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The way things are happening in the Indian smartphone scene, I feel that I’m forced to choose between a phone that's comfortable to hold and one that's actually powerful. Nowadays, almost every smartphone has a big screen, so when OnePlus announced the 13s as a compact smartphone, I was immediately intrigued. And I think, just like me, other people have also been waiting for a solid compact phone with some solid power.

This device can finally bridge the gap between premium features and comfortable ergonomics. So, let’s see if OnePlus 13s is worth all the hype.

Design & Display

© OnePlus

In my opinion, the design is the single most standout feature of the OnePlus 13s. It looks almost perfect with flat-out edges and a compact size of just 6.32 inches. In a world where almost every smartphone is 6.7 inches or above, this one is a delight to hold as the hand-feel is exceptional. I could easily use it with just one hand.

I also appreciate the matte finish on the back and the aluminium alloy body, where I don’t need to worry about smudges at all. The almost bezel-less LTPO OLED screen is vibrant, has deep blacks, and I can easily operate or read content under direct sunlight.

Battery Life & Charging

© OnePlus

Having a solid battery life has always been OnePlus’ forte, and this continues with the 13s as well. There is a 5850mAh battery that offers more than a full day's life during medium to heavy usage. It also has fast charging that supports 80W SuperVOOC charging.

Unfortunately, there is no wireless charging, which is available in many phones with a similar price tag. However, I realised that this compact powerhouse with an impressive battery life makes me less anxious.

Software & Features

You get this device running on OxygenOS 15, which is based on Android 15, and I can only describe it in one word — thoughtful. It is clean, polished, and largely bloatware-free, where you’ll enjoy the smooth animations and transitions. There is also a new ‘Plus Key’ replacing the alert slider — a nice idea where you can assign any prompt to make it more practical. I found this feature quite useful.

Performance

© OnePlus

It has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset as the OnePlus 13, so you get the same top-tier performance. Not once did I face any lag in my daily usage. I could open any app instantly and multitask seamlessly. To my surprise, it handles every game I've thrown at it without any problem. I could play heavy-duty games with no lag or frame rate drop.

However, unlike the OnePlus 13, I noticed that this one heats up after 20-30 minutes of heavy gaming. But again, that's not a deal breaker. There is 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage, so basically, this phone is relentlessly fast, and I did not feel that I was using a smaller phone at all. It's the full flagship experience in a compact package.

Camera

© OnePlus

The camera setup on the OnePlus 13s reminds me of Pixel phones. There is a 50MP main sensor and a 50MP telephoto unit with 2x optical zoom, offering very good images. Even in low-light conditions, the result is remarkable. There is a good dynamic range, and I wonder if having one additional ultrawide lens would’ve made this one among the best camera phones in India right now. This is one area that surprises me with OnePlus’ decision to have a dual-camera set-up for a phone that starts with INR 54,999.

Now, don’t get me wrong here, as this one still offers sharp and clear images and videos, but having a complete three-camera set-up would’ve given the 13s a clear-cut identity as the ultimate compact camera phone.

AI Features

© OnePlus

I don’t think you can talk about a new premium smartphone these days without mentioning its AI capabilities, and the OnePlus 13s has its share of smart features. It’s got the usual bag of tricks, like the AI Eraser in the photo gallery that lets you remove photobombers or distracting objects from your pictures. It works surprisingly well and is genuinely useful for cleaning up a shot.

Other AI tools also turned out to be helpful, like generating summaries of articles or transcribing voice notes. Now, I'm not the one who would use these tools daily, but they are quite handy and add value. I also like the fact that OnePlus did not go overboard and make AI look gimmicky.

In the End

© OnePlus

I can easily call this one a compact beast with flagship performance if you prioritise a comfortable, one-handed experience without sacrificing raw power.

Yes, you might not get some features like wireless charging or a more fancy camera module that's available in other phones, but this one is special. If you're looking for a solid design, performance, and battery life — all in a compact size, consider the OnePlus 13s for sure.

My Rating: 4/5

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