I’ve been using the OnePlus 13 as my daily driver for about three weeks now, and it’s been a fantastic experience. What’s even more exciting is that this phone includes three key features that will set the trend for smartphones throughout 2025. Even if this particular model isn’t the right fit for you, you’ll see more devices like it coming soon, and that’s awesome.
1. Battery
Let’s start with the battery. The OnePlus 13 packs a 6,000mAh battery into a phone that’s surprisingly slim. To put that into perspective, that’s double the size of the Galaxy S8’s battery. If you’ve been following phone battery sizes, you might have noticed a recent trend—more phones are packing larger batteries without getting thicker. This is thanks to a new battery technology that uses silicon-carbon, which offers higher energy density, faster charging, and better performance across a wider range of temperatures. It’s a new tech, so it’s still a bit expensive, which is why it’s mostly found in high-end flagship phones at the moment.
With this technology, the OnePlus 13 manages to be thinner and lighter than its predecessor, the OnePlus 12, even though it has a 10% larger battery. I struggled to drain the battery in a single day. Even with high brightness, multitasking, GPS navigation, and Bluetooth streaming, I could easily go for two full days of use. And when it does get low, the phone supports 80W fast charging, going from 0% to 100% in just 36 minutes. It also supports 50W wireless charging with the right charging pad. Overall, the battery life here is amazing and a real standout feature.
2. Chipset
Next up, the OnePlus 13 has the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. Qualcomm releases a new chip every year, and usually, the performance improvements are gradual—5% or 10% here and there. But this year’s chip is a massive leap. It boasts a 31% higher CPU clock speed, and it scores 36% higher on the AnTuTu benchmark and 44% higher on Geekbench’s single-core test. Basically, this chip is super fast and efficient.
You might not notice the difference in everyday tasks like checking emails or scrolling through social media, but when you push the phone with heavy tasks like gaming, this chip holds up much better than previous ones. It’s more efficient, which means better battery life even when you’re using demanding apps. We’ve already seen this chip in some gaming phones, like the ROG Phone 9 Pro, and now it’s starting to show up in regular flagship phones. Expect to see it in upcoming devices like the Galaxy S25 as well. It’s an exciting advancement in performance for 2025.
3. Display
The display on the OnePlus 13 is another standout feature. It’s a large 6.82-inch screen with a QHD+ resolution, which is nice and sharp, and it supports 120Hz LTPO for smooth scrolling and animations. But what really makes this display impressive is the brightness. It can reach up to 1,600 nits in normal use, and 4,500 nits at peak brightness. That’s higher than most displays on the market, and it means the screen looks great even in direct sunlight.
The screen is almost bezel-less and has great viewing angles, which makes it perfect for watching videos or browsing the web. It also has 2,160Hz high-frequency PWM dimming, which is great for people who are sensitive to flickering. The ultrasonic fingerprint reader is fast and accurate, and the display is also more responsive when you wear thin gloves, thanks to the new glove mode.
Design and Build
The design and build quality of the OnePlus 13 are top-notch. It’s available in three colors, including a cool blue vegan leather model, which feels soft and premium to the touch. It also has an IP69 rating, meaning it’s not just water-resistant but can also withstand high-pressure water jets and extreme temperatures. So, if you accidentally drop it in the dishwasher or spill something on it, it should survive without an issue.
The phone still has the alert slider, which I use every day—it’s one of my favorite features. The vibration motor is really precise, and OnePlus has made a point to improve its water and dust resistance. It’s funny because, just a few years ago, OnePlus didn’t even want to pay for an IP rating, but now they’ve gone all-in on durability.
Camera
When it comes to the camera, the OnePlus 13 does a good job but isn’t the best in class. It has a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide, and a 50MP 3x telephoto lens. The main camera takes good photos in daylight, capturing plenty of detail and depth. It’s even decent for close-up shots with some soft background blur. But where it falls short is in low light—it doesn’t perform as well as some of its flagship competitors. Nighttime photos tend to look a bit soft, and the processing often brightens up the dark areas too much, making them look unnatural.
For video, the OnePlus 13 supports 4K at 60fps from all three cameras, and it can shoot 8K at 30fps with the main camera. The Hasselblad partnership is still present, offering some tweaks to the color science and pro mode, but the overall camera experience is more about being good enough rather than revolutionary.
Software and AI Features
OxygenOS 15 runs smoothly and feels fast, which is one of the main reasons people love OnePlus phones. The software includes some AI-powered features, like an AI editor in the camera app that can help fix blurry pictures or remove reflections, though it’s not always perfect. There’s also a feature for summarizing or proofreading text in the OnePlus Notes app, but it only works in that specific app and requires an internet connection to work.
OnePlus has also included a Dynamic Island-like feature called Live Alert Capsules, which shows notifications around the front camera. It’s a neat touch if you’re into that kind of feature. It also has some optimizations for fast app switching, something OnePlus has clearly worked on after seeing videos of people testing animation speed on their phones.
Conclusion
Overall, the OnePlus 13 is a great phone. It has an amazing battery, a fast and efficient chip, and a gorgeous display. While the camera isn’t the best, it’s more than good enough for most users. OxygenOS is fast, smooth, and easy to use, making this phone a great option for anyone looking for a solid flagship experience at a slightly lower price than other big-name brands. It’s an exciting time for smartphones, and I’m looking forward to seeing more phones with these features in 2025.
