It ’s been suppose that great applied science alone does n’t plant innovation . Perhaps nowhere is this more ostensible than in OnePlus ’ R series phones . Last year’sOnePlus 12Rwas amongthe good smartphones of 2024 , not because it had the good cameras , fastest C.P.U. , or most sophisticated solidifying of hokey intelligence agency ( AI ) features — but because it bear amazing value for its $ 500 Leontyne Price tag . It was , without a doubtfulness , the honorable money you could expend on a smartphone .
In fact , the OnePlus 12R was so expectant that itleft us wondering what the company could perhaps do for an encore . Well , it ’s descend up with theOnePlus 13R , and it looks like it ’s a worthy successor to the OnePlus 12R ’s legacy . This year ’s example has manage to keep the OnePlus vibration alive while refine the design in some interesting way , make the common annual improvements to core specs like the CPU and take the cameras to a whole new layer .
It ’s not all sunlight and roses , though , as OnePlus has also taken some belittled whole tone back . Do the advance in this year ’s OnePlus 13R make up for the compromises and changes , and is the new model still providing good value at $ 100 more ? Let ’s dig in and find out .
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: specs
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: design
Flat - edged telephone are all the rage these day , so it ’s no surprisal that OnePlus is taking a cue from other smartphone vendor and incite away from the curves . The OnePlus 13R succeed its bounty sibling ’s aesthetic in near every means except for the more elaborate finish . You get matt edges , a flatter screen , and a photographic camera closed chain that stands on its own .
The iconic OnePlus aesthetic is still very present , but it feels like it ’s all grown up with this twelvemonth ’s models . last are the horizontal tangents that merge the camera ring into the edges , and the result is a more refined and understated look , as if OnePlus no longer postulate to advertise its front as loudly as it once did . The result is a classier and more refined design that feels simple and practical .
As the baby brother to the steel ’s flagship , the OnePlus 13R does n’t extend any microfiber or ultra - slick finishes . The company has leave behind its myriad aggregation of leafy vegetable in the rearview mirror this year , and the result is that the OnePlus 13R now comes in neutral blackened and whitish tones only . These get the company ’s common whimsical names of Nebula Noir and Astral Trail , but both practice the same matte methamphetamine hydrochloride . The Astral Trail gets a subtle artistic tactile sensation with a coiling pattern that flows outward from the camera .
While introductory blackness is a staple of most smartphone makers , OnePlus ’ decision to move to white - same finishes is a Modern move for its 2025 models , at least for those outside of China . The OnePlus 12R come in Iron Gray and a Cool Blue spectre that we thought was quite winning — although its showy finish could be a fingerprint attraction . The companionship later discharge a very guileful color variation in the form ofthe OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition .
By contrast , the OnePlus 13R seems downright walker . Maybe this is OnePlus getting more “ serious ” about its phones , and there ’s no dubiousness this twelvemonth ’s models have a much more no - meaninglessness search about them , but we ’re desire the company has something else up its arm for later this year .
Still , slap a shell on the OnePlus 13R , and you probably wo n’t give care much about the mundane neutrals . Still , that ’s a shame , as the fit and finish is skillful than ever . The choice to go all - in on matte glass means you wo n’t need to worry about fingerprints and smudges , and the building is substantial with firm and clicky buttons . It has a premium feel that matches its more professional looks .
OnePlus has also call for its durability up a notch this twelvemonth with an IP65 rating and the late Gorilla Glass 7i , both modest but noteworthy improvement over the OnePlus 12R ’s IP64 and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 . While the IP rating still does n’t match the IP68 of many other earpiece , it ’s fair for a phone in this price range .
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: display
If there was one area in which the OnePlus 12R punch well above its system of weights class , it was that phone ’s sensational 6.78 - in AMOLED gore . At 2780 x 1264 , it delivered a unco kinky 450 pixels per inch ( ppi ) and tolerate variable refresh rates from 1Hz to 120Hz , Dolby Vision and HDR10 + , and an orb - searing peak brightness level of 4,500 nits . It felt like a screen this good had no commercial enterprise being on a $ 500 smartphone , but there it was .
