Let’s look at the OnePlus 13R to see if it can live up to the expectations, fix those annoying green line issues, and provide the overall experience that consumers want.
OnePlus 13R: Price and Availability
The OnePlus 13R comes in two variants: 12 GB + 256 GB for ₹42,999 and 16 GB + 512 GB for ₹46,999. It is available in two colours: Astral Trail (cream) and Nebula Noir (black). It will be available through Amazon, the OnePlus Store, and other retailers.
OnePlus 13R Review: Box Content
OnePlus is generous enough to add the 80W charging brick inside the box, which is required to charge the 13R at maximum speed. You also get a Type-A to C Cable, documentation and a SIM tray ejector.
OnePlus 13R Review: Design
The OnePlus 13R has an aluminium frame and is available in two colours: Astral Trail (creamish) and Nebula Noir (black). It includes a bigger vapour cooling chamber (9925 mm2) to help regulate heat.
However, the handset only has an IP65 rating, which is lower than other smartphones with IP68 or IP69 ratings, indicating that it can only tolerate moderate splashes.
The phone has a traditional Alert Slider, and at the bottom is a USB-C 2.0 port (which isn’t very good), primary speaker, dual nano SIM card slot, and microphone. The top contains the IR blaster and earpiece.
The OnePlus 13R features a flat shell with a circular camera module. The design appears unfinished and dull. The OnePlus 12R looked a lot better.
Nonetheless, while holding a massive 6,000 mAh battery, the phone weighs 206 grammes and has a thickness of only 8 mm, making it easy to hold.
OnePlus 13R Review: Display
A curved 6.78-inch 1.5K display with a resolution of 2780 x 1264 and LTPO 4.1 technology for a more fluid 1–120 Hz refresh rate are highlights of the OnePlus 13R. Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protects it, and it has a peak brightness of 4500 nits and an HBM of 1600 nits. Despite this, I thought the display was a bit less brilliant.
The display provides good viewing angles and a punch-hole cutout. The feature feels more like a gimmick even if it supports AquaTouch 2.0 because it still detects ghost touches.
However, practicality is guaranteed by the flat form, particularly when it comes to putting screen protectors. All things considered, it’s a strong, colourful display with outstanding clarity and usefulness.
The stereo speaker configuration of the OnePlus 13R produces mediocre sound quality. I would suggest using wired earbuds instead, even though the sound profile is balanced and suitable for gaming.
On the other hand, the OnePlus 13R has great haptics. As with other OnePlus phones, the haptic feedback is well-integrated and offers a pleasant experience when you unlock the phone, use the volume slider, or carry out other tasks.
OnePlus 13R Review: Software
With its many new features, the OnePlus 13R is powered by OxygenOS 15, which was developed on top of Android 15. Its user interface is slick and sophisticated, with an emphasis on AI-powered improvements. Features like AI Eraser, AI Reflection Eraser, AI Unblur, and AI Detail Boost (also known as 4K Enhance) are available to you.
You can search through your on-device files with the aid of Intelligent Search, which uses Gemini models. The AI search, however, might be inconsistent, sometimes performing wonderfully and other times not so well.
While the latter isn’t flawless, the gadget also has some cool capabilities like Circle to Search, AI Notes, Pass Scan for Google Wallet integration, and Magic Compose for text rewriting.
OnePlus makes a strong commitment to software support by promising four years of major upgrades and six years of security fixes. But recent OnePlus updates have been problematic, particularly on older devices.
With great lock screen customisation possibilities (Flux Themes) and much more, OxygenOS 15 is a pleasure to use on a daily basis. But now for the less desirable aspect of OxygenOS 15 on the OnePlus 13R.
OnePlus has long been renowned for its bloatware-free and ad-free software. Regretfully, that is no longer true. App Picks, Browser, Fitbit, and other bloatware apps are all over the OnePlus 13R.
Ads and suggestions of all kinds abound in the OnePlus 13R’s Global Search function, which is actually helpful, so the narrative doesn’t end with the bloatware. Another covert location for advertisements is the Lock Screen Magazine.
It is possible to disable all of this, but this shouldn’t have existed in the first place. It’s disappointing to see that OnePlus, which was before renowned for its smooth and clean software, is now only smooth.
OnePlus 13R Review: Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, 12/16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and 256/512 GB of UFS 4.0 storage power the OnePlus 13R. A tried-and-true chipset from the previous year is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
OnePlus 13R scores 1,708,877 in AnTuTu benchmarks, 2,194 in single-core Geekbench tests, and 6,551 in multi-core Geekbench tests. The device achieved a stability score of 70% and an average GIPS score of 327,520 in a 15-minute CPU throttling test with 20 threads.
