OnePlus 13 debuts with flat display and a higher price ahead of global launch

Ben Schoon | Oct 31 2024 - 8:48 am PT

After a lot of teasers, the OnePlus 13 is finally official in China, which tells us everything we need to know about the device ahead of its global debut.

The OnePlus 13 is the company’s latest flagship smartphone, and it certainly packs a punch. Starting under the hood, the device is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and pairs that with 12GB, 16GB, or 24GB of RAM as well as 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage. You’ll find Android 15 out of the box as well, though with Oppo’s ColorOS skin for this release in China. The global launch will be powered by OxygenOS 15, which OnePlus announced last week.

There’s also a massive 6,000 mAh battery inside with 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. OnePlus will also be selling cases that allow the device to work with a selection of first-party cases that enable magnetic wireless charging, such as is available on the latest iPhones and as part of the Qi2 standard (which OnePlus is not using).

In terms of the hardware, OnePlus 13 has an updated design, with its biggest revamp in a few generations. The overall look is familiar with an off-center circular camera module on the back, but with some key changes.

The 6.82-inch display is now flat (though with typical 2.5D curved edges), without the pronounced curved edges found on OnePlus 12 and other previous generations. The sides of the device are also flattened out to match, with the same positions for power and volume buttons, as well as the Alert Slider.

There’s also an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the display, an upgrade from the optical sensors previously used.

The back of the device adopts some textured options in the black “Secret Realm” and “Blues Hour” colors, with a more tame look for the white “Dew Dawn.” All three have a new metal accent which connects the camera module to the frame and looks pretty slick too.

OnePlus has also updated this latest hardware with IP69 water and dust resistance. There’s no tangible upgrade there in normal use, but the added protection prevents hot water from becoming an issue, and improves what the device can handle if it ends up submerged.

The camera array includes three 50MP camera sensors, one of which is a telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and another is an ultrawide lens with macro capabilities. There’s also a 32MP front-facing camera.

In China, the OnePlus 13 is now available starting at CNY 4,799, about $675 when directly converted to USD. That’s an increase over OnePlus 12, which started at CNY 4,299. It’s unclear how prices will vary outside of China, but it could result in a price hike of around $100.

When will OnePlus 13 make its global debut? Earlier this year, the OnePlus 12 hit the global stage in late January, just about two months after its December launch in China. Following that timeline, OnePlus is likely to at least make some announcements regarding global availability sometime in December or early January.

Are you excited for the OnePlus 13?