OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R: All the differences

OnePlus has rung in the new year with a pair of new phones, and knowing the OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R differences could help you decide if either device deserves a place in your pocket.

This is the second consecutive year OnePlus has gone with a two-phone approach, releasing both a flagship device and a scaled-back R series phone that retains some of the premium features of its counterpart while offering a lower price. In a year where OnePlus raised the price of its flagship phone, the OnePlus 13R could be a compelling alternative — it it doesn't sacrifice too many features.

Even with the higher starting price, the OnePlus 13 is a compelling option for anyone who wants the best Android phone available. In his OnePlus 13 review, my colleague Richard Priday praises the new flagship's stellar battery life and performance and marvels at how much the cameras have improved over last year's OnePlus flagship.

We're still testing the OnePlus 13R, but a quick glance at the phone's spec sheet tells us whether the $300 difference between the price of these two OnePlus devices is as big as it seems.

Here's how a OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R comparison shakes out.

OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R: Specs

OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R: Price and availability

The OnePlus 13 starts at $899/£899; in the U.S., that's a $100 hike from what the OnePlus 12 cost when that phone debuted last year. Trade-in offers through OnePlus can lower the cost of the OnePlus 13, but you're still paying more than you would have a year ago.

The OnePlus 13R didn't see a price increase in the U.S., as the 256GB version of the phone matches the $599 price of the same OnePlus 12R model. (In the U.K., prices rose slightly year-over-year from £649 to £679.) However, the OnePlus 12R also came in a $499 128GB version, which is absent from the OnePlus lineup this year. In other words, you no longer have the option of getting OnePlus' R series model for less than $500.

Still, the bottom line is that the OnePlus 13R costs $300 less than the OnePlus 13, a price difference that OnePlus makes up by scaling back on some of the features in it includes in the R Series model. You can buy the OnePlus 13 right now, while the OnePlus 13R doesn't go on sale until January 14.

OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R: Design and display

The OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R offer matching looks, with a circular camera area positioned in the left-hand corner of the phones' respective backs. There's no Hasselblad branding on the 13R — a hint of some potential camera performance differences between the two phones, but otherwise, you'd have a hard time distinguishing between the two models.

It seems like the OnePlus 13 is more durable than its counterpart, with a Ceramic Guard material to prevent scratches and damage to the back and display of the phone. In contrast, the OnePlus 13R turns to Gorilla Glass 7i for protection. While the IP68 and IP69 water resistance ratings on the OnePlus 13 mean it can withstand both a dunk in water and high-pressure jets of water, the OnePlus 13R's IP64 status means it can survive water spray, but that's the extent of it.

The OnePlus 13 is marginally taller, wider and thicker than the OnePlus 13R, mostly to accommodate a larger screen. You get a 6.82-inch panel on the flagship phone, compared to a 6.78-inch screen on the OnePlus 13R. Resolution is sharper on the OnePlus 13, too, though both phones can adjust their refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz as on-screen activity demands.

With the OnePlus 13, you can choose between white-ish silver, black and blue colors. There are just two options for the OnePlus 13R — silver and black.

OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R: Cameras

As noted above, the OnePlus 13R doesn't benefit from the partnership with Hasselblad that has helped OnePlus dramatically improve the camera performance of its flagship phones. In our OnePlus 13 testing, for example, the new flagship produced photos that held up well against some of the best camera phones, particularly when it came to portrait shots and low-light settings.

We'll need to test the OnePlus 13R against phones in its price range to see whether its cameras are up to snuff and if the lack of Hasselblad involvement makes a big difference in the final output.

On paper at least, the OnePlus 13 offers the more powerful hardware. The phone features three 50MP cameras — a main shooter plus ultrawide and telephoto lenses. That latter camera can support a 3x optical zoom, while a 32MP front camera completes the OnePlus 13 setup.

The cameras on the OnePlus 13R are nothing to dismiss out of hand, though. It features a 50MP main camera and 8MP ultrawide on back, and unlike the OnePlus 12R which offered a macro lens, the 13R's third camera is a 50MP telephoto one — albeit one that seems to specialize in portrait shots. At any rate, the zoom lens on the OnePlus 13R is limited to 2x optical zooms. The OnePlus 13R features a 16MP camera up front.

OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R: Performance

One of the most significant OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R features hinges on the chipset each phone uses. For its flagship model, OnePlus turns to the latest Qualcomm silicon in the form of the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The OnePlus 13R uses an older chipset, though it's not that much older, as you'll find a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 system-on-chip inside that handset.

We haven't had the chance to benchmark the OnePlus 13R, but we can compare the numbers from the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered OnePlus 13 to last year's OnePlus 12, since the older phone also used a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. The OnePlus 13 improves upon the OnePlus 12's Geekbench scores by 32% in the single-core test and 39% in the multi-core test. That suggests a significant boost in CPU power enjoyed by OnePlus' flagship over the 13R.

Graphics gains proved to be a little bit more modest, with the OnePlus 13 churning out 13% more frames per second in the Wild Life Unlimited Extreme test compared to the OnePlus 12. Gamers may be able to turn to the OnePlus 13R for a lower-cost device that still handles graphics well.

You get greater configuration flexibility with the OnePlus 13, which is available in a 16GB/512GB version to go with the base model and its 12GB of RAM alongside 256GB of on-board storage. The OnePlus 13R comes in a single 12GB/256GB configuration.

OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R: Battery life and charging

Last year, battery life proved to be one area where having a OnePlus flagship phone didn't matter, as the OnePlus 12R actually posted the superior time on our battery test. Of course, with both phones lasting more than 17 hours on that test, either the OnePlus 12 or 12R would have been a fine choice if you value going a long time between charges.

The OnePlus 13 sets a new standard for battery life among OnePlus phones, after it posted a time of 19 hours and 45 minutes on our test, in which a phone surfs the web continuously over cellular until it runs out of power. While an impressive time — the OnePlus 13 is currently No. 2 on our best phone battery life list — the OnePlus 13R is well-positioned to match that. Not only are the power management features on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 well regarded, the OnePlus 13R also has the same-szed battery as the OnePlus 13, with a 6,000 mAh power pack inside of both phones.

On those occasions where you do need to charge the phone, both the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R support up to 80W charging in the U.S. and 100W charging in other parts of the world. Note that the OnePlus 13R ships with a 55W charger, so if you want the faster speeds, you'll need to buy a separate charing accessory. As for wireless charging, the OnePlus 13 supports that feature and the OnePlus 13R does not.

OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R: Software and special features

Both new OnePlus phones run the OxygenOS 15 software built on Android 15. As a result, the same AI features available on the OnePlus 13 also appear on the OnePlus 13R. That means you'll be able to take advantage of the same AI photo editing tools that OnePlus 13 users enjoy even if you opt for the cheaper phone. Other AI capabilities include Intelligent Search for tracking down content stored on your phone with relative ease, plus mainstays like Circle to Search and tools that can tidy up your notes.

Last year, we praised Samsung's Galaxy S24 FE for delivering Samsung's Galaxy AI features at a lower cost than the rest of the Galaxy S24 flagships. It's nice to see OnePlus do the same with the OnePlus 13R and the OnePlus 13's feature set. BeaconLink, a walkie-talkie-esque tool debuting on the OnePlus 13 also appears on the OnePlus 13R.

There's no difference in software support, either. Both OnePlus 13 models will receive four years of Android software updates plus two extra year of security support. That's not as generous as what Samsung and Google provide top phones, but at least it's not an either/or situation among OnePlus devices.

OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R: Outlook

We've already seen what the OnePlus 13 can do — it sets a standard for other Android flagship phones coming out this year, particularly with how long it can last on a charge and how well its cameras perform. Is it worth giving that up to save $300 on your next phone?

We'll be able to answer that question more thoroughly after completing our OnePlus 13R tests. Right now, it seems like the biggest potential sacrifices you'll make for a lower price tag involve overall performance and photo quality, though it's hard to say how big the drop-off will be in that latter category until we get a chance to use the OnePlus 13R cameras. The OnePlus 13 also sounds like it's more durable, and it offers a slightly bigger and better display.

Unless those factors are deal-breakers, though, the OnePlus 13R could be a compelling lower-cost option. We'll have the final word on a OnePlus 13 vs. OnePlus 13R comparison once we finish reviewing OnePlus' midrange phone.

More from Tom's Guide

• 7 OnePlus 13 features to try first
• Best phones — where the OnePlus 13 ranks
• The OnePlus 13's battery life is amazingly good