Last week , OnePlus unveil its latest flagship phone . There ’s a lot to get worked up about this time around . TheOnePlus 13is not your usual twelvemonth - over - yr upgrade that is merely doing its refresh due diligence . It ’s the biggest sign forthe fault across the total smartphone segment this twelvemonth .
Once again , the plan is familiar , but there are enough changes to recognize the OnePlus 13 from any other speech sound that the company has made so far . I was favourable to get my mitt on the blue clipping , which is likely going to drive the most requirement .
OnePlus is no alien to experimenting with leather . On the OnePlus 13 , however , the situation is exceptional for a twosome of intellect . Midnight Ocean , as OnePlus like to call it , offers a lovely contrast between the lustrous metallic framing , a tastefully execute radiate line work on the camera island , and blue leather .
Flatter, sturdier, and flashier
“ Our Midnight Ocean variant of the OnePlus 13 use an industry - first microfiber vegan leather , ” Marcel Campos , marketing director of OnePlus North America , tell me . He points out that it is lightweight , ranks higher on the strength shell , and offer a agio in - hand feel .
I quite like it . The vegan leather does n’t look or feel like the credit card - made faux leather carapace that a handful of smartphones have lately embraced . The lenient texture and surface lines do an admirable job of invoking the luxury you get from leather paraphernalia .
My experience , however , has n’t been stellar with leather on phones . In the past couple of years , at least two earphone — one of them being a premium twist — attracted scuff marks , and discolouration raised its ugly pass within a few weeks of usage .
I call for OnePlus if its phone would stand the psychometric test of element . “ It is tolerant to high temperatures , corrosion , and scratches , ” emphasise Campos . I have pass a few calendar week with the phone without a case and have n’t encountered any unsightly scratches or felt the penury to wipe it clean .
But there is more to this earphone than foregather the centre : The OnePlus 13 is the most resilient phone the fellowship has made so far . All that oomph comes with a fresh design , one that watch the brand exuviate curved video display and embrace flat sides . gratefully , the edge are subtly curving and do n’t stab into your laurel wreath .
One would intend that abandoning the render - and - tested glass - alloy hybrid would incur some penalty . Thankfully , OnePlus has achieved quite the diametrical effect . The OnePlus 13 arrives on the conniption with IP68 and IP69protection , which is the best you could get right now .
The likes of Samsung and Apple sit a notch lower at the IP68 monetary standard . The jump to the IP69 tier might not seem consequential , but in reality , it elicit the sound ’s survival above mere submerging in water .
“ IP68 addresses submersion in fresh water whereas IP69 address gamey temperature and high pressure , ” explains Campos . In grammatical case there are care , that academic degree of protection against debris and water supply extends to all exemplar , include the vegan leather baby .
Rethinking curves
There ’s an preternatural casualness with the OnePlus 13 . That ’s because the curved display is gone , and so are the bulging sides . The remarkable displacement in aesthetic would make a lot of people well-chosen , especially those concerned about the durability and ergonomics of sloping Methedrine CRT screen .
It seems that after years of seeing users ranting on Reddit and community forums , OnePlus has paid heed to their core concerns . Or maybe , the vibration has changed internally , and the flat - screen stans finally gain the upper hand — for the most part , that is . Why , though ?
“ This increase the enduringness on the most frequent point of inter-group communication during accidental contact and drop , ” Campos explain . “ We call this excogitation a ‘ quadriceps - curved ’ screen where each of the corner curve inwards smoothly , provide the residuum of the screen to persist flat . ”
There ’s an uncanny casualness with the OnePlus 13 .
It ’s not quite a schoolbook matt show , however . OnePlus aver it ’s a musculus quadriceps femoris - curved sieve . If you look intimately , there ’s a subtle slope to the glass on all side . The curvature is tastefully execute , as it agree the curve on the rearward cuticle , creating a attractively symmetrical side profile . Neat work there , OnePlus .
Campos tell those bend are n’t oculus candy . On the contrary , they make the concealment resilient to liaison events , like edge hump or falls . “ They ’re strategic curves that reduce the overall angulate nature of the display surface and understate potential cracks on the most delicate zones , ” Campos says .
To lift the saloon further , OnePlus has used nano - crystal clear ceramic methamphetamine hydrochloride on its new earphone , crediting it with 2x high toughness and a 70 % boost drop cloth resistance . The display stack also comes with a few other surprises .
Beyond the luxurious looks
Aside from the self - explanatory mitt mode , the OnePlus 13 do an improved Aqua Touch feature . The final result is seamless touch fundamental interaction , irrespective of the oil colour on your fingertip , water on the screen , or a pouch cover the phone .
So far , the proprietary Aqua Touch technical school has rely on a standalone poker chip to do its job . Within the 2nd - gen iteration of the Aqua Touch system , the whole stack is tied to the software system word of mouth and extra firepower afford by the atomic number 14 .
“ In the novel and improved Aqua Touch 2.0 , it is software - based , leveraging the mightiness that only the unexampled Snapdragon 8 Elite can pitch to discharge this job , ” Campos say . The OnePlus executive told me that the squad developed no less than 46 proprietary touch control algorithmic program to improve the experience .
OnePlus ’ web site lists a 6,000mAh battery as one of the OnePlus 13 ’s key features . For a lot of partizan , that ’s the most practical upgrade . At the moment , the OnePlus earphone is in the exclusive conference of phones that touch those battery - size figures . Once again , it came with some groundbreaking tinkering .
“ To fit a battery this big into the gimmick , OnePlus develop a stain new silicon NanoStack battery with 10 % atomic number 14 - carbon , ” Campos assure me . The engineering team managed to increase the energy density without any increase in size .
The silicon went to the anode part of the shelling cell , offering higher electrical capacity in a little package . The technical school is already gaining tractionand will appear in more phones as we move further into the ongoing year .
gratefully , a change in the assault and battery chemistry has n’t take a cost on OnePlus ’ theme song speciality : blazing - fast charging . The OnePlus 13 maintains its huge track in the North American mart with support for 80W fast charging , near twice as tight as its Apple and Samsung challenger .
At the end of the day , the OnePlus 13 is the firebrand ’s sheer attempt yet — even more so than its experiment with “ Pro ” flagships . This one carries the burden of top - category engineering instauration without will behind the traits that define a OnePlus phone .
The OnePlus 13 is available now and begin at $ 900 .
