OnePlus introduced the OnePlus 13 in China in December 2024, and it was launched soon after in the global market at the start of the year. Locally, it was announced in January via Digital Walker alongside the OnePlus 13R.
The device not only comes with the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and triple 50MP cameras, but it also boasts a massive 6000mAh battery and a slight change in design.
But how does the OnePlus 13 perform in the real world? Is it actually worth its price tag, which goes as much as PHP 59,990 for the 12GB+512GB configuration?
We’ve had the device for around two weeks, and here’s our experience with OnePlus’ next-generation flagship device.
OnePlus 13 Review
Full Specifications
| Display | 6.82-inch ProXDR Display QHD+ LTPO AMOLED 120Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| GPU | Adreno 830 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256/512GB |
| Rear Camera | 50MP main (Sony LYT-808, 1/1.4”, f/1.6, OIS) 50MP 3x telephoto (Sony LYT-600, 1/1.95”, f/2.6, EIS) 50MP ultrawide (Samsung JN5, 1/2.75”, f/2.0 EIS) |
| Front Camera | 32MP |
| Battery | 6000mAh 80W SUPERVOOC 50W AIRVOOC |
| OS | Oxygen 15.0 (Android 15) |
| Colors | Black Eclipse Arctic Dawn Midnight Ocean |
OnePlus 13 – Unboxing Experience
Before we get to our full review, here’s our full unboxing experience, which comes with the device and a cable out of the simple red box:
OnePlus 13 – Build and Design
The OnePlus 13 comes in three colors – Black Eclipse, Arctic Dawn, and Midnight Ocean. We received the Midnight Ocean colorway, which has a premium feeling micro-fiber vegan leather. I love the deep blue color option, the feel of the vegan leather, and the silver accents.
The camera module remains round, but this time the company made it a floating island. Visually, OnePlus was able to still connect the module to the frame by including a metal strip that runs on the side of the round module. Moreover, the Hasselblad logo was placed on the right side of the back panel, helping lessen the clutter of the camera module.
All these combine to make a pretty familiar design while still changing things up for a more sleek design.
On the front is a 6.82-inch 120Hz QHD+ curved LTPO AMOLED panel. I’m still on the edge with curved panels. On one hand, it gives a more rounded look and feel, but on the other, it is quite prone to mistouches. Ultimately, I think this will depend on your preference. Visually, I prefer a curved display, but in the real world, I like them flat because of the occasional mistouch.
The device has the power button and volume rockers on the right side, which, for my average-sized hands, is pretty easy to reach. Meanwhile, on the bottom are the SIM tray, USB-C port, speaker grille, and a microphone.
The OnePlus 13 has carried over the ever-familiar Alert Slider from its predecessors which lie on the left side of the device. I see its practicality, especially for those who like to switch between Silent, Vibrate, and Ring modes on the fly.
I see how it can be quite convenient that use it on Ring during drives so you don’t miss calls, then switch over to Silent or Vibrate when you get to the office or in a meeting.
That said, though, I’m the type of person who will just leave my phone on Vibrate by default, so I really didn’t use it. But it’s a piece of hardware that I can get behind because of the convenience it offers for those who get the device.
OnePlus 13 – Hands-on Experience and Performance
As a new flagship device, unsurprisingly, the OnePlus 13 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite coupled with 12GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. Sure, it isn’t 16GB like on the OnePlus 12, but I think 12GB was enough to handle most typical tasks and gaming.
Before we get to gaming, as someone who watches so many videos on YouTube, I just loved the QHD+ AMOLED panel on the device. The higher resolution, coupled with the AMOLED panel, just offered impressive colors and depths. If it matters, the panel comes with a pre-installed screen protector, which is handy for some protection out of the box
With that out of the way, here are the benchmark results in AnTuTu, Geekbench, 3DMark, and PCMark of the OnePlus 13 compared to other flagship devices:
As you can see, it isn’t quite at the top of the charts, but with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it is still very capable, especially when playing games like Honkai Star Rail, Diablo Immortal, and of course, Genshin Impact.
I was ecstatic upon learning that I could play Genshin Impact on the highest settings at 60 fps with ease. There’s nothing like going around the map with your characters and enjoying the graphics in all their glory. Of course, this means that it easily handles games like Honkai Star Rail, Diablo Immortal, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
The OnePlus 13 comes with IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings, which help bring ease of mind. Personally, this brings ease of mind as I do enjoy watching/listening to videos while washing the dishes.
