The OnePlus 13 and iQOO 13 are neck and neck flagship powerhouses, each flaunting top-tier specs and unique design elements. Both phones boast high-quality OLED displays, but while the OnePlus 13’s micro-quad-curved 120Hz panel packs Dolby Vision, the iQOO 13 levels up with a higher 144Hz refresh rate. Both devices offer IP68/69 protection. Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip powers both devices, with OnePlus topping out at a massive 24GB RAM, while iQOO maxes out at 16GB. It is abundantly clear that these phones won’t remain a China-exclusive for long with international availability expected as soon as this year.
Here’s a deep dive into 13 key differences between these two powerhouses, helping you decide which one suits your needs.
1. Display:
The OnePlus 13 and iQOO 13 boast of 6.82-inch OLED displays, but there are some notable differences. The OnePlus 13 features a BOE X2 OLED 8T LTPO panel with a micro-quad-curved design, 2K resolution (3168 x 1440 pixels), and a 120Hz refresh rate. The panel can peak 4500 and supports Dolby Vision and 2160Hz PWM dimming.
On the other hand, the iQOO 13 has a BOE Q10 OLED display with a flat design and a slightly higher 144Hz refresh rate. It is billed as the world’s first Android phone with OLED circular polarised light eye protection. It supports 2592Hz PWM dimming. iQOO has also put its self-developed Q2 display chip inside it.
2. Design:
Both OnePlus 13 and iQOO 13 exude premium design with IP68/69 rating for water and dust resistance. The OnePlus 13 goes a step further with Crystal Shield ceramic glass, potentially giving it an edge in durability. It’s available in two finishes: leather (8.9mm thick, 210g) and glass (8.5mm thick, 213g). The iQOO 13 also offers a metal middle frame and glass back but is slightly lighter, with the Track Edition measuring 7.99mm thick and weighing 207g. The rest of the variants are 8.13mm thick and weigh 213g.
3. Unique design features:
The OnePlus 13 has the OnePlus signature alert slider. In contrast, the iQOO 13 sports an RGB LED halo light around its camera module.
4. Processor:
Both the OnePlus 13 and iQOO 13 are powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, coupled with LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.0 storage.
5. RAM, storage:
The OnePlus 13 offers a higher RAM ceiling, maxing out at 24GB with 1TB of storage. iQOO 13 caps out at 16GB of RAM with 1TB storage.
6. Battery, charging:
The OnePlus 13 comes with a 6,000mAh battery with 100W wired charging, 50W magnetic wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging. In comparison, the iQOO 13 has a slightly larger 6,150mAh battery with faster 120W wired charging but there is no wireless charging.
7. Rear camera:
OnePlus 13’s camera system shines with a 50MP LYT-808 main sensor with OIS, a 50MP ultra-wide which doubles as a macro camera, and a 50MP LYT-600 periscope telephoto lens with OIS and 3x optical zoom. The iQOO 13, meanwhile, offers a triple-camera setup, featuring a 50MP Sony IMX921 main camera with OIS, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom.
8. Front camera:
Both phones feature a 32MP front camera, though the sensors differ. The OnePlus 13 uses a Sony IMX615, while the iQOO 13 has a GalaxyCore GC32E1 sensor.
9. Software:
Running on Android 15, both devices offer unique interfaces. The OnePlus 13 has ColorOS 15, whereas the iQOO 13 comes with OriginOS 5.
10. Connectivity:
Both phones come with ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensors, dual stereo speakers, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, dual-frequency GPS, and IR blasters.
11. Pricing, variants:
The OnePlus 13 comes in a choice of 12GB/256GB, 12GB/512GB, 16GB/512GB and 24GB/1TB for 4,499 Yuan (~Rs 53,200), 4,899 Yuan (~Rs 58,000), 5,299 Yuan (~Rs 62,700) and 5,999 Yuan (~Rs 71,000).
The iQOO 13 comes in a choice of 12GB/256GB, 16GB/256GB, 12GB/512GB, 16GB/512GB and 16GB/1TB for 3,999 Yuan (~Rs 47,300), 4,299 Yuan (~Rs 51,000), 4,499 Yuan (~Rs 53,200), 4,699 Yuan (~Rs 55,600) and 5,199 Yuan (~Rs 61,500).
12. Colour options
The OnePlus 13 is available in White Dew Dawn, Black Secret Realm, and Blue Moment. The iQOO 13 comes in Legend Edition (white), Track Edition (black), Nardo Gray, and Isle of Man (green).
13. Expected India launch date
The iQOO 13 may reach Indian markets by December 2024, while the OnePlus 13 is anticipated to arrive in early 2025.
