Over All Rating 5/5
Price Starts From ₹ 42,999/-
PROS 👍
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset for smooth multitasking and gaming
- Vibrant 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display with 4,500 nits peak brightness.
- Long-lasting 6,000mAh battery with 80W fast charging included.
CONS 👎
- Ultrawide camera performance is underwhelming, especially in low light.
- Lacks IP68 water resistance, unsuitable for full submersion.
- No wireless charging support, a letdown for modern premium devices.
In the fiercely competitive world of budget premium smartphones, OnePlus has carved a niche for itself by delivering feature-packed devices that rival flagship offerings. The OnePlus 13R is the brand’s latest attempt to take on competitors, blending premium design, powerful hardware, and cutting-edge features, all at a starting price of ₹42,999. But with strong contenders from brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Realme vying for dominance, can the OnePlus 13R stand its ground and emerge as the ultimate choice in its segment? Let’s dive into the details to find out.
OnePlus 13R Budget Premium Smartphone Review
OnePlus 13R: DESIGN
OnePlus continues its tradition by including the iconic alert slider, a practical feature that allows users to easily switch between ringer, vibrate, and silent modes which is something that is highly valued by OnePlus enthusiasts.
A thoughtful addition is the infrared (IR) blaster located at the top, a feature that is not commonly found in this price segment. It allows users to control home appliances such as TVs and air conditioners, adding convenience for tech-savvy individuals.
The standout feature of the OnePlus 13R is its 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display, which supports a peak brightness of up to 4,500 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in bright sunlight. The display delivers sharp and vibrant visuals, thanks to its AMOLED technology and a resolution of 1264 x 2780 pixels. The color reproduction is vivid and accurate, making it perfect for multimedia consumption, gaming, and everyday use.
Adding to its durability, the OnePlus 13R is IP65 rated, offering protection against dust and light water splashes. However, it’s important to note that it cannot withstand submersion in water, making it unsuitable for underwater use.
OnePlus 13R: PERFORMANCE
At the heart of the OnePlus 13R is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which provides flagship-level performance typically seen in premium devices. Paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, the device handles multitasking, gaming, and demanding applications with ease. Additionally, the RAM can be virtually expanded by another 12GB, offering even more room for smooth performance during intensive tasks.
The storage options include a 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage, guaranteeing lightning-fast read and write speeds. Although there is no option for expandable storage, the internal storage is sufficient for most users, even those who store high-resolution photos, videos, and large applications.
During my two weeks of usage, the OnePlus 13R performed flawlessly without any signs of lag, even during heavy multitasking. Gaming on the device is a pleasure, providing flagship-grade performance that meets the demands of graphically intensive titles. I tested popular games like BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile, both of which ran smoothly at 60fps with high graphics settings. Even during extended gaming sessions lasting over an hour, the device only warmed slightly, maintaining a comfortable temperature and stable performance.
For benchmarking enthusiasts, the OnePlus 13R delivered impressive results. On Geekbench 6, it scored 2179 in the Single-core test and 6533 in the Multi-core test, surpassing even the more expensive Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in raw performance metrics. The GPU benchmark score was equally remarkable, with a result of 14,580, outpacing many flagship devices from the previous year. This makes the OnePlus 13R an excellent choice for both gamers and performance-focused users at an affordable price point.
OnePlus 13R: CAMERA
The OnePlus 13R is equipped with a remarkably enhanced camera system, which sees the addition of a 2x optical zoom lens to replace one of the previous macro lenses. The configuration includes two 50MP sensors, one designated for the primary camera and the other for the 2x zoom functionality, alongside an 8MP ultrawide camera.
When using the primary camera in daylight, users can expect impressive results with sharp details and vibrant colours that bring photos to life. However, it is worth noting that some images may show oversharpening, particularly in shadowed areas, which can detract from the overall authenticity of the photograph. The dedicated 50MP mode, while offering higher resolution, is generally not recommended due to its tendency to yield softer images that lack the crispness users would desire.
The 50MP 2x optical zoom camera stands out in performance, providing better sharpness and detail than the primary camera, making it a reliable option for capturing distant subjects. The 8MP ultrawide lens tends to disappoint, often producing images lacking clarity and a limited dynamic range, resulting in less impactful photos.
Selfies taken with the OnePlus 13R generally come out well, showcasing good colour reproduction and contrast. Despite this, some users may find indoor selfies to appear soft, diminishing the overall sharpness and detail.
In low-light scenarios, the primary camera truly shines, delivering clean, sharp images that effectively capture the scene. The 2x zoom camera produces relatively sharp photos but may struggle with less-than-ideal lighting. The ultrawide camera notably struggles in low-light conditions, often resulting in images lacking detail and vibrancy.
For video enthusiasts, the OnePlus 13R supports video recording capabilities of up to 4K at 60 frames per second, utilizing both the primary and 2x cameras. However, the video quality does fall short in sharpness and colour vibrancy, particularly when utilizing the ultrawide lens and during low-light recordings, which can leave viewers wanting more dynamic and lively footage.
OnePlus 13R: BATTERY
The OnePlus 13R is equipped with a single-cell battery that features a silicon/carbon (Si/C) anode and has a capacity of 6,000 mAh. It now supports an 80W charging rate through the proprietary SuperVOOC protocol, which is a decrease from its predecessor’s capabilities. Fortunately, OnePlus still includes the charger with the 13R.
However, the charging time for the 13R has increased, taking 48 minutes for a full charge. This is slower compared to its predecessor and other competitors in the market, possibly due to the new, larger Si/C 6,000 mAh battery that may have limitations on charging speed. Additionally, unlike the OnePlus 13, the 13R does not support wireless charging. Therefore, if you prefer wireless charging, this feature will be missed with the 13R.
To estimate the battery life of the device, we conducted a viewing test using a 4K movie. Throughout the test, we carefully monitored the battery performance while watching the content in 4K. After 30 minutes of continuous playback, we noted that the battery level had decreased by only 7%. This shows the device can support watching multiple movies or 4K content without requiring a charge.
VERDICT
The OnePlus 13R stands out in the premium mid-range market with its iPhone-inspired design and vibrant 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, making it great for gaming and multitasking. Its camera system features a strong primary lens and 2x optical zoom, though ultrawide and low-light performance could be improved. The 6,000mAh battery offers excellent life, but slower and no wireless charging are minor drawbacks. Overall, it delivers flagship-like performance at a competitive price, ideal for gamers and multitaskers, though those needing faster charging might want to consider other options.
Key Specification
| Display: | 6.78-inch AMOLED |
| Camera: | 50MP, 50MP, 8MP |
| RAM: | 12GB |
| Processor: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| Battery: | 6000 mAh |
| OS: | OxygenOS 15(android 15) |
