I’ve been excited for this phone for a while, but now the OnePlus 13T is official, I’m concerned it’s not going to work out.
While I’m something of a Pixel fan, the Pixel 9a design just doesn’t do it for me this year and I enjoy being lured by other devices that arrive on the market with something interesting to offer.
The OnePlus 13T is the latest one and, in my opinion, could be one of the best mid-range phones of 2025 – taking on the Pixel 9a, iPhone 16e and others.
Rumoured to be the OnePlus 13 mini, it’s being dubbed as ‘small’ despite having a 6.32-inch screen. But that’s not what interests me the most about this handset.
It’s the fact that it comes in a stylish, svelte design while offering a big battery. It’s got a whopping 6260mAh battery, which has got me longing for the longevity it could offer.
That’s way bigger than the 5100mAh Pixel 9a and even more so compared to the 4005mAh iPhone 16e. It even makes the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 5000mAh battery look tiny.
OnePlus has managed this by using an improved version of the silicon-carbon technology found in the flagship OnePlus 13, fitting in more capacity into smaller cells compared to the lithium-ion used in rivals.
OnePlus
It does this while being 1g lighter and even thinner (8.2mm) than the ugly Pixel 9a. Granted, the iPhone 16e is 18g lighter, but that’s not enough considering its inferior specs and boring design.
On the other hand, the 13T has something about it I really like. That unusual camera module in the corner and just a general understated swag which OnePlus is so often good at.
Sure, the Alert slider is gone, but it’s at least been replaced with a customisable button.
Furthermore, it’s got the top-tier Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, two 50Mp rear cameras (main and telephoto), up to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage, plus 80W fast charging.
It’s been confirmed to cost CNY3,399 which is around £349 or $465. Sign me up!
However, OnePlus hasn’t confirmed whether the 13T will launch outside of China, including the UK, US and Europe and is worryingly quiet on the subject.
I’ve reached out to OnePlus for confirmation but have not heard back yet. Until then, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed this stunning mid-ranger manages to get a first-class ticket to Western markets.
