ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The OnePlus 13 is a handy guide a rough, practically no-compromise cellphone that begins at $899.
- A Snapdragon 8 Elite, paired with a 6,000mAh battery and 80W quick charging, is a recipe for endurance success.
- IP69 is nearly extreme, however you may respect it when least anticipated.
apr / 2025
Over at OnePlus’ web site, each OnePlus 13 fashions are on sale for $50 off, and every buy comes with a free reward. Choices embody a OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Professional and a Sandstone Magnetic Case.
It is not typically that I assessment a smartphone within the first few calendar weeks and really feel assured in calling it a “Phone of the Year” contender. However after I examined the OnePlus 13 again in January, that is exactly what occurred.
Whether or not Google lastly launches a Pixel Professional Fold with a flagship digicam system this summer season, or Apple releases a thinner iPhone within the fall, the OnePlus 13 will doubtless nonetheless be on my thoughts when the year-end nominations are due.
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There’s lots going for the newest flagship cellphone, from the safer (and dependable) ultrasonic fingerprint sensor to the IP69 score to the 6,000mAh Silicon NanoStack battery. It is also one of many first telephones in North America to function Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which guarantees enhancements to efficiency, effectivity, and AI workloads.
I examined the OnePlus 13 alongside my iPhone 16 Pro Max and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL to see precisely how the Android cellphone stacked up towards one of many best phones from 2024. In just a few methods, the OnePlus 13 falls quick, however in some ways, it places the iPhone and Pixel to disgrace.
After I first unboxed the OnePlus 13 and held it in my hand, my response was audible. Enable me to geek out right here: The marginally curved glass, the slimness of the cellphone, and the general look made my then-four-month-old iPhone feel and look outdated. It is as if OnePlus made the iPhone 17 Air earlier than Apple did.
Nevertheless, what sells the OnePlus 13 design for me is the brand new Midnight Ocean coloration, which flaunts a vegan-leather backing that makes the cellphone visually distinctive and extra comfy to carry than its glass-only predecessors. The feel is not as tough and grippy as precise leather-based, although, so I would be fascinated with seeing the way it ages over the yr. (April replace: The textured backing is holding up nicely, save for just a few darkish spots on the corners, doubtless brought on by the cellphone rubbing towards my palms.)
If you happen to have been hoping the primary main Android cellphone of 2025 would function Qi2 wireless charging, I’ve excellent news and dangerous information. Whereas the OnePlus 13 would not have an in-body Qi2 charging coil, which means MagSafe (and similar) accessories will not connect on to the again of the system, OnePlus has embedded magnetic guides inside its protecting covers, enabling customers to reap the benefits of the equipment as long as the OnePlus 13 is encased. It is a burdenless workaround, however one which hopefully will not be essential with the subsequent mannequin.
For what it is price, since publishing this assessment, a number of different Android telephones have been launched, together with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, Nothing Phone 3a Pro, and Motorola Razr Ultra — none of which function Qi2 wi-fi charging.
For years, one side that is held OnePlus telephones again is the water and mud resistance score, or lack thereof. With the OnePlus 13, the corporate is lastly taking a stronger stance on the endurance normal, certifying the cellphone with an IP69 score. It is a step above the IP68 scores we generally see on competing gadgets, and permits the OnePlus 13 to resist high-pressure, high-temperature water jets and humidity modifications.
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In follow, this implies the OnePlus 13 can perform correctly even if you happen to depart it in your washer and dryer, dishwasher, or a pot of boiling soup. The IP69 score feels very very like a flex, nevertheless it’s a profit that customers will respect after they least count on it.
Powering the system is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip that, from my months of utilization, has some noticeable strengths and weaknesses. For day-to-day utilization, akin to bouncing between productiveness apps, undoubtedly not scrolling by way of TikTok, and taking photographs and movies, the processor handles duties gracefully. It helps that OxygenOS 15, based mostly on the newest model of Android, has a number of the smoothest animations I’ve seen on a cellphone.
