OnePlus 13 vs iQOO 13: Battle of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Powerhouses!

The iQOO 13 and OnePlus 13 recently made their debut in China. Both phones are pretty evenly matched on paper and use the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.

With solid upgrades over their respective predecessors, both the iQOO 13 and OnePlus 13 aim to deliver premium smartphone experiences without the over-the-top pricing of Samsung, Apple, and Google. But how do they fare when pitted against each other; let's find out.

OnePlus 13 vs iQOO 13: Full Specs Compared

Design & Display

Both the iQOO 13 and OnePlus 13 are equipped with glass backs and metal frames, although the latter's Crystal Shield ceramic glass is the stronger of the two. Both phones also feature an IP69 rating for resistance to dust and water. However, the iQOO 13 does feature a flat display as opposed to a micro-curved screen on the OnePlus 13.

Moreover, the iQOO 13's square camera island is surrounded by RGB LED lights. OnePlus opts for a circular camera island and retains the Alert Slider from past flagships. Lastly, the OnePlus 13 also comes in a vegan leather option.

The OnePlus 13 has a ground-breaking new BOE X2 OLED display, which is rated A++ by DisplayMate for a stunning visual experience. However, the iQOO 13's screen is no slouch either, featuring nearly the same specifications, although it uses an older BOE Q10 panel with a higher 144Hz refresh rate. Additionally, the iQOO 13 also comes with a dedicated display chip for an enhanced gaming experience.

Performance, Software, and Battery

While both phones are equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the OnePlus 13 maxes out at 24GB of RAM as opposed to 16GB on the iQOO 13. Additionally, the OnePlus 13 has a slightly larger cooling area compared to the iQOO 13. Both phones run Android 15 with their custom software skins. The battery on the iQOO 13 is slightly larger with faster charging support, although the OnePlus 13 also supports wireless fast charging.

Cameras

The OnePlus 13 features a trio of 50MP cameras, including a Sony LYT-808 primary sensor with OIS and an f/1.6 aperture, a Samsung S5KJN5 ultrawide lens with an f/2.0 aperture, and a Sony LYT-600 periscope lens with OIS, an f/2.6 aperture, and a 3x optical zoom.

The iQOO 13 also boasts a trio of 50MP cameras, including a Sony IMX921 primary sensor with OIS and an f/1.9 aperture, a Samsung S5KJN1 ultrawide lens with an f/2.0 aperture, and a Sony IMX816 telephoto shooter with OIS, an f/1.9 aperture, and a 2x optical zoom.

Moreover, the rear cameras on the OnePlus 13 are also co-tuned with Hasselblad for enhanced portrait shots and colour reproduction. The OnePlus 13 boasts a 32 Sony IMX615 selfie camera as opposed to the 32 GalaxyCore GC32E1 shooter on the iQOO 13. Overall, the OnePlus 13 does offer an edge over the iQOO 13 both in terms of versatility and quality.

OnePlus 13 vs iQOO 13: Our Thoughts!

Both the iQOO 13 and OnePlus 13 are pretty evenly matched on paper. The OnePlus 13's display offers an enhanced viewing experience, while the iQOO 13's screen is more tailored towards gaming. Moreover, the OnePlus 13 has a slightly tougher build, and the micro-curved screen gives the handset an edge in the design department.

The OnePlus 13 also has an edge in the camera and charging departments. We also prefer the ColorOS interface over the FuntouchOS. On paper, OnePlus's edge appears to be worth the extra price, although it isn't much of a difference and if you want to save a few thousand bucks, the iQOO 13 is a solid pick.