OnePlus has announced two compelling OnePlus 13 models this year, though they’re aimed at different types of consumers. Also, the flagship OnePlus 13 handset was technically announced last year, but it arrived to global markets this year. In any case, we’ll be comparing those two models, the OnePlus 13 vs OnePlus 13R specs. The ‘R’ handset is more of a budget-oriented purchase, even though it’s considered one of the best phones in that price range.
This should make an interesting comparison as these two smartphones do not belong in the same price tier, and yet they do have some similarities. We’ll first list their specifications and then compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. With that being said, let’s get to it, shall we?
Specs
OnePlus 13
OnePlus 13R
| OnePlus 13 | OnePlus 13R | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 76.5 x 8.5 mm or 8.9 mm | 161.7 x 75.8 x 8 mm |
| Weight | 210/213 grams | 206 grams |
| Display | 6.82-inch LTPO 4.1 AMOLED | 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED |
| Refresh rate | 1-120Hz (adaptive) | 1-120Hz (adaptive) |
| Resolution | 3168 x 1440 | 2780 x 1264 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| RAM | 12GB/16GB/24GB (LPDDR5X) | 12GB/16GB (LPDDR5X) |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0) | 256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0) |
| Main camera | 50MP (f/1.7 aperture, 1/1.43-inch sensor size, 1.12um pixels ize, multi-directional PDAF, OIS) | 50MP (f/1.8 aperture, 1/1.56-inch sensor size, multi-directional PDAF, OIS) |
| Ultra-wide camera | 50MP (f/2.0 aperture, 1/2.75-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV, PDAF) | 8MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/4.0-inch sensor size, 112-degree FoV) |
| Telephoto camera | N/A | 50MP (f/2.0 aperture, 1/2.75-inch sensor size, 0.64um pixel size, 2x optical zoom) |
| Periscope telephoto camera | 50MP (f/2.6 aperture, 1/1.95-inch sensor size, 0.8um pixel size, 3x optical zoom, OIS) | N/A |
| Selfie camera | 32MP (f/2.4 aperture, 1/2.74-inch sensor size, 0.8um pixel size) | 16MP (f/2.4 aperture, 1/3.1-inch sensor size) |
| Battery size | 6,000mAh | 6,000mAh |
| Charging | 100W wired, 50W wireless, 10W reverse wireless, 5W reverse wired (charger not included) | 80W wired (charger not included) |
| Colors | Black Eclipse, Arctic Dawn, Midnight Ocean | Astral Trail, Nebula Noir |
OnePlus 13 vs OnePlus 13R Specs: Design
At first glance, these two phones do look quite similar. That goes for both their front and back sides. When you take a closer look, you’ll start noticing some differences, such as the larger camera island on the OnePlus 13, for example. Both of these phones come with flat displays, which have very thin and uniform bezels. A display camera hole is centered at the top of both panels, by the way.
The corner curvature is also very similar in comparison. Both smartphones have a power/lock button on the right-hand side, along with the volume up and down buttons. The alert slider is also present on both phones, but it’s located on the left side. Both smartphones have a flat frame all around, but they’re different. The flat portion on the OnePlus 13 is thinner, as it has chamfered edges for comfort’s sake. The edges on the OnePlus 13R’s frame are just slightly rounded.
If we flip them around, you’ll notice two round camera islands on both phones. Both of them are located in the top-left corner, but the one on the OnePlus 13 is larger. Both smartphones have three cameras on the inside, but with different sensors. Both camera islands protrude on the back. These two phones are very similar in terms of dimensions, too. The OnePlus 13 is slightly taller, wider, and thicker, as it has a slightly larger display. That phone is also slightly heavier.
Both of these phones are quite slippery in the hand, well, unless you get the OnePlus 13 with a silicon polymer backplate (the blue one). That backplate does add a lot of grip. Both smartphones are also water and dust resistant, but the OnePlus 13 has the edge in that regard. It comes with better IP68 and IP69 ratings, while the OnePlus 13R is IP65 certified.
OnePlus 13 vs OnePlus 13R Specs: Display
The OnePlus 13 has a 6.82-inch QHD+ (3168 x 1440) LTPO 4.1 AMOLED display that is also flat. It can project up to 1 billion colors and has an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz). Dolby Vision is supported, as is HDR10+ content. The same can be said for HDR Vivid. This display goes up to 4,500 nits of brightness at its peak, technically. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 91%, while the Ceramic Guard glass protects the display.