The OnePlus 13R shines at gaming, providing BGMI with fluid 120 FPS gameplay with the help of frame interpolation for higher frame rates. Gaming is fluid even without frame interpolation. Frame interpolation causes a minor increase in the device’s temperature, but overall thermals are still tightly controlled.
Even the highest settings are handled flawlessly by the OnePlus 13R for Genshin Impact. The device’s temperature hit 30°C after 30 minutes of gaming. Given how potent and effective the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is, the OnePlus 13R’s performance is hardly surprising.
OnePlus 13R Review: Cameras
The OnePlus 13R has three cameras: an 8MP ultrawide, a 50MP 2x telephoto Samsung JN5, and a 50MP Sony LYT 700 primary camera. With the main and telephoto cameras, the 16MP front camera can film in 4K at 30 and 60 frames per second. Stabilisation for both front and back cameras is restricted to 1080p.
- Main: 50 MP LYT-700, 1/1.56-inch, f/1.8, 24 mm, OIS PDAF, 4K30/60
- Ultra-wide: 8 MP Sony IMX355, 1/4-inch, f/2.2, 16 mm, 1080p30
- Telephoto: 50 MP Samsung JN5, 1/2.76-inch, f/2.0, 47 mm, AF 4K30/60
- Front: 16 MP 1/3.09-inch, f/2.4, FF, 1080p30
The OnePlus 13R seeks to alter the perception that cameras are the weakest point of mid-range smartphones. A 50 MP telephoto lens has been used by OnePlus in place of the 12R’s macro lens. The outcome? a far more flexible camera setup that can accommodate both amateur and professional photographers.
An important improvement is the 50 MP Sony LYT-700 sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS). The 13R’s 64 MP primary camera performs similarly to the Pixel 8a’s in bright lighting, but its larger sensor and improved stabilisation give it the upper hand in low light.
The 13R is unique in its class because to the inclusion of a 50 MP telephoto lens with a 2x optical zoom. In contrast to the Pixel 8a, which does not have a dedicated zoom lens, portraits and close-ups are crisp and detailed.
The OnePlus 12R’s 8 MP ultra-wide lens is still there, but software changes have enhanced colour constancy and edge clarity.
Although hardly revolutionary, the 16 MP front-facing camera is respectable. Although it lacks the sophisticated processing of a Pixel, it works well for video chats and selfies.
OnePlus has added a slew of AI features, including:
- Dual Exposure Algorithm for better dynamic range.
- AI Unblur to reduce motion blur.
- AI Reflection Eraser to remove unwanted reflections.
OnePlus 13R Review: Battery
The OnePlus 13R comes with a single-cell 6,000 mAh battery. In Balanced mode, you may expect 7-10 hours of screen time, including gaming. The battery performance is good for both everyday use and gaming.
When it comes time to charge, the 80W SUPERVOOC rapid charging takes you from 0% to 100% in just an hour. While there is no wireless charging functionality, cable charging is fast.
The single-cell architecture takes somewhat longer than dual-cell batteries, but the battery and charging experience on the OnePlus 13R is satisfactory. One annoyance is that it is 2025 and OnePlus is still using USB-A charges.
Pros
- Smooth 120 Hz gaming
- Vibrant 1.5K display
- Excellent battery life
- 80W fast charging
- Premium aluminum build
- Great haptic feedback
- 4+6 years of software updates
- Good main camera
Cons
- Bloatware and ads in software
- No OIS on telephoto lens
- Average ultra-wide and front cameras
- USB-C 2.0 port (outdated)
- IP65 rating only
- Uninspired design
- Optical scanner placed low
Should You Buy OnePlus 13R?
- Design and Build: 7/10
- Display: 8/10
- Software: 8/10
- Speakers & Haptics: 7.5/10
- Performance: 9/10
- Cameras: 7/10
- Battery Life & Charging: 8/10
The OnePlus 13R, priced at ₹43,000, is a good choice despite certain drawbacks. The 8 MP ultra-wide camera, the absence of OIS on the telephoto lens, and occasional green line issues are all significant negatives.
Furthermore, the lack of an IP68 rating and wireless charging at this price point is surprising, particularly given that competitors include IP68/IP69 ratings. The presence of bloatware and advertisements is also troubling.
However, if you can overlook these flaws, the OnePlus 13R is still a good choice for its performance, display, and general build quality. Alternatives such as the new OPPO Reno13 Pro are worth examining, but the OnePlus 13R remains a terrific value in this pricing bracket.
