Table of ContentsTable of ContentsOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: specsOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: designOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: displayOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: performanceOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: batteryOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: camerasOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: software and updatesOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: special featuresOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: price and availabilityOnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro: verdictOnePlus looks like its hit another one out of the park with this years OnePlus 13. The enthusiast brands latest flagship launched in China in late October, and this week, the company officially announced it will be landing in North America on January 7, 2025. As one of the first mainstream phones to be powered by Qualcomms bleeding-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, it should bring significant improvements in the OnePlus 13s performance, battery life, and photographic prowess compared to its predecessor.This also puts the OnePlus 13 first in line to challenge Apples 2024 flagship. This year, the iPhone 16 Pro has raised the bar with Apples A18 Pro chip that powers new Apple Intelligence features and turns the smartphone into a gaming powerhouse. Theres also a clever new Camera Control and studio-quality cinematography features. Does Qualcomms latest silicon give the OnePlus 13 enough of an edge, and has the smartphone maker put it to good use? Lets dig in and find out how these two measure up to each other.Recommended VideosOnePlus 13iPhone 16 ProSize162.9 x 76.5 x 8.5 mm (6.41 x 3.01 x 0.33 inches)149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25 mm (5.89 x 2.81 x 0.32 inches)Weight210 grams (7.41 ounces)199 grams (7.03 ounces)Screen size6.8-inch 1440p OLED with 1Hz to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with 1Hz to 120Hz adaptive refresh rateScreen resolution3168 x 1440 resolution at 510 pixels per inch2622 x 1206 resolution at 460 pixels per inchStorage256GB, 512GB, and 1TB128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TBMicroSD card slotNoNoTap-to-Pay servicesGoogle WalletApple PayProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 8 EliteApple A18 ProRAM12GB, 16GB, and 24GB8GBSoftwareAndroid 15 with OxygenOS 15iOS 18CamerasFront: 50-megapixel primary, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP 2x telephotoFront: 32MPRear: 48-megapixel primary, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP 5x telephotoFront: 12MPVideoRear: Up to 8K at 30 frames per second (fps), 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 480fps for slow motion, with Dolby VisionFront: Up to 4K at 60 fpsRear: Up to 4K at 60 frames-per-second (fps), FHD at 60 fps, and 240 fps for slow motion, with Dolby VisionFront: Up to 4K at 60 fpsBluetoothBluetooth 5.4Bluetooth 5.3PortsUSB-CUSB-CBiometricsUltrasonic under-display Fingerprint sensorFace ID facial recognitionWater ResistanceIP69IP68Battery6,000mAh100W fast charging (TBA in the U.S.)50W fast wireless charging15W Qi wireless charging10W reverse wireless charging3,582mAh27W fast charging25W MagSafe charging15W Qi2 wireless chargingApp MarketplaceGoogle PlayApple App StoreNetwork Support5G, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)5G, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)ColorsMidnight Ocean, Black Eclipse, Arctic DawnBlack Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, Desert TitaniumPriceTo be announcedStarting at $999RelatedOnePlusAlthough the OnePlus 13 preserves the iconic design language of its predecessors, this years entry modernizes things to match an aesthetic thats now become the norm among flagship smartphone makers: flat sides.Thats a departure from the rounded curves of the OnePlus 12 and prior models, but this new phone is still unmistakably a OnePlus device. It preserves the elegant circular camera bump thats become a hallmark of the lineup since its introduction on the OnePlus 11, but also refines it in some interesting ways.For one, the camera ring now stands alone. Gone are the horizontal tangents connecting it to the phones side, and the outer ring is considerably more subtle than before. The LED flash has been moved inside the camera bump, and the Hasselblad logo, which went from a full wordmark to a stylized H on last years model, has been moved out to the edge, above a horizontal line that bisects the camera array. The OnePlus 12 was already a slick-looking smartphone, but the changes in the OnePlus 13 add a new level of class to the design.OnePlus 13 colors in China OnePlusOnePlus is also making two big changes to its colors this year, departing from last years Flowy Emerald and years of green