OnePlus 13 discounted ahead of OnePlus 15 launch in India: should you buy now or wait?

The OnePlus 13 came with a unique eco-leather back, which was both comfortable and felt premium in the hand. OnePlus is doing things differently this time. The OnePlus 15 has a matte glass back and a square camera module instead of the familiar circular one. Much cleaner and sleeker, perhaps, but the in-hand feel and grip would have changed. Talking about dimensions, the OnePlus 15 is slimmer at 8.1mm compared to the 13’s 8.5mm, with both weighing under 215 grams, so that’ll be a negligible difference in hand.

The new model however promises a display upgrade. The OnePlus 15 uses a BOE-made 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with a 165Hz refresh rate and 1.5K resolution, while the OnePlus 13 offers a 6.82-inch sharper 2K LTPO AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. Jumping to 165Hz might sound exciting, but most apps and games still cap at 120Hz, which means that in the real world, you may not see much difference. The OnePlus 15, however, gets a brighter screen at 1,800 nits, compared to 1,600 nits on the 13, which will be useful for outdoor visibility.

One of the USPs of the OnePlus 13 was its Hasselblad camera system comprising three 50MP sensors, including a large Sony LYT808 primary sensor. The OnePlus 15 retains a similar triple 50MP wide, ultra-wide, and periscope configuration, but its main sensor, the Sony IMX906, is slightly smaller, although the 3.5x periscope zoom (up from 3x) should provide more flexibility. Most notably, though, the Hasselblad branding is gone this year, replaced by OnePlus’s homegrown DetailMax Engine, which promises improved clarity and realism through computation. While the 13’s camera system was tried and tested, we’ll have to wait and see what DetailMax brings to the table.

Under the hood, the OnePlus 15 should take a definite lead with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset with UFS 4.1 storage. The OnePlus 13 runs the previous generation Snapdragon 8 Elite with UFS 4.0. The difference might not be huge for everyday users, but the newer chip should bring better power efficiency and smoother multitasking.

Battery life should be better this year. A 7,300mAh silicon-carbon battery sits inside the OnePlus 15 with 120W wired and 50W wireless charging, while the OnePlus 13 has a 6,000mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless support. Both will easily last through a day, but the 15’s larger capacity and faster charging should give it a slight edge. Software-wise, the OnePlus 15 runs Android 16, while the OnePlus 13 ships with Android 15. Both include AI-assisted tools and promise extended software updates, so differences here are minor for now.

At Rs 63,999, the OnePlus 13 still offers great value: premium build, reliable performance, and a refined camera system. It remains a good option for users who prefer a flagship with tried-and-tested credentials. However, if you can wait just a few more days, the OnePlus 15 might be a better long-term proposition. Its expected India pricing is likely under Rs 70,000, probably similar to what the OnePlus 13 launched at, and it brings noticeable improvements in performance, battery life, and display brightness. The OnePlus 13 is powerful, dependable, and would be slightly more affordable, but the OnePlus 15 comes with modern hardware and thoughtful refinements. If buyers can wait, holding off until the new launch might be the smarter, more rewarding decision.