish on the OnePlus 13 and a brushed finish on the 13R, but nothing quite as beautiful as last year. OnePlus 12 and 12R– emerald and ice blue were the chef’s kiss. There and a nice Midnight Ocean color this year for the OnePlus 13, which has a nice microfiber vegan leather, but I didn’t get a chance to try it.

OnePlus has finally upgraded the water resistance of its flagship device. Now you get a combined IP68 and IP69 rating, meaning the OnePlus 13 can be submerged under water for up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes and can withstand heavy rain. It finally puts it on par with its peers. The display uses Ceramic Guard, which is OnePlus’ take on Apple’s Ceramic Glass, and is stronger than the Gorilla Glass Victus found on other phones. Glass is still glass, and you should use a screen protector—my iPhone 16 Plus broken screen during testing.

As for the display, the 120-Hz OLED display is bright, beautiful, and smooth. The only difference apart from the size is the flashing, although by default the OnePlus 13 is set to a low resolution to save battery life. They all look amazing. My only gripe is that I have to adjust the brightness settings more often than most other Android phones – these devices only dim the brightness a bit for me.

The OnePlus 13R is rated IP65, which is fine in the rain but can’t survive a dip in the pool. It is also among the first to use Corning’s Gorilla Glass 7iwhich is a budget to mid-range offering from a glass manufacturer, so don’t expect the same durability, although it should be comparable if not slightly better than other phones around this price range. All the other features are spot on, and the OnePlus Alert Slider makes me wish every phone had a switch to toggle between Mute, Vibrate, and Loud (ahem, Apple).. I don’t care about a very large camera.