OnePlus 13R or 12R: OnePlus 13R has arrived, and so have incremental improvements over the tried-and-trusted OnePlus 12R. With improved performance, battery life, and camera hardware, it shall become the new sweet spot for high-end mid-rangers. But is it truly worth paying extra money for, or is the 12R still the punt for the man on the street? Let’s compare.

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Design and Display: Same Old Familiarity, Tougher Glass

Both of the smartphones have a 6.78-inch AMOLED display, resolution is 1264 x 2780 pixels, and both of them possess HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and up to 4500 nits of peak luminance. Paper-wise, the difference is not much, but the OnePlus 13R possesses the new Gorilla Glass 7i in place of the Victus 2 of the 12R, which is more resistant to drops. The 120Hz refresh rate continues to be the same, and both of them prefer punch-hole screens to provide an immersive as well as seamless view.

Performance: Gen 3 Power Over Gen 2 Efficiency

OnePlus 12R is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which is an elite chip that can perform everything from gaming to multitasking. The 13R ups the ante with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which brings better AI, a slight boost in clock speed (3.3GHz vs. 3.2GHz), and better thermal efficiency. If performance is all that matters, the 13R is the winner.

RAM and Storage: Bigger and Bigger in 13R

The OnePlus 13R comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, while the 12R gets 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space. Neither one has a dedicated memory card slot, so additional storage on the 13R may be an added plus, particularly for media or game users.

Camera Setup: Dual 50MP Sensors Come into Their Own

OnePlus 13R gets a real-world camera department upgrade, with a 50MP + 50MP + 8MP camera setup with OIS and 4K@60fps video recording. The 12R features a 50MP + 8MP + 2MP camera setup, capped at 4K@30fps video recording. Front cameras are unchanged at 16MP, but with the new LYT-700 sensor in the 13R, that means better color representation and dynamic range.

Battery and Charging: More Capacity, Slightly Thicker Speed

The 13R also features a larger 6000mAh battery over the 12R’s 5500mAh battery. Charging speed is slightly lower at 80W versus the 12R’s 100W SUPERVOOC. It’s a trade-off more stamina or quicker top-ups.

Other Features: Minor Upgrades, Same Juice

Both the phones are 5G-enabled, have Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, and IR blasters. The 13R has Bluetooth 5.4, and the 12R Bluetooth 5.3 is an improvement but not a score-booster. Neither of the phones brings back the 3.5mm jack or the water resistance.

Verdict: Worth It for Power Users

OnePlus 13R brings solid upgrades in performance, battery life, and camera capabilities. For power users or future-proofing fans, it’s the better choice. However, the 12R still delivers excellent value, especially if you’re on a budget and don’t need the bleeding edge.