OnePlus 13 – Camera
The OnePlus flagship series has built its reputation to deliver stunning photos and the OnePlus 13 is no different. It is equipped with a trio of 50MP Sony cameras around the back and a 32MP snapper up front.
The rear cameras are a 50MP Sony LYT-808 main snapper, a 50MP Sony LYT-600 3x telephoto camera, and a 50MP Samsung JN5 ultrawide lens. It doesn’t quite have a periscope telephoto lens for longer distance shots, but the 3x telephoto camera is no slouch.
The trio delivers good colors, and the quality is pretty close to each other that you could use any of the three cameras for social media shots.
Here are some of my shots:
I’ve also enjoyed taking photos of the metro while in transit, like the buildings in Eastwood from Katipunan and more.
I loved the filters that you get, whether it be the Hasselblad color portraits or the monochrome filter for more dramatic shots.
If you need to take selfies, the front camera is decent and good enough to post on your social media platforms.
OnePlus 13 – Battery
The OnePlus 13 has a massive 6000mAh battery with support for the same 80W SUPERVOOC and 50W AIRVOOC charging as the OnePlus 12.
Before I get to my experience, here are the results of the PCMark Battery test with QHD+ resolution in Auto select, High, and Standard refresh rate modes:
You can get longer hours when you switch to Standard FHD+ or Auto Select resolution mode, but I decided to only use it in High or 1440p mode. Even then, I pretty much got similar use out the device with medium to heavy use that included occasional gaming sessions, watching YouTube videos, and doom scrolling on TikTok and Instagram.
If the 6000mAh battery isn’t enough, the 80W SUPERVOOC charging tops up the device pretty fast. About a 10-minute charge with an 80W charger offered 32% of battery, while a full charge took about an hour.
Do note though, that the device doesn’t come with an 80W charging brick, so in order to maximize the charging speed, you will need one. In my case, I had an 80W SUPERVOOC charger on hand.
OnePlus 13 – Software
Out of the box, the OnePlus 13 runs on OxygenOS 15.0 on top of Android 15. This is the first time I have experienced OxygenOS first-hand, and I am impressed.
The device boots with no bloatware, which I have always appreciated in Android skins. It also offers a smooth experience while going through your day-to-day use.
One of my favorite things about it is the level of customization it offers, which includes the shape of the icons in your home screen, the colors used in the app icons, and its overall look. These, of course, I’m a bit more familiar having much experience with ColorOS.
Hello to the Paper Pirate
Another addition is the AI features that aid in editing like removing people, reflections, and more. All of which come in handy when you want to polish up the photos you’ve taken with the device.
OxygenOS is surely up there among my favorite Android skins along with ColorOS, Nothing OS, and One UI.
However, the software support that OnePlus has promised for its flagship could be better, especially when going up against the monstrous support of Samsung and Google. The OnePlus 13 will get four major Android updates and six years of security updates.
Sure, you’ll be able to get it up to Android 19 and get security updates until 2031, but I feel that flagship devices should be at least at par with Samsung and Google.
Verdict
OnePlus 13 feels like a nice and warm comeback from OnePlus, and this mostly has to do with its local pricing. The 12GB+256GB variant is available at PHP 54,990, while the 16GB+512GB option is at PHP 59,990 via Digital Walker.
Because of this, it makes it easy to recommend at least checking out the OnePlus 13 if you’re looking for a flagship device without breaking the bank. For less than PHP 60,000, you get to experience a 1440p AMOLED panel, the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite, and a massive 6000mAh battery.
Let’s not forget that you also enjoy the Hasselblad camera system, which can deliver stunning shots across the board, AI features, and the Alert Slider. The last of which, though, depends on your usage of a phone. It could either be revolutionary (for a first-time user) or just a forgettable feature that you’ll occasionally trigger.
Overall, the OnePlus 13 is what I consider a redemption story for the company, at least locally, after the pricing debacle last year.
Ram found his love and appreciation for writing in 2015 having started in the gaming and esports sphere for GG Network. He would then transition to focus more on the world of tech which has also began his journey into learning more about this world. That said though, he still has the mentality of "as long as it works" for his personal gadgets.
