It may not have been officially revealed yet, but I’ll say it first. The OnePlus 13 already looks like a strong contender for the best Android flagship of 2024 (and maybe 2025).
The biggest upgrade expected to differentiate the OnePlus 13 from the likes of the Galaxy S24/S25 series, Pixel 9, and iPhone 16 is the inclusion of a new SiC battery, rumored to be at least 6,000 mAh.
The best feature is that it not only provides 100W wired charging and wireless (50W) fast charging for your phone, but also magnetically charges like an iPhone. And the amazing spec sheets don’t end there…
The new “Snapdragon 8 Elite” chip (on the verge of cornering Apple and MediaTek) combined with up to 24GB(!) RAM and the fluidity of Oxygen OS could very well make OnePlus 13 the performance champion of 2024 is. 2025.
Now, believe it or not, despite all this…this article is not exactly a “positive” take on OnePlus 13. And I think most of us would agree with that reason…
The OnePlus 13 may have been “perfect,” but OnePlus quoted Google: What happened to the OnePlus 12’s signature camera island?
While the blue OnePlus 13 looks classy, we think the other two variants are a bit bland.
If my experience as a technology writer has taught me anything, it’s that if a phone looks too good to be true, the company will always find a way to mess it up in a big or small way. This means that you can…
Fortunately, OnePlus seems to have done the latter, but that doesn’t mean I’m not mildly annoyed (after all, that’s basically my job).
Starting with the positive aspects of the OnePlus 13’s design, this is (seems to be) the first OnePlus to feature a symmetrical display border using 3D curved glass, which is long overdue in my opinion. It’s a victory.
The phone will also be thinner and likely lighter than the OnePlus 12, which is always a welcome upgrade – especially when it comes to larger phones (which it will be).
Also… can we talk about that blue eco-leather variant?! As I’ve said many times here, I don’t really tend to choose blue phones, but with this year’s iPhone 16 and OnePlus 13, It made me rethink my color preferences.
The blue leather version of the OnePlus 13 is the most fashionable and professional phone design we’ve ever seen.
OnePlus 13 lost its personality for no reason – removed the unique camera island from OnePlus 12, OnePlus 11 and OnePlus 10
OnePlus 12 had personality, OnePlus 13 doesn’t.
But the compliments end there, and for phone geeks it’s obvious why… Where did the camera island that blends into the metal frame go, OnePlus?! Part of the OnePlus 12, OnePlus 11, and OnePlus 10? Everyone seems to love this unique design element.
Of course, it’s always possible that the reason for this decision is due to hardware constraints, but I don’t know why that would be the case. Sure, the OnePlus 13 has a flatter frame, but that doesn’t mean a melting camera island is impossible. Not to mention, the actual back of the phone is still curved (for ergonomics).
What happened here is that while Google came up with the killer Pixel 6 series design (which made the Pixel 6 look like the most unique phone from the back), it reminded me of when they ditched the Pixel 5’s symmetrical display. Let me do it.
Not to mention when Google ditched the black camera visor on the Pixel 7 series the following year. I wasn’t a fan of this decision, but the same goes for the camera design change in OnePlus 12 > OnePlus 13.
In a mobile phone market already saturated with devices that look and feel 95% identical, why lose out on almost the only design element that makes a phone stand out?
Now, is this a deal breaker? No, absolutely not. But this is a very strange move. Especially when literally every flagship phone has a flat frame, flat display and looks and feels the same.
And for those living in Asia, the biggest surprise is that OnePlus’ sister company (Oppo) has also spoiled the stunning looks of the Oppo Find X6 and X7 and made them more basic. I mean, I think everyone is going through the same terrible thing.
And I still don’t know why…
