After years in the game, I personally think that OnePlus really found its stride last year with the OnePlus 12 series. The build, software, and cameras all truly started to feel competitive to any alternative in the Android market. The new 13 series improves further on this, and the new OnePlus 13R blurs the line of what flagship even means. I don’t know if the Never Settle mantra of OnePlus has ever been embodied better than this $600 phone.
Design
The new OnePlus 13R has a flatter design from all angles. The screen is completely flat and the curved angles of the edges and back are removed. You now have a very iPhone look and feel in the hand at first glance. This isn’t a knock. I think this lends to the phone feeling sleeker and better to hold from any position.
Its finish does make it slippery, and you’ll most likely want a case anyway. OnePlus sales the official Sandstone case with a magnetic mounting ring built into the back. The 13R doesn’t have Qi, so this is just for adding accessories, not charging. I’d also note that I’m not blown away by the fit of the Sandstone case. It has several gaps in the one I tested around the edges of the phone where it doesn’t properly “grip” the phone.
The screen on the OnePlus 13R is very good for this price point. The 6.78 OLED is crisp and color rich while viewing any content. It’s also ample bright at 4,5000 nits for great viewing angles in any environment. I’ve had zero issues even in outdoor lighting.
Performance and internals
While it’s supposedly be a step-down from the OnePlus 13 flagship, in day-to-day you’d probably never know. Some compromise is made with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, but it still is a much better powerhouse than almost any other phone in this mid-range market. Maybe if you throw heavy gaming or some kind of encoding, it would stutter, but from app to app it’s performed admirably.
This can also be attributed to the included 12GB of RAM on both the 256GB storage options. Pairing this amount of RAM makes things competitive enough to possibly lure away those considering the Pixel 9. OnePlus always delivers in this regard, and the 13R is no exception.
Software
As mentioned in our previous review of the OnePlus 13, and hands-on of OxygenOS 15, the software is good. I’m not going to say great, as the refresh is still a work in process. The company’s Android 15 variant is in a bit of renaissance, adding AI and slimming down the UI elements.
I’ve never been a fan of Oxygen, but this is the first build that I feel stays out of the way enough that I didn’t install Nova Launcher to side step as much as possible. The trimmed down interface, launcher, and Settings brings a much better balance between stock Android and OnePlus personalization.
Updates have improved as well with OnePlus extending support. The OnePlus 13R follow the 13 with four years of OS updates and six years of total security patches. It’s not the best in the Android market with Pixels and Samsung moving to seven years, but I think in the sub-$700 price point, it’s more than acceptable. And it lends to OnePlus users. These are a culture of fan that wants to upgrade sooner.
Battery life
OnePlus continues to be one of the best manufacturers when endurance is concerned. I saw very similar results of more than six hours of screen time consistently, and never drained the OnePlus 13R in a single day. I’d argue you can often get a second day of usage during lighter days of tasks like the weekend.
Sadly, there’s no wireless charging with the OnePlus 13R. I’d like to still see this added even as the “budget flagship”. Pretty much every other OEM has started to include this in the segment over the last two years. This includes the iPhone SE, Pixel A-series, and Galaxies. Thankfully, if you use the included cable and adapter found in the box, you do get 55 Watts of fast charging.
Camera
I was very impressed with the improvements of OnePlus with the standard 13 and the new R-series has made leaps as well. The new Sony LYT-700 sensor comes in with good shots in most lighting conditions. I think it struggles a bit in clearing up in post as it lacks the Hasselblad tweaks, but overall, I’ve been happy with the results.
The new arrays feature three total cameras. The main shooter is a 50 megapixel, while you get another 50MP telephoto and 8MP ultrawide. Regardless of function, all three performed well. Even the lack of the previous macro option can be mostly replaced using the new telephoto option. Finally, you have a respectable 16MP selfie cam for selfie things.
Final thoughts
Earned for achieving an overage average star rating of at least 3.75 stars, this product is an AndroidGuys Smart Pick, signifying a perfect blend of quality, performance, and value. It excels in key areas like design, innovation, and user experience, offering top-notch functionality at a great price.
As the subtitle says, the OnePlus 13R is a midrange in mostly price. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is still a monster of a chip, RAM is more than enough, and camera is surprisingly good. At $600, this makes the OnePlus 13R compelling for anyone interested in the Pixel 9 or even if you don’t care about wireless charging on the OnePlus 13R. In almost every aspect, this is flagship material.
The OnePlus 13R is available now from OnePlus and Best Buy. You can get it in two colors, Nebula Noir (black) and Astral Trail (white). The retail pricing is set at $600 at both outlets. Pick up either color using our links below.
Purchase the OnePlus 13R from OnePlus
Purchase the OnePlus 13R from Best Buy