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OnePlus 13 vs OnePlus 12: What’s New in This Flagship Upgrade?
OnePlus 13 is finally out and advertised to be the top-of-the-line variant, unlike a flagship tech of OnePlus 12, which in itself was a prime product in the market with a wealth of features and notable performance. Here we break down the major improvements and the new features of OnePlus 13 to help you in deciding whether it is worth upgrading for.
Design and Build Quality
One plus was always synonymous with sleek and premium designs. Both, the OnePlus 12 as well as OnePlus 13 carry forward the legacy of sleek and premium design quite well. The new, minimally stylish look of the OnePlus 13 is polished compared to its peers. Bezzels are thinner and the build is marginally lighter. The device features more durable material, and is also water- and dust-resistant. The new OnePlus 13 offers a well-built design that carries a luxury feel. This puts it head-to-head as the biggest challenger in the premium category of smartphones.
Display: Sharper Images
While the OnePlus 12 already presents an incredible display with its 120Hz AMOLED screen and bright colors and smooth scrolling, the display of the OnePlus 13 goes all the way up by coming with LTPO 3.0 technology. This allows the screen to refresh intelligently between 1Hz and 120Hz, thus really optimizing both performance and battery life. The display size of OnePlus 13 is slightly bigger, hence creating a better overall picture display. The screen is also brighter, making it more suitable for outdoor use.
Performance: Processor and Speed
OnePlus 13 really delivers at its best in terms of performance. It will have a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor: The OnePlus 13 will be that much speedier, with better multitasking, and even more efficient than its counterpart, the OnePlus 12, using a chip of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. This processing upgrade is meant to bring on the OnePlus 13 a gaming, app usage, and AI-driven powerhouse. The new processor and up to 16GB of RAM guarantee that the OnePlus 13 runs smoothly even the most demanding apps. And most importantly, the new cooling system has been developed to improve on heat management, meaning that it prevents overheating even with a very long usage period.
Camera Upgrade
The camera system of OnePlus 13 is now seriously upgraded. In OnePlus 12, the triple-camera configuration has been okay, but with the new, state-of-the-art image sensor of OnePlus 13, images are sharper, and the low light is even better. The one main sensor of the OnePlus 13 has now been upped to 108MP for a resolution much higher on shots. And it also brings improvements to ultra-wide and telephoto lenses in the camera portion. These new AI features inside the OnePlus 13's camera software enhance the portrait mode and video recording, making it probably the most versatile device for a photography enthusiast.
Battery Life and Charging
The OnePlus 12 was really battery life we'd expect here, but the OnePlus 13 has one feature better here too. A 5,000mAh battery and enhanced power management via the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mean one will get noticeably longer usage times before needing to recharge. Also, the OnePlus 13 also supports 150W fast charging, so from flat it'll be fully charged in a little under 20 minutes. Wireless charging also gets a bump, now faster than on the OnePlus 12.
Software and Features
The OnePlus 13 runs on OxygenOS 14, based off Android 14, for smoother animations, improved in-built customization options, and more built-in features regarding privacy. On the other hand, the OnePlus 12 works with OxygenOS 13, but the new version will introduce optimized battery life and performance. The OnePlus 13 will offer better 5G to ensure internet is faster where 5G exists. The additional features include in-display fingerprint sensors and enhanced haptics. They make the OnePlus 13 a more refined and user-friendly device.
Pricing and Availability
Always famous for premium-priced phones offered at very competitive rates, OnePlus 13 does not bring any difference to the system. More than that, even considering that OnePlus 12 is still available at a reduced rate, OnePlus 13 is still bringing much better value to its price, due to its enhanced functionality and additional features. The devices are available around the world; and you'll be able to pre-order or directly buy the OnePlus 13 by your region.
Conclusion
In general, the OnePlus 13 demonstrates different kinds of advances in comparison with the OnePlus 12: more obvious ones at the level of performance, camera resolution, and the display technology. If you are still using the OnePlus 12 and the phone works for you, then in such a case, there is no need to replace it right now. Nonetheless, if you want the newest features and the best possible performance, the OnePlus 13 can become an investment that is worthwhile considering. It's now apparent that OnePlus is once again trying to push the envelopes of what a flagship smartphone can offer, putting this OnePlus 13 in the game.