OnePlus 12 vs OnePlus 13: Should you wait?
OnePlus has yet to announce the OnePlus 13, but leaks and rumors already reveal a good number of details about the phone. We compare these details to those of the OnePlus 12 to help you decide whether you should wait.
The OnePlus 12 was announced in the global market early this year. It’s arguably one of the best Android phones we’ve tested, featuring not only a powerful chipset and large battery but also a decent camera setup and fast charging.
The smartphone even has one of the brightest displays on the market, leaving the likes of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and S24 Ultra behind. But should you get the OnePlus 12 or wait for the upcoming OnePlus 13?
The upcoming OnePlus 13 is rumored to build on the already-great OnePlus 12, which managed to get 4 stars in our review. It is expected to have a more powerful chipset, a new design, and an even larger battery.
Design
There are many speculations that the OnePlus 13 will bring a different design compared to the OnePlus 12. The latter retains the circular camera module and curved display seen on the OnePlus 11. An image shared on X suggests that OnePlus is planning to revert to the OnePlus 10 Pro’s design, equipping the upcoming phone with a squarish camera island.
Another striking design change could be coming to the display of the OnePlus 13. OnePlus is rumored to be equipping its upcoming flagship with a “micro quad-curved panel.” While we don’t know exactly what this panel will look like, the term suggests a display featuring subtle curves on all four sides. OnePlus 12 already has curved edges, and now you can expect a phone that’s also curved on the top and bottom.
Display
DexertoSeveral leaks, including one from tipster Digital Chat Station, reveal that the OnePlus 13 will feature a high-spec 2K 8T LTPO custom display. The design will include a nearly flat screen with a slightly curved glass cover, offering a larger size and improved visuals compared to the OnePlus 12.
The OnePlus 12 currently features a 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with 4500 nits peak brightness, HDR10+, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 2K resolution. It’s yet to be known what the brightness and refresh rate will be on the OnePlus 13.
Specs
| | OnePlus 13 (rumored) | OnePlus 12 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (3nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5X (max) | 16GB LPDDR5X (max) |
| Battery | 6000mAh | 5400mAh |
| Charging | 100W wired | 100W wired, 50W wireless |
| Display | 6.8-inch AMOLED | 6.8-inch AMOLED |
| Cameras | 50+50+50 MP. Triple camera with 3x optical zoom | 50+ 48+ 64 MP. Triple camera with 3x optical zoom |
| Price | Starting at $799 | Starting at $799 |
The most striking difference between the OnePlus 12 and the OnePlus 13 is the rumored processor. While the current model packs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, the upcoming smartphone could bring a more advanced Snapdragon 8 Gen 4.
During our testing, the OnePlus 12 managed to run even the most demanding games like Genshin Impact without any issues. It performed smoothly while multitasking as well. To put that into context, the OnePlus 12 managed to receive 4849 points in the multi-core test and 948 points in the single-core Geekbench 6 tests.
It managed to get 4490 points in 3D Mark’s 1440p 3D Wild Life Extreme test with an average frame rate of 29.69 FPS. OnePlus 12 also scored an impressive 1821801 points in AnTuTu.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 might leave its predecessor behind, according to its alleged Geekbench 6 score. It might not only be leaps ahead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 but also compete with Apple’s M3 silicon. The chip allegedly obtained single-core and multi-core scores of 2,845 and 10,628, respectively.
Another big upgrade the OnePlus 13 could bring is a larger battery. While the OnePlus 12 has a 5400 mAh battery, the OnePlus 13 might feature a larger 6000 mAh unit. However, this might be at the expense of wireless charging, which OnePlus is reportedly removing from its upcoming phone. The smartphone could retain 80W wired charging support.
Cameras
DexertoThe OnePlus 12 brought a big camera upgrade with its new 64MP telephoto lens. The 50MP main sensor and 48MP ultrawide camera, tuned by Hasselblad, also take great pictures. However, according to tipster Digital Chat Station, the OnePlus 13 will have a triple-camera system, with all three cameras rocking 50MP sensors (main, ultrawide, and telephoto).
The leaker also mentions the telephoto lens will offer 3x optical zoom, just like the OnePlus 12, but calls it “upgraded.” This could mean a bigger sensor or other improvements to the camera hardware. Hasselblad will continue to optimize the camera for the phone.
Which phone should you get?
The OnePlus 13 is shaping up to be a solid phone. If your current phone is not very old, we’d recommend waiting till early next year for the new OnePlus 13. However, if you’re looking to upgrade, getting the OnePlus 12 isn’t a bad idea, especially if you can score a discount.