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The OnePlus 13 has a new design and, for the first time, a complete package that I can not fault – more so if you have an update after two years. However, it costs $899. So, if you want to save a little, I think the OnePlus 12 is the one to buy, and here’s why.
What’s new with the OnePlus 13
Before diving into why the OnePlus 12 is suitable for many, for context, here’s a breakdown of what’s new with the OnePlus 13.
First is the refined design. The OnePlus 13 has a sleeker and more square look, in contrast to the overall shape of the OnePlus 12. This means that the curved display is gone, replaced by a flatter screen with slight curves at its edges. OnePlus has also replaced the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 used earlier with its internal Ceramic Guard.
The flagship is lighter this year. It weighs 10 grams less than the OnePlus 12 – 210-213g against 220g on the latter – and has two choices of material for its back: vegan leather in blue or glass in black or white. Glass models weigh a little more.
Coming to the hardware packed inside, the OnePlus 13 ships with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite – a powerful processor that brings a 45% increase in processing power and improvements to camera processing. Also, OnePlus has revamped its camera setup to get better results. Finally, its battery gets a boost to 6,000 mAh, and there’s an IP69 rating now.
A discounted OnePlus 12 offers better value
With all these changes, it might seem that the OnePlus 13 has left the OnePlus 12 in the dust, but if you take a closer look and look beyond the design, the OnePlus 12 is more similar than different. That is why it is even more attractive at $700 – available at BestBuy– if you buy unlocked.
While the OnePlus 13 uses a new display design and panel generation, and the OnePlus 12 have very similar screens at their core. They feature a 6.8-inch 2K LTPO AMOLED panel with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate; aspects such as typical brightness that impact the user experience are very similar. The OnePlus 12, however, retains the tried and trusted Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection.
Battery life on the OnePlus 13’s 6,000mAh battery could be a little better. However, the 5,400 mAh battery of my OnePlus 12 on OxygenOS 15 gets me through a good day – its battery endurance earned a place in our best android phones 2024 list – and it charges so fast, from zero to 100% in about 30 minutes. Therefore, there are no updates on the OnePlus 13. And daily tasks are a breeze with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 of the year, but well optimized. Even the cameras remain very capable.
Ultimately, the choice depends on your priorities. The OnePlus 13 is the one to get if you want the biggest. However, the underrated and now discounted OnePlus 12 offers better value.
