OnePlus 13s – OnePlus is taking a nostalgic trip back to its roots with the launch of the all-new OnePlus 13s, and fans of the brand’s early years are going to love it. This phone brings back the classic design vibe that made OnePlus a favorite among Android users while packing in the latest Snapdragon processor and all the modern bells and whistles you’d expect from a 2025 flagship.

Let’s break it all down in a casual, easy-to-read way so you know exactly what makes the OnePlus 13s special.

Old is Gold: Classic Design is Back

If you were a fan of the original OnePlus phones, especially the OnePlus One and 3T days, the 13s will feel like a warm hug. OnePlus is bringing back the famous sandstone finish—yep, that grippy, matte texture that actually felt like something different in your hand. No glossy, slippery back here. And it’s not just a throwback; they’ve used updated materials to make it tougher and more durable.

Gone is the circular camera bump from recent models. The OnePlus 13s goes for a clean, vertical camera alignment in the center—simple, elegant, and totally in line with that classic OnePlus DNA. The alert slider is still there (thank God!) and it’s been thoughtfully placed so it’s right where your thumb expects it to be.

OnePlus has ditched the curved edges too. Instead, you get flat sides for better grip and a more solid feel in your hand. The power button has a special textured finish, so you can find it just by touch. Oh, and the colors? Absolute nostalgia! Sandstone Black, Silk White, and even a Bamboo edition for eco-conscious users. It’s a tribute to the OG fans who miss the days when phones actually looked and felt different.

The frame is all metal with chamfered edges, giving off that premium vibe. Even the display bezels are super symmetrical—no awkward chin or thick borders. Overall, the design feels deliberate and thoughtful, not like it’s trying too hard to be flashy.

Power-Packed Performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

Under the hood, the OnePlus 13s isn’t messing around. It’s powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm’s latest and greatest. This chip brings a massive performance boost—expect smoother multitasking, snappier app launches, and serious gaming power.

It comes with 12GB RAM by default, but you can go all the way up to 24GB if you’re a real power user. Storage starts with fast UFS 4.0, so everything from copying files to loading games is lightning quick.

Gaming? No problem. The Adreno 750 GPU can handle top-tier titles at max settings. Plus, ray tracing is here—yes, on a phone! Games like Genshin Impact will look better than ever.

Worried about heat? Don’t be. The OnePlus 13s comes with vapor chamber cooling, which keeps the phone running cool even during long gaming sessions.

5G support is robust too—both sub-6GHz and mmWave, so it’ll work well no matter where you are. And thanks to improved AI features, the phone can do everything from smart photography to real-time translation—all on-device, so your privacy stays protected.

Stunning Display That Doesn’t Miss

The display on the OnePlus 13s is next-level. It’s a 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED panel, with a super sharp 3216 x 1440 resolution. Scrolling is buttery smooth thanks to a 120Hz refresh rate, and the screen can go as low as 1Hz when needed to save battery.

Outdoor visibility? No worries—it hits up to 2,600 nits of brightness, so you’ll be able to see everything clearly even under direct sunlight.

It also supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, so streaming movies or playing HDR games is going to look incredible. And yes, it has an always-on display that you can fully customize.

Camera System: Serious Upgrades Here

Camera fans, you’re going to like this. The OnePlus 13s features a triple-lens setup with a 50MP main sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide, and a 32MP telephoto. The main sensor is Sony’s high-end IMX989 1-inch sensor, so photo quality is truly impressive.

And OnePlus continues its partnership with Hasselblad, which means great color science and natural-looking photos right out of the camera. Every lens has optical image stabilization, which helps a lot with sharp photos and smooth videos.

Speaking of videos, you can record in 8K at 30fps or 4K at 120fps. So whether you’re filming a short clip or going full YouTuber, this phone has your back.

OxygenOS is Still Awesome

The software side of things is handled by OxygenOS 14, based on Android 14. It’s fast, clean, and thankfully free from unnecessary apps or bloatware. OnePlus has brought back the customization features that fans loved, so you can tweak things to your heart’s content.

Also, the 13s will get four major Android updates and five years of security patches, which is pretty solid in today’s market.

Price and Final Thoughts

The OnePlus 13s starts at $799, which is a sweet spot for a flagship phone. It’s definitely going after Samsung and Apple’s territory, but with a totally different vibe—one that combines old-school OnePlus charm with the latest technology.

If you’ve been missing the good old days of OnePlus, this is the phone you’ve been waiting for. It’s stylish, powerful, thoughtfully designed, and reasonably priced.

Whether you’re in it for nostalgia or just want a phone that doesn’t look like every other slab out there, the OnePlus 13s is worth checking out.