OnePlus 13R vs OnePlus 12R: 5 major upgrades expected

After the recent debut of the OnePlus 13R on several certification listings, the rumours have been doing rounds on the internet. The upcoming smartphone is expected to debut around the same time as the flagship model — OnePlus 13. While the official launch dates are under wraps, the speculations are such that the OnePlus 13 and 13R will arrive in India in January 2025. Media reports claim that the phone is expected to debut in China in December, named as the OnePlus Ace 5. According to trends, the R-variant is a toned down version of the flagship model. Now, let’s look at the upgrades expected from the OnePlus 13R over the OnePlus 12R.
– The OnePlus 13R is expected to run on last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, continuing a pattern seen with the OnePlus 12R, which also used a previous generation flagship chip. This approach is common among brands, which often equip their main flagship models with Qualcomm’s newest processors, while reserving slightly older chips for their more budget-friendly premium models. For context, the OnePlus 12 features the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, while the 12R uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
– The upcoming OnePlus 13R model is expected to sport a 6.78-inch LTPO panel with 1.5K resolution. The screen will likely have support for 120Hz refresh rate. Following the rumours, there is no change in the display part of the phone. The OnePlus 12R also features a 6.78-inch display with 120Hz refresh rate. The only difference could be that the 12R has a curved display and 13R is rumoured to feature a flat display.
– The phone is rumoured to include a triple rear camera setup, with a 50-megapixel main sensor and a 16-megapixel front camera for selfies. To recap, the OnePlus 12R has a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 primary camera, a 2-megapixel macro lens, and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens. While more details in the photography section is yet to come, the OnePlus 13R is anticipated to get a telephoto sensor as an upgrade.
– Powering the device is a substantial 6,300mAh battery, supported by 100W fast charging, making the upcoming phone a potential powerhouse for heavy users. The upcoming device takes a leap here, as the OnePlus 12R packs a 5,500mAh battery. But the charging capabilities is same for both.
– Another significant upgrade anticipated for the OnePlus 13R is the inclusion of an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. While the OnePlus 12R uses an optical sensor, the ultrasonic version offers a more advanced option.
The OnePlus 13R is likely to be priced between Rs 40,000 and Rs 45,000 in India, slightly higher than the OnePlus 12R, which debuted at Rs 39,999. Based on previous launches, OnePlus may either keep the pricing similar or introduce a small increase of a few thousand rupees. A price hike seems plausible given the brand’s pricing trends.