As the world rings in the New Year, there’s already some exciting news for smartphone enthusiasts as OnePlus takes the first shot at commencing the flagship race. Marking a grand launch of two biggest flagships of the year, OnePlus finally launched OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R on January 7, putting an end to all the speculations and rumours about what the new phones will be all about.

OnePlus, however, hasn’t kept a tight lid on the devices, boldly showing off the design and teasing key features in the days leading up to the launch. But we’re here to bring you some more of that exclusive peek as OnePlus has shared with us the review units of OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R.

OnePlus 13 starts at Rs 69,999 and the OnePlus 13R stars at Rs 42,999. There’s a special launch offer with ICICI Bank discount, slashing the price by Rs 5,000. The 12GB+512GB variant costs Rs 76,999 and the 24GB+1TB costs Rs 84,999. The 13R’s 16GB+512GB costs Rs 49,999.

While we are in the process of testing and reviewing the flagship, we can, at this point, share with our readers the phones’ first impressions as we unbox the devices.

Unboxing OnePlus 13 series media kit

OnePlus sent us the whole package, its celebrated media kit, which comes with each flagship device. While the phones are a part of it, there are accessories that elevate the overall user experience, which helps us bring a better perspective of the devices.

The media kit of the OnePlus 13-series is an experience in itself. The main box is at least 10 times the size of normal smartphone packaging. In well-secured compartments, OnePlus has placed the OnePlus 13, OnePlus 13R and OnePlus Bullets Pro 3 in an all-new Sapphire Blue shade, complimenting the Sapphire Blue OnePlus 13.

As traditions go, OnePlus even put a secret compartment on the side, in which came two OnePlus 13 magnetic cases, an AIRVOOC 50W wireless magnetic charger and a coffee tumbler with subtle OnePlus branding.

OnePlus 13 first impressions

OnePlus sent us the Arctic Dawn variant of the OnePlus 13, and there are two other shades — Midnight Ocean and Black Eclipse. Though the white looks elegant, the blue is the new shade and has to be the better of the trio, complete with its microfiber vegan leather back to set the 13 apart. Nevertheless, the white variant is class apart. It looks sophisticated with that matte glass finish, which curves at the ends to seamlessly blend into the chassis. The shiny frame complements the white shade very well. The weight distribution is also on point, and it doesn’t feel like it weighs 210 grams. At 8.5mm thin, it is one of the sleekest flagships and has a solid grip.

OnePlus has also addressed one of the biggest asks by fans in the OnePlus 13 by giving it IP68 and IP69 certification. This allows the phone to withstand water immersion and even high-temperature water jets, making it the most durable flagship in the OnePlus portfolio.

Under the hood, the phone packs a 6,000 mAh battery with 100W SuperVOOC and 50W AirVOOC. This fast-charging tech is unparalled, and the massive battery just refused to die. The phone is lasting well over a day on a single charge.

The back of the phone has a big circular camera module, which houses four camera lenses. The redesigned camera module, OnePlus says, adheres to the golden ratio. OnePlus has packed a 50MP Sony LYT-808 sensor wide camera, 50MP LYT-600 with 3X optical zoom telephoto camera, 50MP S5KJN5 ultra-wide camera on the back. Video recording is supported at 8K 30fps, 4K at 60fps. The front camera has a 32MP Sony IMX615 sensor.

Take a look at some of the camera samples below:

Just as the back of the phone has a quad-curved glass, the display also has a quad-curved screen, which gives an expansive viewing experience. The Alert Slider takes its usual position and continues to work its charm. The volume and power controls are on the right while the USB Type-C port sits at the bottom along with the speaker grille. Overall, the OnePlus 13 takes a fresh approach towards design without losing the signature look, all while keeping the core “Never Settle” spirit alive.

OnePlus 13 packs a 6.82-inch QHD+ 120Hz ProXHDR display with LTPO4.1 and Ceramic Guard. It is bright and crisp with vibrant colours, suitable for multimedia and playing high-graphics games. The phone is powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, Andreno 830, up to 1TB storage, 24GB LPDDR5X RAM, which ensures seamless performance. In the short time we’ve been using the phone, there has been no issue with the performance or the UI.

As we’re reviewing these new smartphones, tell us if there’s any specific content you’d like us to test. You can write to the reviewer at s.khan@ibtimes.co.in.