OnePlus 13 – Review – Coolsmartphone

It’s now time to begin the evaluation for the OnePlus 13. I’ve been utilizing the machine for about two weeks, and through that point, I’ve fashioned some opinions, which I’m going to share in writing with you now. General, it is a incredible machine for 2025, and anybody who could be shopping for it is going to be suitably impressed. Earlier than we get into any of that we have to give the OnePlus 13 an intensive going over.

Design

To start with, let’s take a look on the design.

In case you favor this in Video kind then please examine the Unboxing video i’ve finished beforehand.

So beginning on the very high, we now have some cutouts for the speaker vent on the far left. We then have some pinhole microphone cutouts, and we even have an infrared blaster, which is de facto helpful in case you ever want to regulate one thing that works off infrared, similar to a TV or air conditioner.

Shifting round to the right-hand aspect, we now have the amount rocker and the lock, unlock, and energy keys, that are each the identical keys. This can be long-pressed to activate Gemini Assistant, which is fairly helpful. You even have some antenna break strains on the left hand on the right-hand aspect.

Shifting round to the bottom, that is the place we’ll discover some extra pinhole mics and a loudspeaker output and within the center, you’ve gotten the USB kind C 3.2 port that’s able to as much as 100 watts. Energy if used with a Supervooc 100-watt charger. Within the US I consider that is restricted to 80 watts on Supervooc. Additionally, you will discover the SIM card Slot which has a water-resistant ring on it hinting on the IP 68/69 score that the OnePlus 13 is rated for. This sim tray is a twin sim so it’s attainable to have two working sim playing cards within the telephone at one time if you wish to.

Shifting round to the left-hand aspect once more we’ve acquired some extra antenna brake strains and the all-important OnePlus toggle Alert Slider for vibrate mode, silent mode and all sound. It is a very nice button to have and it’s one thing that OnePlus was distinctive with. I consider Vivo now supply it as effectively, however nonetheless, it’s nice to see that it’s nonetheless right here.

Up entrance, we now have the show which is a 6.82-inch diagonal show with a decision of 3168 x 1440 making it QHD. It has a PPI of 510 with a side ratio of 19.8:9. The show is able to a peak brightness of 4500nits however is regular Excessive Brightness Mode is 1600 when manually cranked up that is the entire common measured throughout the panel in direct daylight. We even have a dynamic Refresh fee of between 1-120Hz as it is a Professional XDR show with LTPO 4.1 expertise on board. All of that is lined by a Ceramic Guard glass panel. It’s a excellent trying show and I’ve been very happy with it.

Right here across the again is the place we discover the digital camera module which consists of three totally different sensors All of the sensors are rated at 50 megapixels sensors. You’ve got a traditional digital camera, a wide-angle digital camera and a telephoto digital camera. You even have a 2 tone flash and one other microphone pinhole.

Beneath the digital camera is the place you’d have the ability to discover the Qi charging coil (in case you had been to take away the again panel), which doesn’t have MagSafe. In case you want to use Magsafe, you do want to make use of one of many elective OnePlus magnetic instances. I’ve been fortunate sufficient to have the ability to use the OnePlus Sandstone Magnetic case, which does work very effectively. Nonetheless, in case you simply wish to use a non-magnetized Qi charger, you need to use it with out the case.

In order that just about rounds up the design features of the telephone.

One factor I’ll say, the Black Eclipse again panel is a nice-looking panel. I really like the way in which that they’ve tried to recreate the look of black rosewood with the etching that they’ve finished on the glass. In case you go together with the Artic Daybreak one, I consider the panel is only a plain white panel. And in case you had been to go together with the Midnight Ocean model, then you definitely do get a vegan leather-based microfiber again panel as a substitute of a glass again panel, which does present a nicer really feel with out utilizing a case. 

Nonetheless, I might all the time advocate you utilize a case with these telephones as all it takes is one drop to finish up in some scorching water!

{Hardware}

The OnePlus 13 has been designed for sturdiness. What I imply by that is that the producer has been in a position to enhance the IP score over its earlier era to IP 68/69. Now, whereas this will likely not imply very a lot to most customers, myself included, It’s reassuring to see that corporations are literally considering past the everyday use case situation.

Quite a lot of reviewers who had been in a position to attend. In-person occasions have said that they had been in a position to expose the telephone to varied assessments similar to high-pressure water jets, high-temperature water jets and even going so far as the telephone being put inside a mini washer. Now, I’ve not finished this with my evaluation machine and I’ve no intention of doing it with my evaluation machine.

