OnePlus has lifted the lid on the OnePlus 13 and the more affordable OnePlus 13R – but what’s the difference between the two?
While the two might look fairly similar at a glance, there are big differences on offer, not only when it comes to core elements like performance but also camera performance and more. Conversely, there are a surprising number of similarities between the two, not only in terms of design but premium display features and even battery life.
With all that in mind, here’s how the OnePlus 13 compares to the OnePlus 13R on paper to help you decide which is best for your needs.
Pricing and availability
The OnePlus 13 is the more expensive of the two 2025 smartphones, starting at £899 with 256GB of storage or £999 if you want the top-end 512GB variant.
The OnePlus 13R is a more budget-friendly version of the flagship with a discounted price tag to match, coming in at £679 for its single 256GB variant.
Both smartphones are available to buy in the UK, US and EU right now following its international launch.
The OnePlus 13R has exclusive CPU scheduling tech
Though the OnePlus 13 is undoubtedly the more powerful of the two smartphones, sporting the 2025 flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite while the OnePlus 13R has the 2024 flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but the OnePlus 13R has a trick up its sleeve.
Framed as a gaming-focused smartphone, the OnePlus 13R sports what OnePlus calls CPU Scheduler technology. Not available on the regular OnePlus 13, the CPU Scheduler tech is said to help maximise the power and efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset specifically when gaming.
This should hopefully lead to both higher framerates and longer gaming sessions on the OnePlus 13R, but we’ll have to confirm how much of an effect this has in real-world use this has once we’ve reviewed the smartphone.
Both offer the latest LTPO screen tech
With the OnePlus 13R coming in as a more budget-friendly alternative to the full-fat flagship OnePlus 13, you might assume that there are key differences in screen tech – and that is true.
The OnePlus 13 has a slightly larger 6.82-inch screen than the OnePlus 13R’s 6.78-inch screen, along with a higher resolution and more accurate colours, but there’s one surprisingly high-end feature that’s consistent among the two smartphones; the inclusion of LTPO 4.1 screen technology.
While a relatively minor update to the LTPO 4.0 technology, it essentially allows for faster frame rate drops in the screen – though with LTPO 4.0 present in last year’s OnePlus 12R, the jump isn’t as noticeable as it is on the OnePlus 13, with the OnePlus 12 sporting older LTPO 3.0 tech.
That essentially allows the OnePlus 13 to drop from 120Hz to 60Hz in less than a second, compared to the three seconds from the OnePlus 12. This essentially helps further boost battery efficiency as the screen can drop down from high refresh rates quickly when not needed – i.e. when displaying a static screen.
The OnePlus 13 is more durable
The OnePlus 13 has the more durable design of the two, going by the specs on offer. The flagship offers not only the same IP68 dust and water resistance as other flagships, but goes a step further by also adding IP69 support. The latter essentially protects the phone against high-pressure hot water jets.
That improved durability also extends to the screen, which is protected by OnePlus’ Ceramic Guard technology that the company claims is 2x tougher than regular cover glass, hopefully negating scratches and even cracks when dropping the phone.
The OnePlus 13R can’t quite compete in this respect, capping out with the same IP65 protection often seen in the mid-range smartphone market, while the screen is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 7i. It might not be as tough as the Ceramic Guard, but it’s apparently 2x more scratch-resistant than regular smartphone glass for added peace of mind.
Durability aside, there are other big differences in terms of design; the OnePlus 13 sports a quad-curved glass screen with a matching microcurve transition on the edges of the smartphone, while the OnePlus 13R goes down the flat route with a completely flat screen and flat edges to match.
Colour-wise, you’ll find the OnePlus 13 available in Arctic Dawn, Black Eclipse and Midnight Ocean, with the latter sporting a vegan leather finish, while the OnePlus 13R is available in Astral Trail and Nebula Noir.
Both offer a massive battery
Regardless of whether you opt for the OnePlus 13 or 13R, you’ll be getting a massive 6000mAh battery. That’s an increase of 600mAh for the OnePlus 13, while the 13R sees a boost of 500mAh. The boosted battery capacity should translate to improved battery life, though that’s something we’ll have to confirm.
However, there are differences even here; while the 13R sports a single 6000mAh cell, the OnePlus 13 sports two 3000mAh cells.
That doesn’t have an effect on battery performance, but it does allow the OnePlus 13 to offer 100W charge speeds in place of the 80W on offer from the 13R, meaning the 13 should go from 0-100 a little faster despite the identical capacity on offer.
The OnePlus 13 has more capable cameras
One of the key areas of differentiation between the OnePlus 13 and the 13R is camera capabilities.
Being the flagship, the full-fat OnePlus 13 sports a trio of 50MP rear snappers comprised of a main, ultrawide and 3x telephoto that should deliver a versatile shooting experience.
The OnePlus 13R doesn’t reach quite lofty heights however; it sports a 50MP main with a smaller sensor, along with a 50MP 2x telephoto and an 8MP ultrawide.
It also lacks support for some of the OnePlus 13’s key new shooting modes including Action Mode or Clear Burst, though it does support Snapshot Mode for quick capture of photos alongside the same dual-exposure algorithm, though it’s limited to the main lens.
Early thoughts
If you want a flagship smartphone packed to the brim with high-end tech, some of which you won’t find on any other smartphone in 2025, the OnePlus 13 looks to be the best choice.
If, however, you can sacrifice elements like camera performance and durability, you could save yourself a pretty penny by opting for the more affordable OnePlus 13R.
