When it comes to smartphones that strike a perfect balance between performance, design, and price, OnePlus has been leading the game for years. The OnePlus 13R is the latest contender in its lineup, offering flagship-level features without the premium price tag. This review breaks down every aspect of the OnePlus 13R, from its sleek design to its snappy performance, helping you decide if it’s worth the investment.
A Premium Design That Feels Great in Hand
The OnePlus 13R introduces a fresh design with a flat frame and display. Though the circular rear camera module reminiscent of previous models remains, its unique placement this year—detached from the side frame—adds a refreshed aesthetic.
Key design highlights:
- Dimensions: 161.7 x 75.8 x 8 mm
- Weight: 206g
- Colors: Astral Trail and Nebula Noir
The Astral Trail variant we reviewed features a patterned matte finish that feels premium and evokes images of mesmerizing star trails. Constructed with an aluminum frame and glass back, the phone feels robust. Additionally, the IP65 rating adds some resistance to dust and water, making it more durable than its predecessor.
While the flat design looks sleek, it may dig into your palms with prolonged use. Fortunately, a silicone case is included in the box, mitigating this minor discomfort while also protecting against slips and scratches.
Immersive Display with Quality Enhancements
OnePlus has upgraded the 6.78-inch LTPO 4.1 AMOLED display, ensuring a stunning visual experience, whether you’re streaming content or simply scrolling.
Display features:
- Resolution: 1.5K (2780 x 1264 pixels)
- Refresh rate: 120Hz adaptive (1–120Hz)
- Brightness: Peak 4,500 nits
- Support: HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 10-bit color depth
With slimmer bezels and vivid color accuracy, the screen is a joy to use for videos or games. The punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera sits discreetly at the center, and the under-display optical fingerprint scanner responds quickly without fail.
Gamers and multitaskers will appreciate the effortless transitions between refresh rates, ensuring a smooth, battery-efficient experience tailored to your usage.
Clean Software with Smart AI Features
The OnePlus 13R runs on Android 15, layered with the streamlined OxygenOS 15. This latest iteration of OxygenOS feels lighter and faster, with almost no bloatware. Yes, a few pre-installed apps like Netflix and LinkedIn are included, but they’re likely apps you’d download anyway.
Notable software features:
- AI Enhancements:
- AI Eraser and Reflection Remover for photos
- Magic Compose for rewriting text
- Google Gemini for advanced search
- Updates:
- 4 years of promised OS updates
- 6 years of security updates
The addition of innovative features like “Share with iPhone” and the multitasking-friendly “Open Canvas” enhances usability, especially for professionals and creatives. Overall, navigating the interface feels smooth and intuitive, thanks to enhanced animations and customizations.
Performance – Seamlessly Smooth for All Tasks
Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 12GB or 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB or 512GB UFS 4.0 storage, powers the OnePlus 13R. This hardware combination ensures top-notch performance across all tasks.
Benchmark comparisons show:
- AnTuTu v10 Scores: 19,14,550 (outperforming many competitors)
- Geekbench 6 Scores:
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- Single-Core – 2,112
- Multi-Core – 4,943
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During testing, it handled visually demanding games like Genshin Impact and BGMI at high settings without breaking a sweat. Its robust 9,925mm square vapor cooling chamber ensures temperatures stay low even with extended gaming sessions. The dual speakers enhance immersion with loud, balanced audio and noticeable bass.
Versatile Cameras for Every Moment
The camera setup feels like a significant upgrade, with a renewed focus on practicality and quality. Here’s what you get:
- Main Camera: 50MP Sony sensor with OIS
- Telephoto Camera: 50MP, 2x optical zoom
- Ultrawide Camera: 8MP, 112-degree FoV
- Front Camera: 16MP for selfies
Daylight Performance
The main sensor delivers crisp, detailed photos with excellent dynamic range and true-to-life color representation. The addition of a telephoto camera for optical zoom feels well-implemented, capturing sharp, vibrant subjects even at 2x zoom. The ultrawide lens performs admirably, albeit with slightly more saturated tones.
Low-Light Performance
The main camera shines in low-light scenarios, producing detailed shots with minimal noise. However, the telephoto and ultrawide lenses struggle in dim environments, showing noise and softness.
For video recordings, the phone supports 4K at 60fps, though stabilization works best at 1080p. While daylight videos are detailed and colorful, low-light videos exhibit some noise and reduced clarity. Overall, it’s a reliable camera setup for mid-range photography enthusiasts.
All-Day Battery Backed by Fast Charging
Battery life is another winning feature of the OnePlus 13R. Its 6,000mAh battery easily supports over 7 hours of screen-on time, even with intensive use.
Charging speeds:
- 80W SuperVOOC charger (included) charges the battery from 0% to 100% in ~90 minutes.
- 40% charge in just 30 minutes ensures you’ll never be caught without power.
Whether you’re working, gaming, or streaming, the battery provides dependable longevity, requiring fewer interruptions to power up.
Outstanding Value for Money
Priced at ₹42,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model and ₹49,999 for the 16GB + 512GB variant, the OnePlus 13R offers incredible value. With improvements in design, camera functionality, battery life, and software support, it feels like a comprehensive upgrade over its predecessor, the 12R.
Potential alternatives include:
- Oppo Reno 13 Pro (higher price, weaker battery and performance)
- Xiaomi 14 (better cameras, compact design, but slightly more expensive)
- iQOO 12 (still a strong contender with reliable performance).
Conclusion
The OnePlus 13R sets the bar high for mid-range smartphones, combining premium features with an accessible price point. From polished design to buttery-smooth performance, this phone ticks all the right boxes. Whether you’re a gamer, content creator, or everyday user, the OnePlus 13R is worth considering as your next upgrade.