OnePlus 13s: This ‘Compact Flagship’ Has a Catch You Can’t Ignore
If you’re on the hunt for a compact Android flagship that packs solid performance and battery life, the new OnePlus 13s might just catch your eye. Priced starting at Rs. 55,000 (with offers), the OnePlus 13s is positioning itself as a slightly trimmed-down sibling to the OnePlus 13, promising top-tier specs in a more “handy” package. But is it worth your money? Let’s break it down in detail in this OnePlus 13s review.
Design & Build Quality: Not Quite Compact, But Definitely Handy
At first glance, the OnePlus 13s stands out with its premium design. The matte green finish, aluminum frame, and Gorilla Glass back give it a sturdy and classy look. Compared to true compact phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25, it’s not ultra-small. But when placed beside phones like the Pixel 9 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro, it holds its own with a more manageable form factor. The flat-edge design feels a lot like an iPhone, and the buttons are satisfyingly tactile.
It’s not featherweight, but for users tired of oversized flagships, the OnePlus 13s hits a nice sweet spot. And yes, it comes with stereo speakers that are loud and crisp, decent haptics, and a screen protector plus case bundled in the box — a welcome move in 2025.
Display: Bright, Sharp, and Flagship-Grade
The OnePlus 13s features a 6.32-inch AMOLED LTPO panel with 1.5K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Brightness peaks at 1600 nits, so visibility outdoors isn’t a concern. The display is vibrant and sharp, with excellent viewing angles and support for HDR10 content.
Although it lacks Dolby Vision or Atmos, OnePlus has included a customization tool called “OReality” which lets users tweak their audio-visual experience manually. This won’t beat a Dolby Atmos setup, but for most users, it’s more than satisfactory.
Image Source- www.gsmarena.com
Performance: Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is a Beast
One of the biggest reasons to consider the OnePlus 13s is the performance. Powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 and UFS 4.0 storage, the device delivers excellent results in real-world tasks and gaming. In Antutu benchmarks, the phone scores around 2.5 million in both balanced and performance modes, beating even the Samsung Galaxy S25 in some areas.
Gaming is smooth, with support for 90FPS in BGMI and 120FPS in Call of Duty Mobile. Thermal management is decent too. During an hour of gameplay in Wuthering Waves, average FPS stayed above 55. The phone does get warm, but it stabilizes quickly without overheating.
Battery Life: A Surprise Strength
Despite its handy size, the OnePlus 13s boasts a massive 5850mAh battery (India variant), making it one of the highest-capacity batteries in this segment. It easily lasts over a day and can stretch to nearly two with moderate use. The included 80W fast charger tops it up in about 45 minutes.
One notable omission: no wireless charging. This is likely a trade-off for the large battery and slim design. Also, there’s no silicon-carbon battery tech here like in some other markets, but the backup remains impressive.
Software & UI: OxygenOS 15 with Useful AI
Running Android 15 with OxygenOS 15, the OnePlus 13s offers a smooth, fast UI experience. While purists might argue it feels more like ColorOS now, animations are fluid, and the interface feels snappy.
The phone includes AI features like “MindSpace,” a new tool that functions similarly to iOS’s Reading Mode or Nothing OS’s side launcher. With a dedicated button (inspired by iPhone’s Action Button), users can quickly summarize web articles or capture screenshots with contextual intelligence.
Other quality-of-life features include dual-SIM support (with eSIM), fast Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and 4 years of Android updates plus 6 years of security patches. Not bad at all.
Image Source- www.gsmarena.com
Camera: The Weakest Link in the Chain
This is where the OnePlus 13s falters. It offers a dual-camera setup — 50MP main sensor with OIS and a 50MP 2X telephoto lens (without OIS). While that sounds good on paper, the execution is average.
There is no ultra-wide-angle lens, a surprising omission for a flagship-tier phone in this range. The 2X telephoto is also underwhelming. Portrait mode is limited to 2X only; there’s no 1X portrait option, which feels restrictive. Zoom beyond 2X is purely digital and loses detail quickly.
The main camera does okay in well-lit scenarios. Indoor and low-light shots are hit-or-miss. Night mode improves some results, but overall dynamic range and detail preservation lag behind competitors.
On video, the OnePlus 13s supports up to 4K 60FPS with lens-switching. However, there’s no 8K video despite chipset support. Video exposure is sometimes inconsistent, and the front camera (32MP) also records 4K 30FPS but struggles in low-light.
Alternatives: What Else Can You Get?
- If camera quality is your priority, you might want to skip this. Consider the OnePlus 13 or Samsung Galaxy S25 for a more complete setup.
- If you want to save Rs. 10,000 and are okay with a slightly bigger phone, the OnePlus 13R is also a solid pick with comparable performance.
- If you want a truly compact flagship, the Galaxy S25 is still unmatched in form factor, though it comes with a smaller battery.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy OnePlus 13s?
The OnePlus 13s is not a perfect phone, but it gets many of the basics very right:
- Excellent performance
- Long battery life
- Beautiful display
- Stylish, handy design
Where it misses the mark is in the camera department. If you’re someone who clicks a lot of photos, especially wide-angle or telephoto shots, this device might leave you disappointed.
However, if your main priorities are performance, battery life, and a device that feels good in the hand, the OnePlus 13s is one of the best handy Android phones you can buy in 2025.
Let us know in the comments what you think about the OnePlus 13s. Would you pick it over the competition?
About the Author
Biplab Das My name is Biplab Das. I’m a writer, sometimes a tech YouTuber, blogger, ICT tutor and a part time website developer whose childhood obsession with science fiction never quite faded. A quarter-century later, the technology that I coveted as a kid is woven into the fabric of everyday life. I’ve spent the past years to learn these technologies, People say smartphones are boring these days, but I think everyone is beginning to take this wonderful technology marvel for granted.