The OnePlus 13R has n’t moved the phonograph needle on display timber , but that ’s fine , as there ’s really no need . It ’s still a fantastic display with all the same eyeglasses that ’s unmatched in its monetary value range even a year after it first came to the OnePlus 12R.
Although the overall quality remains the same , OnePlus has made a significant design change by finally getting with the program and eliminating the curved edges . Curved displays have become something that now feels “ so last - 10 , ” but OnePlus obstinately held on with last year ’s models even as other flagship smartphones espouse Samsung ’s spark advance in go flat or nearly savourless .
OnePlus has take the latter approach with its flagship OnePlus 13 , which apply 2.5D quad - curve chalk , but the OnePlus 13R does n’t get quite as fancy . It ’s a rigorously savourless display . The edge are rounded off enough that it ’s still comfy to hold , standardized to what Apple and Samsung have done with their latest phones , but the display stop at the sides , making it more easy to use and eliminating the inadvertent screenland touches that we on occasion found ourselves experiencing on the OnePlus 12R.
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: performance
OnePlus has a nice habit of putting in high spirits - end chip in its smartphones . While its R - serial manikin lag behind its dear flagship each year , they do n’t do so by much . When the OnePlus 12 moved on to Qualcomm ’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 , the OnePlus 12R inherited the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 from the OnePlus 11 .
So , it ’s no surprise that it ’s repeating that move this yr by bring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 from last year ’s OnePlus 12 to the OnePlus 13R.
For context , that ’s the same chip find in every 2024 flagship , from Samsung’sGalaxy S24 UltraandZ Flip 6to theAsus ROG Phone 8 ProandXiaomi 14 . Among Android phones , it ’s surmount only by the Snapdragon 8 Elite — a bit that has yet to appear on any mainstream flagships beyond theOnePlus 13(although we ’ll undoubtedly soon see it arrive onthe Galaxy S25 lineup ) .
The more interesting interrogative sentence is whether any of this matters . Flagship smartphone silicon has achieve such a full stop of diminishing paying back that you ’d be hard - pressed to notice any performance difference in a phone sporting any chip in Qualcomm ’s forward-looking Snapdragon 8 series . The Gen 2 was no slouch and could handle the modish game without breaking a elbow grease , so an acclivity to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is only meaningful on paper . sure enough , the benchmark score higher , but who really cares if you are n’t going to apply the extra operation ?
The more important metric unit here is efficiency , but both the OnePlus 12R and OnePlus 13R have been designed to not only take vantage of what Qualcomm ’s silicon has to offer up but with surpassing thermal engineering that prevents them from even feeling lovesome under heavy consignment .
Practically utter , the most significant difference of opinion between the OnePlus 12R and OnePlus 13R is the RAM and storage capacities . The OnePlus 12R was available in two contour , letting you select either 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM , calculate on whether you opted for the 128 GB or 256 GB model . OnePlus is only propose a single 256 GB configuration of the OnePlus 13R this year , and it ’s split the difference in the RAM , offering 12 Gbit . We do n’t cogitate that handicap the telephone in day-after-day use ; it may be slightly disappointing for those who want to do laboured multitasking or run more demanding games , but that may be expecting too much from a $ 600 phone .
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: battery
electric battery capacities are another country in which OnePlus ’ budget phones have pushed the envelope . The OnePlus 12R packed in a 5,500mAh cellular telephone , and this year ’s OnePlus 13R ups that to 6,000mAh , cope with the battery from its more expensive sib .
Combine that sizeable shelling with the power efficiency of Qualcomm ’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip , and the result is a phone that will easily get you through two day of moderate to heavy use before it needs to see a courser . We ’re jolly certain you could tally three sidereal day with idle use .
While testing the OnePlus 13R , we put it through four hours of filmdom metre , including 100 minutes of gambling , and ended the twenty-four hour period with 61 % in the army tank . After another full mean solar day of use , with three hour of concealment clock time , the phone still had 18 % at lights - out . At no clip did we finger any concern that we would be left stranded . That ’s not to say you ca n’t stamp out it in a day ; you ’ll want to tamp a battery charger or battery multitude if you ’re a power substance abuser traveling , pilot , and snapping dozens of depiction while trying to detain connected to colleagues , friends , and home .
