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Something happened not too long ago with OnePlus. Did you notice it, too?
In 2024, with the launch of the OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12R, there was a glow up akin to the early 2000s rom-com classic, She's All That.
The nerdy phone that all the geeks always knew was great was suddenly becoming a choice for the everyperson.
Fast forward to 2025, and this transformation is even more true with the launch of the OnePlus 13 and the OnePlus 13R (not to mention the OnePlus Watch 3 which is a battery life behemoth with some of the best health tracking features we've seen in a smart watch).
If you're trying to choose between the OnePlus 13 and the 13R, you've got a tough choice!
Both phones are great. They have nearly identical displays. And while the OnePlus 13's bells and whistles made headlines (did you know you can put this thing through a washing machine?), the OnePlus 13R stoically awaits your attention as an impressive choice for a daily driver.
So, which to pick? We're here to help.
Watch instead of read?
There's so much to say about both phones, with probably the most to say about the flagship OnePlus 13.
We'll try to keep it as short as possible, but for those who prefer a deeper dive, consider checking out our video reviews below:
If you're here for a quick answer, our one paragraph reviews are below.
OnePlus 13 One Paragraph Review
The OnePlus 13 can go toe-to-toe with any flagship phone of 2025. The Elite Snapdragon Processor is powering AI functions that are actually useful to improve photography and optimize your multitasking experience. Battery life is exceptional. The display is beautiful. And while style is subjective, this phone is a real looker!
Pros
- Amazing cameras
- Over-the-top water resistance
- Includes charger
Cons
- Not sold through carriers
- Thick-ish bezels
- Proprietary OS
OnePlus 13R One Paragraph Review
While the existence of a 13 and a 13R may make you think the R-series is lesser than the flagship, after months of testing, the differences between the two are basically meaningless, in terms of daily use. This device has excellent cameras, great battery life, and a display that is on-par with the "better" 13. It lacks wireless charging, but beyond that, the 13R lacks almost nothing.
Pros
- Excellent cameras
- High-quality display
- Optimized for mobile gaming
Cons
- Can't buy through carriers
- No wireless charging
- Oxygen OS
For those who prefer a slightly deeper read, scroll onward!
OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R: Key features compared
The OnePlus 13 and 13R are both great picks and similar in a lot of ways. At first glance, particularly if you're looking at the devices side by side, screen up, on a table, they look near identical.
But after a few months of hands-on testing, these are the most significant differences that might impact your buying decisions.
Design and display:
Both the OnePlus 13 and 13R have sleek designs with premium build quality. You'll find the most variety in aesthetics with the OnePlus 13 (there's three different versions, with a unique finish for each).
Just the look of the camera module is enough to make OnePlus phones look distinct from their Android counterparts, but if you want the most unique design, that's either gotta be the Midnight Ocean finish (Blue) with its microfiber vegan leather back or the subtle woodgrain on the Black Eclipse models of the OnePlus 13.
The OnePlus 13's display is slightly larger than the 13R (6.8 vs 6.7 inch-display) but, otherwise, they're the same. Both have 120Hz refresh rates, Aqua Touch 2.0 (helps navigation when screen or fingers are wet), though the flagship is supposedly stronger with Ceramic Guard vs the OnePlus 13R's Gorilla Glass.
In our daily use (with a few accidental drops with and without the case), there's no noticeable difference with the "stronger" OnePlus 13. Plus, both phones come with an included screen protector, though on the OnePlus 13, it bubbled up a bit compared to the 13R.
Performance and processors:
Daily performance with both phones for multitasking across apps and gaming has been fantastic. While the OnePlus 13 has the Elite Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, I've seen no meaningful difference compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor in the 13R.
The fact I'm not seeing that big of a difference doesn't mean there is not one.
I think the biggest lift that the Snapdragon Elite is doing has to do with AI functions on the phone, that I'm not even fully aware are being deployed on-device.
For example, with photography, if I'm trying to snap a quick pic of one of my toddlers doing something funny before the moment is lost, I'm consistently seeing great results on the OnePlus 13.
It's easy to believe you're just an amazing photographer.
But actually, what's happening is at the moment I'm snapping that picture, there's some really advanced AI processing taking place on-device.
There's a feature called Dual Exposure Algorithm, which basically takes a short exposure image (that has better exposure but could have worse blur than a long exposure shot (which can get a more crisp shot, but might introduce artefacts or noise), and then it blends the best parts of those images, making you think you're a better photographer than you are.
With the OnePlus 13R, you don't get these AI photography-related features. You do get the AI photo editing features. But some features (like the shockingly astounding zoom that's only possible with an AI assist) just aren't there with the OnePlus 13R.
Ultimately, though, you probably wouldn't notice the absence of these features if you only used the 13R, so I don't think they're a compelling enough feature to justify upgrading to the OnePlus 13.
Camera capabilities
Since processor talk bled into photography, let's discuss the cameras.
OnePlus has once again continued their partnership with premium photography company Hasselblad.
Both phones have very capable triple-camera rear modules (I know it looks like four cameras, but one of those is a sensor) and good to great front-facing cameras.
While everyone says their cameras are amazing (and generally all smartphone cameras on modern devices are) OnePlus has done an exceptional job of marrying their camera hardware with their software to help people get amazing results.
A discussion of cameras could be an entirely separate article. So, to keep things short, both cameras have impressive results. But the 13 has the best, thanks to some of those additional tools that are enabled through the more powerful processor.
Battery life and more
The OnePlus 13 and 13R will have no issues getting through your full day, but the 13R battery is better.
The OnePlus 13 uses something called a Silicon NanoStack battery. It's a special coating that boosts the performance of the battery to give it a high energy density in a smaller form.
When it comes time to charge up the OnePlus 13, you can get a full charge in 36 minutes. That's going from 1 to 100% in just over a half-hour. There are a few caveats to this: using the official SUPERVOOC Power Adapter, turning on Smart Rapid Charging Mode, not using your phone while charging, etc.
Does the OnePlus 13 charge as fast or last as long? No. But is the charging speed something I would consider slow? Also, no.
Battery life is another area where the 13 is better than the 13R. But it's also another place where I don't think normal users with normal use case scenarios will be impacted if they choose the budget-friendly 13R.
OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R: The Bottom Line
The OnePlus 13 is, hands-down, a better phone. But for 90 percent of people, we suggest just going with the OnePlus 13R.
There's a $300 difference between devices.
If that's not a lot of money to you, then go ahead and get the 13 and enjoy all of the benefits of even better photography, a cooler looking phone, and an over-the-top degree of water and dust resistance.
For everyone else, we think the OnePlus 13R more than suits the needs of most people and allows you to save a bit of cash (to maybe spend on a quality mobile controller for your smartphone, since gaming on this device is actually quite awesome).
For a deeper dive on either device, here's a full review of the OnePlus 13 and a full review of the OnePlus 13R.
Geeking Out Shop
OnePlus 13
The OnePlus 13 is an excellent flagship phone. It stands out for its unique design, powerful cameras, and high water resitatnce rating. It has a large 6.8-inch screen and a quick-charging battery that lasts all day.
Geeking Out Shop
OnePlus13R
The OnePlus 13R is featured-packed. It doesn't have every bell and whistle that the OnePlus 13 has, but it has the features that count most in daily use. Plus it's one of the few phones that still comes with an included power adapter and free screen protector.
At the end of the day, OnePlus has just really come to the table with exceptional value and features with both devices. Based on many months of testing and flipping between both phones, we can say the experience doesn't feel "lesser than" with the R-series phone, so why not save the money and have a very capable smartphone at the same time?
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