OnePlus 13S Review: Plenty of Reasons to Buy—But One Major Reason to Skip!

After spending some time with the smartphone, here's my OnePlus 13S review. My honest take on the device. Personally, I love the pink color variant; it’s subtle yet stylish. The phone really redefines what a compact flagship can be. It fits perfectly in one hand and is comfortable to hold throughout the day.

However, we need to keep in mind that in the compact flagship space, the OnePlus 13S has serious competition. Rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S25, iPhone 13, OPPO Find X8s, and Xiaomi 15 are all solid contenders.

So, where does the OnePlus 13S stand in this lineup? It’s definitely near the top, but there’s one important feature missing that holds it back from being the absolute best. You’ll want to read this full review before deciding if it’s the right phone for you.

Design and Durability

The OnePlus 13S is a joy to hold. It’s small, palm-friendly, and your fingers can easily reach every corner of the screen. It comes in three colors: Green Silk, Black Velvet, and my personal favorite, Pink Satin. Weighing just 185g and made with an aluminum alloy frame, it feels premium without being heavy.

Despite being compact, it doesn’t feel fragile. OnePlus didn’t trade durability for design. The phone has an IP65 rating, so it’s resistant to water splashes and light rain. It also features Crystal Shield Glass on the front, which gives extra protection against scratches and minor drops. Unless you’re trying to break it, this phone will survive everyday mishaps. Overall, it’s a beautiful, sturdy device and a great choice if you’re thinking of upgrading.

Display

The display is a 6.32-inch LTPO AMOLED screen, perfect for minimalists or anyone who prefers smaller devices. It offers a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and animations, 2160Hz PWM dimming to reduce eye strain, and support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HDR Vivid. With a peak brightness of 1600 nits, it’s easy to see even under bright sunlight.

What all this means for you:

• A 120Hz refresh rate makes everything from swiping through apps to gaming look fluid and fast.
• 2160Hz PWM helps reduce flickering, which is great if you use your phone for long periods.
• Dolby Vision and HDR support mean colors are more vibrant and contrasts are deeper, which is perfect for watching movies or editing photos.
• 1600 nits of brightness ensures excellent visibility, even outdoors.

It’s one of the best compact displays I’ve used so far.

Performance—Top Quality

OnePlus didn’t cut corners when it came to performance. The 13S is powered by the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which is one of the fastest processors available right now. It has an octa-core CPU (2x 4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x 3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) and an Adreno 830 GPU.

Why this matters:
The Snapdragon 8 Elite is built for speed and efficiency. It handles demanding apps, multitasking, and gaming without breaking a sweat. The chip is designed using advanced architecture that balances high power output with better energy management. Whether you’re gaming, editing videos, or jumping between heavy apps, the phone keeps up effortlessly.

In day-to-day use, everything felt fast and responsive. Gaming was smooth, though I’ll admit the small screen isn’t as immersive as something like the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Still, it handled every title I threw at it.

You get two storage options: 256GB and 512GB, both paired with 12GB of RAM. That 12GB RAM is plenty. It easily managed all tasks, whether it was running multiple apps or editing large files. It’s a performance beast packed into a compact body.

Camera—The One Flaw

Here’s where the OnePlus 13S stumbles a bit. Don’t get me wrong; the camera is good, just not top-tier. The rear setup includes

• 50 MP main (f/1.8, 24mm, OIS, PDAF)
• 50 MP telephoto (f/2.0, 2x optical zoom)

You can shoot 4K videos at 30/60 fps and 1080p at 30/60/240 fps, and it supports OIS and Dolby Vision HDR. The front camera is 32 MP with autofocus and records up to 4K at 30 fps.

But here’s the thing: It lacks an ultra-wide lens. Also, the 2x telephoto zoom feels basic in a world where competitors offer 3x or 5x zoom. It’s not that the camera is bad; it’s just not exceptional. If you’re someone who wants pro-level photography, the 13S misses that mark by about 25%. You’ll notice the absence if you rely on a wider lens for landscapes or a better zoom for portraits.

That said, casual users will still find the camera capable enough for everyday photos and videos.

Battery—The Star of the Show

This is where the OnePlus 13S truly shines. It comes with a massive 5850 mAh battery and supports

• 80W wired charging
• 33W PPS
• 18W PD
• 18W Quick Charge

Translation? Charging is lightning fast, and draining it is surprisingly hard. A single charge can easily last you two full days, even with heavy use. Whether you’re watching videos, gaming, or working all day, battery anxiety is something you won’t have with this phone.

In my experience, it was the most reliable battery life I’ve had in a flagship this year. It’s perfect for users who are constantly on the go and don’t want to carry a charger everywhere.

OnePlus 13S Review - Final Verdict

Here’s my bottom line on the OnePlus 13S: everything about this phone is excellent except for the camera. If you’re okay with a good-but-not-amazing camera, then this phone checks almost every other box. It’s powerful, compact, durable, and the battery is phenomenal.

But if you’re expecting the best camera experience from a 2025 flagship, you might want to look elsewhere. OnePlus seems to have intentionally held back in that department, possibly to save it for a future model. Hopefully, the next version will fix that.

Still, aside from the camera, the OnePlus 13S is a fantastic buy and one of the best compact flagships out there right now.