With Apple beefing up its cheapest phone both in terms of features and price, perhaps the real battle in the midrange phone market is an iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R showdown. While it's natural to try and compare Apple's entry-level phone with Google devices like the Pixel 8a, the iPhone 16e has more in common with OnePlus' midrange handset.
Like the iPhone 16e, the OnePlus 13R features a fairly powerful chipset, and it draws upon its flagship counterpart for design inspiration. It also features surprisingly good cameras that fare well against the best camera phones in its price range. (Don't believe me? Check out this OnePlus13R vs. Pixel 8a camera face-off, in which OnePlus comes surprisingly close to knocking Google off its perch.)
While it may share some similarities with the OnePlus 13R, the iPhone 16e clearly looks to stand out from the crowd with robust AI features. Apple's new phone includes the same Apple Intelligence support found on more expensive iPhone 16 models, potentially putting these AI tools into the hands of users who might not otherwise afford a high-end Apple device.
Who stands out in an iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R showdown? I'll need to conduct more head-to-head testing for a final verdict, but here's how things are shaping up now that Tom's Guide has had the chance to use both phones.
iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: Specs
iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: Price
The iPhone 16e and OnePlus 13R share the same starting price. But that doesn't necessarily mean you're getting the same value for your $599.
The OnePlus 13R comes with 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage in its $599 configuration. For that same price, the iPhone 16e offers 128GB of storage. (We don't know officially how much RAM Apple includes, but it's likely 8GB, like other Apple Intelligence-compatible phones.) You can upgrade to 256GB or 512GB with the iPhone 16e, but that will cost you an extra $100 or $300, respectively.
It's certainly easier to pick up an iPhone 16e, which is available from both Apple as well as multiple carriers in the U.S. The OnePlus 13R is sold at OnePlus and retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, but carriers in the U.S. don't directly offer the phone.
iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: Design
For its design, the iPhone 16e bids farewell to the chunky bezels and Touch ID button of the iPhone SE (2022) in favor of the edge-to-edge display that's more typical of recent iPhones. It's not a completely modern look, as the iPhone 16e features a notch in its display — something the flagship iPhones ditched in 2023 — but the new iPhone looks a lot more like its counterparts. That includes an Action button, but not the Camera Control button found on the other iPhone 16 models.
Similarly, the OnePlus 13R takes its design cues from the OnePlus 13, right down to the circular camera array that dominates the back of the phone. Both the OnePlus 13R and iPhone 16e use aluminum frames, and each takes measures to safeguard against scuffs and scratches — the OnePlus 13R uses Gorilla Glass 7i while the iPhone 16e features Gorilla Glass.
The iPhone 16e has better durability, thanks to an IP68 water resistance rating, which means it can be submerged in water without incident. That's not advisable with the OnePlus 13R, which has an IP64 rating, meaning it can survive splashes and rain but not full-on dunks.
Don't look for a lot of color choices with either phone. The OnePlus 13R comes in either Astral Trail (silver) or Nebula Noir (black). Apple drops the pretense and just calls its iPhone 16e color options black and white.
iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: Display
Even though the iPhone 16e's screen has grown from the 4.7-inch panel featured on the iPhone SE, you still get more screen real estate with the OnePlus 13R. The OnePlus phone has a 6.78-inch screen, compared to 6.1 inches for the iPhone 16e. Apple has upgraded the display to an OLED panel, matching the spec on the OnePlus 13R.
Only iPhone Pro models have fast-refreshing displays, and the iPhone 16e is not different with its 60Hz refresh rate. The screen on the OnePlus 13R can adjust between 1Hz and 120Hz as on-screen activity dictates, so you'll get smoother scrolling and more immersive gameplay.
OnePlus claims that the 13R's display has a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, though that's something you're unlikely to be able to replicate outside of a lab. We could only manage a reading of 746 nits with a light meter, but when I used the OnePlus 13R as my everyday phone for testing purposes, I thought its screen was far more visible than the Pixel 8a in bright sunlight. That said, the iPhone 16e had a higher reading on the light meter at 1,028 nits.
Colors are more vibrant on the OnePlus 13R whether you're using the sRGB color gamut or the more demanding DCI-P3 scale. The iPhone 16e's Delta-E score of 0.26 indicates better color accuracy than the OnePlus 13R when the latter phone is set to its default Vivid mode. However, switch the OnePlus 13R to natural mode and color accuracy improves to 0.21. (Numbers closer to zero indicate greater accuracy.)
iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: Cameras
I'm really eager to get these two cameras together and shoot some shots that I can compare head-to-head as both the iPhone 16e and OnePlus 13R performed surprisingly well when we tested their cameras separately.
It shouldn't be a big surprise to see that the iPhone 16e takes great pictures, as Apple has a track record of making good camera phones. Still, we can't ignore that the iPhone 16e has just one rear camera, which would seem to limit its flexibility. Up front, the iPhone 16e features a 12MP TrueDepth camera.