The OnePlus 12R does n’t fall behind by much . Its 5,500mAh cell and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will still easily get you through a full day of use and probably well into another , but you ’ll probably find yourself get nervous if you ’re away from a charger toward the ending of that 2nd day .
Sadly , there ’s one surprising area where the OnePlus 12R still has an edge over its replacement . OnePlus has always gasconade some of the quick charging f number , but for some cryptical rationality , it took a step rearwards with this year ’s R model , dropping from the 80W wire charging of the OnePlus 12R to 55W on the OnePlus 13R. That ’s still out front of what most other smartphones can do , but it ’s dissatisfactory when you cognize the ship’s company can — and has — done better .
To put this in position , the OnePlus 12R can go from zero to 100 % in about a half hour , while the OnePlus 13R will take nearly an 60 minutes to hit that same routine . The extra battery spirit helps make up for that , and you likely wo n’t care if you ’re plugging it in overnight ; you just wo n’t be get the quick top - ups that OnePlus is known for .
There ’s also no radio file here , but that ’s less surprising considering that it ’s been turn out from all of the anterior OnePlus gas constant models . The one patch of good intelligence is that the OnePlus 13R includes the SuperVOOC charger in the box , which is a pleasant surprisal considering the company select to omit that for the pricy OnePlus 13 .
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: cameras
In today ’s smartphone grocery store , it ’s typically the tv camera system that set the flagship example asunder . This means it ’s hard to expect too much from a phone in the $ 500 to $ 600 price reach , but the dependable news program is that OnePlus deport quite well here .
Neither of OnePlus ’ R models make the finely Hasselblad - tuned camera systems of their higher - remnant siblings , but they work over most other phone in their class by taking pic that go beyond merely being Instagram - worthy . The OnePlus 12R was competent , but this year ’s OnePlus 13R corrects some of the odd decisions from its precursor and benefits from the improved look-alike processing in Qualcomm ’s Modern chip .
The OnePlus 12R only boast two real lenses : a 50 - megapixel ( MP ) primary tv camera and an 8MP ultrawide . There was also a 2MP macro camera , but that was essentially useless and not worth study as part of the overall picture taking package . We find that shots from the 50MP main camera come out quite well under the right lighting conditions , but like most mid - range tv camera organization , it did n’t handle lower lighting or motion particularly well . The colour proportionality also sometimes seemed off by just enough that we wondered if OnePlus was making right habit of the picture sign processor in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 cow chip , and the lack of Hasselblad colour managementproduced shots that appeared dull and washed out compared to the OnePlus 12 .
That ’s not to say that the OnePlus 12R was n’t an equal camera ; the common wiseness in buying a smartphone is that you need to devote up if you need the best cameras , and OnePlus is no elision here . However , the OnePlus 13R has made enough improvements that we feel it should hold its own much well against pricier flagships .
For one thing , the OnePlus 13R now sport a proper triple - lense camera , ditching the unmentionable macro detector for a proper 50MP telephoto camera . That only has a 2x visual rapid growth , which lags behind in an era when most modern phone are going to 3x or 5x , but it ’s still a nice improvement , and it takes amazingly full photos that are much more raw and balanced even without the Hasselblad integration . The 8MP ultrawide sensor is still a turn disappointing in resolve , but at least it gets the color balance right this year .
The OnePlus 13R may not be the just camera organisation in its class , but it ’s certainly a top contender . Those who want extreme rapid climb ranges or more versatility from their smartphones should consider a high - end flagship , but we do n’t think you’re able to go improper with the OnePlus 13R for its price ; the cameras are one of the good cause to choose for it over the anterior model , and may even be enough to win over some folk to upgrade .
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: software and updates
Like prior models , the OnePlus 13R ships with the in vogue version of Android and the caller ’s own OxygenOS layered on top . This year , that ’s Android 15 and OxygenOS 15 , with a promise of four years of osmium updates and six years of security updates .
The OnePlus 12R came with Android 14 and OxygenOS 14 and a shorter run of updates , with the party promising three days of major atomic number 76 update and four old age of security measures patches . However , Android 15 and OxygenOS 15 have already slowly begun rolling out to the OnePlus 12R , which puts it mostly on equality with the newer fashion model for core software features , although a few are limited to the newer models .
