The OnePlus 13R launched as a flagship killer, and six months down the line, it continues to live up to that title. Packed with premium features at a mid-range price, it offered one of the best price-to-performance ratios when it arrived in January 2025. But in a market where phones age fast, does the 13R still hold its ground? Absolutely. Here’s a look at 5 standout reasons why the OnePlus 13R remains a compelling buy and a solid daily driver, even half a year after its release.
1) Flagship-Grade Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Performance
Six months later, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 inside the OnePlus 13R still breezes through everything, from demanding games like BGMI and Genshin Impact to multitasking with heavy apps. Built on a 4nm process, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 octa-core SoC follows a 1 + 3 + 2 + 2 architecture, featuring a high-performance Cortex-X4 core clocked at 3.3 GHz, three Cortex-A720 cores at 3.2 GHz, two Cortex-A720 cores at 3.0 GHz, and two Cortex-A520 efficiency cores at 2.3 GHz. The CPU is packed with 12 MB L3 CPU cache, ensuring seamless multitasking.
The octa-core SoC is paired with as much as 16 GB LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage, delivering exceptional speeds. We are still using its top-most variant, i.e., 16 GB RAM + 512 GB storage, and we haven’t yet encountered any hiccups to date. The fast RAM and storage ensure super-fast read/write speeds and smooth performance even under heavy workloads. Thanks to RAM Vita, memory management stays efficient, and real-world performance hasn’t slowed down with time. No wonder if you’re gaming, editing videos, or just juggling apps, the OnePlus 13R remains a performance champ.
2) A Display That’s Hard to Beat
The display remains a joy for media consumption, gaming, and even outdoor visibility. The screen can be the difference between winning and losing, and the 6.78-inch ProXDR display on the OnePlus 13R ensures you stay ahead of the competition. The OnePlus 13R features a 1.5K LTPO OLED panel with a stunning 4,500 nits peak brightness, 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate, and ProXDR support. Even now, few phones in the segment come close to this visual experience.
The panel adapts dynamically for ultra-smooth motion, every tap, swipe, and flick registers instantly, giving you the competitive edge you need in high-speed action games. With features Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection (front and back) for durability, as well as added display features like 2,160 Hz PWM dimming, Aqua Touch 2.0, you get a smooth, eye-friendly panel that supports wet touch and glove mode.
3) Gaming-Centric Features Still Impress
Mobile gaming continues to boom, and the OnePlus 13R is still built like a pro gamer’s tool. The Adreno 750 GPU delivers top-tier gaming performance with hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The chipset is designed to handle intense gaming scenarios, from high-frame-rate FPS games to real-time multiplayer battles. Expect zero lag, ultra-fast response times, and an effortlessly smooth experience – no matter what you throw at it.
The HyperBoost Gaming Engine, frame interpolation for 120 fps gameplay, and Adreno 750 GPU give it an edge over many newer rivals. Additionally, its large 9,925 mm² Cryo-Velocity Vapor Cooling System ensures sustained performance without overheating. We have played several games, and all of them performed smoothly with no issues with overheating. This is still one of the best gaming phones under ₹50,000.
4) Battery Life That Lasts All Day (And More)
While many phones sacrifice battery life for slimness, the OnePlus 13R packs a large 6,000 mAh battery, which is among the biggest in its class. It easily lasts a full day and a half on moderate use, and even power users can expect a full day’s backup. Topping it off is 80W SuperVOOC fast charging, which gets you back to 100% in under an hour.
We have used the smartphone for quite a long time, and we can say the overall battery life is highly satisfactory. You can see the screenshot, which shows the battery health is still 100% after 6 months, while it can still last around ~12 hours with 41% of remaining battery. In six months of daily use, battery degradation has been negligible, and charging remains blazing fast.
5) Long-Term Software Support & Clean UI
The OnePlus 13R feels smooth, intuitive, and bloat-free with OxygenOS 15 out of the box (based on Android 15). But what truly makes it a future-proof choice is 4 years of OS updates and 6 years of security patches promised by OnePlus, something you don’t usually see in many smartphones. The addition of AI-powered features, improved privacy tools, and regular feature drops keep the software experience fresh and optimized. And yes, that beloved alert slider is still there.
Bonus – Top-Level Cameras That Still Impress
The OnePlus 13R has a versatile camera experience for its price and remains a reliable camera phone for photography enthusiasts, casual creators, and everyday users alike. Even after six months, the OnePlus 13R’s triple-camera setup continues to hold its ground. It includes a 50 MP Sony LYT-700 OIS main sensor for crisp and steady shots, a 50 MP Samsung JN5 telephoto lens with 2x optical and 4x lossless zoom for distant subjects, an 8 MP ultra-wide camera for expansive shots, and a 16 MP selfie camera for detailed and well-balanced selfies. Low-light photos come out sharp with natural colors, and zoom quality is excellent for the segment.
With a sleek glass back, flat-style form factor, and an anti-fingerprint matte aluminum frame, the smartphone not only looks stunning but also feels comfortable in the hand. Whether you pick the Astral Trail finish with its etched star-trail pattern or the Nebula Noir matte variant, the OnePlus 13R feels like a ₹60K phone, not one that starts at ₹42,999. The Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection on front and back, IP65 dust & water resistance, and stereo speakers all add to the premium feel.
Final Thoughts – OnePlus 13R Still Worth It in Mid-2025?
Yes – without question! The OnePlus 13R continues to be one of the best all-rounders in its segment, even six months after launch. The OnePlus 13R punches above its weight in every area that matters – performance, battery life, display quality, reliable cameras, and long-term software support. From its blazing-fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, stunning 1.5K bezel-less AMOLED display, and versatile triple-camera setup to the 6,000 mAh battery with 80W fast charging, it takes on all the essentials for a premium smartphone experience. Add to that the smooth gaming performance, clean OxygenOS 15 UI, long-term software updates, and a design that feels far more expensive than it is – the OnePlus 13R is still a complete standout.
The OnePlus 13R remains one of the smartest choices under ₹50K for those who demand top-tier performance without paying flagship prices. If you own it already, there’s no need to upgrade anytime soon. And if you’re thinking of buying one during a sale, it’s still one of the smartest buys under ₹50K. The price starts from ₹42,999 and can be grabbed at exciting ongoing discounts.