shades in favor of a new blue finish. That was released in China as Blue Moments, but it will be dubbed Midnight Ocean for the North American release. Thats joined by Black Eclipse as the more typical neutral shade (known as Obsidian Secret Realm in China). However, were getting the companys third color here this year, with the ordinarily China-exclusive White Dew Morning Dawn coming to the U.S. as Arctic Dawn.However, theres more to these than merely colors. Only Black Eclipse will sport the traditional OnePlus finish. Midnight Ocean will be coated in a micro-fiber vegan leather finish a first for OnePlus while the Arctic Dawn will use a special coating on the glass to give it a silky smooth finish. Well have to wait and see what that last one means for grip and smudge resistance, but it sure sounds nice.Compared to what OnePlus has done this year, the iPhone 16 Pro seems considerably more pedestrian. Thats not to say it doesnt have a great design, but little has changed on the iPhone front in the past four years. Apple led the way in the move to flat edges with the iPhone 12, and this seems to be the year where everyone else is catching up to that design.Christine Romero-Chan / Digital TrendsApple switched from stainless steel to titanium for the iPhone 15 Pro lineup in 2023, which reduced the weight and smoothed the sides a bit, but it hasnt made the same kind of bold design choices that OnePlus has. Even the phones colors have been relatively muted over the past two years, with the iPhone 16 Pro available in Natural Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium, and Desert Titanium. The first three are exactly what they sound like, while Desert Titanium leans more toward champagne than brown.The OnePlus 13 retains the alert slider in its left-side position after moving it there on last years model, while the iPhone 16 Pro similarly sticks with the Action button introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro and adds a new Camera Control button for quickly pulling up the camera and snapping pictures. Apple retains its standard IP68 dust and water resistance rating for immersion in up to 6 meters of water for up to 30 minutes, while OnePlus seriously upped its game this year by giving the OnePlus 13 both IP68 and IP69 ratings a significant improvement over the relatively weak IP65 of its predecessor.OnePlusFor OnePlus, this IP68 rating means it can hold up in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes, so its not rated to go as deep as the iPhone 16 Pro. However, the additional IP69 rating gives it more protection in another area, certifying the OnePlus 13 to handle high-pressure and high-temperature water jets. This means you could power-wash your phone if you wanted to though please dont.With a classy look, unique finishes, and an IP69 rating, the OnePlus 13 is the clear winner for this round.Winner: OnePlus 13OnePlusThe OnePlus 13 display remains essentially the same as that of its predecessor. Its still a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED panel with a 3168 x 1440-pixel resolution and an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz. That works out to a pixel density of 510 pixels per inch.The main change in this years OnePlus 13 display is a slight increase in brightness 800 nits of typical brightness compared to 600 nits for the OnePlus 12. The peak brightness is still 4,500 nits, but thats more than enough for anyone.Even though the specs remain the same, the switch to flat edges on the OnePlus 13 means the screen is also almost entirely flat, so youll end up with slightly more of it facing you. Theres technically a very subtle curve at the edges by definition, its a 2.5D quad-curved screen but dont expect it to be anywhere near as curvy as the OnePlus 12.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsApples iPhones never embraced curved screens, and the iPhone 16 Pro is no exception. This years model has grown over its predecessor, but the new 6.3-inch display is still smaller than that of the OnePlus 13 (youll have to go with the pricier iPhone 16 Pro Max to get something comparable in size) and offers a lower 2622 x 1206-pixel resolution at 460 ppi. That makes it slightly less crisp than OnePlus larger screen, but it does get brighter during everyday use, with 1,000 nits of typical brightness. It can also drop to a single nit on the low end, making it ideal when you want to use it in a darker room without overpowering your eyeballs.The iPhone 16 Pro maxes out at 2,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness, which is less than half of what the OnePlus 13 can do on paper, but its hard to see this as much more than a spec sheet difference, as weve never had any problem seeing the iPhone 16 Pro even in direct sunlight.The bottom line is that both phones offer bright and vivid displays, Full HDR and Dolby Vision support, fast 120Hz refresh rates for buttery