The OnePlus 13R, on the other hand, features a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display, which is flat as well. It has a resolution of 2780 x 1264 pixels, and it can project up to 1 billion colors. It has an adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz), while HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are supported. The same goes for HDR Vivid. The peak brightness this display can offer is 4,500 nits. The screen-to-body ratio is at around 91%, while the Gorilla Glass 7i from Corning protects the panel.
Despite the fact that the OnePlus 13R is a cheaper phone, its display is just as great as the OnePlus 13’s. Well, the OnePlus 13 technically has better protection and is slightly sharper, but in all honesty, that won’t make a difference for you from the user perspective. Both panels are vivid, sharp, have great viewing angles, and deep blacks. Both of them have good touch response, and both come with high-frequency PWM dimming as well. They’re great to use, and do get more than bright enough in all situations.
OnePlus 13 vs OnePlus 13R Specs: Performance
The OnePlus 13 is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. That is Qualcomm’s most powerful chip at the moment, a 3nm processor. It is paired with up to 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM, up to 16GB outside of China. UFS 4.0 flash storage is also used by this phone. The OnePlus 13R, on the other hand, is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a 4nm processor. It is paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. Neither phone supports storage expansion, by the way.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 was the company’s flagship chip until the Snapdragon 8 Elite arrived. It’s still an excellent performer. Even when you compare the two phones side-by-side, the OnePlus 13R can hold its own. That is one of the main reasons why the OnePlus 13R is such a great recommendation, many phones in its price tier don’t have such a powerful processor to rely on. Yes, the OnePlus 13 is more powerful, but you’ll hardly ever see the difference, even when comparing them side-by-side.
That goes not only for regular day-to-day use, but for gaming as well. The OnePlus 13R is a great option for games, even for very demanding ones. Yes, the OnePlus 13 is a better gaming smartphone, but the OnePlus 13R can hold its own without a problem. Neither device has issues with overheating or anything of the sort. You can rely on both of them to get the job done without a problem. That was our experience, at least.
OnePlus 13 vs OnePlus 13R Specs: Battery
These two smartphones come with the same battery capacities. Both of them include a 6,000mAh battery pack on the inside. Yes, that’s a silicon-carbon battery, in case you were wondering. Both of them also offer outstanding battery life. Partially because of the battery capacity, and partially because of OnePlus’ optimizations. These are some of the best smartphones for battery life on the market, especially in the higher-end segment.
We’ve been able to reach truly high screen-on time marks with both smartphones. I’m talking 9-10 hours of screen-on time. That will, of course, depend on what you’re doing with your phone, of course, but even if you’re a heavy user, these two phones deliver, easily. Even when we threw gaming into the mix, quite a bit of it, both smartphones were able to reach the very end of the day comfortably.
Even if you end up draining them earlier than you thought, both of them support very fast charging. The OnePlus 13 supports 100W wired, 50W wireless, 10W reverse wireless, and 5W reverse wired charging. The OnePlus 13R supports only 80W wired charging. The OnePlus 13 goes from empty to full in only 35 minutes. The OnePlus 13R gets there in around 45 minutes. Do note that in the US, the OnePlus 13 will take around the same time to charge as the ‘R’ model. And no, neither phone includes a charger, though that may differ based on your location.
OnePlus 13 vs OnePlus 13R Specs: Cameras
Both of these smartphones have three cameras on the back, but they’re different. The OnePlus 13 has a 50-megapixel main unit (1/1.43-inch sensor size), a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera (1/2.75-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV), and a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera (1/1.95-inch sensor size, 3x optical zoom).
The OnePlus 13R, on the other hand, does have inferior camera hardware. It is still compelling, though, for the most part. A 50-megapixel main camera (1/1.56-inch sensor size) is backed by an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera (1/4.0-inch sensor size) and a 50-megapixel telephoto camera (1/2.75-inch sensor size, 2x optical zoom).
The OnePlus 13 does take better pictures across the board. Pics from that phone look great. They’re filled with detail, contrasty when they need to be, and well-balanced too. The device also does a great job in low light, with its main camera. The OnePlus 13R is a level below, in all aspects, while its ultrawide camera is the weakest one on the device. The phone’s cameras do a good job overall, especially for a phone in this price range. However, they cannot measure up to the OnePlus 13. The difference in quality is easily noticeable.
Audio
Yes, both of these smartphones include stereo speakers. Both sets are really good, actually. The ones on the OnePlus 13 are a bit louder, however. You can notice it when you compare them directly. Audio quality is really good from both of them.
There is no audio jack on either phone, though. You can use their Type-C ports if you’d like to connect your wired headphones, sure. Alternatively, both smartphones support Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connectivity.
