OnePlus 13R Review
OnePlus 13R offers a large display, long battery life, great gaming performance, and a solid camera at an affordable price.
OnePlus 13R builds on the success of the OnePlus 12R by offering a longer-lasting battery, vibrant display, and powerful performance in a sleek, premium design.
Although it’s not as budget-friendly as OnePlus’s earlier “flagship killer” models, it delivers great value for those wanting a flagship experience without the high price tag. It does, however, compromise in a few areas.
This is the second R-Series phone to launch internationally, following brand’s earlier R models, which were not available in Europe or North America. 13R is a more affordable version of the flagship OnePlus 13, similar to Samsung’s ‘FE’ phones or Google’s ‘A’ series for Pixel.
Key Features:
Display: 6.78-inch flat screen is bright and clear, even in sunlight.
Battery: 6,000mAh battery lasts up to two days but has no wireless charging.
Performance: With a Snapdragon chip and 12GB RAM, it handles tasks smoothly.
Camera: Triple rear cameras work well for everyday photos.
Build: It’s a big phone, not ideal for small hands & only splash-proof.
OnePlus 13R is a well-rounded smartphone offering many flagship features at a more accessible price point. It’s a great choice for those looking for a premium device without needing the absolute latest technology.
OnePlus 13R Specification
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| 🌐 Network | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| 📅 Launch | Announced: 2025, January 07 Release: Expected 2025, January 14 |
| 📏 Body | Size: 161.7 x 75.8 x 8 mm Weight: 206 g Build: Glass front/back, aluminum frame SIM: Nano-SIM + eSIM, IP65 waterproof |
| 📱 Display | Type: LTPO 4.1 AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision Size: 6.78 inches Resolution: 1264 x 2780 pixels Protection: Gorilla Glass 7i |
| ⚙️ Platform | OS: Android 15, OxygenOS 15 Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU: Octa-core GPU: Adreno 750 |
| 💾 Memory | Internal: 256GB 12GB RAM or 512GB 16GB RAM (No SD card slot) |
| 📸 Main Camera | Triple: 50 MP (wide), 50 MP (telephoto), 8 MP (ultrawide) Video: 4K, gyro-EIS |
| 🤳 Selfie Camera | Single: 16 MP Video: 1080p, gyro-EIS |
| 🔊 Sound | Stereo speakers, no 3.5mm jack |
| 📡 Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6e/7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, Infrared, USB-C |
| 🔋 Battery | Type: 6000 mAh Charging: 80W wired, 50% in 20 min |
| 🎨 Extras | Colors: Astral Trail, Nebula Noir Price: $899.99 |
| 🏎️ Performance | AnTuTu: 2109299 Battery life: ~15 hours active use |
OnePlus 13R Price and Availability
OnePlus 13R costs $599 in the US and £679 in the UK, the same as the previous model in the US, but £30 more in the UK.
In India, there’s a larger option: 512GB ROM + 16GB RAM. North America and Europe get 256GB ROM + 12GB RAM.
It’s a strong option in the affordable flagship range, with a big screen, long battery life, and good performance. It’s more expensive than the Pixel 8a but similar in price to the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE and older Nothing Phone (2).
If battery life is important to you, consider the Honor Magic 7 Lite, which has a bigger battery but isn’t available in North America.
OnePlus 13R Design
OnePlus 13R has a premium design with an aluminum frame and glass front and back. It has a similar look to iPhone 15 Pro and Oppo Find X8, with flat sides and a sleek finish.
It’s first OnePlus phone with Gorilla Glass 7i for better drop and scratch protection which should help with durability. However, it’s not fully waterproof—just splash-resistant with an IP65 rating.
Phone feels solid, though it’s a bit large for smaller hands, making one-handed use tricky. Volume and power buttons are a bit high on the right side, making them hard to reach comfortably.
Iconic alert slider is present but also placed high up, which might feel unnecessary since fewer people use it now.
Phone’s weight (206g) is manageable and it sits comfortably in hand. USB-C port, SIM tray and speaker are at the bottom. Camera housing on the back is large but doesn’t affect daily use.
OnePlus 13R Display
OnePlus 13R has a large, vibrant 6.78-inch display that’s bright and colorful, ideal for apps and media. Its slender bezels add a premium touch, with only a small cutout for the 16MP front camera.
With a resolution of 1264 x 2780 (450 ppi) and a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, it operates well outside, even in direct sunshine. Aqua Touch 2.0 keeps the screen responsive even in the rain, preventing difficulties caused by water droplets.
Phone also features a Glove Mode, allowing you to use the screen with gloves up to 0.5cm thick. While it doesn’t support gaming in this mode, regular tasks like scrolling and texting work seamlessly, making it handy for cold weather.
OnePlus 13R Software
OnePlus 13R runs Android 15 with OxygenOS 15.0, which provides a customizable interface with features such as home screen widgets and app icon style choices.
Pre-installed apps like Netflix, Facebook and LinkedIn can be uninstalled to free up space. OxygenOS 15 is lighter, taking up less storage and includes multitasking features like split-screen, floating windows and pinned apps for easier multitasking.
OnePlus guarantees four years of OS updates and six years of security updates, though rivals like Google and Samsung now offer longer support. AI tools, including Google’s Gemini AI assistant, enhance features like photo editing and message composition.
OnePlus 13R Cameras
OnePlus 13R has three rear cameras:
- 50MP main camera
- 50MP telephoto camera with 2x zoom
- 8MP ultra-wide camera
It also has an LED flash for low-light photos and a 16MP selfie camera (without a wide-angle lens).
Camera app is fast and includes features like Google Lens, filters, and beauty mode. It has basic modes like Photo, Portrait, and Video, as well as advanced options like Pro mode, Night mode, Panorama, Slo-mo, and Time-lapse.
Camera takes great photos by default. It may not match top flagship phones, but it’s impressive for its price and offers many options for photography lovers.
OnePlus 13R Performance
OnePlus 13R offers powerful performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and 12GB of RAM. It runs smoothly for everyday tasks like browsing, video streaming and gaming, though it’s slightly slower than high-end flagship phones in demanding games.
In benchmark tests, it achieved strong results, showing that it performs at or near flagship level. For mobile gaming, the Hyperboost settings automatically optimize performance. You can track FPS, temperature, and latency, with modes to save power or maximize performance.
Games like Genshin Impact perform smoothly at 60 frames per second on high settings. The phone also features a quick fingerprint scanner and facial unlock for convenient access.
OnePlus 13R Battery
OnePlus 13R sports a big 6,000mAh battery, which may last up to two days on a single charge with moderate use. Even with heavy use, like gaming and video watching, you can usually end the day with at least 20% battery left.
It supports 80W fast charging, which can fully charge the phone from 1% to 100% in about 52 minutes. If you use a 60W charger, it can go from 15% to 31% in 15 minutes and 48% in 30 minutes.
However, it doesn’t support wireless charging, unlike the higher-end OnePlus 13 model.
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Pros and Cons of OnePlus 13R
| ✅Pros | ❌Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Long battery life | ❌ Hard for small hands |
| 🌟 Big, bright display | 💧 Splash-resistant only |
| 🎮 Great for gaming | ⚡ No wireless charging |
Conclusion
OnePlus 13R stands out for its large, bright screen, long-lasting battery and outstanding gaming performance. The cameras are nice, but not the greatest. It lacks wireless charging and water resistance, but it is a great, reasonable option.
