As we hailed the OnePlus 13 as being one of the best Android phones of 2025, the OnePlus 15 undoubtedly has a lot to live up to.
So whether you’re sporting the OnePlus 13 and are debating an upgrade, or you’re just debating between the two, you’re in luck. We’ve reviewed both the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 13 and highlighted the key differences between the two below.
Keep reading to see which phone comes out on top, and whether the OnePlus 15 has what it takes to grace our best smartphones list.
Price and Availability
The OnePlus 15 is available now with a starting RRP of £849. Surprisingly, OnePlus kept the exact cost of the handset close to its chest, and instead offered a deposit pricing strategy. Essentially, this encouraged customers to pay a £99 deposit to secure the handset, with the rest payable after the phone’s official launch.
While last year’s OnePlus 13 has a starting RRP of £999, as it’s an older model it’s possible to pick up the Android with a price drop. For example, at the time of writing the OnePlus 13 is retailing on Amazon for £699.
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Design
- The alert slider is missing from the OnePlus 15
- OnePlus 13 has a curved front and back to soften its shape
- OnePlus 15 boasts an IP69K rating in addition to IP68 and IP69
The OnePlus 15 has seen a significant design change compared to the OnePlus 13. While the OnePlus 13 sports a curvier shape which helps the handset stand out from the crowd, the OnePlus 15 instead has the same flat edge and rounded corner design as most of its competitors.
Even so, it’s worth noting that the OnePlus 15 is still a well-built phone that’s nice to hold. In fact, we found that the flat edges offer better purchase than the older OnePlus phones. We’re just disappointed that it’s lost its visual edge.
The OnePlus 15 has also rid itself from the outdated alert slider that still sits proudly on the OnePlus 13, and is fitted with the Plus Key instead. OnePlus’ answer to Apple’s Action button, the Plus Key acts as a shortcut to certain apps including AI Mind Space and can be reprogrammed depending on your needs.
Finally, while both the OnePlus 15 and 13 have an IP68 and IP69 rating, the OnePlus 15 boasts an IP69K rating too. Typically found in equipment that needs to withstand high-pressure and high-temperature washdowns for hygiene, IP69K means the OnePlus 15 can handle jets and steam cleaning.
Winner: OnePlus 15
Screen
- OnePlus 15’s display is slightly smaller at 6.76-inches compared to 6.82
- Expect up to 165Hz refresh rate and 3200Hz touch response rate within the OnePlus 15
- OnePlus 13 reaches a peak brightness of 4500 nits
Both the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus 13 have brilliant screens that are hard to fault. However, there are a few differences between the two.
The most obvious difference is that the OnePlus 15 is slightly smaller at 6.76-inches compared to 6.82-inches. Although it’s a small discrepancy, it is worth keeping in mind if you plan on using your phone to watch content and play games.
Otherwise, the OnePlus 15 sports an abundance of premium screen technologies that make using the display a genuine joy. Not only does it boast a 1.5K resolution, it also sports an LTPO-enabled 165Hz refresh rate and a rapid 3200Hz touch response rate which is among the fastest in any smartphone. Could this mean the OnePlus 15 is a contender for our best gaming phones guide? We’ll explain more later.
Finally, unlike the OnePlus 13 which can reach a peak brightness of 4500 nits, the OnePlus 15 has instead focused on the fact it can reach 1800 nits in its regular high brightness mode. Although the difference may seem huge, high brightness mode is realistically what most of us will use in day-to-day life, and means the phone should be easy to see, even when it’s sunny outside.
Winner: OnePlus 15
Camera
- The OnePlus 15 doesn’t partner with Hasselblad, and instead relies on its own DetailMax algorithm for image processing
- Same 50MP trio of rear lenses, including a 3x periscope lens
- OnePlus 15 offers 4K@120fps with Dolby Vision, which is an Android first
OnePlus has gone its separate ways from Hasselblad this year and instead uses its own camera algorithm for image processing for the OnePlus 15. That’s a big change which will likely worry some, but fortunately we can confirm the OnePlus 15 remains a solid camera phone.
While both handsets are fitted with a 50MP main, 3x 50MP periscope and 50MP ultrawide at their rear, the OnePlus 15 does sport some welcome upgrades. In fact, the main lens has the same-sized sensor as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, while the periscope lens is 1/2.75-inch. Sure, the main sensor is undoubtedly the most capable and was able to take shots across all lighting conditions, the periscope lens is also a solid performer and even does a better job than the Pixel 10 at pushing past the 3.5x zoom mark.
