The OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 12 continue the brand’s legacy of delivering high-performance smartphones with premium features at competitive prices.
Launched last week on the global stage, the OnePlus 13 offers flagship performance and high-end camera features at a very competitive price (USD $899.99/CAD $1249.99).
This article compares the two models in five critical areas: industrial design, display, performance, camera, and battery capacity.
Industrial Design: Extended Durability With iP69 support
OnePlus 13
The OnePlus 12 sets a high bar for industrial design with its streamlined aluminum frame, curved glass back, and carefully balanced weight distribution. Its elegant yet durable design has a circular camera housing that blends into the back panel. With the OnePlus 13, while keeping the same visual identity, the design language evolves, featuring a more refined and futuristic look. The OnePlus 13 adopts a flatter form factor, with sharper edges, a thinner and lighter profile, providing a more modern aesthetic. Materials have also been upgraded to enhance durability, including Crystal Shield Ultra Ceramic Glass on both front and back surfaces. One significant difference is the IP69 rating for the OnePlus 13, meaning the new phone can withstand water jets and high-temperature water in addition to water submersion (IP68). I saw the OnePlus 13 sustaining extended sessions in a washing machine during my briefing.
Display
Both the OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 13 feature AMOLED panels that offer vibrant colors and deep black. Both models sport a 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, ensuring smooth scrolling and fluid animations. The displays are similar, with the OnePlus 12 protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the OnePlus 13 uses Crystal Shield Ultra Ceramic Glass. Both displays offer high peak brightness of 4500 NITS and excellent HDR performance, making them ideal for media consumption and outdoor usage.
OnePlus 13: displaying an excellent photo of an iguana that I shot with the telephoto camera at 30X zoom.The 4500 nits (peak) AMOLED display is bright even in direct sunlight
Performance
The OnePlus 12 is equipped with last year’s Qualcomm flagship, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. This configuration ensures fast multitasking, efficient gaming, and responsive app performance. The OnePlus 13 features the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, launched last October, offering improved performance, enhanced power efficiency, and faster AI processing capabilities. For more details on the top differences between the two Qualcomm SoCs, read my article here.
RAM options extend to 24GB in the OnePlus 13, allowing for unparalleled multitasking performance. Benchmark results indicate a noticeable boost in processing speed and graphics rendering, positioning the OnePlus 13 as one of the fastest smartphones on the market.
Camera
Photography has become a key focus for OnePlus, and the OnePlus 12 introduced significant improvements in camera technology. Developed in collaboration with Hasselblad, the rear optical system features a triple-lens system with a 50MP main sensor, a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a 64MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom with EIS. The OnePlus 13 retains this triple-lens configuration but enhances its advanced image processing software and new AI features. The primary sensor on the OnePlus 13 is the same 50 MP SONY LYT-808 found in its predecessor with the same f/1.6 bright aperture and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). The key difference lies in the telephoto lens that offers a 3x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), combined with a new Sony sensor, the LYT-600, which captures more light and thus delivers better performance in low light. The 50MP ultrawide shooter is brighter with a f/2.0 aperture instead of a f/2.2, and features a wider field of view of 120°.
Battery Capacity
Battery performance is crucial for flagship smartphones, and OnePlus has made notable advancements in this area. The OnePlus 12 features a 5,400mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging wired (included in the box) and 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging. The OnePlus 13 introduced a larger 6,000mAh battery, which features 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging wired (included in the box) and supports up to 100W charging with the optional OnePlus SUPERVOOC 100W Dual Ports Power Adapter. Additionally, the OnePlus 13 launched alongside a new AIRVOOC 50W Magnetic Charger, offering fast wireless charging for compatible devices and reaching full charge in approximately 75 minutes. Charging advancements and efficiency improvements in both hardware and software contribute to better overall power management, ensuring that the OnePlus 13 delivers a longer-lasting and more reliable experience under heavy usage.
In conclusion, the OnePlus 13 represents a significant upgrade over the OnePlus 12, particularly in design, display, performance, and camera technology. While the OnePlus 12 remains a powerful and capable device, the OnePlus 13’s refinements and enhancements make it an appealing option for users seeking the latest innovations in smartphone technology.
Filed in . Read more about Android, Hasselblad, OnePlus, OnePlus 13, Snapdragon 8 Elite and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
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