If you are also looking for a new phone and have heard the name of OnePlus 13R, then this post is for you! We are going to talk about OnePlus 13R upgrades, downgrades, and those things that probably no one is telling you. Let’s start without wasting time!
Design of OnePlus 13R:
After seeing the design of OnePlus 13R, at first it felt that it is not more attractive than OnePlus 12R. 12R looked like a premium phone, while the design of 13R feels basic. But, when I used it, it turned out to be better in terms of practicality. The flat aluminium sides provide good grip and the big power and volume buttons are quite helpful.
Now an interesting thing, the camera position has shifted to the centre, which looks quite similar to budget and mid-range phones. The back is glass, which comes with a matte finish. The display has also been made flat this time, which is a good thing, as curved displays often create the problem of accidental touches.
Downgrades that OnePlus did not mention
There are some surprising downgrades in OnePlus 13R that the brand did not highlight:
- Dolby Atmos Support Removed – Earlier models had Dolby Atmos support, which has not been given in 13R. However, there was no significant difference in loudness and clarity, but for audio lovers this can be a miss.
- Fingerprint Scanner Location Changed – The optical fingerprint scanner has been shifted down, which seems to be a strange placement. The scanner is not where your fingers naturally fall.
- Gorilla Glass 7i vs Victus 2 – OnePlus 12R had Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which could survive drops up to 2m. OnePlus 13R has Gorilla Glass 7i, which can handle drops from up to 1m.
Display: Are there any major improvements?
The display of OnePlus 13R is similar to the 12R, with a 1.5K AMOLED panel. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ are supported, which makes the experience of watching Netflix and YouTube better. One noticeable issue is that sometimes the display does not switch from 120Hz to 1Hz, which will hopefully be fixed with a software update.
Another feature is that the 13R uses a new PVX layer, which has been introduced to avoid the green line issue of OnePlus. Along with this, the brand is also offering lifetime warranty and 180 days exchange period if there is any problem with the display.
Battery: A Big Upgrade!
The battery of OnePlus 13R is 6,000mAh, which is quite impressive. Even if you do heavy usage, this phone will easily last for a day. In the battery test, I used YouTube, WhatsApp, video calls, and gaming and even after 7 hours of screen-on-time, 28% battery was left.
But there is also a problem. OnePlus 12R had a 100W charger, while 13R has only an 80W charger. Due to the larger battery, it takes up to 90 minutes to fully charge.
Cameras: What improvements did you get now?
The camera setup of OnePlus 13R is quite interesting. The 2MP macro lens that was given earlier has been replaced by a 50MP 2X telephoto lens. But there is a small problem – OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) support is not given in the telephoto lens, due to which zoom shots can sometimes become blurred.
- Primary Camera (50MP) – This is the same sensor that was in 12R, but optimization has been improved. In low light, images come out a little more bright and noise-free.
- Ultra-Wide Camera (8MP) – This is also the same, but decent.
- Telephoto Camera (50MP, 2X Zoom) – This is a welcome change, but the 2X zoom is nothing special.
- Selfie Camera (16MP) – There is no improvement in the fixed focus selfie camera. And yes, it can only record video up to 1080p 30fps, which seems a bit outdated in 2025.
Performance: Is OnePlus 13R Best for Gaming?
The OnePlus 13R comes with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which is a powerful chipset in this price range. With 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB UFS 4.0 storage, this phone is blazing fast.
Benchmark results are also quite impressive:
- Antutu Score – Comparable to iQOO 12
- Geekbench Score – High-end performance
- CPU Throttling Test – There is a little throttling, but there is no problem in daily usage
This phone is also solid in terms of gaming. Genshin Impact runs smoothly at 60FPS and BGMI also runs at 120FPS without any heating issue. Overall, this is a flagship killer phone in terms of performance.
Software: Is OxygenOS 15 Better?
OnePlus 13R comes with Android 15 based OxygenOS 15, which promises 4 years of OS updates and 6 years of security updates. The UI is smooth, the animations are fluid, and new AI features have also been given.
But there is one problem – bloatware.
- System Apps – Apex Launcher, Phone Manager, Theme Store cannot be uninstalled.
- Third-Party Apps – Facebook, Netflix, and LinkedIn can be uninstalled.
OnePlus 13R Vs. Competition: Is This the Best Choice?
If your budget is around ₹40,000, the OnePlus 13R is a strong contender. But there are other interesting options in this price range:
- Samsung Galaxy S23 – Better in terms of camera and software, but OnePlus 13R is better in battery and charging speed.
- Xiaomi 14 – It costs a little more, but the cameras and overall performance are better.
Final Verdict
The OnePlus 13R is not a perfect phone, but it is definitely a great all-rounder. If you want a powerful performance, smooth software experience, and strong battery life, then this phone is a solid choice. But if you want a better camera and a more premium build, you can look towards Samsung or Xiaomi.
If you have any more questions about OnePlus 13R, let us know in the comments. I will try my best to answer them!
