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OnePlus 13 review: power, style, and innovation redefined

The first premium smartphone of the year is the OnePlus 13, which was unveiled recently by the Shenzhen company in Europe following its previous launch in Asia. The word premium is as apt as ever in this case because it determines the completion of the path OnePlus has been on in recent years. The arrival of the OnePlus 12 last year was somewhat surprising because there was no clear signal to indicate the path taken by the brand, which should be remembered as having been under the aegis of Oppo for a few years now.

With the latest arrival, everything is now clearer, as OnePlus definitively breaks away from the vision with which it was born to hoist itself into the higher end of the market and challenge its most popular rivals head-on, even in the West. Farewell to the flagship killer, with excellently performing phones offered at lower prices than others, which is thus very competitive and attractive. The company has grown, produced a cheaper mid-range and refined the top end to demonstrate quality without losing some of its distinctive features.

Efficiency first

The proof lies in the OnePlus 13, a smartphone that, in the age of GenAI, does not stand out for the features that simplify our activities but for an effective combination of power, fluidity and autonomy. These seem outdated factors when everyone is talking about AI, but they still remain priorities in the choice of a smartphone by the vast majority of people.

A 6.82-inch diagonal with an Oled panel and QHD+ resolution (3168 x 1440 pixels), an adaptive refresh rate of 1-120 Hz for a display that is excellent in colour and viewing in sunlight. The design is partly reminiscent of the OnePlus 12, but the circular island on the back that houses the three cameras, LED flash and laser sensor for autofocusing is a bit too thick and is reminiscent of the recent Oppo Find X8 Pro, which we discovered and tested in Bali. This is a point on which the two brands need to find a solution because other previous models have also shown far too many similarities. Offering alternatives that are different from each other in design would be useful in distinguishing the two companies.

The low weight of 210 grams and thickness of 8.9 millimetres are the numbers that outline the OnePlus 13, which I received in the Arctic Dwan version, which is beautiful to see and touch. In the box there is only the Usb-A to Usb-C charging cable because the charger has to be purchased separately, as well as the black cover with magnetic ring compatible with MagSafe accessories and the OnePlus AirVocc 50W magnetic charger with integrated fan (also received for testing). The look and feel of the OnePlus 13 are definitely good, as are the IP68 and IP69 certifications to resist water pressure. The Crystal Shield Super-Ceramic protective glass, which the company claims is 7 times more effective than the coating on the previous model, also reduces damage in the event of drops or bumps.

Performance and battery life

The cornerstone of the OnePlus 13 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which is crucial for the fluidity and responsiveness that the phone displays to all kinds of demands. Be it apps, gaming, work files, or bursts of photos or videos to edit, the smartphone always has a fast reaction time. Merit also goes to Oxygen 15, the customised Android 15 interface that is devoid of bloatware in favour of useful apps to enhance the user experience.

Performance and power consumption are two of the secrets of how a device under constant strain works. OnePlus has worked well in this regard, as it has chosen a two-cell 6000 mAh battery that greatly extends the life of the device. Arriving at the end of the day without the hassle or need for recharging is really useful, especially for those who work with smartphones. Speaking of power, filling up the OnePlus 13 takes 36 minutes (from 0 to 100% of the battery) thanks to 100W fast charging (only if you use the OnePlus charger, which costs €69.99 and is on offer for €48.99). Also useful is the 50W wireless charging, which, however, only works with some of the brand’s covers (on offer from €17.49).

Photos and AI

I have not mentioned it so far, but the OnePlus 13 is another phone that ensures almost always perfect shots because the collaboration with Hasselblad does not only stand out because of the logo on the back and the nice effects in portraits.

The three 50-megapixel cameras perform well in daylight but also in low light, where the AI intervenes. The telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom is perhaps less pushed than some rivals, but we are talking about details as the results are optimal, thanks also to the new Triprism periscope lens that captures more light than before. For video, you can record in 4k at 60 fps, switching between cameras without having to stop recording.

Predictably, there is also plenty of artificial intelligence, not only to improve shots with Magic Eraser to remove unwanted subjects and objects but also with the feature to remove reflections and Google’s Circle to Search to get information about what you are framing. For productivity, functions such as Copywriting AI to generate texts from textual prompts, NoteAI to fix and improve notes, and Intelligent Search to instantly find files without having to select, open and read each individual document prove useful. The update policy is also good, with four major OS and six years of security patches.

Price

Available in Black Eclipse and Midnight Ocean colours as well as Arctic Dwan, the OnePlus 13 can be purchased in 12+256GB and 16+512GB versions. Prices start at €1,029 for the first model and €1,179 for the second, but there are a number of promotions on the OnePlus store, including a €100 discount for the version with more storage, valid until 5 February. In addition, the purchase of the smartphone allows you to choose (while stocks last) a device from the B&O Beosound Explore, OnePlus Watch 2R, OnePlus Buds Pro 3, SuperVOOC 120W charger and magnetic cover.

The price, in line with other top-of-the-range devices, demonstrates the ambitions of OnePlus, which has created a smartphone without weak points and with an excellent combination of performance and autonomy. There is no doubt that on the Android side, it is a phone to consider for those looking for a first-class device.

Alessio Caprodossi is a technology, sports, and lifestyle journalist. He navigates between three areas of expertise, telling stories, experiences, and innovations to understand how the world is shifting. You can follow him on Twitter (@alecap23) and Instagram (Alessio Caprodossi) to report projects and initiatives on startups, sustainability, digital nomads, and web3.