iQOO 13 and OnePlus 13—I’ve made my decision. This decision was not easy, because look, both these phones look almost identical on paper. Be it design, battery, performance, or anything else—both come with top-of-the-line specs. But the big difference is the price, that too of a full ₹15,000! The base variant of OnePlus 13 starts at ₹70,000, while the iQOO 13 is available for ₹55,000—and I am telling this price without any offers.
I have been using both these phones since their launch, and while the specs are fine, there is a significant difference in the experience. For instance, when it comes to looks—the iQOO 13 gives off a gamey vibe with its RGB lights, while the OnePlus 13 answers with its practical alert slider and simple, sophisticated design. I personally like the iQOO 13’s flat display and sides more, but the OnePlus 13 feels more comfortable in the hand due to its curved treatment.
iQOO 13 vs OnePlus 13
Both weigh almost the same, yet the OnePlus feels slightly more premium—be it the texture of the back glass or the side frame. There are no gaps or finishing issues either. I didn’t find any major complaints with the iQOO 13 either, but everything in the OnePlus is just a little more polished. Dust and water concerns? Both come with IP68/IP69 water resistance, so no worries here.
Camera: A close contest between the two
The biggest difference is seen in the camera department. On the surface, both look similar—50MP triple camera setup. But the difference in the results is clear. Talking about the main camera, I liked the photos of OnePlus 13 better. Its sensor is bigger, which gives better subject separation. There is a slightly cool tone in the photos, but the colors look natural. The colors of iQOO 13 sometimes seem over-saturated, but it is slightly more consistent in skin tones. OnePlus’s images are more contrasty and sharper. Same story in ultra-wide—OnePlus’s photos are sharper, especially at the edges. But surprisingly, iQOO’s ultra-wide gives slightly cooler tones.
The biggest difference is in the telephoto lens. OnePlus 13 has 3x optical zoom, compared to 2x of iQOO 13. This makes the background blur and compression look better in OnePlus. Edge detection of OnePlus is also clearer in portrait shots. Both come with 32MP sensors in selfies, but OnePlus again wins. iQOO’s processing is sometimes so aggressive that photos look unnatural. OnePlus also has a wider front camera.
The iQOO 13 takes a slight lead in video performance. Its colours, dynamic range, and overall results are more consistent. The iQOO also performs better in low-light—colours are punchier, flaring is less, and photos are sharper. However, there can be complaints of over-sharpening at times. OnePlus gives better results in ultra-wide and telephoto, but I would avoid shooting with these lenses in low-light.
Software: OnePlus dominates
The biggest difference is in the software. The iQOO 13 comes with the latest Funtouch OS 15, and the OnePlus 13 has OxygenOS 15—both Android 15 based and feature-rich. But the difference is in the nuances. In terms of usability, both get the essential features—minimal bloatware, customization, and stability. But OnePlus takes the lead here. OnePlus offers more and better options in customization—be it icon shapes, fonts, or the lock screen. OnePlus also leads in stability. I noticed a few bugs and crashes on Funtouch OS, especially in third-party apps, which run absolutely smooth on OxygenOS.
In terms of look and feel, OnePlus is even ahead. Its UI feels more consistent and premium. Control center, homemade dynamic island, and animations—everything is as smooth as butter. Funtouch OS’s animations aren’t bad either, but look a bit clunky compared to OxygenOS. Both are equal in AI features—circle to search, object eraser, and writing tools are available in both. OnePlus has focused more on photo-related AI features (like fixing blurry photos), while iQOO offers features like live call translation.
Display: Both are great, but…
Both phones come with 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED displays, with 1440×3168 resolution and HDR10+ support. Content is fun to watch, and colours are strong on both. The only difference is Dolby Vision support—OnePlus has it, iQOO doesn’t. But in a side-by-side test, the difference doesn’t seem to be too big. In brightness, iQOO claims 4500 nits, compared to OnePlus’ 4500 nits, but in real-world tests, OnePlus seems brighter outdoors in sunlight. iQOO has a refresh rate of 144Hz, compared to OnePlus’ 120Hz, but the difference is negligible in gaming, as most games are locked at 120Hz.
In speakers, OnePlus is again better. Both are equal in loudness, but OnePlus has better bass and clarity. The mids in the iQOO speakers sound a bit boosted and muffled at maximum volume. OnePlus is also top-tier in haptics—the motor is tight and precise, which makes the UI interaction more premium. The iQOO’s haptics are also good, but fall a bit short in front of OnePlus.
Performance and battery: Close competition
Both are good in performance Both are pretty much on par. With Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, LPDDR5X RAM, and UFS 4.0 (iQOO has UFS 4.1 in some variants), both phones are powerful. There is no difference in app opening, closing, and day-to-day usage. In benchmarks, iQOO takes a slight lead, but practically no difference. In gaming, iQOO handles thermals a little better, but the difference is too small to ignore.
In terms of battery, both come with 6000mAh silicon-carbon batteries. I found the battery experience of iQOO to be slightly better—on average, it gives 15-20 minutes more screen-on time. In terms of charging, iQOO’s 120W charger is slightly faster than OnePlus’ 100W, but both charge up to 50% in 15-20 minutes and fully charge in 35-40 minutes. OnePlus wins hands down here with 50W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, which are missing in the iQOO.
Conclusion: My Verdict
So, which one should I choose? By now you might be thinking that the OnePlus 13 is better everywhere, so why consider the iQOO 13? To be honest, both phones are neck-and-neck. If OnePlus is better at something, it’s not 10 times better—just a little bit. If you’re on a tight budget, don’t care much about software, or gaming is your priority, the iQOO 13 is the best option. Most of the features are the same, and both get 4 years of Android updates.
But if you can spend the extra, the OnePlus 13 is a more polished and complete phone. The cameras are better, the software experience is much more refined, and quality-of-life features like eSIM support, an extra year of security updates, Dolby Vision, better haptics, and wireless charging make it premium. These small things together justify the extra price of ₹15,000.
And yes, talking about OnePlus’s green line issue, now you get a lifetime warranty, which gives peace of mind. All things considered, I found OnePlus 13 to be a real hit. What do you think? Do tell us in the comments.