OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: Carrying the never settle mantra forward

If you look at the current selection of smartphones, most devices slot nicely into specific price ranges based on capabilities and performance. This will not be lost on people who have followed the industry for some time. Even people who don’t follow smartphone news will recognize this when looking for their next great phone.

This isn’t universally true, however. Occasionally, a manufacturer turns the price structure upside down. Google did this with its A-series devices, like the Pixel 8a, which incorporates the performance and features of its more flagship-level devices. OnePlus and its R-series devices have taken things to a different level. With powerful processors, beautiful displays, and premium designs, the OnePlus 12R and the newer 13R are flagship-caliber devices with a midrange price tag. The OnePlus 13R is an upgraded version of the 12R, but does it do enough to justify an upgrade from the OnePlus 12R or the price difference if you’re buying new? Let’s break it down and find out.

Price, availability, and specs

The OnePlus 12R launched in January 2024, and the OnePlus 13R launched in January 2025. With only a year separating these devices, it would be easy to think that not much has changed. However, as you’ll see, these phones differ in several ways. The OnePlus 12R can be found with either 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage or 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. These variants cost $500 and $600, respectively. The base model comes in the Iron Gray color, while the more expensive version is available in Iron Gray and Cool Blue.

Keeping things a bit simpler, the OnePlus 13R comes in a single variant equipped with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. This lone model retails for $600 and can be found in Nebular Noir and Astral Trail colorways. The OnePlus 12R comes with UFS 3.1 storage, and the 13R comes with UFS 4.0 storage, although it’s not that different in real-world use.

Like the OnePlus 13, neither R-series phone can be purchased from a carrier in the United States, which is disappointing. Both devices can be found at OnePlus or a retailer like Amazon or Best Buy.

• 	OnePlus 13R	OnePlus 12R
  SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
  Display type	OLED, 120Hz	LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz
  Display dimensions	6.78″, 19.8:9	6.78″, 19.5:9
  Display resolution	2780 × 1264	2780 × 1264
  RAM	12 or 16GB LPDDR5X	8GB or 16GB LPDDR5X
  Storage	256GB or 512GB	128GB or 256GB
  Battery	6000mAh	5,500mAh
  Charge speed	55W	80W wired (100W international)
  Charge options	USB-C wired	USB-C SuperVOOC wired
  Ports	USB-C	USB-C 2.0
  SIM support	Dual SIM and Nano SIM	Dual Nano-SIM
  Operating System	Android 15 and OxygenOS 15.0	Android 14 with OxygenOS 14
  Front camera	16MP f/2.4	16MP
  Rear camera	50MP f/1.8 main, 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide, 50MP f/2.0 2x telephoto	50MP, f/1.8 main; 8MP, f/2.2 ultrawide; 2MP, f/2.4 macro
  Cellular connectivity	Sub-6 5G	Sub-6 5G, LTE
  Wi-Fi connectivity	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7
  Connectivity	NFC	NFC
  Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.3
  Dimensions	161.72 × 75.77 × 8.02mm	163.3 x 75.3 x 8.8mm
  Weight	206g	207g
  IP Rating	IP65	IP54
  Colors	Nebula Noir and Astral Trail	Cool Blue, Iron Gray
  Stylus	No	No

Design

Shared DNA, different in-hand feel

With OnePlus manufacturing both devices, it only makes sense that they share the same underpinnings of its recent design language. That doesn’t mean that OnePlus rested on its laurels and copied the same design from year to year. The OnePlus 12R and 13R offer a different in-hand feel, resulting in a unique experience for each.

Looking at the front of these phones, the differences are immediately noticeable. Both offer a large 6.78-inch display, but the OnePlus 12R’s display has rounded edges, while the OnePlus 13R ditches the rounded edges in favor of a flat display. I prefer the flat display of the OnePlus 13R, but one is not necessarily better than the other.

Both have an aluminum frame with an alert button on the left side. The volume and power buttons are on the right edge. Much like their displays, the OnePlus 12R features rounded edges, and the 13R opts for flat edges, making for a different in-hand feel. The two phones are nearly identical in size, with the OnePlus 13R being a tad shorter and a bit thinner than the OnePlus 12R.

The back of both devices has the signature circular camera assembly that OnePlus has gone with for the past few generations. The OnePlus 13R’s raised camera housing sits prominently in the upper-left corner. The OnePlus 12R has the same look but carries a design that makes it feel like it’s cascading toward the rounded edge.

The OnePlus 13R features slightly better protection against water ingress. The 13R carries an IP65 rating, and the 12R gets an IP64 rating. With the same protection against dust, the 13R is more suitable in rainy environments, but neither will fare well if dropped into a body of water.

Display

Same beautiful display

Outside the rounded edges versus flat display debate, these two phones carry remarkably similar panels that are capable regardless of their price. Both come with large, 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED displays. They have the same 2,780 x 1,264 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, making for a crisp and smooth display. They have the same support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, making them an ideal choice for watching your favorite content.

When heading outside, seeing either display in bright conditions is easy thanks to their 1,600 nits in high brightness mode and 4,500 nits of peak brightness. The only major difference between these two displays is the level of protection used. The OnePlus 13R utilizes Gorilla Glass 7i, and the 12R offers the superior Gorilla Glass Victus 2. It’s not a major difference and shouldn’t sway your decision, but it is notable.

Software

OxygenOS 15 is all grown up

The OnePlus 13R ships with the latest and greatest Android 15 and OxygenOS 15. The OnePlus 12R launched with Android 14 and OxygenOS 14 but has since been upgraded to Android 15 and OxygenOS 15. As a result, your software experience will be identical on both devices.

