The plain alternative
In a sea of modest updates, the OnePlus 13R stands out for providing complete {hardware} upgrades, together with new silicon, a much bigger battery, and cameras that take higher photographs. The most effective half is that it nonetheless retains its value-focused pricing, and in the event you’re trying to decide up a brand new telephone in 2025, it might simply be the very best cut price round.
For
- Nice {hardware}
- Sturdy design
- Higher cameras on the again
- Longer-lasting battery
- Fluid software program with 4 Android OS updates
In opposition to
- Takes almost an hour to cost
- No eSIM
- Auxiliary cameras aren’t the very best
Previous its sell-by date
The OnePlus 12R remains to be a good machine by any measure, but it surely does not fairly measure as much as the 13R. The twin-curved design is not as sturdy, the {hardware} is not fairly as quick, and whereas the battery lasts a day, the 13R simply outshines it on this regard. You will not get as many software program updates both, and I might advocate getting the 13R in the event you want a brand new telephone.
For
- Twin-curved design
- {Hardware} nonetheless holds up
- Good digital camera on the again
- Battery simply lasts a day
In opposition to
- Poor auxiliary cameras
- Will not get as many software program updates
- Not nearly as good a price because the 13R
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: Design and show
The OnePlus 13R has a brand new design with flat sides, and actually, I am not a fan of the design. Whereas the OnePlus 13 has refined bevels to make it simpler to carry the machine, the 13R is boxy, and it makes holding and utilizing the telephone uncomfortable. It has an aluminum mid-frame, and whereas it’s technically thinner than the 12R, that is not evident when holding each telephones subsequent to 1 one other.
I just like the design of the OnePlus 12R higher; the dual-curved aesthetic makes the telephone a delight to make use of, and it simply feels higher. That stated, there’s an elevated threat of the entrance or rear panes of glass taking harm ought to the machine take a tumble, and the 13R switched to a boxy design to keep away from these points.
Each gadgets have the alert slider, and so they have fingerprint sensors situated awkwardly; the 12R has the module too excessive up on the panel, and the 13R has one which sits too low. Rounding out the design, the 12R will get IP64 mud and water resistance, with the 13R choosing up IP65. I’d have preferred to see IP67 on the machine, however that is not the case this time.
Switching over to the panel, each telephones use the identical 6.78-inch BOE AMOLED 120Hz display screen, with equivalent brightness and coloration vibrancy. There’s no situation with both machine in out of doors use, and so they do a fantastic job delivering vibrant colours in HDR content material and day by day use.
The one notable distinction is that the 13R has a totally flat panel, so in the event you’re not a fan of the design of the 12R, you will like what the producer is doing this time. Outdoors of that, the standard of the AMOLED panel itself is unchanged.
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: {Hardware}
The OnePlus 13R has a substantial leg up over the 12R, and that is as a result of it comes with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It has excellent efficiency in day by day use in addition to gaming, and I did not discover any slowdowns by any means. You additionally get 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage on the bottom mannequin, and 12GB of RAM as normal this time.
The 12R remains to be first rate sufficient on this space, however the base mannequin has an 8GB/128GB configuration, and also you simply get extra with the 13R. On that observe, the 13R has a much bigger 6000mAh battery as effectively, and is ready to final a day and a half with ease. In contrast, the 12R averages a day with heavy use.
