Review: OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R

II've been using the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R for the past month—through the 2024 holiday season and CES 2025—so I've tested them under both light and heavy workloads. There's not much to complain about with these new Android phones, which handle a variety of tasks well. The premium OnePlus 13 includes nearly all the features you'd expect in a modern flagship smartphone.

The OnePlus 13 starts at $900 for the base model with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage, slightly undercutting competitors. The OnePlus 13R costs $600 and has fewer features and lower specs than its sibling. This generation's updates focus on refinement. The software is smoother, batteries last longer, screens are brighter, and the phones are more water-resistant. If you're thinking about switching phone brands and battery life is your top priority, these OnePlus phones are worth considering. The OnePlus 13 and 13R look the same but have slight differences in size—the flagship has a 6.82-inch screen, while the cheaper model has a 6.78-inch display. The most noticeable difference is the Hasselblad branding on the OnePlus 13 and its curvier edges around the display. The OnePlus 13R has flat edges, which I prefer because they are easier to hold.

The OnePlus 13 features a fun marble-like pattern, while the 13R has a brushed look. However, neither is as attractive as last year's OnePlus 12 and 12R, which came in stunning emerald and ice blue colors. This year, there is a nice Midnight Ocean color for the OnePlus 13, with a luxurious microfiber vegan leather material, but I didn't get a chance to try it.

OnePlus has finally improved the water resistance on its high-end device. It now has a combined IP68 and IP69 rating, meaning the OnePlus 13 can be submerged in water for 30 minutes up to 1.5 meters deep and can withstand heavy rain. This finally makes it comparable to its competitors. The display uses Ceramic Guard, OnePlus’ version of Apple's Ceramic Glass, and is said to be stronger than the Gorilla Glass Victus found on other phones. However, glass is still glass, so you should use a screen protector—my iPhone 16 Plus screen cracked during testing.

Speaking of screens, the 120-Hz OLED displays are sharp, colorful, and smooth. The only difference, besides size, is sharpness. By default, the OnePlus 13 is set to a lower resolution to save battery life, but both screens look stunning. My only complaint is that I had to manually adjust the brightness slider more often than on most other Android phones, as these devices tended to lower the brightness a bit too much for my liking.

The OnePlus 13R has an IP65 rating, which is fine for rain but might not survive a dip in the pool. It is also among the first to use Corning's Gorilla Glass 7i, a budget-to-midrange option from the glass maker, so don't expect the same level of durability. However, it should be comparable, if not slightly better, than other phones in this price range. The rest of the hardware is excellent, and the OnePlus Alert Slider makes me wish every phone had a sliding switch to switch between Mute, Vibrate, and Sound (ahem, Apple). I don't mind the large camera bump.