The OnePlus 13R is a superb telephone that checks many bins, particularly for its $600 price ticket. Nonetheless, as a tech journalist, I all the time need extra from a tool. Irrespective of how a lot worth we get from a telephone, there’ll all the time be a number of gadgets that may make the worth even higher. I just like the compromises OnePlus made on the 13R to maintain its midrange value, however I’m grasping, so listed below are the three gadgets I nonetheless want have been included on the OnePlus 13R for 2025.
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Evaluate: The OnePlus 13R will make you overlook you’re utilizing a sub-$600 telephone
Spectacular efficiency at nice worth
1
Wi-fi charging
It’s out there on different midrange telephones
Wi-fi charging is a recurring dialog with OnePlus telephones. It took years for the corporate to undertake the function on its flagship gadgets, longer than most Android producers. And whereas I understood the argument about protecting prices down, it was nonetheless a obvious omission from the corporate’s flagship choices. Midrange gadgets are a unique story, however we’ve seen wi-fi charging trickle all the way down to telephones below $600, so it’s solely pure folks would anticipate it on the OnePlus 13R.
Though the 13R doesn’t have wi-fi charging, OnePlus didn’t depart us empty-handed. The telephone encompasses a large 6,000mAh battery with as much as 100W wired charging, which is much better than different midrange gadgets. The 13R additionally has implausible battery life, as I can simply use it for 2 days and not using a top-off. It has spectacular battery efficiency at $600, so I don’t eat OnePlus lunch for not together with wi-fi charging.
2
Discover My Gadget integration
OnePlus added it this 12 months for its flagship
Google telephones have loved offline Discover My Gadget assist for the reason that Pixel 8, however OnePlus quietly added assist for the function on the OnePlus 13. It’s a implausible technique to monitor down a misplaced telephone, even when your battery has drained or the telephone has been turned off. Additional layers of safety add peace of thoughts, and I used to be excited when OnePlus determined so as to add it to the OnePlus 13. Sadly, the function has not made its technique to the OnePlus 13R. Whereas it’s not a mission-critical function, I might’ve appreciated to have seen extra telephones with offline Discover My Gadget assist.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite and FastConnect 7900 within the OnePlus 13 are why the telephone helps offline monitoring. OnePlus continues to be liable for implementation, however Qualcomm didn’t assist the function on the marginally older Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset with FastConnect 7800. It’s a technical limitation, however I’d wish to see it solved for the following OnePlus midranger. It might’ve been welcomed on the 13R, nevertheless it’s to not be.
3
Higher IP Score
OnePlus has all the time lagged behind
Like wi-fi charging, IP ranking is a subject that usually arises when discussing OnePlus telephones. Till the OnePlus 8, the corporate didn’t even get its telephones IP rated, partly as a result of it didn’t need to pay the payment. That’s to not say that OnePlus telephones died out within the rain or couldn’t face up to a splash whereas washing your palms; I all the time seen that OnePlus took measures to guard towards water, corresponding to rubber gaskets round SIM card trays. Regardless, an IP ranking helps prospects make shopping for selections, and OnePlus has lagged.
On the OnePlus 13, the corporate has ensured nobody may have an IP criticism, constructing the telephone to an IP69 commonplace. Nonetheless, the inexpensive OnePlus 13R lags with an IP 65 ranking, which is decrease than its contemporaries just like the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. It’s an improve from the IP64 ranking of final 12 months’s OnePlus 12R, however lower than the usual now set with different midrange gadgets. I might like to see OnePlus trickle down greater IP scores to its midrange gadgets sooner or later.
Don’t overlook the positives
I can nitpick the OnePlus 13R whereas nonetheless recognizing it’s a superb smartphone. I really like the efficiency of its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 paired with 12GB of RAM. The OnePlus 13R additionally has implausible battery life and a beautiful show. If you happen to’re searching for a premium midrange telephone, the OnePlus 13R must be close to the highest of the checklist. No gadget is ideal, and OnePlus has room for enchancment on subsequent 12 months’s OnePlus 14R, however I’m pleased the corporate retains transferring in the appropriate path.
OnePlus 13R
The OnePlus 13R takes one among our favourite midrange telephones from final 12 months a step additional. It nonetheless encompasses a attractive 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh charge. Nonetheless, OnePlus added a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 12GB of RAM for 2025, with quicker UFS 4.0 storage. The OnePlus 13 is a good performer, all for $600.