Tag Archives: OnePlus

Review of the OnePlus 13: Lightning-speed Android with stunning fabric design

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OnePlus is aiming to show that in 2025, the top premium Android phone doesn’t necessarily have to be from Samsung or Google.

The latest model in the Sharp Sub-Brand series, OnePlus 13, is priced at 899 pounds (1,049 euros/$899), slightly lower than Google and Samsung’s offerings.

Oneplus offers a range of colors, including a blue microfiber back option, as seen in the photo.

The large screen features a thin bezel and curved edges. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian

The 6.8-inch screen on the OnePlus 13 is vibrant, sharp, and colorful, comparable to the best in the market. The metal frame gives it a retro look, similar to the OnePlus X from 2015, but the phone is still manageable. It is IP68 water-resistant, capable of withstanding immersion for 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters.

Fast Performance with the Latest Chip

The OnePlus 13 is one of the first phones to feature the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip from Qualcomm, offering a 40% speed boost over its predecessor. The phone feels fast in daily use, with quick responses to all interactions.

The phone includes a unique alert slider for easy mode switching. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian

The battery life is impressive, offering up to 50 hours on a full charge with mixed usage of 5G and WiFi. It supports fast charging and wireless charging for added convenience.

Specifications

  • Screen: 6.82in, 120Hz QHD+ OLED (510ppi)

  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite

  • Ram: 12 or 16GB

  • Storage: 256 or 512GB

  • Operating System: Okishigenos 15 (Android 15)

  • Camera: 50m + 50MP Ultra Wide + 50MP 3X; 32MP Selfie

  • Connection: 5G, ESIM, Wifi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, and GNSS

  • Water resistance: IP68/69 (30 minutes/80C Water Jet 1.5 meters for 30 seconds)

  • Size: 162.9 x 76.5 x 8.5mm

  • Weight: 210g

Sustainability

Oneplus 13 is well built but lacks recycled materials. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian

The battery is designed to retain at least 80% of its original capacity after 1,600 full charging cycles, with the option to replace it for £80.

While the phone does not contain recycled materials, it is repairable. Screen replacement costs £280. Oneplus’ environmental impact is covered in their parent company OPPO’s annual sustainability report.

Oxygen OS 15 with AI Features

AI elements in Oxygen OS 15 offer new features and functionalities. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian

Oxygen OS 15 on the OnePlus 13 is a tweaked version of Android 15, with added AI tools for improved functionality. The phone runs smoothly with some customization options available.

The phone comes with AI tools from Google and OnePlus, enhancing user experience. While software updates may be slightly delayed compared to competitors, OnePlus offers four-year Android updates with security patches until 2031.

Camera

The camera app on the OnePlus 13 offers a host of features for photography enthusiasts. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian

The OnePlus 13 boasts a triple rear camera setup and a 32MP front camera, delivering detailed images in various conditions. The camera app includes various modes for enhanced photography experiences.

Overall, the OnePlus 13 offers a compelling package with top-notch performance, innovative features, and a competitive price point compared to its rivals. It sets a new standard for Android phones in 2025.

Pros: Sleek design, excellent screen, long battery life, fast performance, top-tier chip, great camera, water resistance, AI tools.

Cons: Some rough edges in Oxygen OS, limited AI features, shorter software support compared to competitors.

Source: www.theguardian.com

OnePlus 12: Falling behind top competitors in the smartphone market

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OnePlus' latest top smartphone can't shake the feeling of being left behind by its rivals.

The OnePlus 12 has a sleek look, fast software, and long battery life, but it lacks the much-touted AI tools built into devices from the likes of Samsung and Google. It feels more like a 2020 cell phone than a new era of artificial intelligence.

This may appeal to those looking for a pared-down, relatively clean experience. Its price of £849 (€969/$799) is also less than its £1,000 full-featured rival. But by modern standards, it feels lacking.




The curved glass and aluminum sides make the phone narrower than its competitors, but the OnePlus 12 is still a very large phone. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The design is very similar to last year's OnePlus 11 (which cost £120 less at launch), a sleek metal and glass sandwich that feels as slick as it looks. The huge 6.82-inch OLED screen is crystal clear, smooth, and very bright. The large circular camera bump on the back is a standout design element, along with the fan-favorite alert slider on the side.

Inside the OnePlus is Qualcomm's latest top Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, which is 30% faster and 20% more power efficient than its predecessor. This is a very powerful chip that is only found in a small number of new cell phones.

The OnePlus certainly feels fast and smooth in normal operation, but to get maximum performance, i.e. running at full tilt, you'll need to enable the “High Performance” mode embedded in the settings, or when playing games. must be used in mode. The phone is therefore tuned more for power efficiency than raw performance, resulting in extremely long battery life.

It lasts 52-55 hours between charges, and the default settings provide over 9 hours of active screen use. This is significantly longer than last year’s model, making it the best in the industry. OnePlus also charges very fast, reaching 100% within 30 minutes using his included 100W charger.




The aluminum frame has curved corners, but the top and edges of the phone are flat. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

specification

  • screen: 6.82 inch 120Hz QHD+ OLED (510ppi)

  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 3rd generation

  • Ram: 12 or 16GB

  • storage: 256 or 512GB

  • operating system: OxygenOS 14 (Android 14)

sustainability

Oxygen OS 14




OxygenOS is generally smooth to use with a reasonable amount of customization, but it is noticeably lacking in advanced smart features. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The phone runs OxygenOS 14, a modified version of the latest Android 14 software. Overall it's very polished, with plenty of customization options covering everything from gestures, the look and feel of the software, and various multitasking tools. But it lacks the AI ​​tools and smart systems that have become the mainstay of rivals in both the Android camp and his iPhone camp.

Source: www.theguardian.com