With the launch of the OnePlus 13R, the “R” series has never been closer to a flagship OnePlus phone. While the OnePlus 13 price starts at Rs 69,999, the 13R comes at a more affordable price of Rs 42,999 – a difference of Rs 27,000. Although the OnePlus 13 justifies its premium price, the 13R is an excellent choice for those who don’t need a flagship device or the hefty price tag that comes with it. In this article, we highlight the top 4 reasons why the OnePlus 13R could be your next smartphone, as well as one reason why you might want to explore other options.

OnePlus 13R: 4 reasons to buy

All we need is a flat panel with excellent features

On paper, the OnePlus 13R appears to use the same display technology as the 12R, that is, a 6.78-inch screen with 1.5K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 4,500 nits peak brightness. However, the 13R now has a completely flat display. Unlike the quad-curved panels recently seen on the OnePlus 13 and Vivo X200 series, the flat design of the 13R is in line with devices like the iPhone 16, Galaxy S24, and iQOO 13. Compared with the curved display of the 12R, the flat panel of the 13R not only matches its brightness but also solves the problems of corner glare and inaccurate touch.

Last year’s Aqua Touch technology is still included, but this time, the 13R introduces a new Glove Mode. Initially, this may seem gimmicky, but in practice, it’s a game-changer, especially in winter. Glove mode lets you use the touchscreen even while wearing gloves – whether wool or sheepskin gloves up to 0.5 cm thick. During the review period, during my morning commute, I never needed to take off my gloves to use the phone. It is so effective that it has become a truly practical addition.

Solid performance, good thermal management

The OnePlus 13R sees a solid performance upgrade thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, up to 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. Based on benchmark results alone, the 13R demonstrates a notable leap over the 12R in raw performance, easily justifying the upgrade. However, the improvements go beyond just numbers – especially when it comes to gaming. The OnePlus 13R offers two major benefits over its predecessor.

Firstly, the flat display ensures that you do not experience stutters while gaming, which is a common problem with curved displays. Second, while the overall performance of the 12R is excellent, the 13R takes things a step further with better thermal management. Even under heavy workloads, the device maintained a steady temperature and never got dangerously hot during my testing – even when used while charging. These improvements make the 13R a more reliable choice for extended gaming sessions and heavy multitasking.

This is a marathon runner

The OnePlus 12R comes with a 5,500mAh battery and 100W fast charging, while the OnePlus 13R upgrades to a larger 6,000mAh battery with 80W fast charging. At first glance, the slower 80W charging may seem like a downgrade compared to the 12R’s 100W speed, but in reality, it’s a better option for preserving long-term battery health. Charging time is impressive, taking around 50 minutes to fully charge the phone.

When it comes to endurance, the OnePlus 13R easily lasts for 1.5 days on a single charge, even with heavy usage – which the 12R struggles to achieve. This improvement is largely due to the 13R’s silicon carbon battery, which boasts a higher density than the lithium-ion battery in the 12R. As a result, it holds a charge longer and, on a technical level, offers greater longevity than its lithium-ion counterpart.

OxygenOS 15 with all AI features

The OnePlus 13R runs OxygenOS 15 on top of Android 15 and comes with a solid promise of 4 years of OS updates and 6 years of security patch support. It includes all the latest features and AI tools, including AI Notes, Circle to Search, and AI-powered features in the Gallery app like AI Unblur and AI Reflection Eraser and many more.

While it’s true that Android 15 with OxygenOS 15 is also available on the OnePlus 12R, if you want the full OxygenOS 15 experience based on Android 15, there’s the OnePlus 13R – and of course, the flagship OnePlus 13. Certainly your best choice.

OnePlus 13R: 1 reason to skip

iQOO 12 is currently selling at this price

iQOO 12 is currently selling for Rs 45,999. Additionally, a flat coupon discount of Rs 3,000 on Amazon brings it to the same price as the OnePlus 13R. With almost similar packages, which one offers better value for your money?

While the OnePlus 13R impresses with its smooth and feature-rich OxygenOS 15 software, the iQOO 12 takes the lead when it comes to hardware, barring the battery. Both devices come with 1.5K resolution displays, but the iQOO 12 offers a 144Hz refresh rate, which is a big plus for gamers. On the other hand, the OnePlus 13R comes with a 120Hz panel. In terms of memory and storage, both the phones start with 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage, so there is no difference.

When it comes to the camera, the iQOO 12 leaves the OnePlus 13R behind with its flagship-grade setup. It has three 50 MP sensors – a primary camera, an ultra-wide-angle camera and a periscope lens with 3x optical zoom. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 13R offers a simpler camera configuration, and its video recording is capped at 4K at 60fps. In comparison, the iQOO 12 can also shoot videos in 8K resolution at 30fps if needed.

Battery performance is also another area to consider. The OnePlus 13R comes with a large 6,000mAh battery and supports 80W fast charging. In contrast, the iQOO 12 has a smaller 5,000mAh battery, but it compensates for this with 120W fast charging, which charges the phone much faster. Also, for gamers, the iQOO 12 offers bypass charging, a feature that keeps the phone cool during long gaming sessions.

Ultimately, choosing between the OnePlus 13R and iQOO 12 comes down to your preferences. If you value long-lasting battery and a better software experience, the OnePlus 13R may be a better choice. However, if you’re looking for better hardware, especially for gaming and photography, it’s hard to beat the iQOO 12 – especially with the Amazon discount bringing it down to the same price.