OnePlus 13 review – GSMArena.com tests

Introduction

The next chapter of OnePlus smartphones, the OnePlus 13, has finally hit the international markets after being available in China for several months now. The updates aren’t massive, but a few steps in the right direction can make a big difference.

Of course, there is a chipset update and it is the Snapdragon 8 Elite that powers the OP13. A larger battery is always welcome, and the new power supply also represents the latest chemistry. The case is a bit lighter, but more importantly, it’s now properly sealed – IP68/IP69, just like everyone else this year.

We’re not particularly interested in camera improvements – not the most enticing realization we get when looking at the technical specifications. The triple camera setup on the back is more or less the same as before, with the telephoto lens having a different sensor. It’s only after taking a closer look at the promotional materials that we see the real changes – a more compact lens for the zoom camera. Is this… something?

A change no less noticeable at first glance is the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner replacing the optical one. This is perhaps a little more important from a usability standpoint than a thin camera lens, and we can fix that. That’s pretty much the entire list of changes, but you can check them out for yourself by checking out the specifications below.

OnePlus 13 Features at a Glance:

• Body: 162.9×76.5×8.5 mm, 210 g; Front part made of glass (Crystal Shield), back part made of glass or silicone polymer (eco leather), aluminum frame; Dust and water protection IP68/IP69 (up to 1.5 m for 30 minutes).
• Display: 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120 Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 800 nits (typical), 1600 nits (HBM), 4500 nits (peak), 1440×3168 pixels, 19.8:9 aspect ratio, 510 pixels per inch; always-on display.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm): Octa-core (2×4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6×3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M); Adreno 830.
• Memory: 256 GB 12 GB RAM, 512 GB 16 GB RAM, UFS 4.0.
• OS/Software: Android 15, OxygenOS 15 (international).
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm, 1/1.43″, 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 50 MP, f/2.0, 15 mm, 120˚, PDAF; Telephoto: 50 MP, f/2.6, 73 mm, 1/1.95″, 3x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS.
• Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.4, 21 mm (wide), 1/2.74 inch, 0.8 micron.
• Video Capture: Rear camera: 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240/480fps, Auto HDR, Gyro EIS, Dolby Vision; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, Gyro EIS.
• Battery: 6000 mAh; 100W wired, PD, QC, 50% in 13 minutes, 100% in 36 minutes (advertised), 50W wireless, 10W reverse wireless, 5W reverse wired.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Dual SIM cards; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.4, aptX HD, LHDC 5; NFC; Infrared port.
• Miscellaneous: Fingerprint scanner (under the display, ultrasonic); stereo speakers.

OnePlus 13 Unboxing

The OnePlus 13 comes in a half-height red cardboard box – the color is correct, but the thickness is new to us. We’re not entirely sure it’ll be the same in all markets, but our review unit didn’t come with a charger. The usual OP sticker set has also been removed. The red USB-A-to-C cable is still included, as is the SIM eject pin.

We’ll have to reiterate that depending on your region, you may get a different set of accessories (and, well, a different box to house them in). Last year, all OP12s had chargers, but only the India-bound models included a protective case, and this year the differentiation may have extended to other bits and/or markets.