With the OnePlus 13, the Chinese brand definitively abandons its “flagship killer” image to join high-end smartphones at €999. Careful design, solid performance and an XXL battery are there, as is a versatile camera equipped with a periscopic zoom. However, the absence of a charger, the high price and limited AI functions in French remind us that everything is not perfect.
In the enchanted world of Android smartphones, this dynamic market, there are, in my opinion, in 2025, two players who are doing well by offering smartphones that tick all the boxes (or rather all my boxes, because they is quite subjective in the end). The inevitable Google, present since 2023 in Belgium, with its proposals for Pixel which integrate pure and clean Android software – sometimes lacking a little fantasy and boldness, magnified by high-flying design and performance, and by all the best that Google offers in terms of applications (including Gemini, its AI). And then there is Chinese OnePlus which, for years, has not only offered a top quality-price-service ratio (we called it the flagship killer at its beginnings), but adds a small dose of software audacity which does not displease me. Its OnePlus 13 has just been released, and I was able to try them in detail for several weeks.
What I like about the OnePlus 13 (€999):
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Design. The look & feel of the OnePlus 13 is a successful blend of aesthetics and functionality. It offers… microfiber vegan leather (a first for a smartphone, it seems), offering a pleasant tactile sensation while being more durable and ecological than traditional leather. I have some doubts about the strength and lifespan of this material if you don’t put shells, however. With its clean lines, its rounded and off-center photo block (OnePlus signature) on the back and its original colors, each finish (like blue Midnight Ocean from my test) exudes elegance. The device remains quite compact for a battery of this capacity (6,000 mAh), with a thickness of only 8.5 mm and a weight of 210 grams.
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Power. Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, the OnePlus 13 displays peak performance, outperforming the previous generation by 45%. That’s an impressive number, but it’s more or less the same talk with every chip iteration; and in daily use, we do not feel such a difference from one year to the next. Its advanced thermal management, with two vapor chambers, guarantees consistent performance even with rapid charging and intense use. Whether playing demanding games or multitasking, the experience remains fluid and responsive. The integration of AI in OxygenOS 15 would also improve resource management to maximize efficiency. It’s hard to say whether this is marketing or real innovation, however.
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Hyper fluid and double drawer software. OxygenOS 15 remains, in my opinion, the best Android overlay. It’s even better than Google’s Pixels, because it’s a little bolder, without being bulky. It provides a fluid and intuitive interface, with optimized animations and practical features such as the double drawer. The latter distinguishes notifications from quick actions based on where you swipe the screen, left or right.
The system is designed to remain fast with parallel processing algorithms and storage optimization reducing the system footprint. Clearly, you can switch very quickly from one application to another because they close less quickly and remain “on standby”, without consuming too much battery. Furthermore, software updates are guaranteed for 4 years (that’s not bad, but it’s less than the 7 years promised by Google).
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Qualitative photo part with an excellent periscopic zoom. The main camera uses a 50 MP Sony LYT-808 sensor, delivering detailed images even in low light. The telephoto lens incorporates a unique Triprism system, capable of providing 3x optical zoom while reducing the size and weight of the camera module. This innovation combines with AI algorithms to guarantee sharp shots even with 10x zoom. The photos feature impressive clarity and detail, thanks in part to the Hasselblad lenses and anti-reflective coating. On a daily basis, it is almost impossible to miss a photo, unless of course you take a photo in the darkness of a group of friends who are not keeping quiet…
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XXL battery and fast charging. The 6,000 mAh battery (that’s huge…) ensures prolonged autonomy, capable of lasting two days with moderate use, which is rare for a smartphone. After a few weeks of use, however, there is no miracle: you have to recharge it almost every day to avoid risking a breakdown in the middle of the afternoon. Thanks to Silicon NanoStack technology, the battery remains compact despite its large capacity. Fast charging at 100W allows you to go from 1% to 100% in just 36 minutes, which is significantly better than what Apple, Samsung and Google offer; while 50W wireless charging adds even more flexibility (you will however need a specific wireless charger: a new model of magnetic base has been released, but its interest is more limited than the traditional easel). In an emergency, a few minutes of charging are enough for several hours of use, and you quickly get used to this luxury. Software optimization of energy consumption extends range even further.
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Certification IP69. Unlike most smartphones, the OnePlus 13 benefits from IP68 and IP69 certifications. This means that it can withstand not only immersion in water, but also high pressure and high temperature water jets. These characteristics, which will not be useful to you very often, we agree, could appeal to some demanding users. However, it is important to note that the device should not be exposed to salt water or liquids such as drinks.
What I like less about the OnePlus 13:
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The price. With a price of 999€the OnePlus 13 is now close to or equal to the prices of the stars of the market, such as the iPhone 16 Pro Max or the Galaxy S24 Ultra. This positioning may disappoint brand loyalists, who appreciated its image of flagship killer affordable. That said, OnePlus no longer makes any concessions to market leaders, as was the case before (its 13 really All of a large…) This strategy therefore places it in the premium category, targeting a more demanding clientele. And who will get their money’s worth.
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Charger not included. Despite its 100W fast charging capability, the OnePlus 13 comes without a charger in the box. This requires users to purchase a compatible adapter, that of the brand (or its cousin Oppo), which will represent an additional cost of at least €50. This choice, although in line with industry trends, remains a negative point for many users. It can also pose problems for those who don’t have a sufficiently powerful charger at home. OnePlus could have differentiated itself by putting this charger (which you can’t find everywhere) in the box.
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AI partially available in French. Certain “smart” features integrated into OxygenOS 15 have still not been made French. This is particularly the case of Summary IA (which summarizes the content of a text on a web page) or IA passwords (which reads aloud the entire text of a page). This absence reduces interest in these tools, which are now expected by the younger generation. While future updates are likely, this remains a notable miss at launch. We will console ourselves with Translationalso accessible via this contextual side menu, but animated by Google: it recognizes our language.
Conclusions
Just behind the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, which remains the benchmark with its increasingly rich software and hardware ecosystem, the OnePlus 13 is THE Android smartphone you should buy if you are looking for a premium experience at all levels ( and if we choose to set a budget of €999 for a smartphone). Cleanliness, speed and functionality of the software, infernal performance, very fast charging, versatile photos, bold and neat design… the OnePlus 13 has many arguments. But its price is now as premium as its technical sheet: 1,000 euros is a huge sum, and users will have to be convinced to turn away from the reassuring behemoths – if not better – that are Samsung or Apple. One thing is certain: you are not taking any risks with OnePlus, a brand that is moving upmarket, but which maintains quality.
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Les tests de Mathieu