smooth scrolling, gorgeous colors, and deep blacks. The primary differences come down to specs like peak brightness and pixel density, which most people wont notice, and while the OnePlus 13 is larger, size isnt everything; some folks prefer a more pocketable phone, so were calling this one even.Winner: TieQualcommOver the past few years, top-of-the-line flagships have proven how much weve reached the point of diminishing returns in performance, and the OnePlus 13 and iPhone 16 Pro prove that even more this year. Both phones are powered by silicon with power far beyond what most folks will need, so the simple answer to which of the two performs better is that it wont matter as youre unlikely to push either to its limits.The OnePlus 13 is one of the first mainstream phones on the market to be powered by Qualcomms new Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform. Apple develops its own chips; this year, its the latest A18 Pro inside the iPhone 16 Pro.Weve done a more detailed comparison of the Snapdragon 8 Elite versus the Apple A18 Pro for those who want to delve into the details, but the differences have more to do with the platform than the performance.Nadeem Sarwar / Digital TrendsFor instance, Apple has worked hard to court AAA game developers for the App Store. Last years iPhone 15 Pro lineup, powered by the A17 Pro chip, ushered in an era of console-quality games in your pocket, from Resident Evil Village to Assassins Creed Mirage. These played well on the A17 Pro chip thanks to Apples new GPU technology with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and Metal effect upscaling, and they run even better on the A18 Pro.However, Apples coup here wasnt only in producing groundbreaking silicon, but in convincing game studios to embrace the iPhone. The Adreno GPUs in Qualcomms high-end Snapdragon chips can easily compete head-to-head with Apples A-series silicon, but you cant find the same quality of games in the Play Store to prove it.That matters if youre a hardcore mobile gamer, the iPhone 16 Pro wins, not because it has more capable specs, but because it has better developer support. Thats been Apples advantage for years, so its not too surprising.Winner: iPhone 16 ProOnePlusFor non-gamers, the more significant advantage to this years chips comes not from raw performance, but from power efficiency. The new 3-nanometer (3nm) manufacturing process used by both Qualcomm and Apple should translate to longer run times between charges.Well have to wait and see what this means for the OnePlus 13, but the iPhone 16 Pro disappointed us by barely getting through a day of use. We expect the OnePlus 13 to do much better thanks to its 6,000mAh cell, and its probably more fair to compare it to the larger iPhone 16 Pro Max, which we found has fantastic battery life, in this one area. Battery life is still the biggest price one pays for having a smaller phone.Unsurprisingly, OnePlus continues to run circles around Apple and nearly everyone else when it comes to charging speeds. The OnePlus 13 supports wired charging speeds up to 100 watts and wireless charging up to 50W. Youll need to buy OnePlus proprietary chargers to take advantage of these speeds, and if past trends continue, well probably only get 80W charging in the North American models, but thats several times faster than what the iPhone 16 Pro officially offers.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsApples specs say you can recharge an iPhone 16 Pro to 50% in about 30 minutes using a 20W charger. Tests have revealed that a 30W charger shaves about five minutes off that. However, if last years OnePlus 12 is anything to go by, 80W charging speeds should get you to 50% in 12 minutes and leave you fully charged in half an hour. Again, you need to use the SuperVOOC charger, but OnePlus includes one in the box.For wireless charging, OnePlus supports standard 15W Qi charging or 50W charging if you opt for its AirVOOC charger. Those speeds are twice as fast as the iPhone 16 Pro, which can reach only 25W with Apples proprietary MagSafe charger. Youre stuck at 7.5W with a standard Qi charger, although the iPhone 16 Pro also supports Qi2 for magnetic attachment and 15W charging speeds something that most Android devices have sadly failed to embrace.While it would have been nice to see Qi2 in the OnePlus 13, even for nothing more than the magnetic attachment features, thats a minor omission for a phone we can charge up in the time it takes to make a good coffee.Winner: OnePlus 13OnePlusThanks to its partnership with Hasselblad, OnePlus has delivered impressive cameras on its flagship phones over the past few years. The OnePlus 11 and OnePlus 12 take great photos, and theres no reason to believe the OnePlus 13 will be any different.If anything, this years model should see some improvements in the image pipeline thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite and its