OnePlus 13 Review: Is This the Best Smartphone of 2025?

The OnePlus 13 has arrived, and with it comes the question—does it have what it takes to compete with flagship smartphones from Samsung and Apple? With an AMOLED 120Hz display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite processor, and exceptional battery life, this device is shaping up to be a serious contender.

In this review, I’ll break down my real-world experience with the OnePlus 13—what I love, what could be better, and whether it’s worth your money.

Let’s dive in.

OnePlus 13: Pros and Cons

OnePlus 13 Design: A Premium Look & Feel

OnePlus took a slightly unconventional approach to design this year. The OnePlus 13 features beveled edges, while the OnePlus 13R opts for a completely flat design. Typically, manufacturers keep flat edges for their premium models, so this switch is interesting.

One thing I personally liked was the blue vegan leather variant—it feels great in hand and adds a unique touch.

👉 Do you prefer flat or curved-edge smartphones? Let me know in the comments!

OnePlus 13 Display: Flagship-Level AMOLED with High Brightness

• 6.7-inch AMOLED panel
• 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling
• 1440p resolution (default 1080p for battery efficiency)
• Very high brightness levels for outdoor use

The display is everything you expect from a 2025 flagship—vibrant colors, deep blacks, and a smooth refresh rate. While the default resolution is 1080p to save battery, you can switch to 1440p for sharper visuals.

Overall, no complaints here—this display delivers.

Battery Life: A New Standard?

The OnePlus 13 boasts some of the best battery life I’ve ever seen in a smartphone.

📊 On my first full day of testing:

• 6 hours of screen-on time at 50% battery left
• Estimated 11-12 hours total screen-on time

However, battery performance has since stabilized to 9-10 hours of screen-on time, which is still fantastic.

🔋 Fast charging?

• 100W charging powers up the battery in about 30 minutes
• No Qi2 wireless charging, which is disappointing for a 2025 flagship

If you need a phone that can last all day, the OnePlus 13 delivers.

Performance & Software: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite + Smooth UI

• Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite chipset
• OxygenOS animations feel smooth
• Custom icon pack support (without third-party launchers!)

This phone is fast. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite effortlessly handles gaming, multitasking, and day-to-day apps. What’s more, OnePlus allows custom icon packs natively, meaning you don’t need Nova Launcher or other third-party launchers to personalize your setup.

However, one annoying limitation—you cannot disable the Google Discover page on the home screen. Unlike Samsung and other Android devices that offer a toggle, OnePlus forces users to keep it enabled.

Camera Performance: A Mixed Bag

While I haven’t done an extensive camera test, here’s what I noticed:

✅ Pros:

• Permanent exposure adjustment (a game-changer for avoiding overexposure)
• No shutter lag in good lighting
• Strong flagship performance overall

❌ Cons:

• Heavy processing on images—sometimes improves photos, other times makes them look unnatural
• File transfer issues—videos recorded on the OnePlus 13 lagged on Windows and Mac editing software (but played fine on other smartphones)

The OnePlus 13 camera is impressive but leans heavily into software processing. Whether you love or hate that will depend on personal preference.

Extra Features: The Little Things That Matter

OnePlus packed in some nice-to-have features that elevate the overall experience:

🔹 IR Blaster – Control TVs, ACs, and other electronics
🔹 Mute Switch – A physical switch for silent mode (a rarity outside iPhones)
🔹 IP69 Water Resistance – Can survive boiling water, dishwashers, and washing machines (not recommended, but cool to know!)

Where OnePlus 13 Falls Short

Not everything is perfect. Here are a few areas that need improvement:

❌ Google Discover Page: Cannot be disabled
❌ No Qi2 Wireless Charging: OnePlus released a magnetic charger but didn’t include Qi2 support
❌ Video File Issues: Some video files lag when transferred to Windows and Mac computers
❌ Overprocessed Photos: The image processing can be too aggressive at times

Final Verdict: Is the OnePlus 13 Worth It?

🔥 Starting at $899 (with trade-in deals bringing it down further), the OnePlus 13 is one of the best flagship smartphones of 2025.

✔ Pros:

• Stunning AMOLED 120Hz display
• Amazing battery life (10+ hours screen-on time)
• Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite processor
• Custom icon packs without third-party apps
• Fast 100W charging

❌ Cons:

• No Qi2 wireless charging
• Annoying Google Discover page
• Some aggressive image processing

👉 If you want a powerful flagship without paying $1,200+ for Samsung or Apple, the OnePlus 13 is a fantastic choice. However, if you rely on wireless charging or need a less-processed camera experience, you might want to wait and see what Samsung offers next week.

Would you buy the OnePlus 13? Let me know in the comments!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How much does the OnePlus 13 cost?
A: The base price is $899, but OnePlus offers trade-in discounts that can lower it to $799 or less.

Q: Does the OnePlus 13 support Qi2 wireless charging?
A: No, it does not support Qi2, even though OnePlus introduced a magnetic charger for it.

Q: How good is the OnePlus 13 battery life?
A: It delivers 10+ hours of screen-on time, one of the best in its class.

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