The OnePlus 15 also boasts an Android first, as it offers 4K@120fps with Dolby Vision, which could help the handset seem more appealing to content creators over an iPhone.
That’s not to say the OnePlus 13 is a slouch. Although we did note some issues with zooming and using the macro feature, we concluded that shots were generally crisp and detailed, even during low lighting conditions.
Neither the OnePlus 15 or OnePlus 13 are camera-first handsets, so if photography is important to you then you’ll likely be better off searching through our best camera phones guide instead. However, both are decent all-rounders that will suit most people just fine.
Winner: OnePlus 15
Performance
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite
- Both handsets offer a blisteringly fast performance and play games brilliantly too
- Bypass charging is available on the OnePlus 15
The OnePlus 15 is one of the first wave of Androids to ship with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and, unsurprisingly, we’ve been seriously impressed with its performance. While its benchmarking scores show a surprisingly close gap between it and the Dimensity 9500, found in the Oppo Find X9 Pro, the handset runs smoothly and takes everything in its stride.
Plus, remember the OnePlus 15 supports up to 165Hz refresh rate, which means gaming is an absolute treat too. In fact, not only did the phone maintain its cool during longer periods of gameplay but it also supports bypass charging too.
Otherwise, running the show with the OnePlus 13 is Snapdragon 8 Elite. Sure, it’s now been succeeded by the Gen 5 edition, but it remains a brilliant choice for any Android user who wants speedy and powerful performance but isn’t necessarily fussed about splurging on the latest model.
Winner: OnePlus 15
Software
- OxygenOS is a highly customisable skin
- The latest OxygenOS 16 has new AI additions
- Both handsets only offer four years of OS upgrade, although OnePlus 15 does benefits from six years of security updates while the OnePlus 15 only offers five
OxygenOS is one of our favourite custom Android skins, as we feel it takes what Google has built and offers welcome improvements. It’s also highly customisable too, with resizable icons and folders, which is always a nice touch to make your phone feel your own.
The OnePlus 15 comes running on OxygenOS 16 which is fitted with plenty of new additions, including Plus Mind to store and organise screenshots and voice notes, alongside updates to existing AI features. Those updates are found in the likes of AI Writer which can now write social media captions based on the photo.
One area which somewhat lets both the OnePlus 15 and 13 down is with its software update promise. Both only promise four years of OS updates and the OnePlus 13 only provides up to five years of security upgrades. While the 15 offers six years of security upgrades, it still falls short from the likes of Google, Samsung and Honor flagships.
Winner: OnePlus 15
Battery
- OnePlus 15 is fitted with a 7300mAh battery
- OnePlus 15 supports 120W SuperVOOC and 50W wireless speeds
- Neither are quite two-day phones, but both offer brilliant efficiency
We were impressed with the OnePlus 13’s battery life, thanks to its mighty 6000mAh cell and speedy charging support. However, OnePlus has still offered us an upgrade with the 15.
In fact, the OnePlus 15 sports a massive 7300mAh cell, which means you can reasonably expect the handset to comfortably last for an entire day or so before needing a top-up. Having said that, as we found we ended busy days with over five hours of screen time with around 30-40% battery, the OnePlus 15 is not quite a two-day device.
Even so, as it supports 120W and 50W wireless charging, it shouldn’t take long to recharge fully. Just make sure you have the correct chargers to actually hit those speeds.
The OnePlus 13 also struggled to drain its battery during busy days, with our reviewer even struggling to drain half the battery with around three hours of screen time. While this doesn’t quite make the handset a two-day device, it means the phone can be used comfortably.
Winner: OnePlus 15
Verdict
With Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, brilliant gaming ability and a mammoth battery, the OnePlus 15 is undoubtedly an exciting handset and an easy contender for our best Android phones list. However, although the OnePlus 15 undoubtedly has improvements and upgrades, we’d argue the differences aren’t big enough to warrant upgrading from the OnePlus 13.
In fact, if you’re looking for a new Android but don’t want to splurge on the latest model, then we’d argue that the OnePlus 13 could be a more affordable alternative.