OxygenOS 15 is a big step up for OnePlus, brings the software in line with Google and Samsung, and makes a case for being one of the best software experiences on Android. OnePlus spent a lot of time optimizing the size and feel for this generation and it shows. OxygenOS 15 takes up 20% less space, which translates to it being 5GB lighter than previous generations. This gives you more storage space for things you want to save.

With the introduction of Flux Themes, animations have been given some love and now provide a smooth transition between the lock and home screens. Apps open and close faster, making the phone feel more responsive. The dual notification and quick settings panels have an iOS-inspired feel, although that can be disabled. OnePlus incorporated Dynamic Island into its software, giving you useful information at the top of your display.

OnePlus brought over the Open Canvas feature from the OnePlus Open, allowing you to run two apps side-by-side for enhanced productivity. OxygenOS also sees a bigger effort in the AI space. You get photo tools like Image Unblur, Reflection Eraser, and Detail Boost. There are also writing and editing tools to boost productivity. All of this is in addition to Google’s Gemini features.

The only real difference between these two devices in terms of software is the support each gets from OnePlus. The OnePlus 12R is guaranteed to get three Android OS upgrades (up to Android 17) and four years of bi-monthly security updates. The OnePlus 13R ups the support, receiving four Android OS upgrades (up to Android 19) and six years of bi-monthly security updates.

Performance

Flagship performance

It’s not uncommon for OnePlus devices to punch above their weight class in performance. The company was practically founded on this idea, and that legacy is alive and well in its R-series devices. OnePlus has taken previous generation flagship processors and put them in these midrange phones. Thanks to mobile processors being stronger than most tasks require, these two offer excellent overall performance.

The OnePlus 13R comes with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor has recently been replaced by the Snapdragon 8 Elite and provides plenty of power for anything you would want a phone to do. Routine tasks won’t tax the system and will easily take on more power-intensive tasks like gaming or video editing.

Being a year older, the OnePlus 12R comes with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and either 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage or 16GB and 256GB of storage. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the same processor used in my Samsung Galaxy S23. I can confirm that this processor is still a beast. It’s not as strong as the more recent Snapdragon processors, but it is more than enough to run the latest games or other tasks that require high performance. If you have the OnePlus 12R, the performance jump to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 isn’t worth the entry price.

Battery life

Battery life done right

OnePlus has excelled in the battery department for some time. It slaps high-capacity batteries into its phones and doubles down by providing fast charging speeds. Both the OnePlus 13R and 12R feature top-tier battery capabilities.

The OnePlus 13R comes with a single-cell 6,000mAh battery that will easily last two full days with normal use. An extended gaming session will lower that a bit, but you’ll never struggle to make it an entire day on a single charge. When it runs out, it can be charged at up to 80W wired, bringing it to 50% in about 20 minutes or full in less than an hour.

OnePlus outfitted the 12R with a dual-cell 5,500mAh that provides two days of regular use. The dual-cell battery allows the OnePlus 12R to use its 80W wired charger to bring the phone from dead to full in a blisteringly fast 30 minutes.

It was sad to see the OnePlus 13R lose the dual-cell battery of its predecessor, but the impact is minimized with such great battery life. Neither device gets wireless charging, so you’ll need to stick to wired charging.

Camera

Out with the macro lens, in with the telephoto lens

To get the price down to such an aggressive price point, OnePlus had to cut costs somewhere, and it was readily noticeable with the OnePlus 12R. As Will Sattelberg said in his review, the primary 50MP, f/1.8 lens with OIS is a perfectly middle-of-the-road sensor capable of binned 12.6MP photos good enough for social media but not much else. The primary lens tends to wash out or overexpose its images, even in sunny conditions.

The OnePlus 12R also comes with an 8MP, f/2.2, 112-degree ultrawide lens and a 2MP, f/2.4 macro lens. The ultrawide lens adds some nice versatility, especially during landscape photography. The macro lens isn’t very useful and can safely be ignored.

OnePlus rethought its camera strategy for the OnePlus 13R and went with a real triple camera setup this time. You get the same 50MP, f/1.8 primary lens with OIS that is found on the 12R. OnePlus swapped the macro lens for a 50MP, f/2.0 telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. Having a telephoto lens is better than having a macro lens and increases the versatility of its camera system. Rounding out the camera options is the same 8MP, f/2.2, 112-degree ultrawide lens found on the 12R.

Both devices record 4K and 1080p video at up to 60fps. They also share the same 16MP, f/2.4 front-facing camera that records 1080p at 30fps. Neither device has the Hasselblad color profiles of its more expensive siblings.

Which is right for you?

The OnePlus R-series is an attractive alternative to flagship devices. This is particularly true for anyone looking for an amazing phone on a budget. Both the OnePlus 12R and the newer 13R check off a lot of boxes and are true flagship killers thanks to their focus on providing powerful performance, beautiful displays, and a great software experience.

If you want a new phone, the OnePlus 13R is the winner. The 13R is a powerful device thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, ample RAM, and plenty of storage. You also get a gorgeous display, an objectively better design, staggeringly good battery life, and much better software support. OnePlus swapped out the useless macro camera of the 12R for a telephoto lens, which provides a much-improved camera experience. The OnePlus 13R is more expensive, but the extra cost is justified.

This comparison can’t be made in a vacuum. If you own the OnePlus 12R, save your money and skip the 13R. It isn’t worth the investment to upgrade to a device that provides the same overall experience. The base model of the OnePlus 12R can also be a good choice if you’re on a tight budget, especially if you find it on sale. The device is more than fast enough, offers the same great display and software experience, and offers improved charging speeds.

Its design is a bit dated, and it lacks the same level of software support as the 13R. No matter which you choose, one thing is clear: OnePlus knows how to build a midrange device capable of providing an exceptional experience.