DT Next Tech: The compact flagship smartphone to beat?
OnePlus has launched this device in three colourways including a gorgeous shade of Pink Satin and our favourite - the Green Silk.
OnePlus 13s
CHENNAI: If you ask most smartphone users why they moved to clunky smartphones over the years, you’re likely to hear battery anxiety or flagship-level hardware among the top reasons. It’s why we think OnePlus might be on to something with its latest compact flagship - the OnePlus 13s.
We’ve been fans of smaller smartphones like the iPhone 16 or Samsung’s Galaxy S25 but battery life has remained a deal breaker especially for heavy duty users. Does the OnePlus 13s tick enough boxes to be on your radar?
The OnePlus 13s is easily one of the best looking phones we’ve seen from OnePlus. The company has nailed the ergonomics with flat edges and a raised aluminium rear camera island that’s quite flat. There’s a new Plus key on the left spine that has replaced OnePlus’ popular alert slider, almost similar to the Action button on the iPhone. This device feels really good in your hand and is perfect for one-handed navigation. OnePlus has launched this device in three colourways including a gorgeous shade of Pink Satin and our favourite - the Green Silk.
The 13s flaunts a vibrant 6.32-inch LTPO AMOLED display (2640 x 1216 pixels / 460 PPI) that peaks at 1600 nits and comes with a 120Hz refresh rate. Its marginally larger than the S25 and the iPhone 16 and is backed by a massive 5800 mAh battery under the hood. Battery performance is a big win for the 13s among similar-sized rivals; the 80W in-box SUPERVOOC charger adds to the battery package. We comfortably sailed through an entire day despite extended screen time. The other big win is performance.
The 13s is powered by the best of breed Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and comes in a choice of 12GB/256GB and 12GB/512GB storage options. The device blazed through our tests and notched up an impressive score of 8811 (multi-core) in our Geekbench test. Gamers will appreciate the device’s advanced 3D cooling structure solution that is perfect for extended gameplay.
The dual rear camera is headlined by a 50MP Sony LYT-700 sensor. There’s also a telephoto lens (up to 2x optical zoom) in the mix. We would have liked to see an ultra-wide lens too.
Camera performance is quite solid but don’t expect the same lowlight performance of the OnePlus 13. The OnePlus 13s stands out with its compact form, buttery smooth user experience and a robust battery, making it one of the best compact smartphones you can buy right now. (Rs 54,999 onwards)
