Review: Oneplus 13

Just like last year, Oneplus is not launching a Pro model, but it is the Oneplus 13 that is the top model, soon to be followed by the more affordable Oneplus 13R. We weren’t too keen on the Oneplus 12 as it was a very modest upgrade that looked similar but cost more than its predecessor. That’s not the case this year. The Oneplus 13 has a new design, upgraded cameras, a blazing fast AI processor and, as a welcome bonus, a really big battery. We had high hopes when we got our hands on it.

Appearance and construction

Say what you will about the design of the Oneplus 12 camera module, but it certainly wasn’t pretty. Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about trying to merge it with the edge. Instead, it’s a distinct island with a thoughtful placement that makes it almost elegant. The same can be said for this year’s sober colour choice. You can choose between a black with a wood texture, a smooth glass back in white or a blue in microfibre-based vegan leather. Luckily, we got the blue version, which was our favourite.

Last year we criticised that this model was only IP65 rated, which meant it could only withstand water splashes. This year, Oneplus has got their act together and not only certified it to IP68 (waterproof to a depth of 1.5 metres for 30 minutes), but also IP69 (high-pressure flushing with 80°C hot water). As far as we can remember, it’s the toughest mobile we’ve had on the test bench.

The display

At first glance, nothing has changed with the display since last year. It’s still one of the largest and most high-resolution displays we’ve seen, with an excellent brightness of 1,600 nits and an LTPO panel that can adjust the refresh rate continuously to save power. Oneplus boasts a Displaymate A++ award, but the question is whether last year’s couldn’t have received that honour too.

On the other hand, Oneplus has introduced a number of subtleties behind the scenes. So-called RadiantView should make reading in sunlight even easier and reading in low light should be less strenuous. The popular AquaTouch feature, which allows you to use the screen even when wet, has been further improved. But even more remarkable is the new Glove Mode, which allows you to use the touchscreen with both mittens and lambskin gloves. We tried it with the latter and it actually worked. It’s a much appreciated feature in the Nordic climate!

The camera

The Oneplus 13 is equipped with the fifth generation Hasselblad Camera for Mobile, whatever that means. The main camera is, as far as we can tell, the same as in the Oneplus 12. But it finally has a new ultra-wide-angle camera with slightly higher resolution, better light sensitivity and a slightly wider wide angle. The telephoto camera has also been upgraded, albeit with a lower resolution, but with new and more compact optics and a larger image sensor. We’re really happy with the image quality, which we were almost expecting.

However, it’s worth highlighting some of the really useful photo features that have been introduced. The problem with moving subjects is that they can easily become blurred because the exposure is too long. With Dual Exposure, the Oneplus 13 can take two images with different exposure times and fuse them together to achieve both sharpness and good image quality. And it actually works! There’s even an Action mode that can freeze moments like a champagne cork in mid-air. We were even more impressed with the digital zoom, which actually produces sharp images with detail. And that’s not even getting into all the AI image editing options available.

Usability

The screen is equipped with a new ultrasonic fingerprint reader, which is faster and works even when the screen is switched off and even if your finger is wet. Very handy. The Oneplus 13 also has magnetic charging, which we hoped would mean QI2, but that didn’t happen. Instead, you need one of Oneplus’ magnetic covers. They say, somewhat cryptically, that it provides compatibility with a variety of magnetic accessories. We can reveal that charging it with a Magsafe charger worked fine. But if you want to achieve the claimed 50 watts, you’ll need Oneplus’ own wireless chargers.

The latest generation of OxygenOS, the Oneplus user interface, of course has a wealth of AI features. They mention Google Gemini en passant, and we do recognise many of the features. They include more intelligent multimodal searches, help with summarising and creating texts and changing the tone of a text. Maybe not innovative, but very practical. In the photo editing app, you can more or less fix blurry images, enlarge and emphasise details and remove annoying reflections.

Performance

Last year we complained that the Oneplus 12 wasn’t noticeably faster than its predecessor, but this year it’s not the case. Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, the Oneplus 13 is a real runner. It easily beats most of the Android phones we tested last year, with the exception of the monster Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition. However, it is several thousand dollars more expensive. Compared to the Oneplus 12, it’s typically 30 per cent faster and in some cases up to 100 per cent. But it was when it came to AI performance that our jaws really dropped. The Oneplus 13 pulls away from the competition in spectacular fashion. In the AItutu test, it was 35 per cent faster than the runner-up, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6! Thanks to the extra large battery, it also has an extremely long battery life. 14.5 hours of constant use is actually the longest we’ve measured in years!

Conclusion

This year, Oneplus offers us a real major upgrade to its flagship. As well as a more stylish design, it’s the most water-resistant mobile phone we’ve seen. We also like that you can use the screen even when it’s wet or if you’re wearing gloves! The cameras have improved image quality and above all smart and useful features. It’s also one of the fastest mobile phones on the market, with the AI performance in particular crushing the competition. Despite this, it has a record-breaking battery life thanks to its large battery. We’re thoroughly impressed.