OnePlus 13 battery review: bigger and better?

Published On: January 7, 2025

The OnePlus 13 is the latest smartphone in the premium category to utilise the silicon-carbon composite anode tech to increase the battery capacity without compromising the weight or thickness of the device. As a result, the latest flagship houses a much bigger 6,000mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging support. Despite housing a bigger battery, the phone features a sleeker and lightweight design than its predecessor, the OnePlus 12 (review). However, does it outperform its rivals, such as the iQOO 13 (review) and Vivo X200 (review), which also feature large batteries? Let’s find out.

Table of Contents

Verdict

The OnePlus 13 is a reliable choice if a long battery backup matters to you. The brand also deserves credit for reducing the weight and thickness while incorporating a much bigger battery. It is among a handful of smartphones in the premium segment to offer fast wireless charging support.

Pros

The OnePlus 13’s battery is well-optimised for vide-streaming for long durations.
The phone offers a respectable charging speed via the traditional wired method.
The box also includes a 100W charger.

Cons

The OnePlus 13 performs poorly in the PCMark battery test.

OnePlus 13 battery review at a glance:

Tests	Result
PCMark battery	Rank 1 – Vivo X200 Rank 2 – iQOO 13 Rank 3 – OnePlus 13
30-minute video streaming test	Tie
90-minute gaming test	Rank 1 – OnePlus 13 and Vivo X200 Rank 2 – iQOO 13
Charging test	Rank 1 – iQOO 13 Rank 2 – OnePlus 13 Rank 3 – Vivo X200

For our OnePlus 13 battery review, we analysed the smartphone’s performance through various tests, which include YouTube streaming and gaming. We also ran the PCMark battery test to get the best idea about the smartphone’s battery performance in ideal conditions. Additionally, there’s a charging test as well.

PCMark battery test

(higher the better)

oneplus-13-battery-reivew-pcmark — PCMark test assesses a phone’s possible screen on time on a single charge after simulating real-world usage.

Winner: iQOO 13

As I mentioned, the PCMark battery test offers a decent insight into the smartphone’s battery performance in ideal conditions. Our test involves using the smartphone in a controlled environment with similar brightness and audio levels. We also ensured the phones had 100 percent battery capacity. Additionally, we also enabled flight mode during the test.

With a 6,000mAh battery, it is natural to have high expectations, but the OnePlus 13 doesn’t fare too well against its rivals in the PCMark battery test. It lasted nearly eight hours, while the iQOO 13 and Vivo X200, equipped with 6,000mAh and 5,800mAh batteries respectively, delivered over 13 hours of backup each.

The OnePlus 12 exhibited better performance in the same PCMark test despite leveraging a relatively smaller 5,400mAh battery.

Real-world context: Despite its low scores in the PCMark battery test, the OnePlus 13 exhibited decent performance in the real-world use case. During my review, I was unable to use the smartphone for a brief period due to juggling between devices for testing. The phone lasted over two days on standby with flight mode enabled and the always-on display (AOD) turned off.

YouTube streaming

30-minute YouTube streaming test to check battery drain (lower is better)

Smartphones	Battery drop (percentage and absolute value)
OnePlus 13	3 percent (180mAh)
Vivo X200	3 percent (174mAh)
iQOO 13	3 percent (180mAh)

Winner: Tie

Interestingly, all three smartphones consumed only three percent of battery during our YouTube streaming test, which involves a high-res video at similar brightness and audio levels on the platform. In absolute terms, the Vivo X200 is ahead of the two as it houses a relatively more compact battery.

Real-world context: As the test points out, watching YouTube videos on the OnePlus 13 was a breeze as the smartphone handled streaming effectively. In that case, the OnePlus 13 will prove to be a reliable companion if you watch a lot of videos (myself included) on YouTube. I also enjoyed watching long videos and shorts on its tall quad-curved display. Our lab test shows the OnePlus 13 offers the brightest output compared to the other two rivals.

Gaming test

90-minute gaming test to check for battery drain (lower is better)

Smartphones	Total battery drop (absolute value)
OnePlus 13	14 percent (840mAh)
Vivo X200	14 percent (812mAh)
iQOO 13	17 percent (1020mAh)

Our in-depth performance review highlights OnePlus 13’s superiority in managing thermals during intense gaming sessions. The smartphone also delivered consistent frame rates, if not better than iQOO 13.

For our gaming test, we will consider the total battery drop after playing three demanding titles, including Battlegrounds Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, and Real Racing 3. The total time spent on gaming was 90 minutes.

At the end of the round, there is a tie between the OnePlus 13 and the Vivo based on the percentage drop. However, the Vivo X200 consumed the least battery than its counterparts in absolute value. The iQOO 13 consumed the maximum battery, though the phone also offers the best frame rates in BGMI and COD.

Real-world context: As I mentioned in my performance, the gaming experience on the OnePlus 13 was quite enjoyable, particularly because of consistent frame rates and punchy display. I also found its size and weight distribution perfect for my grip. OnePlus lets users enhance the gaming experience by tweaking settings in the GameSpace tray.

Charging test

Charging test to see the time taken to charge from 20 to 100 percent (lower is better)

Smartphones	Charging time
OnePlus 13 (100W + 50W wireless)	27 minutes
Vivo X200 (90W)	38 minutes
iQOO 13 (120W)	23 minutes

Winner: iQOO 13

The OnePlus 13 is the only smartphone among the three that supports fast wireless charging. In contrast, all three smartphones offer ultra-fast charging speeds through the traditional wired charging method. In our charging test, the OnePlus 13 and iQOO 13 offered impressive speed, though the latter was slightly faster. The Vivo X200 took the maximum time to go from 20 to 100 percent despite housing a compact battery.

Real-world context: All three smartphones leverage the silicon-carbon composite anode tech for an increased battery capacity while maintaining a sleek form factor. The silicon-carbon layer also helps keep the battery cool during charging, which theoretically improves the battery life in the long run. During my review, charging speed was never a concern with the OnePlus 13. OnePlus also offers a charger in the box with the said maximum output (100W). However, all its competitors offer equally respectable performance.

Final verdict

Based on our battery tests, which involve gaming, video streaming, charging, and benchmarking, the OnePlus 13 proved to be a reliable companion. The smartphone also gains a slight edge over its other two rivals by offering 50W wireless charging support, making it a true flagship with aggressive pricing. Additionally, OnePlus remains thoughtful by providing a fast charger in the box.

What’s more impressive is that OnePlus managed to reduce the weight and thickness of the OnePlus 13 despite packing a 6,000mAh battery. In my battery review, this large battery provided enough power to comfortably last over a day with moderate usage. If we go by last year’s trend, OnePlus will likely expand the silicon-carbon composite anode tech across more devices, including the Nord series. In that case, the future of OnePlus smartphones with regard to battery performance looks quite bright.

Meanwhile, here’s a quick recap of our battery review:

The OnePlus 13 offers dependable standby performance with flight mode enabled, regardless of its poor performance on the PCMark battery test. It is also a reliable companion for YouTube lovers.
The Vivo X200 consumed the least amount of battery in almost all tests based on absolute mAh value.
The iQOO 13 provides the fastest charging speed with the charger included in the box. During gaming, it consumed the most battery power. However, it also achieved the best frame rates in our gaming performance tests.