The OnePlus 12 showcased just what OnePlus can achieve, and the device managed to hold its own against the best phones of 2024. The Chinese manufacturer is aiming to build on that with the OnePlus 13, which was just introduced in China.
OnePlus made a lot of changes to the design, and the OnePlus 13 doesn’t look like any other OnePlus device to date. You get the latest Qualcomm hardware, up to 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and new cameras with better Hasselblad tuning.
OnePlus 13: Price and release date
OnePlus unveiled the OnePlus 13 at a launch event in China on October 30, and the phone is set to go on sale starting November 4 in the country. There’s no mention of a global launch just yet, but if the OnePlus 12 was any indication, we should see the OnePlus 13 make its way outside China in the month of January.
That said, Xiaomi is making the Xiaomi 15 available globally earlier than usual, so it may just be that OnePlus decides to follow suit — I’ll update the post once I have additional details.
While it’s good to see the OnePlus 13 picking up so many upgrades, the phone is considerably costlier than last year: the base 12GB/256GB model starts at 4,499 Yuan ($630), the 12GB/512GB edition is 4,899 Yuan ($688), the 16GB/512GB version costs 5,299 Yuan ($744), and the 24GB/1TB model is 5,999 Yuan ($842).
We don’t know what the OnePlus 13 will cost globally, but there’s usually a $100 increase over what the device sells for in China, so we could be looking at a $750 or even $799 starting figure. Again, this is all conjecture, and we should have details in the coming weeks.
OnePlus 13: Design and screen
OnePlus used the same design aesthetic on its devices for a while now, but that’s changing with the OnePlus 13. The phone switches to flat sides — like so many devices available today — and it has a bulkier look as a result.
The OnePlus 13 is available in white, blue, and black variants, and the blue model in particular looks gorgeous. I like that OnePlus always delivers at least one unique color variant each year; the Flowy Emerald OnePlus 12 was the definite star this year, and it looks like that mantle is taken up by the blue model in 2025.
What’s also interesting is that the OnePlus 13 is available in a leather back. I’m fond of the leather used on the Find X7 Ultra, and it will be intriguing to see if the OnePlus 13 feels the same way in daily use.
Coming to the panel, OnePlus is once again using BOE as the manufacturer, and the OnePlus 13 retains the 6.82-inch AMOLED tech that we saw on the OnePlus 12. It has the same QHD+ resolution with 120Hz refresh, and goes up to the same 4500-nit brightness in HDR content and 1600 nits in regular use.
OnePlus 13: Specs
The OnePlus 13 has one of the best hardware packages you’ll get on any device. The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite, and it comes with up to 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. OnePlus didn’t launch this model globally last year, so it is likely that we’ll get the 16GB/512GB edition alongside the base 12GB/256GB model in most global markets.
The phone has the latest connectivity, USB-C over the USB 3.2 standard, NFC, and the usual set of audio codecs. What’s good to see is that it has IP69 water resistance, which is a higher tier than the usual IP68 that we see in this category. IP69 protects devices against jets of water (both hot and cold) in addition to all the usual safeguards, and Vivo’s X200 devices have the same protection.
Another upgrade is around the battery, with the device now coming with a 6000mAh battery. OnePlus is using a silicon-carbon cell to increase density, and because of the leather back and higher-density battery, the OnePlus 13 is actually lighter than the OnePlus 12.
OnePlus 13: Cameras
The OnePlus 12 introduced a set of new sensors, allowing it to take much better photos than any other OnePlus phone to date. The OnePlus 13 uses the same 50MP Sony LYT-808 main sensor, but it is joined by a new 50MP zoom lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and a 50MP wide-angle lens.
The wide-angle camera on the OnePlus 12 was average, so it will be interesting to see how the OnePlus 13 holds up in this regard. Although the device is using the same main camera, OnePlus is making changes to its camera algorithms to eke out better photos, and with Hasselblad tuning intact, the device should deliver photos and videos with better details — I’ll put this to the test once I get my hands on the device.
OnePlus 13: More to come
With the OnePlus 13 debuting in China, we don’t have to wait long to know more about the device’s global availability. It’s likely the device will head outside China in January, but with manufacturers wanting to launch their phones earlier than usual, it’s not unreasonable to assume the device will make its global debut in Q4 2024 itself.