Review: The OnePlus 13R will make you forget you’re using a sub-$600 phone

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Staff pick

OnePlus 13R

9/ 10

The OnePlus 13R takes one of our favorite midrange phones from last year a step further. It still features a gorgeous 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. However, OnePlus added a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 12GB of RAM for 2025, with faster UFS 4.0 storage. The OnePlus 13 is a great performer, all for $600.

Pros

• Fantastic display
• Excellent battery life
• Improved software

Cons

• No wireless charging
• Mediocre cameras

$600 at OnePlus

Price, availability, and specifications

The OnePlus 13R is now available for pre-order through OnePlus Best Buy, and sales will open on January 14th. It is offered in one configuration with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $600. While that might seem like a price increase, it’s the same as last year’s 256GB OnePlus 12R model. You can choose between two colors for the OnePlus 13R: Astral Trail and Nebula Noir. The OnePlus 13R ships from the company unlocked for all major US carriers. I used mine with AT&T without issue.

Design and display

Changes and improvements all around

Like last year, OnePlus mirrored the design language of its flagship model in the midrange 13R. The curved display and edges of the OnePlus 12R have been replaced with a flat display and backglass. The OnePlus 13 uses 2.5D glass to smooth the transition, but the less expensive 13R has a straight edge. However, the OnePlus 13R doesn’t have a sharp feel against my hand, as OnePlus tapered the aluminum frame on the phone’s backside. It’s not as noticeable as what Samsung did with the Galaxy S24 FE, but it makes the phone more comfortable to hold.

I tested the Astral Trail variant and love the aesthetics. It’s a frosted matte back with a silver-white tone to it. OnePlus added subtle concentric circles radiating from the camera hump. It’s a pleasing touch that makes the OnePlus 13R shimmer in the light. It’s a relatively understated design, but I’m glad OnePlus altered the camera hump to no longer be connected to the outer frame. I thought it made the 12R look wonky.

Gorilla Glass 7i protects the front and back of the OnePlus 13R. Although this is a downgrade from the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 used on the 12R, I like the change. As I mentioned, the 13R embodies what made OnePlus successful in the first place, and intelligent compromises like this are an example. The Gorilla Glass categories are separated by drop testing from various heights onto different surfaces. Gorilla Glass 7i can withstand a 1-meter drop onto material simulating asphalt, while Victus 2 can withstand a higher fall onto concrete.

If you’re anything like me, when I break my phone, it will be because it was ejected at force onto a marble floor, hitting at just the right angle that a hypothetical Gorilla Glass Titanium Enamel Ceramic Armor wouldn’t have saved me. I can add a screen protector or case to beef up the protection. In the meantime, I’ll take advantage of the cost savings. The OnePlus 13R also gets a minor IP-rating bump, increasing to IP65 this year.

Specification-wise, the OnePlus 13R display is similar to last year. It’s another gorgeous 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED panel refreshing at 120Hz with a 1264×2780 resolution. It still has the same 4,500nits max brightness, but you’ll hover closer to 1,600nits in daily use. It’s plenty bright for easy viewing outdoors, and I love the viewing angles, with minimal distortion off-axis.

YouTube videos look fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Skyfall on the OnePlus 13R. OnePlus’ display color modes put other manufacturers to shame, with granular controls over how your screen looks. The OnePlus 13R has Cinematic and Brilliant modes and Vivid and Natural options. The default screen temperature has some warmth, leading to a creamy effect similar to that of OnePlus phones from years ago. All told, it’s a brilliant and versatile display.

Other hardware and what’s in the box

You get a charging adapter

I’m sure panic would set in if I didn’t mention the alert slider. However, you can rest easy because OnePlus included one of its signature features on the OnePlus 13R. Much like Will Sattelberg’s experience with the OnePlus 13, I accidentally switch into different modes as I pull it from my pocket occasionally. Regardless, even with a few unintended activations, the slider is worth the added convenience.

Don’t buy a OnePlus 13R expecting the same excellent haptics as its more expensive sibling. I don’t know if the haptic motor is weaker, but even with the intensity slider turned up, I couldn’t get anywhere near what I’m used to on a OnePlus phone. It’s not a showstopper, but something to consider.

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The OnePlus 13R has a stereo speaker setup, but the bottom-firing speaker does the bulk of the heavy lifting with volume and bass reproduction. The earpiece speaker helps, but the bottom speaker is easy to cover with your hand, and you’ll notice the difference. Aside from that, I am pleased with the speakers. They get loud enough without distortion, and I never needed to exceed 50% volume. If you want even better sound, the 13R has Bluetooth 5.4 to pair with your favorite wireless headset.

Although the OnePlus 13R does not have an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor like those in more expensive phones, its optical sensor is fast and accurate. As always, the face-unlock functionality steals the show on a OnePlus phone. OnePlus deserves full marks for including a 55W charging adapter in the box. The company also includes its recognizable red USB-A to USB-C charging cable and a SIM tray tool.