However the telephone does really feel adequately strong within the hand and in my time utilizing it, I’ve not sustained any harm or scuffs or marks. To the aspect rails of the telephone. The rear of the telephone. The one Mark I’ve managed to get is on the alternative display screen protector which is there for that purpose. Beneath the display screen protector although, the display screen is a hardened glass. I consider it makes use of Ceramic guard glass kind, how does that relate to Corning Gorilla Glass rankings? I can’t make sure, nevertheless, that I’ve no issues about any harm to this telephone. As I’ve beforehand talked about, I might all the time advocate utilizing a case with the telephone.

OnePlus does supply some very compelling choices for instances. Wanting extra intently on the instances, I used to be given the Sandstone Magnetic Charging Case. This got here with a wierd piece of plastic within the field. Now it seems that this piece of plastic is designed as a spacer insert as a result of the OnePlus 13 in Black Eclipse or Arctic Daybreak is ever so barely thinner than the Midnight Ocean, In order that they made the instances barely larger to slot in the Midnight Ocean and have shipped a spacer. In case you are utilizing the Black Eclipse or Arctic Daybreak

Efficiency

Relating to the OnePlus 13’s efficiency. It is rather tough for me to quantify efficiency on any smartphone, just lately launched i.e. throughout the final yr and a half to 2 years. As I don’t actually do duties that explicitly would have an effect on the efficiency of a telephone, essentially the most task-intensive or memory-intensive process that I might doubtlessly do could be having Both a sport operating or doubtlessly operating two apps aspect by aspect. I now not do video enhancing on my machine.

However simply to provide you an thought of the efficiency, when it comes to energy that this telephone truly has, I’ve carried out a 3D Mark  Benchmark, And I’ll present the comparative outcomes of this in opposition to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Platform Gadget. On this case, the OnePlus Pad 2 I reviewed just lately. The outcomes are as follows.

• OnePlus Pad 2 rating  = 4576
• OnePlus 13  Rating = 6717

That’s nearly a full third higher in that outcome alone. Now whereas it is a graphical take a look at it does present a marked leap in efficiency.

By way of sign energy, Please see the sign and reception. Particulars beneath. As for battery efficiency, I’ve discovered that the telephone will simply get me by in the future and many of the manner by a second day. Now, that is even with a high-load app operating. It makes use of GPS referred to as Life360, which is an app that I can my household to maintain monitor of us all so we all know when every of us will probably be dwelling  I’ve been very, very happy with the battery life and I’ve had no purpose to have any issues. 

The telephone will handle the appliance and battery utilization pretty effectively with out requiring any enter from me. Not like a number of the different extra Chinese language fashion units. I just lately was in a position to take a look at an Honor Magic V3 which regularly tells me that apps had been inflicting Excessive battery drain within the background.  I haven’t had something like this on the OnePlus 13.

Gaming

As for gameplay, on the OnePlus 13, this this not an out-and-out gaming machine however it will probably simply be utilised for enjoying high-intensity video games with none issues. That is due to the 120-hertz refresh fee on the display screen plus the superior efficiency supplied by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor.

As beforehand talked about, I haven’t any high-intensity video games that might particularly trigger the telephone to be challenged. Nonetheless, throughout my pretty sedentary gameplay. I’ve observed no efficiency slowdowns, dropped body charges or something of that sort. So in case you are a gamer and also you wish to purchase this telephone then relaxation assured that from my expertise and At the very least from what I’ve seen on different opinions. The OnePlus 13 won’t current any problem for any current sport on the Android ecosystem. If Android had been ever to undertake the AAA format that we are actually beginning to see on iOS then doubtlessly you may come up in opposition to some points, however I discover this extremely unlikely.

Android video games are developed primarily to run on cellular infrastructure and keep in mind the Snapdragon 8. Elite chips are actually additionally being utilised in laptops. That’s able to reasonable to good gaming with out an excessive amount of pressure and with out the necessity for a devoted GPU.

One of many areas the place OnePlus has considered Avid gamers although, is The aforementioned AirVOOC 50-watt Magnetic charger. This has been designed at the very least in my view to permit so that you can have a way of recharging your telephone and cooling it while gaming it does this very successfully by way of the fan.

Nonetheless, even with out the AirVOOC 50-watt Magnetic charger, I’ve not truly ever discovered a necessity for the telephone to be externally cooled. Even with the case on the again because the cooling, is ample by way of the Liquid cooling chamber, that’s constructed into the design. Which I’ve to say is an in depth one.

