The OnePlus launched earlier this year to critical acclaim, including our first 5-star phone review since we started publishing in 2008. One of OnePlus's marketing points was that it was the first phone in the U.S. with an IP69 rating, something even the Galaxy S25 family didn't include when it launched a month later. But what does that really do for you?
Earlier this month, I read a story about a OnePlus 13 that ended up in a river for four and a half hours without taking any damage, so I figured I would put it through my own test by taking the phone on the lake all day during the Fourth of July. Unsurprisingly, the phone passed with flying colors. Everyone else left their iPhones and Galaxy phones on the boat, but I floated in the water, taking perfect pictures the entire day with my OnePlus 13.
To make things even better, the OnePlus 13 is still on sale during Best Buy's extended Black Friday in July event, taking $150 off the normal price, making this the best discount we've yet seen for our favorite Android phone! If you activate it today, Best Buy will take another $100 off, bringing the total price down to an unheard of $749.99.
✅Recommended if: you're looking for a flagship phone with the best camera that you can take anywhere without worrying about the heat, cold, rain, or something crazier ruining your favorite device. The OnePlus 13 is one tough device, and it doesn't sacrifice anything else to achieve this level of durability, either!
❌Skip this deal if: you're looking for something under $500. For that, I'd recommend the OnePlus 13R, which is on sale at Amazon for $110 off.
This is the year where some Android smartphones have significantly bolstered their durability, proving that they're built to last. In addition to the longest software update commitments ever, companies like OnePlus and Honor have built smartphones equipped to survive a kitchen nightmare.
AquaTouch 2.0 ensures you can actually touch the screen even with wet fingers.
I've already put the OnePlus 13 in a dishwasher several times and took it in a 155-degree Fahrenheit sauna for half an hour to test its durability, but taking it swimming all day is another feat entirely. Part of the problem is that, while many phones have featured IP68 water and dust resistance for years, that durability doesn't include "water jets" or moving water, which means you're not really supposed to actively swim with them.
IP69 changes all of that, and it means taking the OnePlus 13 in a river or lake was no big deal at all. The phone stayed in my zipped-up swimming pants pocket most of the time while I was in the lake and only came out when I wanted to take a picture. Not only does the phone withstand water for long periods of time, but AquaTouch 2.0 ensures you can actually touch the screen even with wet fingers. Good luck doing that on an iPhone!
Taking the phone in the water was a thing of joy. I was able to capture all the most memorable moments of the outing, including the gorgeous scenery around me in Western North Carolina, as well as all the best jumps and activities of the day.
When my friends and family were jumping off the boat, the OnePlus 13 camera perfectly captured every splash and dive in crisp detail thanks to its ultra-fast dual-exposure algorithm. When the sun hit the water just right and turned it into "Mountain Dew water" under the boat around sunset, the OnePlus 13 perfectly captured that moment, too.
As the lighting dimmed and we headed in for dinner and s'mores, the OnePlus 13 captured the mood perfectly. I love using the portrait mode on the camera for people and food photos, and it even captured the dock lighting for an Instagram-worthy moment.
As the long day finally started to get dark, we rode the boat over to the main harbor where a fireworks show was scheduled. The OnePlus 13 ships with many different camera modes, and while I was taking photos of the fireworks across the water, the camera app suggested I switch to fireworks mode to more accurately capture the scene.
Boy, that was a great decision. It's nice to have a camera that's smart enough to suggest when different modes would be best to use, and the fireworks mode does a much better job of capturing the stark contrast between the bright fireworks and the otherwise dark lake scene.
As you've probably experienced before, the left image below isn't at all what it looked like to my eyes in real life. Rather, it was much more like the right image, and while the timing of my shot doesn't do the display justice, it still gives me a good memory to look back at down the road.
We don't normally do a ton for holidays like the Fourth of July, and I couldn't be happier that I had a phone like the OnePlus 13 to take with me on the year we finally get the chance to do something as epic as boating on the lake for the whole day.
The OnePlus 13 is my favorite Android phone of all time for many reasons, but its versatility and durability are among the best reasons. If you're not crazy like me, though, you'll probably want to stick it in a case while you're out on the water.
The best OnePlus 13 cases will grant extra protection, but I recommend the official OnePlus case over the others on the list. It's our top pick and not only adds MagSafe magnets to the back of the phone, but also has two handy lanyard holes to keep the phone safe from free-falls to the ground or to the bottom of the lake. Our Accessories Editor, Namerah, also recommends the Cyrill Charm Strap, if you prefer a different type of case, as it'll give any case lanyard compatibility.
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