AI-powered image signal processor. OnePlus hasnt leaned into AI and computational photography the way its rivals have, but that doesnt mean it cant use whats already there. Well have to wait and see what kind of photos the OnePlus 13 produces, but between the hardware and Hasselblads color-tuning algorithms, were very optimistic.In terms of raw specs, youre getting a trio of 50-megapixel (MP) shooters, and while the telephoto lens drops from the 64MP of its predecessor, we think the new sensors OnePlus is using this year will make up for that. The telephoto camera has the same 3x optical zoom, although the ultrawide lens gains an increased 120-degree field of view. We expect the new sensors, combined with Qualcomms latest ISP, to deliver better lowlight performance. OnePlus also seems to be taking advantage of the new 480 frames-per-second (fps) slow-motion video capabilities of the Snapdragon 8 Elite.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsThe iPhone 16 Pro is a much more known quantity. It follows Apples typical playbook of providing three lenses with year-over-year sensor improvements. However, this time around, the ultrawide camera gets a boost to 48MP, and the iPhone 16 Pro gains the 5x optical zoom that was exclusive to the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max last year. While the ultrawide lens is the one youll likely use the least often to take actual photos, Apples computational photography engine collects data from that sensor, and more megapixels means more data for it to work with. The ultrawide lens also kicks in for macro shots, and theres a noticeable improvement there.The iPhone 16 Pro also has a few more tricks up its sleeve. Apples new Photographic Styles let you apply a broad collection of advanced filters to your photos, but the best part is that these are entirely nondestructive. In other words, you can switch them up later or remove them entirely if you dont like them. You can also shoot images in the Apple ProRAW format for advanced editing controls, and the built-in lidar Sensor lets you take depth-mapped night mode portraits. On the video side, the iPhone 16 Pro can also handle 4K Dolby Vision recording at 120 fps, which produces Cinematic Slow Motion playback when pulled down to 24 fps. Lossless ProRes, Log, and the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) formats support professional work, and theres a four-mic studio array that powers a new AI-powered Audio Mix feature that can separate background and foreground audio (think of it as a portrait mode for sound).Winner: iPhone 16 ProOxygenOS 15 on the OnePlus 12 Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsThe OnePlus 13 will ship globally with Android 15 and OxygenOS 15 layered on top (the China version uses Oppos ColorOS). OxygenOS has been somewhat controversial over the years, but its been steadily improving, and weve been pleasantly surprised by OxygenOS 15. Its turned out to be less of an iOS clone than Oppos ColorOS 15, although it still veers closer to Apples side of the fence. It still doesnt feel as smooth as other platforms, but its definitely gotten better.The iPhone 16 Pro comes with iOS 18 out of the box, which will be readily familiar to anyone who has used an iPhone in the past few years. As usual, iOS 18 refines the experience rather than rewriting it. This years most significant addition is Apple Intelligence Apples suite of AI tools. While these are rolling out gradually over the course of the iOS 18 life cycle, as of the most recent December iOS 18.2 update, theres built-in support for AI writing tools, image generation, and even direct integration with ChatGPT to help Siri answer questions it cant handle on its own.AppleAs for updates, OnePlus is now committing to four major Android updates and five years of security updates, which should keep the OnePlus 13 current until at least 2028 or when Android 19 ships. Apple doesnt make such promises, but its never really needed to as it has a proven track record; iPhones were getting four or even five years of software updates in the days when it was rare for most Android phones to see one or two. This makes it a safe bet that the iPhone 16 Pro will make it to at least iOS 22, and possibly even one or two releases beyond that.Winner: TieAndy Boxall / Digital TrendsAfter holding out longer than most other big players, Apple and OnePlus are delving more into AI features this year. However, Apple is going all-in with Apple Intelligence while OnePlus is still taking a more measured approach focused predominantly on photography.In OxygenOS 15, the OnePlus 13 gains a suite of AI photo-editing tools, including an AI Eraser, AI Detail Boost, AI Reflection Erase, and AI Unblur. These work much like youd expect, although they have some work to do before they catch up with Googles Magic Eraser and Magic Editor. However, these arent exclusively OnePlus 13 features; theyre