In case you require extra details about this, Then take a look at Jerryrigeverything’s YouTube channel which has in contrast to myself finished, an entire teardown of the OnePlus 13. I might encourage you to take a look at his the place he’ll undergo this for you.

Sign and name high quality

On the OnePlus 13, I’ve discovered that the decision high quality and sign energy I’m able to obtain is significantly better than I’ve been in a position to get on different units similar to my Pixel 9 Professional Fold. Now, whereas I don’t have any scientific manner of measuring this enchancment that I’ve skilled from utilizing the telephone, I’ve discovered that in areas the place I beforehand had weak sign energy and was unable to make calls, that is now not a difficulty.
With the OnePlus 13, that is hardly a shock as I’ve beforehand skilled this enhance in sign energy high quality on the Nord 4, which I reviewed within the earlier summer season.

I recurrently need to drive a stretch of highway nearly daily the place I can’t obtain or make a telephone name or get any information reception in any respect on my Pixel 9 Professional Fold.

While utilizing the OnePlus 13, nevertheless, I’ve been in a position to see that I get a ok sign for each voice calls and likewise for streaming media from the Web, similar to companies like Spotify or Amazon Music. That is due partially to the brand new developments in antenna design that OnePlus premiered on the Nord 4 that was launched final summer season.

Digicam

One space that has been extremely touted with the OnePlus 13 is the digital camera. Now as I discussed beforehand, the digital camera consists of three separate lenses every lens is supported by a 50-megapixel sensor and every lens can be able to utilising the OnePlus and Hasselblad cooperation.

I’ve used OnePlus units with this Hasselblad tie-in beforehand again within the days of the OnePlus 10. I discovered that it didn’t actually make a lot distinction. So going into this evaluation, I had blended ideas concerning the digital camera. What I can say is in regular shiny circumstances, this digital camera is most actually up there with among the finest cameras I’ve used to this point with a caveat.

In case you are the kind of one that likes to zoom in to actually seize particulars of things which can be far-off, then chances are you’ll be considerably dissatisfied. Though the zoom is able to reaching as much as 120 instances when it comes to zoom, after you transcend 10 instances zoom, you’re very a lot within the realm of digital and AI enhanced zoom. This sadly does end in creating very messy and cartoon-like photographs. Nonetheless, in case you preserve the zoom at an inexpensive degree, i.e. below 10 instances, then you should have expertise. I consider the digital camera will optically zoom as much as six instances and you can be advised which lens you’re utilizing when it comes to how that might relate to an precise correct DSLR digital camera lens.

Please take the time to take a look at the zoom samples as it is possible for you to to see what I imply concerning the greater zoom ranges and the characterization or cartoon-like impact that it supplies

One other space the place I used to be involved concerning the digital camera high quality was in low mild. Now I’ve tried taking some low-light photographs, each in full darkness and the place there’s some partial illumination in full darkness with out the flash enabled. Even when utilizing night time mode, the digital camera struggles and also you gained’t get excellent photographs, nevertheless, most smartphone cameras would battle in these circumstances.

When you’ve gotten some mild round, that makes issues a little bit bit higher, particularly in case you use the night time mode and you choose the tripod setting. So long as you’ll be able to preserve the telephone secure, then you’ll get some good outcomes. I’ve included a few nighttime pictures beneath so that you can appraise and provides your opinion on, in addition to some daylight pictures.

Some daylight pictures

 

Lastly some close-up product-style pictures

By way of the front-facing digital camera. You’ve got a 32-megapixel front-facing digital camera which does precisely what it says on the tin and it is going to be greater than satisfactory in your Instagram selfies and doing the occasional video convention name.

Once more, I’ve included a couple of selfie examples and a short video pattern of a mocked convention name.

 

Speaking about video, we have to return to the rear digital camera which is able to capturing as much as 4K at as much as 60 frames per second. Technically you’ll be able to report at 8K on the rear digital camera solely. However I don’t see any want for anybody to be recording at such a excessive decision and the file sizes will probably be astronomical.

In case you are searching for a easy, easy-to-use digital camera, then the OnePlus 13 will tick that field. It’s going to additionally tick the field. If you wish to have a digital camera with some enhanced, I’ll name them filters, which is basically what the Hasselblad software program supplies. Nonetheless, in case you are searching for a digital camera to out and out substitute a DSLR then this isn’t going to be the telephone for you. You’ll be higher off one thing with a one-inch sensor dimension, such because the Vivo x200 Professional or Vivo x100 Extremely.

Software program

By way of software program, the OnePlus 13 is operating Android 15 with an Oxygen OS pores and skin on high within the Western markets. It is usually out there in World and Chinese language variations, however these variations do run the Coloration OS working system, very like the telephones from sister model Oppo, OnePlus doesn’t actually add an excessive amount of in the way in which of bloat to their working system.

