OnePlus 13 vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The OnePlus 13 and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra are two of the best Android phones around, and they cost almost the same. But they chase different ideals: the OnePlus is the value champion, built around a huge battery, the fastest charging and clean software, while the Galaxy is the do-everything flagship, with an S Pen, the most versatile cameras and Samsung's polished ecosystem. Here is how they compare, drawn from independent expert reviews of each, with current UK prices.

At a glance

The OnePlus 13 (around £699.99) leads on the fundamentals: a large battery, blistering charging, a very bright screen and lean, fast software. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (around £743.00) leads on breadth: a built-in S Pen, a four-camera system with two telephoto lenses, a 200 MP main sensor and seven years of updates. They are priced within about £45 of each other and share the same top-tier chip, so this is really about battery versus versatility.

Check the OnePlus 13 price on Amazon · Check the Galaxy S25 Ultra price on Amazon

Software and features

Both run Android, but with different philosophies. The OnePlus 13 runs OxygenOS, long admired as one of the cleanest and quickest Android layers. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra runs Samsung's feature-rich One UI, adding Galaxy AI tools, the S Pen stylus and an industry-leading seven years of OS and security updates. If you want lean, fast software the OnePlus appeals; if you want the deepest toolbox, a stylus and the longest support, the Galaxy is well ahead here.

Design and build

Both are large, premium phones. The OnePlus 13 weighs around 213 g and adds tough IP68 and IP69 water resistance, so it shrugs off dust and jets of water. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is built in a titanium frame, 8.2 mm thick and around 218 g, with an S Pen tucked inside its body. Both feel thoroughly high-end in the hand. The defining difference is the Galaxy's integrated stylus, which the OnePlus does not try to match; beyond that they are close cousins at the very top of the Android range.

Screen

Both use large, excellent OLED panels at 120 Hz. The OnePlus 13's 6.82-inch display is a sharp 2K panel quoted at a very high 4500 nits of peak brightness, so it is superb in direct sun. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's 6.9-inch panel peaks lower at around 2600 nits but pairs with the S Pen for note-taking and drawing. Both are gorgeous, high-refresh displays; the OnePlus wins on outright brightness, the Galaxy on stylus support and its marginally larger canvas.

Performance

There is little between them, because both run the same flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra pairs it with 12 GB of RAM, while the OnePlus 13 offers up to 16 GB. Both are among the fastest phones you can buy, sailing through games and heavy multitasking. This is not a category that should decide your choice: whichever you pick, you get best-in-class Android performance with plenty of memory for years of demanding use.

Cameras

This is where the Galaxy pulls ahead on versatility. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra brings a 200 MP main sensor and a four-camera system with two separate telephoto lenses for flexible long-range zoom. The OnePlus 13 answers with a triple 50-megapixel system co-engineered with Hasselblad, including a 73 mm telephoto, and it takes consistently strong, natural-looking stills. Both are excellent; the Galaxy's extra lens and higher-resolution sensor give it more reach and flexibility, while the OnePlus delivers most of the everyday quality with Hasselblad's pleasing colour tuning. For zoom range and sheer options the Galaxy leads; for value the OnePlus is hard to beat.

Battery and charging

This is the OnePlus 13's clearest win. It packs a large 6000 mAh battery and charges at a blistering 100 W wired plus 50 W wirelessly, so it lasts well and refuels in a flash. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has a 5000 mAh battery and charges at 45 W wired — still good, but behind the OnePlus on both capacity and speed. Both will comfortably see out a day, but the OnePlus lasts longer and tops up far faster; if battery life and charging speed matter most, it is clearly the stronger pick.

Price and verdict

At the time of writing the OnePlus 13 is around £699.99 and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra around £743.00, so they are separated by only about £45 — price will not be the deciding factor.

Buy the OnePlus 13 if you want the best fundamentals for the money: the biggest battery, the fastest charging, the brightest screen and clean, quick software, all for a little less. It is the value champion, and a genuinely excellent flagship.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra if you want the most versatile, do-everything phone: the S Pen, the four-camera system with the longest zoom reach, Galaxy AI and seven years of updates. Both are superb Android phones at almost the same price and with the same chip; you are really choosing between the OnePlus's battery-and-value strengths and the Galaxy's cameras, stylus and long-term support.