OnePlus 15R vs OnePlus 13R: Upgrade or Downgrade? Checkout Our Detailed Comparison Here

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-Carlsen Martin

Updated: Thursday, December 18, 2025, 13:22 [IST]

The OnePlus 15R recently made its debut in India alongside the OnePlus Pad Go 2. The OnePlus 15R is the first smartphone in India to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, which also makes it a flagship killer of sorts. But despite the upgrades, it isn’t all rosy, with the older OnePlus 13R coming in top in some scenarios.

In today’s comparison we will find out if the OnePlus 15R is an upgrade or downgrade over its predecessor, the OnePlus 13R. So without any further delays, let’s see how the OnePlus 15R fares against last year’s OnePlus 13R.

OnePlus 15R vs OnePlus 13R: Comparison

OnePlus 15R vs 13R: Design, Display, Build

Straight off the bat, the OnePlus 15R features a more subtle design with neatly arranged camera modules as compared to the circular camera island on the back of the OnePlus 13R. Apart from the finish and camera islands, both phones feature similar form factors, including flat displays and box-shaped frames with rounded edges.

In terms of build quality, the OnePlus 15R and 13R feature Gorilla Glass 7i up front and unnamed glass protection on the back. It is worth noting that the Electric Voilet shade of the OnePlus 15R uses a fiberglass back. Both phones have aluminum frames. Additionally, the OnePlus 15R also offers superior water and dust protection over its predecessor.

Moving on to the display and it’s anyone’s game. The OnePlus 13R boasts a 1.5K LTPO AMOLED screen with an adaptive 120Hz refresh and supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. On the flip side, the OnePlus 15R uses a standard 1.5K AMOLED display with a much faster 165Hz refresh rate but lacks Dolby Vision support. The general brightness of the 15R’s screen is slightly more than its predecessor.

There’s no separating the two phones in terms of build quality, although the OnePlus 15R does offer better water resistance. We also prefer its subtle design over that of the OnePlus 13R. Finally, LTPO screens generally consume less power, but that isn’t a major issue thanks to the OnePlus 15R’s larger battery. But given their specifications, the OnePlus 13R has an edge in watching movies and videos, while the 15R’s display is better equipped for gaming.

OnePlus 15R vs 13R: Overall Performance

Performance is where the OnePlus 15R truly steals the show, racing ahead of the OnePlus 13R. The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip on the OnePlus 15R doesn’t just offer superior CPU and GPU performance over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC on 13R but also provides better stability.

While both phones can easily handle gaming and multitasking without any hiccups, the OnePlus 15R scored over 2.8 million in our AnTuTu benchmark as compared to the 2 million achieved by the OnePlus 13R. In AnTuTu, the OnePlus 15R also did better than the Snapdragon 8 Elite powered on the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13s.

The story was the same with Geekbench as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 raced ahead in both single-core and multi-core performance. Additionally, the OnePlus 15R’s also offers better gaming performance thanks to the beefier Adreno GPU and improved cooling system. Moreover, dedicated touch response and Wi-Fi chips on the OnePlus 15R also help with stability during intense multiplayer battles.

To further improve the gaming experience, the OnePlus 15R also has a massive 7400mAh silicon carbon battery, dwarfing the 6000mAh battery on the OnePlus 13R. Overall, the OnePlus 15R delivers a noticeable generational leap in performance, stability, gaming endurance, and battery life over the OnePlus 13R.

OnePlus 15R vs 13R: Cameras

While the previous battle was extremely one-sided, this next one is much closer. The OnePlus 15R boasts a dual-rear camera setup on the back, with a 50MP Sony IMX906 primary sensor with OIS support and an 8MP ultrawide lens. Up front, it features a 32MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

The OnePlus 13R boasts a triple-camera setup on the back with a 50MP Sony LYT-700 primary sensor that supports OIS and an f/1.8 aperture, an 8MP Sony IMX355 ultrawide lens with an f/2.2 aperture, and a new 50MP Samsung JN5 telephoto unit with an f/2.0 aperture and 2x optical zoom. Up front, the phone opts for a 16MP Sony IMX480 selfie camera with an f/2.4 aperture.

Both phones feature similar main and ultrawide cameras, although the OnePlus 13R gains a clear advantage with its additional 50MP telephoto lens for more versatile zoom photography. On the flip side, the OnePlus 15R counters with a higher-resolution selfie camera, making it the better pick for users who prioritise front-camera quality and video calls over optical zoom flexibility.

OnePlus 15R vs OnePlus 13R: Conclusion

The OnePlus 15R is a clear upgrade over the OnePlus 13R for users who prioritise raw performance, gaming stability, and battery life. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, faster 165Hz display, improved cooling, and much larger battery make it one of the strongest all-round performers in its segment.

However, the OnePlus 13R still holds its ground with a more versatile camera system thanks to its dedicated telephoto lens and a display better suited for media consumption. Ultimately, gamers and power users will find the OnePlus 15R the more future-ready choice, while photography-focused users may still prefer the OnePlus 13R.

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