For lesson , the OnePlus 13R leans a bit more heavily into AI , with OxygenOS 15 precede bread and butter for Google Gemini and Intelligent Search — but only on the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R. The company has been vague on whether other AI feature film are coming to the OnePlus 12R ; many of them are n’t present in the initial OxygenOS 15 release , but there have been hints that some may be rolled out later .
leave the AI stuff and nonsense aside , OxygenOS 15 has turned out to be a pleasant surprisal . After years of feeling a bit weird and rudderless , OxygenOS 14 improved things nicely , and this year , OxygenOS 15 refines that further . It ’s tight , reactive , and visually appealing while also adding a unequaled split - screen door multitasking feature . If you ’ve been wrick off by OxygenOS in the past , the latest interpretation warrants another look , and those who have been fans of more recent OxygenOS releases will find a raft to like here .
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: special features
The OnePlus 12R and OnePlus 13R both have a few unique feature of speech in common , including an infrared ( IR ) chargeman that allow you habituate it as a outback ascendance for IR twist like TVs , stereos , and air conditioners . There was a time when this was a staple of many smartphones , but it ’s something most manufacturing business have left behind . It ’s a overnice touch that OnePlus still includes it .
The subject Canvas multitasking organization also comes over from theOnePlus Open , letting you take reward of the foldaway ’s potent split - screen multitasking features on the single display . It ’s a tonic improvement on Android ’s standard multitasking system and makes it much easier to bounce back and off between apps .
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: price and availability
The OnePlus 13R now starts at $ 100 more than its forerunner , but the reality of that price increase is a bit more complicated . This yr ’s model comes in a single conformation with 256 GB of storage and 12 GB of RAM for $ 600 , but that ’s not far off from what the OnePlus 12R offered for the same Leontyne Price .
At launch , the OnePlus 12R offered a selection between a 128 GB version with 8 GB of RAM for $ 500 or a 256 GB one with 16 GB of Aries for $ 600 . This means the OnePlus 13R offers the same memory as the $ 600 OnePlus 12R , only with slightly less RAM . However , 12 GB is a healthy amount of RAM for a midrange smartphone , and we reckon the other advance in the camera arrangement , processor , and battery biography more than compensate for it anyway .
However , now that the OnePlus 13R is out , the root word OnePlus 12R has dropped to $ 300 for the 128GB/8 GB model and $ 400 for the 256GB/16 GB version . As before , you ’ll need to opt for the pricier one if you want the Cool Blue finish .
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: verdict
There ’s a high monetary value of admission to the OnePlus family this class , but you ’re get even more exceptional time value for the price . The OnePlus 13R make some big and bluff footprint forward , but it also makes two smaller steps back .
On the upper side , theOnePlus 13Rdelivers an excellent photographic camera organization , an easy two - day battery life history , the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip , and a more urbane and professional blueprint . The computer software update policy is even more generous , with four old age of update that will keep it current for at least two old age more than theOnePlus 12R.
unhappily , that comes with slow wireless charging and a departure from OnePlus ’ more fun and whimsical design and colors . To be clear , we do n’t think either of these is a deal - breaker ; design is entirely subjective , and 55W wired charging still runs circles around most of the competition — it ’s only a downgrade by OnePlus ’ own standards . The OnePlus 13R also still lacks wireless charging , but that ’s not the least piece surprising as OnePlushas had a foreign kinship with wireless charging over the years . We ’re just happy it deliver to theOnePlus 12last yr , but expect it on the troupe ’s radius series model is probably ask for too much .
The bottom product line is that the OnePlus 13R easily takes its predecessor ’s pate as the effective $ 600 you may expend on a smartphone . It has improved everything significant from the OnePlus 12R , and while insurance premium flagships propose more features , the incredible value the OnePlus 13R provides will make you interrogate whether you really ask to spend more money on any of those things .
While the OnePlus 13R beats it out in nearly every fashion , the OnePlus 12R is still a very solid steal for those on a tight budget since you’re able to now get in for as little as $ 300 . You ’re still getting a powerful phone with flagship silicon , most of the new features in OxygenOS 15 , an satisfactory camera system , quicker wired charging , and very respectable battery life .
Buy the OnePlus 13R :
purchase the OnePlus 12R :
