Apple iPhone 17 vs OnePlus 13: Which to Buy?

This is a genuine cross-platform decision: Apple's most affordable 2025 iPhone against one of Android's most complete flagships. The iPhone 17 is compact, light and finally brings a fast-refresh screen to the base model; the OnePlus 13 is a larger powerhouse built around a huge battery, rapid charging and a versatile triple camera. They land at a similar price, so the choice comes down to platform and priorities. This comparison draws only on the complete published reviews of each phone; Truthful Reviews has not independently tested either handset.

Size and Handling

The two could hardly feel more different in the hand. The iPhone 17 measures 149.6 mm tall, 71.5 mm wide and 8 mm thick at just 177 g — genuinely compact and among the easiest modern flagships to use one-handed. The OnePlus 13 is a much bigger device at 162.9 mm tall, 76.5 mm wide and 8.5 mm thick, weighing 213 g. Both carry an IP-rated seal against dust and water — IP68 on the iPhone, IP68 plus an IP69 hot-water rating on the OnePlus. If a smaller, lighter phone is the priority, the iPhone wins this outright; if you don't mind the extra bulk, the OnePlus uses that space for a bigger screen and battery.

Display

The headline upgrade on the iPhone 17 is that its 6.3-inch LTPO OLED now runs at 120 Hz — a fast, smooth refresh rate that earlier base iPhones lacked — at a resolution of 2622 x 1206 for 460 ppi. The OnePlus 13 fields a larger 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED at 3168 x 1440 (510 ppi), with a refresh rate that flexes from 1 Hz up to 120 Hz to save power, and it is one of the brighter panels around. So both give you a 120 Hz flagship display; the iPhone's is smaller and sharper for its size, the OnePlus's is bigger, higher-resolution and brighter.

Performance

Both are top-tier performers on different silicon. The iPhone 17 runs Apple's A19 chip with 8 GB of RAM, and its performance is described as spectacular, helped by iOS's tight hardware-software integration. The OnePlus 13 uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite with 12 GB or 16 GB of RAM, a genuine Android powerhouse. Both offer 256 GB and 512 GB storage tiers — the iPhone doubling its base storage to 256 GB this year — with the OnePlus additionally reaching 1 TB. In day-to-day use neither will feel short of power; this is a platform choice more than a speed one.

Cameras

Here the OnePlus has the more versatile hardware. The iPhone 17 keeps a dual rear system: a 48 MP main sensor with sensor-shift stabilisation and a 48 MP ultra-wide, backed by an 18 MP front camera. It takes excellent, reliable photos and Apple's video remains a strength, but there is no dedicated telephoto. The OnePlus 13 answers with a Hasselblad-tuned triple 50 MP array — a main camera at an equivalent 23 mm (f/1.6), a 50 MP ultra-wide at an equivalent 15 mm and a 50 MP telephoto at an equivalent 73 mm giving a 3x optical zoom — plus a 32 MP selfie camera. For zoom reach and framing flexibility the OnePlus is the more complete kit; the iPhone counters with consistency and class-leading video.

Battery and Charging

This is the OnePlus 13's clearest advantage. It carries a 6000 mAh battery against the iPhone's 3692 mAh, and it charges far faster — 100 W wired and 50 W wireless — where the iPhone relies on slower wired charging and MagSafe. That translates into the OnePlus comfortably lasting longer between charges and refilling in a fraction of the time. Battery life and charging speed are the iPhone 17's weakest area and the OnePlus's strongest, so heavy users leaning on stamina should weigh this heavily.

Software and Ecosystem

The iPhone 17 runs iOS 26 with Apple's long record of software updates and the pull of its ecosystem — AirDrop, MagSafe accessories, Continuity with Macs and iPads. The OnePlus 13 runs Android 15 under OxygenOS 15, which is fast and highly customisable. This is the part no spec sheet settles: if you are invested in Apple's ecosystem or prefer iOS, the iPhone is the obvious pick; if you want Android's flexibility and faster charging, the OnePlus makes its case.

Which Should You Buy?

Choose the Apple iPhone 17 if you want a compact, light phone, the polish and longevity of iOS 26, Apple's ecosystem and A19 performance, now with a 120 Hz screen and 256 GB of base storage — accepting a small 3692 mAh battery, slower charging and only two rear cameras with no telephoto. Choose the OnePlus 13 if you want the far bigger 6000 mAh battery and much faster 100 W charging, a larger and brighter high-resolution display, a versatile triple Hasselblad camera with real telephoto reach, and Android's flexibility — accepting a large, heavy body and, for some, the preference for iOS. Neither is simply better: the iPhone 17 is the compact, ecosystem-first choice, and the OnePlus 13 is the big-battery Android all-rounder.