Software and performance

OnePlus is finally out of the woods

You’ve read plenty about OxygenOS 15 and its similar aesthetic elements to iOS. I won’t rehash any of that because I don’t care. I’m just relieved that I can enjoy OnePlus software again. OxygenOS 15 is the best the company has put out since the ColorOS integration, and that’s a significant reason why I’m enthused about 2025 for OnePlus. It’s lighter and snappier than OxygenOS 14, and the animations are smoother. OnePlus promises 4 years of Android OS upgrades and 6 years of security updates for the OnePlus 13R. It doesn’t precisely match phones like the Galaxy S24 FE with 7 years of support, but OnePlus has pulled close enough that it wouldn’t sway me one way or the other.

OnePlus’ Fluid Cloud is another pill-shaped notification solution, joining Samsung’s Now Bar and Apple’s Dynamic Island. It works well enough and is a convenient way to access app updates and control music. However, OxygenOS 15’s real star is the inclusion of Open Canvas. Open Canvas was a multitasking revelation on the OnePlus Open, and I’m glad the company brought it to non-foldables. It’s fantastic on the 13R and the best multitasking experience on the Android platform.

The OnePlus 13R has a smattering of AI functionality, but I won’t spend much time on it. Google Gemini is featured with OxygenOS 15, so items like Circle to Search and Magic Compose are on your 13R. OnePlus’ AI photo editing tools work well enough, but it almost feels like OnePlus was checking off an AI box just to say it included them. If you’re honest with yourself, you’re not buying a midrange OnePlus device to be on the bleeding edge of multi-modal, agentic AI solutions, so while I’m glad OnePlus included some tools, I won’t judge the company against a high bar.

The OnePlus 13R’s performance is everything we’ve come to expect from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, especially paired with 12GB of RAM and UFS 4.0 storage — another upgrade from the 12R. It screams. I get excellent frame rates at high graphical settings on Genshin Impact. OnePlus allows me to balance performance while gaming as needed, with an option for more power at the expense of battery life. In typical OnePlus fashion, the 13R punches above its weight by providing enough raw performance for even power users. I get the Snapdragon 8 Elite offers even more, but if you want to run intensive apps and games on a budget, the OnePlus 13R is a strong choice.

Camera

Stick to the basics, and you’ll be fine

With the 13R, OnePlus opts for a triple camera setup: a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP 2x telephoto, and an 8MP ultrawide. The primary lens is where you’ll spend most of your time. It’s a 1/1.56” sensor that surprised me. Photos in decent lighting are sharp and detailed, with excellent color. It still blows out pictures with a strong light source, but OnePlus’ AI Reflection remover works well to fix an image.

OnePlus has improved its computational photography, and while the improvements aren’t as dramatic as those on the OnePlus 13, they are still impressive. I was also pleasantly surprised by the nighttime and low-light camera performance. The night images were much more detailed than those from previous OnePlus devices, and I liked the outputs.

The 50MP 2x telephoto adds some versatility, but the smaller sensor size leads to a slightly less detailed image. It’ll help with your portrait photos, but it’s not as dynamic as the 3x or 5x telephoto lens you get on more expensive phones. The same applies to the 8MP ultrawide sensor — it’s useful when you want to get in an entire landscape or fit all of your friends into the photo, but for the most part, you want to stick with the primary lens.

The front-facing 16MP camera is just OK. It’ll do the job on selfies, and portrait images have decent details and edge detection.

Battery life and charging

All day and then some

Even though the OnePlus 13R doesn’t use the dual-cell battery technology of its big brother, it doesn’t come to the party empty-handed. The OnePlus 13R has a massive 6,000mAh cell that gives you as much battery life as you’d expect from that number. I always see companies marketing “two-day” battery life, but the OnePlus 13R is one of the few devices that can deliver without breaking a sweat. Battery drain overnight is nearly non-existent, and as long as you aren’t gaming hard all day, you’ll hit the two-day mark with room to spare.

Charging speeds are always an advantage on OnePlus phones, and the 13R is no exception. The adapter included with the phone can provide 55W wired charging, but 80W and 100W charging are possible with an additional adapter purchase. When it comes time to top off, OnePlus does it better.

Competition

What else is out there?

I wanted to include the Google Pixel 8a, but it feels unfair. At its current price point, the Pixel 8a feels like an upper-budget device, and what it provides is different from the OnePlus 13R. If you want to save money and enjoy extended software support with Pixel feature extras, buy a Pixel 8a. Still, the OnePlus 13R lives in the same space as the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE in the hyper-midrange category.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE offers excellent performance and battery life with a similarly gorgeous display. It has a premium (if not stale) design, and Samsung promises seven years of software upgrades and support. I don’t think it’s worth the $650 price tag over the OnePlus 13R, but the sale price of around $500 might make you reconsider.

Should you buy it?

I enjoy what OnePlus has done with the 13R and celebrate the company’s ability to put out a few solid devices in a row. Its excellent hardware, combined with mainly solving my misgivings with OxygenOS, has made me more optimistic about the company. I’ve always been a fan of OnePlus, so it’s been a tough few years. The OnePlus 13R offers everything you could ask for in a $600 phone, and it is the type of value that made OnePlus popular in the first place.

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Staff pick

OnePlus 13R

9/ 10

The OnePlus 13R does a lot to earn its $600 price tag. The performance is excellent, with fast gaming and multitasking. OxygenOS 15 is running well, and OnePlus promises 4 years of OS upgrades and 6 years of security updates for the OnePlus 13R. Along with its gorgeous display and premium build, the OnePlus 13R is an early favorite in 2025.

$600 at OnePlus

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