OnePlus 13R Smartphone Promises High Performance at a Lower Price

Jan 07, 2025

Jeremy Gray

Two smartphones are shown side by side against a gradient background. One is black and the other is silver, each featuring a circular camera module with three lenses.

Alongside the flagship OnePlus 13, OnePlus also unveiled the 13R smartphone, a more affordable alternative that offers many impressive features but compromises in some areas to keep the price down.

The OnePlus 13R is designed for users who want high-level performance without breaking the bank. The phone features the high-grade Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform and up to 12GB of RAM, not far off the 13’s Snapdragon 8 Elite and 16GB of RAM.

The 13R features a 6.78-inch 1.5K ProXDR display, which is the same size as the 13’s but lacks the 13’s resolution, features, and curved edges.

A sleek, metallic smartphone with an embossed logo and a circular quad-camera module is shown. The device is angled, highlighting its brushed finish and elegant design against a dark background.

The devices also differ regarding camera features, although the 13R is no slouch. It features a 50-megapixel main camera using the all-new Sony LYT-700 image sensor. This sensor promises significantly better low-light performance than the 12R’s Sony IMX-890 sensor.

The phone’s telephoto camera offers a 2x optical zoom — compared to the 3x optic on the 13. The 50-megapixel telephoto camera is well-suited to portrait photography, per OnePlus.

Close-up of a smartphone with a matte black finish, showing a camera module with three lenses and a flash in a circular arrangement. The phone has a sleek design and the manufacturer's logo is visible below the camera.

Rounding out the triple camera array is an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, which is much lower resolution than the 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera in the flagship OnePlus 13 smartphone.

In terms of features, there is more parity. Like the OnePlus 13, the 13R uses all-new Dual Exposure Algorithms to capture better images during burst shooting, including HDR shots at fast speeds.

A woman in a striped shirt takes a photo with her phone of another woman smiling and posing playfully outdoors. The background shows trees and a roofline under a clear sky.

Additional features include a large 6,000 mAh battery, 120 frames per second gaming mode, a 16-megapixel selfie camera, fast charging, and an AI-infused OxygenOS 15 operating system.

A man with sunglasses is taking a photo with a smartphone. A woman is standing nearby, smiling. They are outdoors with a clear blue sky and palm trees in the background.

In terms of AI, the OnePlus 13R features things like AI Detail Boost, AI Unblur, and AI Reflection Eraser for photographers, and new AI tools for general use and productivity, including Google Gemini models for searching all of a phone’s files.

Pricing and Availability

The OnePlus 13R looks a lot like the OnePlus 13 at first glance and shares a handful of features with its pricier sibling. However, there’s little doubt that photographers with the available budget will want to look at the OnePlus 13 instead thanks to the better photography features and camera system. Still, the 13R aims to provide mobile photographers with good tools at a more approachable price. The OnePlus 13R starts at $599.99 in the United States and $849.99 in Canada, a full $250 below the 13’s starting price.

Image credits: OnePlus