There are a couple of additional apps right here and there, and there’s some app duplication in locations such because the calendar, the recordsdata app, and likewise most likely most related is the Picture’s app.
Now the addition of the Picture’s app shouldn’t be one thing that bothers me that a lot as a result of it does even have a profit above most conventional gallery apps, at the very least so far as I do know, of permitting you to entry and save photographs to your Google Pictures account. This may be fairly useful, nevertheless, you do must err on the aspect of warning in case you use the burst mode for images, as it would truly save all of these burst pictures as particular person photographs in Google Pictures, however within the Picture’s app, they are going to seem as a stack of photographs, so one thing to pay attention to there, however not a deal breaker.

After all, this may not be a newly launched smartphone if there was not an abundance of AI tooling added to the telephone.

A few areas the place AI has been added that I consider are useful is throughout the digital camera you’ve gotten some AI enhancing instruments of which I’ll speak about extra within the digital camera.

One in every of them is a 4K Editor device. This device options AI Element Increase, AI Eraser, AI Unblur and AI Reflection Eraser. These instruments will permit you amongst different issues improve some previous photographs or zoomed-in photographs. You possibly can in fact use the AI Eraser device to eliminate undesirable objects out of your shot. The AI Unblur type of smooths all the pieces out a bit and the AI Reflection Eraser tries to take away reflections from the shot the place they could happen.

However one other space the place AI has been used I consider to nice impact is using Clever Search. That is an elective device that you would be able to activate that can assist you to, with a pull-down gesture on the house display screen, carry out a search not simply of the telephone’s apps, but additionally the recordsdata throughout the telephone’s precise storage. It really works alongside a number of the newest Google Gemini Fashions 

I did discover this convenient when looking for paperwork that I had downloaded and forgotten about, however apart from that, as a result of I’m only a bit old skool, I didn’t truly use this function massively.

By way of precise UI and customization, there was a variety of dialogue about how iPhone-like the UI now seems, however I consider that is concerning the splitting of the notifications pane and likewise the short settings pane, which you’ll be able to truly flip off in case you favor to have each notifications and fast settings within the one drag down, which I’ve finished. You possibly can in fact customise your Wallpapers, your lock screens and all the time on show. The always-on-display has neat little animations the place it would let you know what your carbon footprint utilization has been. It’s going to additionally present you this in a pictorial illustration through the use of a penguin on an iceberg that’s steadily melting. That is simply one of many many choices you’ll be able to select from.

There’s one different factor I do wish to talk about and that’s the implementation of the Open Canvas process switching from the OnePlus Open telephone.

This makes having a number of apps open on the similar time, a way more palatable expertise. Somewhat than simply having the usual cut up display screen with two apps, one on high of the opposite, you’ll be able to even have a close to as dammit full-size app open with only a peek on the app that’s being cut up screened with after which by tapping that second app it would increase right into a full-screen app, making process switching much more easy.

This does have the limitation of there solely being one display screen on the telephone or a traditional phone-style display screen versus a foldable, but it surely does make multitasking far more helpful.

General, I’m pleased with the software program implementation of Oxygen OS15 and I’m certain there’s much more when it comes to options that I’ve not found or utilized.

Conclusion

I may drone on about different bits and items on the OnePlus 13 for hours extra however I really feel that I might lose your curiosity as this has been fairly lengthy sufficient already (kudos for making it this far). Nonetheless, I’m not going to tug this out any greater than is required. Merely put though this is without doubt one of the 1st main model launches of the yr with the brand new Snapdragon Chipset onboard it’s in my view among the finest telephones at present out there to the broader world market.  I might be very joyful to proceed to make use of this telephone day by day and if I wasn’t so hooked on foldable telephones I would definitely being doing so.

Whereas I totally count on the following telephone collection from Samsung to be up with the OnePlus 13 when it comes to specs I additionally count on it to be far more costly. To me, that is what the OnePlus telephones are good at and that’s making nice telephones which can be flagships however should not flagship cash. 

If you wish to choose up a OnePlus 13 then you are able to do so now from their Retailer the place they’re additionally providing the 16GB RAM and 512GB Storage model for a similar value because the 12GB RAM and 256 GB storage model. This value is £899, which is restricted till the fifth of Feb. You may also get a free case or Watch 2R in case you are fast.

Now OnePlus can we please have all of this wonderful velocity, battery and efficiency however in a Folding telephone and shortly…..