also coming to the OnePlus 12 in the OxygenOS 15 update. On the other hand, Google Gemini support and a new Intelligence Search feature will be limited to the OnePlus 13.AppleApple Intelligence is a much bolder AI initiative overall. While the photo features are limited to a Magic Eraser-like Clean Up tool, the broader AI features include tools to help you compose and refine text, reply to emails, summarize audio recordings and call transcripts, generate images, and even create custom Genmoji. Apple has also partnered with ChatGPT to integrate it into iOS. This includes letting you call it up to help you write emails and other blocks of text to making voice requests via Siri.This also ties into the iPhone 16 Pros marquee feature: the Camera Control. As the name suggests, this new button on the lower-right side of the iPhone can be used to call up the camera app, but it also doubles as a sophisticated control system thanks to a two-stage capacitive sensor. A light press will lock autofocus and autoexposure, similar to a DSLR; you then press all the way down to take the picture. You can also slide your finger along the control to adjust parameters such as zoom, exposure, shooting mode, and more.Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsApple Intelligence comes into the picture through a new Visual Intelligence feature that lets you quickly perform Google Lens-like searches on real-world objects. Hold down the Camera Control and point your iPhone 16 Pro at something like an animal, a plant, a movie poster, a landmark, or even a product, and you can send it off to Google or ChatGPT to get more information about it. The concept isnt exactly novel, as there have been apps doing this for this for years, but having it built in and only a button press away makes it much more useful.Winner: iPhone 16 ProOnePlusFollowing a typical first launch in China on October 31, the OnePlus 13 will be released globally on January 7, 2025. OnePlus has confirmed that well get the same three colors as the China version with different names: Midnight Ocean, Black Eclipse, and Arctic Dawn. Theres no official word on pricing or storage capacities, but theres a good chance theyll be close to last years OnePlus 12, which started at $800. The OnePlus 13 sells in three capacities in China: 256GB storage with 12GB of RAM, 512GB with 16GB, and 1TB with 24GB, but a November leak suggests we may not see the largest 1TB/24GB version stateside.That would be in line with the OnePlus 12, which was sold in the same three capacities in China, with only the lower two available internationally. However, OnePlus could surprise us this year as it did with the color options. OnePlus white finishes, such as the Glacial White OnePlus 12, have been primarily exclusive to China. Seeing a global launch of Arctic Dawn is a pretty big deal, which means the 1TB/24GB model may not be far behind.The iPhone 16 Pro launched globally in September. Apples smaller Pro model didnt get the storage bump many were hoping for; it still starts at $999 for 128GB, with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB versions available for $1,099, $1,299, and $1,499, respectively. RAM is standard at 8GB across all capacities, and its available in Desert Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, and Black Titanium.Joe Maring / Digital TrendsLike many smartphone comparisons involving Apple, measuring the OnePlus 13 directly against the iPhone 16 Pro is tough. The two phones live in fundamentally different worlds, so its an apples-to-oranges comparison (no pun intended).For many folks, the decision between the OnePlus 13 and iPhone 16 Pro was made long ago based on the platform theyve already invested in. However, if youre on the fence or looking for a change, these phones each offer something that might tempt you to see how the other side lives.The iPhone 16 Pro is ahead of the pack with a more mature platform and an app ecosystem that takes full advantage of its gaming capabilities. The cameras take excellent pictures, the 5x zoom lets you get up close and personal, and the videography features are unrivaled. Apples AI features arent everyones cup of tea, but theyre well ahead of what OnePlus offers. Apple Intelligence is also complemented by the general fit and finish and smooth performance of iOS.Nevertheless, the OnePlus 13 offers a gorgeous and elegant design thats even more refined than before, plus fun colors with unique finishes. If previous models are anything to go on, the Hasselblad-tuned camera system is sure to be excellent. The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip offers performance to spare with new photographic capabilities, and few smartphones can charge up as quickly as anything that OnePlus makes. OxygenOS 15 may not be quite as refined as wed like yet, but theres a lot to like here and its more ready for prime time than ever before.Editors Recommendations