Hello everyone, Over the past two weeks, I’ve been diving deep into the OnePlus 13R, and today I want to share my thoughts on this upper mid-range device priced at around 40,000 rupees. While it shares similarities with its predecessors, the OnePlus 11R and 12R, I believe OnePlus missed a significant opportunity to elevate this model further.
Design and Build Quality
One of the first things I noticed is the new design of the OnePlus 13R. Unfortunately, the flat side frames don’t feel as comfortable to hold compared to the premium feel of the OnePlus 12R. Transitioning to the more expensive OnePlus 13 really highlighted this difference for me. Another downside is the IP64 rating; in 2025, we really should be looking at IP67 or IP68 ratings, especially when even budget devices like the Motorola H5 Neo come with IP68.
Additionally, the repositioning of the fingerprint scanner is a bit of a letdown. The OnePlus 12R had it perfectly placed in the middle, making it easy to reach, but the new location is less convenient.
Display Quality
On a positive note, the display experience is absolutely stunning. The OnePlus 13R boasts a flagship-level display with impressive brightness, 10-bit color depth, and superb touch response. It supports both A+ and Dolby Vision on OTT platforms. The LTPO 4.1 panel also performs well in auto refresh rate mode, which is a nice touch.
Moreover, OnePlus now offers a lifetime screen warranty and free replacement for any green line issues, a commendable step that shows their commitment to quality.
Performance and Software
Performance-wise, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, although last year’s flagship, remains powerful and fast for the next few years. The base variant includes 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of UFS 4.0 storage, which is a significant upgrade from the previous model’s storage debacle.
Gaming performance is top-notch too, with titles like PUBG running smoothly at 120 FPS and Genshin Impact at 60 FPS on high settings. The only difference I noticed compared to the OnePlus 13 is that the latter runs slightly cooler and is a bit more optimized for multiplayer scenarios.
The software experience is generally good, with an Android 19 update commitment. While there are some pre-installed apps, they can easily be disabled.
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Battery Life
The battery life is another highlight, featuring a 6,000 mAh unit. I consistently achieved 8 to 9 hours of screen-on time, even with heavy usage involving gaming and streaming. Plus, the inclusion of an 80W charger in the box is a welcome addition, even if it’s a downgrade from the previous year’s 100W charger.
Camera Performance
Now, let’s talk about the cameras. Honestly, this is where I feel OnePlus dropped the ball. They opted for the Sony LT Y700 sensor, commonly found in devices priced at 20 to 30,000 rupees. The camera performance is inconsistent; while some shots turn out great, others suffer from poor exposure and highlight management.
The ultra-wide camera uses the same Sony IMX 355 sensor from the OnePlus 10R, which is disappointing. It doesn’t support 4K recording and produces soft images with limited dynamic range. The 2x zoom lens is decent for portraits but could have benefitted from a 3x lens for better versatility.
On the selfie front, the camera does well with vibrant colors and good dynamic range, but it lacks 4K video recording, which would have been a valuable feature.
Final Thoughts
In a hypothetical scenario where I was the product manager for OnePlus, I would have kept the design from last year, improved the camera performance significantly, and included a better ultra-wide lens with autofocus. A 3x periscope zoom lens would have also been a fantastic addition to enhance the photography experience.
Overall, while the OnePlus 13R is a solid phone, it feels like a missed opportunity for OnePlus to truly shine in the upper mid-range segment. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!