I’ve always been a fan of big-screen phones. If it’s a choice between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Max, I’m going for the Pro Max.
I love the extra screen real estate when I’m playing games, the improved cooling on offer, and I particularly enjoy the more capacious battery that a larger chassis can provide.
But I’ve been wavering recently – and it all started with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.
The Galaxy S25 Edge made the S25 Ultra feel too bulky
I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge a few weeks ago and, to say that it’s thin and light is an understatement. It measures in at just 5.8mm thick and 163g.
Compared to the 8.2mm-thick, 218g Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra that has become my ‘main’ phone over the past few months, the S25 Edge wasn’t just a pleasure to hold and use; it was transformational.
The combination of a thin chassis and lightweight design made for an exceptionally comfortable in-hand feel, without feeling like the phone was digging into the palm of my hand. It made me realise just how thick and heavy modern flagship phones are – especially those with big screens.
With minor changes in weight and thickness of big-screen flagships hard to track between generations, comparing the two side by side really opened my eyes.
That was fine when I was using the S25 Edge, but once I passed it over to my colleague Cam for its YouTube showcase, I put my SIM back into the S25 Ultra – and it just felt different.
I no longer had the same feeling about the phone that I had months prior; it now feels too big and too bulky, a combination of that exceptionally large 6.9-inch screen and its overall weight and dimensions.
As such, I haven’t really enjoyed my time with the S25 Ultra over the past few weeks as I would’ve just a few months ago.
But that’s where the OnePlus 13s comes in.
The OnePlus 13s is the perfect remedy
The new OnePlus 13s is, essentially, a more compact version of the flagship OnePlus 13, sporting a 6.3-inch AMOLED screen in place of the flagship’s 6.8-inch alternative. Combined with its flat edges and 185g weight, that’s 33g lighter than the S25 Ultra, it seemed like the perfect remedy to my big phone fatigue.
However, the OnePlus 13s is an India-exclusive phone, with no plans to come to the UK. That said, I still managed to get my hands on a sample to see what all the fuss was about – and I’ve been very impressed with it so far.
And yes, it mainly boils down to the more compact size and how much more comfortable it feels to use than my S25 Ultra. The 6.3-inch screen may be more compact, but it’s still a solid size for scrolling through apps and playing games, with the added benefit of not having to over-reach to tap the top of the screen.
Despite its compact dimensions, it’s actually the same thickness as the S25 Ultra at 8.2mm, but I don’t really notice that here – likely aided in part by an ever-so-slight chamfer to those flat edges.
Am I a compact phone convert? I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I could well be. Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better – especially when it comes to the OnePlus 13s.
Small size without compromise
The problem with most small-screen phones is the compromise; a smaller chassis usually translates to a smaller battery, slower charging and sometimes even less impressive display tech. Compare the Galaxy S25 to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, or even the S25 Plus, and you’ll see what I mean.
But that’s what makes the OnePlus 13s so special; there isn’t really much of a compromise on offer here. It’s every bit a flagship experience, just in a slightly smaller-than-usual package.
That starts with the top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite, combined with 12GB of RAM and 256- or 512GB of storage. As you might expect, that translates to impressive day-to-day performance with the phone able to handle whatever I threw at it, including a few solid sessions in Crashlands 2.
That top-end experience extends to screen tech; despite the compact 6.3-inch size, the screen comes packed with much of the same tech as the flagship OnePlus 13 including an LTPO-enabled 120Hz refresh rate, PWM dimming tech, support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HDR Vivid and a pixel-packed resolution that translates to an impressive 460ppi pixel density.
There’s also a dual combination of 50MP cameras on the rear; a 50MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS, and a 50MP 2x telephoto lens to get you a little closer to the action. Granted, it can’t hold a candle to the S25 Ultra or even the OnePlus 13 in terms of versatility, but the results I’ve achieved so far are, generally speaking, good enough for my needs.
It’s the battery life that really makes this compact phone stand out though; while other small-screen phones offer matching small batteries, the OnePlus 13s goes in the other direction. With silicon-carbon technology that allows for bigger batteries in smaller forms, the 13s actually sports a larger 5850mAh battery than the 5000mAh S25 Ultra.
Combined with the smaller, more energy-efficient screen, the OnePlus 13s has delivered some of the best battery life I’ve ever had from a smartphone. On one day, I managed to get just shy of four hours of screen time – including a gaming session and TikTok binge – and still got to bed with 62% charge in the tank. That’s unheard of, especially from a 6.3-inch phone.
It also goes all-in on charging, offering 80W SuperVOOC charging support, and a rapid charger comes in the box – in India, anyway. Compared to the 25W from small-size counterparts like the Galaxy S25 and iPhone 16, it’s a night-and-day difference.
It’s safe to say that, with a combination of specs like that, I’ve had very little to complain about over the past few days.
Sure, it lacks elements like wireless charging and a dedicated ultrawide camera, but I think these are the right trade-offs to make when space is at a premium – and let’s not forget, the OnePlus 13s is cheaper than the full-fat 13.
Still, with OnePlus’ decision to limit the launch of the OnePlus 13s to India, it’s not a decision many of us will have to make in the near future – and that’s a shame, because I really am enamoured with it right now.