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However when you fireplace up graphics-intensive functions like Adobe Premiere Rush and Honkai Star Rail, you may discover some stuttering as the upper warmth improvement results in throttling efficiency. This is not a dealbreaker, per se, because the nerfs are solely obvious once you’re utilizing the system for a chronic time.
I’ve really been utilizing the OnePlus 13 fairly liberally, because the 6,000mAh Silicon NanoStack battery has saved my assessment unit operating for a minimum of a day and a half per cost. That is unseen with every other mainstream cellphone within the US market, and I totally count on extra producers to undertake silicon batteries for his or her higher vitality density. If not that, copy the 80W quick charging or 50W wi-fi charging; they’re fairly the revelation.
On the digicam entrance, the OnePlus 13, with its triple digicam setup (50MP broad, ultrawide, and telephoto), has been a dependable shooter all through most of my days. Whereas the Sony LYT-808 sensor is not on par with the one-inch sensors I’ve examined on worldwide telephones just like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, it does a superb job of capturing particulars and ending the output vividly. If you happen to’re a fan of sharp, vibrant, and barely oversaturated imagery (learn: extra colourful than how the precise topic seems), then the OnePlus 13 will serve you nicely.
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The place the digicam sensors fall quick is in post-processing and AI-tuning options. For instance, the cellphone leans closely on computational images to contextualize particulars when taking far-distance pictures. This generally results in pictures with a synthetic, over-smoothing filter. However when the backend software program works, it may well reproduce particulars that you just most likely did not assume you’d seize within the first place.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
For a beginning worth of $899, the OnePlus 13 delivers some significantly good worth — presumably one of the best of all the main flagship telephones I’ve examined up to now this yr. The corporate has improved the system in virtually each method, from the design to the efficiency to its accent ecosystem.
I simply want OnePlus provided extra in depth software program assist, because the OnePlus 13 will solely obtain 4 years of Android OS updates and 6 years of safety updates. Samsung, Google, and Apple supply a minimum of seven years of OS assist. If you happen to can shoulder the shorter promise of longevity, this is likely one of the best telephones for me to advocate proper now.
We awarded the OnePlus 13 an Editors’ Choice as a result of it nails all the basics of an incredible smartphone expertise whereas main the market in some regards, akin to battery and charging, sturdiness, and design. The specs this yr are noticeably improved in comparison with its predecessor, the OnePlus 12, with a sooner processor, lighter construct, bigger battery capability, and a extra succesful digicam system. Most significantly, the OnePlus 13 begins at $899, undercutting its closest opponents just like the Google Pixel 9 Professional XL and Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely.
As per OnePlus, this supply will finish on June 8, 2025.
Nevertheless, offers are topic to promote out or expire at any time, although ZDNET stays dedicated to discovering, sharing, and updating one of the best product offers so that you can rating one of the best financial savings. Our crew of specialists recurrently checks in on the offers we share to make sure they’re nonetheless stay and obtainable. We’re sorry if you happen to’ve missed out on a deal, however do not fret — we continuously discover new probabilities to save lots of and share them with you on ZDNET.com.
The current US tariffs on imports from international locations like China, Vietnam, and India purpose to spice up home manufacturing however are more likely to drive up costs on shopper electronics. Merchandise like smartphones, laptops, and TVs could change into costlier as corporations rethink international provide chains and weigh the price of shifting manufacturing.
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Smartphones are among the many most affected by the brand new US tariffs, with gadgets imported from China and Vietnam dealing with steep duties that would increase retail costs by 20% or extra. Manufacturers like Apple and Google, which rely closely on Asian manufacturing, could both cross these prices on to shoppers or take up them on the expense of revenue margins.
The tariffs might additionally result in delays in product launches or shifts in the place and the way telephones are made, forcing corporations to diversify manufacturing to international locations with extra favorable commerce situations.
This story was initially revealed on January 7, 2025, and was up to date on June 1, 2025, including info for a brand new June low cost.