| Class | OnePlus 13R | OnePlus 12R |
|---|---|---|
| OS | OxygenOS 15 based mostly on Android 15, 4 Android OS updates and 6 years of safety updates | OxygenOS 15 based mostly on Android 15, three Android OS updates and 4 years of safety updates |
| Show | 6.78-inch 120Hz LTPO AMOLED (2780×1264), HDR10+, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, 1,600 nits (HBM), 4,500 nits (HDR), Gorilla Glass 7i | 6.78-inch 120Hz LTPO AMOLED (2780×1264), HDR10+, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, 1,600 nits (HBM), 4,500 nits (HDR), Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Adreno 750, 4nm | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740, 4nm |
| RAM | 12GB/16GB | 8GB/12GB |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB UFS 4.0 | 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 |
| Rear digital camera 1 | 50MP f/1.8 foremost digital camera, OIS | 50MP f/1.8 foremost digital camera, OIS |
| Rear digital camera 2 | 50MP f/2.0 telephoto, 2x optical zoom | 8MP f./2.2 wide-angle |
| Rear digital camera 3 | 8MP f./2.2 wide-angle | 2MP macro |
| Entrance digital camera | 16MP f/2.4 | 16MP f/2.4 |
| Ingress safety | IP65 mud and water resistance | IP64 mud and water resistance |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Sub-6 5G bands, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, BeaconLink, AptX HD | Wi-Fi 7, Sub-6 5G bands, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, AptX HD |
| Safety | In-screen optical sensor | In-screen optical sensor |
| Audio | USB-C, stereo sound | USB-C, stereo sound |
| Battery | 6000mAh battery, 80W charging | 5500mAh battery, 100W charging |
| Dimensions | 161.7 x 75.8 x 8mm, 206g | 163.3 x 75.3 x 8.8mm, 207g |
| Colours | Astral Path, Nebula Noir | Iron Grey, Cool Blue, Sundown Dune |
There is not a lot else to speak about on the {hardware} facet of issues; each telephones have sturdy packages, however the 13R provides you further energy, and the battery lasts longer. That stated, the telephone takes significantly longer to cost, going as much as 56 minutes to cost the battery. The 12R, in the meantime, expenses in simply over half-hour.
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: Cameras
OnePlus is utilizing the identical 50MP foremost digital camera, however adjustments to the tuning algorithms imply you get higher photographs. There’s nonetheless some points with tonal steadiness in low-light eventualities, however on the entire, it’s a stronger bundle than final yr. You even get a 50MP 2x lens this time, however the 8MP wide-angle is identical because the 12R, and it’s simply as common as final yr.
On the entire, the 13R takes higher photographs in daylight conditions, and the 2x lens provides the machine an added versatility that is lacking on the 12R. Whereas the digital camera is not fairly nearly as good because the OnePlus 13, it’s among the many higher choices on this class, and the tweaks to the 13R permit it to take the lead.
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: Software program
The OnePlus 13R runs OxygenOS 15 based mostly on Android 15 out of the field, and the interface is fluid in common use. You aren’t getting many new options, however there may be added customizability, and that is all the time an excellent factor. The software program is closely styled, so in the event you want a minimal interface, your greatest wager remains to be a Pixel.
That stated, I did not discover any bugs or run into points on the software program entrance, and that is a refreshing change of tempo from earlier years. There’s bloatware out of the field, however it may be simply uninstalled. Outdoors of that, OxygenOS 15 is mostly nice, and it is good to see the UI not riddled with bugs at launch.
The 13R will decide up further updates as effectively, with the telephone slated to obtain 4 years of Android OS updates together with six years of safety updates. The 12R will get three Android OS updates (together with Android 15), so it will not transcend Android 17.
OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 12R: Which do you have to purchase?
If you’d like a brand new telephone and are deciding between these two decisions, you must simply get the OnePlus 13R. Whereas I do not just like the design as a lot, that is about the one main unfavourable over the 12R. The 13R has higher {hardware}, extra reminiscence and storage as normal, takes higher photographs, lasts longer, and can get extra updates.
The telephone prices $100 extra within the U.S., however you are in the end getting a greater general worth. It is a no-brainer in India, the place the OnePlus 13R prices the identical because the 12R; in the event you’re within the nation, you should purchase the 13R with none hesitation. Even in different areas, the variety of upgrades on provide make the OnePlus 13R my suggestion.
The plain alternative
That is my go-to suggestion in the event you want a telephone with highly effective {hardware} in 2025. It runs demanding video games with none points, the design is sturdy (if not the best-looking), the digital camera takes nice photographs, and the machine simply lasts a day and a half between expenses.
Previous its sell-by date
Except you get an unmissable low cost on the machine, I might recommend getting the 13R as an alternative. It simply provides you just a little additional, and contemplating there is not a lot of a distinction in price, you are getting a greater general telephone.
