The OnePlus 13 made its debut back in January, and the phone is now available in over 30 regions globally — including North America. The phone is a big upgrade from last year, and comes with new cameras, bigger battery, better hardware, and a brand-new design. I used the device for just over three weeks, and it's safe to say that this is the best OnePlus phone by a sizeable amount.
Clearly, a lot of thought went into the design of the OnePlus 13, and that's immediately noticeable. The hardware is among the best you can get today, and while the phone costs more than last year, the number of new features make it an easy recommendation. But what I like the most is that you get the same caliber of cameras as the Galaxy S25+ or Pixel 9 Pro XL, but you don't have to pay anywhere as much. This is everything you need to know about the OnePlus 13.
OnePlus 13: Review
While I reviewed most OnePlus phones at AC over the years, my colleague Nick Sutrich wanted to do the honors with the OnePlus 13, and he gave the phone a 5/5 in his review:
"The OnePlus 13 does it all, from brilliant build quality and an eye-catching design, the first to achieve IP69 water and dust resistance, the fastest processor in any phone on the market, an incredible eye-friendly OLED with the industry's first Display Mate A++ rating, a giant battery with epically fast charging, Oxygen OS 15's amazing features, six years of software updates, and a camera that finally competes with (and often beats) Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones."
OnePlus 13: Price
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OnePlus unveiled the OnePlus 13 at a launch event in China on October 30, and the phone went on sale starting November 4 in the country. The global launch was on January 7, and the phone is now available in all regions where OnePlus has an official presence.
As I predicted during the Chinese launch, the device costs $100 more in global markets. This is what you'll need to pay to get your hands on the OnePlus 13 in various regions:
- OnePlus 13 (12GB/256GB): US$899 / CAD$1249 / ₹69,999 / £899.
- OnePlus 13 (16GB / 512GB): US$999 / CAD$1399 / ₹76.999 / £999.
- OnePlus 13 (24GB / 1TB): ₹89,999.
While OnePlus is selling the 1TB model of the OnePlus 13 outside China, it is only available in India, and isn't coming to the U.S. or U.K. Like the last two years, there isn't much in the way of carrier backing in the U.S., so you will need to buy the phone unlocked.
OnePlus 13: Design and screen
OnePlus used the same design aesthetic on its devices for a while now, but that's changing with the OnePlus 13. The phone switches to flat sides — like so many devices available today — and it has a bulkier look as a result.
The OnePlus 13 is available in white, blue, and black variants, and the blue model in particular looks gorgeous. I like that OnePlus always delivers at least one unique color variant each year; the Flowy Emerald OnePlus 12 was the definite star this year, and it looks like that mantle is taken up by the blue model in 2025.
The blue model also has a unique back texture, called microfiber vegan leather. Unlike the grainy texture that you usually get with leather-backed phones, the device has a soft feel to it, and it's great in daily use.
Coming to the panel, the OnePlus 13 is using the same BOE AMOLED tech as last year, and you get a 6.82-inch size with 120Hz refresh. It isn't the brightest phone I used — the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Vivo X200 Pro get much brighter — but it has great colors, and good PWM dimming.
OnePlus 13: Specs
The OnePlus 13 has one of the best hardware packages you'll get on any device. The phone is powered by Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Elite, and it comes with up to 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
The phone has the latest connectivity, USB-C over the USB 3.2 standard, NFC, and the usual set of audio codecs. What's good to see is that it has IP69 water resistance, which is a higher tier than the usual IP68 that we see in this category. IP69 protects devices against jets of water (both hot and cold) in addition to all the usual safeguards, and Vivo's X200 Pro has the same protection.
Another upgrade is around the battery, with the device now coming with a 6000mAh battery. OnePlus is using a silicon-carbon cell to increase density, and because of the leather back and higher-density battery, the OnePlus 13 is actually lighter than the OnePlus 12. In a positive move, you still get a dual-cell battery, leading to the same great charging times with the added benefit of silicon tech.
OnePlus 13: Cameras
The OnePlus 12 introduced a set of new sensors, allowing it to take much better photos than any other OnePlus phone to date. The OnePlus 13 uses the same 50MP Sony LYT-808 main sensor, but it is joined by a new 50MP zoom lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and a 50MP wide-angle lens.
Although the device is using the same main camera, OnePlus is making changes to its camera algorithms to eke out better photos, and with Hasselblad tuning intact, it takes outstanding shots in any lighting scenario.
I still give the edge to the X200 Pro, but the OnePlus 13 is one of the best camera packages you'll find in 2025. It easily holds its own against the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Galaxy S24 Ultra, and honestly, I don't have anything negative to add about the cameras.
There were instances where it did a poor job with black levels, but outside of that, it produced terrific shots in three weeks I used the device.
OnePlus 13: Bottom line
To sum up, the OnePlus 13 is one of the best phones you'll get in 2025. Yes, we're just getting started with the year, but the combination of great design, latest hardware, and standout cameras give the OnePlus 13 a distinct advantage.
While it costs more than last year, the sheer number of upgrades available this year justify the hike. If you're looking to pick up a new phone in 2025, the OnePlus 13 gets my recommendation. If anything, it is a better value than just about any other high-end device in 2025.
The OnePlus 13 has everything you need in a 2025 flagship, and it ends up costing less than equivalent Samsung and Google options.
