(Image source from: x.com/oneplus)

Just a few days ago, we have reviewed OnePlus' latest and indeed biggest flagship, the OnePlus 13. This device features a new, modern and lighter design, an impressive battery, a powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and a powerful camera system. However, we believe that the OnePlus 13 might not be the best OnePlus smartphone that the company has launched this month. Given the value proposition and the price, I can say without hesitation that the OnePlus 13R is the real star this time. It has almost all the features you could want in a phone and costs significantly less despite having high-end hardware. It's as good as the OnePlus 12 and very close to the OnePlus 13, but is about 30-40% cheaper than the two real flagships.

When I tested the OnePlus 12R last year, I really liked what this affordable flagship had to offer. However, there were things I wished had been better, such as the overall performance of the camera. But whatever, overall the OnePlus 12R was pretty perfect and a flagship killer for 2024. For 2025 I picked up a OnePlus 13R. And let me tell you, this phone doesn't just fill those gaps. It's better than its predecessor, but offers better performance in almost every area. But before you think I'm completely obsessed with the new OnePlus 13R, let me tell you that I'm not. While this doesn't impact the user experience for most people, there are some areas that I find frustrating. For example, I'm not a fan of the boxy design (although I think it's more modern) or the reduction in charging support from 100W to 80W. But in the grand scheme of things, these are just minor things. All in all, the OnePlus 13R is priced at Rs 42,999 and I think it could get cheaper with some launch discounts, but the OnePlus 13R is definitely a value for money phone.

Once you look at the OnePlus 13R's performance and specs, you can see how close it is to last year's flagship, the OnePlus 12. has been loaded This phone has a 3rd generation Snapdragon 8 chipset. It is a flagship chipset that was launched last year in phones priced between Rs 60,000 and Rs 100,000. The device runs on the latest OxygenOS 15 which offers a smooth and clean user interface. This time OnePlus has the largest battery in the R series (6000 mAh). On the front of the device there is a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz and a maximum brightness of 4500 nits. It is also an LTPO display and has variable refresh rates from 1Hz to 120Hz, ProXDR designation and 10-bit color support. For the first time, the OnePlus 13R features a new type of glass called Gorilla Glass 7i on the front and back, which makes the device more durable. When it comes to photography, the new OnePlus 13R features the same triple camera setup as the OnePlus 12 but with improved sensors. The camera system uses a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-700 with a 50-megapixel telephoto camera and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera. There is a 16-megapixel front camera for selfies and video recordings.

One of OnePlus' biggest changes to the OnePlus 13R is the flat design compared to the curved shape of the 12R. Although it has a boxy design, it is surprisingly light at 206 grams. The device I am reviewing is the Astral Trail color option. While I love the OnePlus 13R's flat screen, I think the overall look is a bit mediocre. I know the apartments are built and more modern, but considering everyone uses them, from 20,000 RS phones to 80,000 RS phones, it seems average. More expensive phones may use unusual materials to increase longevity. But the OnePlus 13R isn't an ultra-luxury phone. Therefore, more common materials are used here, such as an aluminum frame with a matt finish. And it doesn't help with looks. However, looks are no longer an important factor these days. We all use our phones in cases, and if you get the OnePlus 13R, there's a good chance you will too. OnePlus includes a case with the phone. It's a rubber case, so that's nice, but if I'm going to use the OnePlus 13R, I'd personally rather spend the money and buy a better case.

Aesthetics aside, this phone is very well made and has design features that users will like. For example, I like the back of my phone. It has a delicate pattern of circular lines reminiscent of light trails on a clear starry night. The phone features a circular camera island on the back, similar to the flagship OnePlus 13. This island has three cameras. The edge has a beautiful glass coating and the bottom part has a matte metal coating. On the side you will see an alarm slider and volume buttons. When viewed from the side, it actually looks more premium, with a design aesthetic similar to high-end phones like the iPhone, Pixel, and Oppo Find X8. The OnePlus 13R is a durable phone, even if it doesn't have the same IP rating as the flagships. This phone has the IP65 standard. It's a big phone and you can see it when you use it. Since the sides are smooth, your palm and fingers will get a little tired when holding and using it. This is a problem that occurs on all large smartphones with flat frames, such as the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the Pixel 9 Pro XL. So the OnePlus 13R isn't an outlier, but you should be careful.

Last year's flagship performance has become even more affordable this year. This is how I see the OnePlus 13R and its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. This chipset is a proven workhorse. I occasionally surfed the internet, scrolled through Instagram circles for hours, played games, and switched back and forth between apps. The OnePlus 13R ran smoothly every day. The OnePlus 13R has a few performance-oriented additions. It features an improved dual-speed cooling vapor chamber system that keeps the device cool. In my case it kept the device cool while BGMI was running. The smooth and lag-free performance is due to the increased RAM. The OnePlus 13R has at least 12GB of RAM compared to 8GB of RAM in the base 12R model.

If you are looking for a phone under Rs 50,000 then I can say without a doubt that it is worth buying. The other reason I say this is not because of how good the OnePlus 13R is. The company also makes some after-sales service promises that give the OnePlus 13R an edge over its competitors. According to OnePlus, the 13R comes with a lifetime display warranty against the “green line issue”. It's a very specific and important commitment, but it's better than nothing. The phone is then covered by a 180-day - 6-month full replacement warranty. If anything breaks within 180 days, OnePlus will replace it and give you a new OnePlus 13R.

This adds to the amazing experience the phone offers. It has good hardware, a versatile feature set and a good price. Now that OnePlus has begun manufacturing and selling a true premium flagship phone, the company has a major killer under its belt. This year's flagship is the OnePlus 13R, and it's pretty much good enough to not only take aim at its rivals, but also take down the OnePlus 13 with friendly fire.