2024 might have a couple of months left in it, but we’re already getting a head start on 2025 flagships. Not long after Xiaomi showed off its latest trio of flagships, OnePlus is here with its own Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered device. Despite the early announcement, though, you’ll need to keep waiting for the OnePlus 13 to actually hit the US. As with previous OnePlus launches, this one is China-exclusive for the time being — but that doesn’t mean we aren’t getting a good preview of what’s to come.
Despite the up-and-down nature of OnePlus — usually great hardware, occasionally bad software — I can’t help but feel pretty excited for the OnePlus 13. This year’s 12-series offered two fantastic experiences at excellent prices, and if this device can do that once it hits North America, it could give Samsung a serious run for its money. And, in my eyes, the biggest change of all happens to be one I’ve been begging for for years, one that could make the OnePlus 13 my preferred daily driver in 2025.
Say goodbye (mostly) to curved screens
A flatter, edgier OnePlus is in your future
Source: OnePlus
Yes, the 6.82-inch display is now flat — well, sort of. It’s still using 2.5D curved glass that wraps into the flat frame along the edge of the phone. We’ll have to see how it feels when we get our hands on the device in the months to come, but regardless, it should represent a big upgrade over the curved panels used on older OnePlus devices. As usual, this AMOLED panel has all the bells and whistles you could ask for, including a 120Hz refresh rate with LTPO support, 1,600 nits of peak brightness in high brightness mode, and full HDR support.
It’s not the only thing that’s new and improved here. OnePlus phones are, traditionally, battery champs — albeit occasionally at the cost of delayed notifications thanks to some serious app deep sleeping — and the OnePlus 13 should be no different. With a massive 6,000mAh cell, I’d be hard-pressed to imagine killing this thing in a single day without trying, but if you do, it still supports the usual 100W fast-charging and 50W wireless fast-charging speeds you’ve come to expect from the brand. (We expect the North American model to charge at 80W.)
Keep in mind, some of these specs may change on the North American model.
Unfortunately, it’s not all good news on the battery front. We’d heard through the rumor mill that the OnePlus 13 might become one of the first major Android flagships to support Qi2 charging, but it seems like that’s not the case. While OnePlus is selling first-party cases that include magnetic accessories, the phones themselves do not actually support the standard. Bummer. We’ll have to wait and see if those cases make their way to North America in the coming months.
Source: OnePlus
A couple of other smaller changes round out the list, including a swap to an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and a boost to IP69 water and dust resistance, making it the first major smartphone in my memory to do so. According to the IEC’s own metrics, the difference between IPX8 and IPX9 water resistance comes down to high pressure and high temperatures, rather than just being protected against full immersion. In other words, your shower just got a whole lot less dangerous for your future OnePlus 13.
Otherwise, this seems like a pretty standard follow-up to the OnePlus 12. The design, while refreshed, isn’t out of left field by any means — just look at how the camera module remains basically the same — though it does come in some excellent new colors, including a gorgeous blue-and-silver combination in vegan leather. OnePlus is also incorporating 50MP sensors across the board, with the usual Hasselblad color tuning.
Source: OnePlus
In China, the OnePlus 13 starts at CNY 4,799 ($675), which represents a small price bump over last year’s OnePlus 12. It’s available in configurations of 12GB, 16GB, and 24GB of RAM — perfect for the AI-focused OxygenOS 15 update announced last week — along with up to 1TB of storage. As for when it’ll make its way over to the US, history suggests about a two month wait. Mark those calendars for early January — it’ll be flagship season before you know it. Let’s hope the launch goes better than it has in recent history.
OnePlus 13
The OnePlus 13 is official — in China, that is. After weeks of rumors, we finally know what’s coming for the next flagship for OnePlus. With a fresh design, a (mostly) curveless display, and a massive 6,000mAh battery, this could be the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered smartphone to beat once it touches down in North America in the coming months.