OnePlus 13 debuted worldwide and is now available for $899 in the US and ₹69,999 ($815) in India. It was always expected that the price of the phone would rise – the Chinese model was $80 more expensive than the OnePlus 12, so it was obvious that the global model would also follow suit.
This is the second year that OnePlus has increased the price of its device by $100; That OnePlus 11 debuted for $699, and OnePlus 12 last year for $799. Even in India, where OnePlus continues to sell most of its phones, the device costs ₹5,000 ($58) more. With the price going up, the inevitable question arises: do you buy the OnePlus 13 or pay more and get Pixel 9 Pro XL or the upcoming Galaxy S25 Ultra? That’s what I’m here to answer.
IN wiredAC Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda dives deep into all things hardware, including phones, audio products, storage servers and routers.
Even though the OnePlus 13 costs $100 more than last year, you get significant upgrades; the phone has much better durability, a bigger battery, better cameras on the back and the latest Qualcomm processor. Of all these changes, my favorite is the design. OnePlus revised my design language this year, moving towards an aesthetic with flatter sides.
While I’m not usually a fan of this design style, OnePlus has added beveled edges on the sides to make the OnePlus 13 more comfortable to hold and use, and it also feels better in the hand than Find X8 Pro or Vivo X200 Pro. The OnePlus 13 is lighter than last year (and other phones with 6,000mAh batteries), and the weight distribution is about the best of any phone I’ve used lately.
If you’re looking at a phone, I highly recommend getting the Midnight Ocean variant; The blue color looks fantastic, and the microfiber vegan leather back has a soft texture unlike any other leather-trimmed phone. OnePlus has also switched to the Goodix ultrasonic fingerprint module this time, and thankfully there are no issues with positioning – it sits high on the panel and I had no problems authenticating or accessing the sensor.
Then there’s the equipment. OnePlus always does this well, and the OnePlus 13 continues this legacy by offering the latest hardware coupled with excellent optimization. The interface is noticeably faster than last year, and the smoothness of operation is one of the best among modern phones.
It’s still annoying that 120fps gaming is limited to just three games, but in most of the games I tested, the phone delivered stable frame rates without any overheating issues. I had no problems with the basics – cell service was excellent and the signal was strong. Although I don’t use an eSIM yet, the phone does not lack this feature, which is good to see.
Another big update concerns the battery technology: the device receives a 6000 mAh battery that lasts for a day and a half. Battery uses silicon-carbon technology and contains 10% silicon in the anode to provide greater density, with the added bonus of being able to use the phone in freezing weather without any impact on battery life.
Interestingly, OnePlus has retained the dual-cell configuration even with a silicon battery, and is the only manufacturer to do so – this time, OPPO and Vivo have moved to a single-cell design. The advantage of the dual-cell design is that you can easily charge both batteries at the same time, and as a result, the OnePlus 13 takes 38 minutes to fully charge at the 80W standard; in contrast, the X200 Pro takes 12 minutes longer.
The battery life isn’t as good as the Find X8 Pro or Vivo X200 Pro, but I still get a day and a half between charges, and the SOT is over ten hours (I’m addicted to the Balatro). What’s particularly interesting is the AirVOOC charging puck; This accessory allows you to charge your phone with a power of 50 W and does its job perfectly. The caveat is that the OnePlus 13 doesn’t have magnets on the back, and you’ll have to buy a case to use the charger instead.
This time, OnePlus is equipped with new camera modules, including a 50 MP Sony LYT-808 main camera, a 50 MP Sony LYT-600 telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and a 50 MP wide-angle lens. The zoom lens uses the same triprism technology as the Find X8 Pro, so you get a smaller lens.
Camera quality is better than last year, and while I still prefer the Find X8 Pro and Vivo X200 Pro, the OnePlus 13 easily competes with the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Pixel 9 Pro XL, and that’s a significant achievement in its own right. It takes stunning portrait shots, detailed low-light photos, and much better videos.
I also can’t find any particular flaws in the software. The interface is fluid and doesn’t have any noticeable bugs out of the box, and there’s a decent amount of AI-powered utilities if that’s what you need in a phone. And with four years of updates, the phone will remain relevant much longer.
Even though the OnePlus 13 costs more than last year, you get more than enough upgrades to justify the increase, and it’s now my recommendation if you need a new phone in 2025. I like the X200 Pro better because of the cameras. and color customization, but it is more expensive by the equivalent of $250 and is not available in as many regions of the world as the OnePlus 13.
If you want an all-rounder that looks great, has the best hardware, lasts more than a day, and takes amazing photos, the OnePlus 13 is the phone worth buying: OnePlus has finally delivered a flagship without any notable shortcomings.
With impressive camera and battery upgrades, the OnePlus 13 cements its position as one of the best phones of 2025.