Apple makes the most of that lone lens, though, by using a 48MP sensor. Not only does that produce detailed shots, but it also lets you crop in for close-ups that approximate a 2x optical zoom. And the zoom shots my colleague John Velasco shot with the iPhone 16e look very sharp.
The iPhone 16e also benefits from stellar photo processing that really makes colors pop in the images we've captured (though some shots have had a little too saturation). Additional features like night and portrait mode support add to the feeling of a well-rounded camera offering even with just that one rear lens.
OnePlus doesn't have as strong a reputation as Apple on the camera side of things, though recent phones have gotten better at taking pictures. And the OnePlus 13R continues that trend.
In terms of hardware, the OnePlus 13R has the edge on Apple with three rear cameras — a 50MP main shooter joined by an 8MP ultrawide camera and 50MP telephoto lens. While that camera seems primarily designed for portrait shots, it supports up to a 2x optical zoom. I want to see how the shots from the OnePlus 13R's dedicated telephoto lens compare to the zoomed-in photos Apple's lone camera captures.
Like the iPhone 16e, the OnePlus 13R does a really good job of emphasizing color. While it can lose some details in shadows, it excels at night photography. Even the 16MP selfie cam takes decent self-portraits.
iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: Performance
Apple has turned to the same A18 chipset found in the rest of the iPhone 16 family to power the iPhone 16e. For the most part, performance matches what you'd get with a standard iPhone 16, with the exception that graphics performance is a step behind, as the iPhone 16e's version of the A18 features one less core in its GPU.
The chip powering the OnePlus 13R isn't as recent as Apple's latest silicon, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is no slouch, either. It was powering flagships throughout 2024, so it brings a lot of muscle to the table for the OnePlus 13R.
We see as much when comparing iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R benchmark results. While the iPhone 16e posts the better numbers in the Geekbench 6 testing that measures CPU performance, the OnePlus 13R does better at 3DMark's Wild Life Unlimited graphics test. However, the iPhone 16e can transcode a video in Adobe Premiere Rush in just 21 seconds, topping the OnePlus 13R's time by more than 1 minute.
iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: Battery life and charging
This category isn't close, though it's not for lack of trying on the iPhone's part. When we tested the battery on Apple's new phone by having it surf the web continuously over cellular until it ran out of power, the iPhone 16e posted an average result of 12 hours and 43 minutes, which is roughly 2.5 hours better than the average phone we've tested.
The OnePlus 13R is anything but an average phone when it comes to battery life, though. On that same test, the OnePlus device held out for 18 hours and 49 minutes. Only two other phones we've tested in the last 18 months have lasted longer, so the OnePlus 13R has clearly earned a place on our best phone battery life list.
The OnePlus 13R charges faster, too, with support for 80W charging in the US, compared to 20W for the iPhone 16e. However, OnePlus only includes a 55W charger with its phone, which led to similar charge times after 30 minutes, where the OnePlus 13R got to 60% and the iPhone 16e reached 57%.
You can wirelessly charge the iPhone 16e, a feature the OnePlus 13R doesn't support. That said, the iPhone 16e lacks MagSafe support so you'll need to add a compatible case if you want a secure fit between your iPhone and any MagSafe charging device.
iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: Software
AI is the calling card for the iPhone 16e, as the phone fully supports the Apple Intelligence features that started rolling out last year. That includes Visual Intelligence, the iPhone 16-only feature that turns your phone's camera into a search tool for looking things up and capturing data like event dates and phone numbers.
I've got a list of the Apple Intelligence features iPhone 16e owners should try first, but highlights include summary tools for Mail and transcripts of phone calls you've recorded and the new Clean Up tool in Photos for editing out unwanted objects and people in your photos. Some Apple Intelligence features impress more than others, but it's pretty cool that you can now enjoy these capabilities on a $599 phone, when you used to have to pay $799 for an AI-friendly Apple handset.
The OnePlus 13R has its own suite of AI features, though they're not as extensive as what's available on the iPhone 16e nor are they as polished. Some offerings like Circle to Search, and there are photo editing tools that remove people, correct image blur and boost details that work to varying degrees of effectiveness. The AI Notes tool on the OnePlus 13R auto-formats your notes all right, but it also rewrites them in a way I found displeasing.
OnePlus promises four years of Android updates and two extra years of security support for the OnePlus 13R, which is not bad for a midrange Android phone. Apple doesn't list an official policy, but historically iPhone owners can expect to still be getting iOS updates five years after their phones come out; sometimes, it's as many as six years. We'll have no way of knowing until the time comes, but I imagine the iPhone 16e will still be getting software updates after those OnePlus 13R Android updates dry up.
iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R: Outlook
To really pick a winner in the iPhone 16e vs. OnePlus 13R debate, I'm going to need to run some side-by-side photo comparisons. I'd also like to watch some videos on each device at the same time to confirm which one provides the better viewing experience. So consider this comparison a work in progress.
Still, we already have a good idea of the areas where each phone thrives. The OnePlus 13R has the better life of the two devices and you get more storage for your $599. The iPhone 16e is a little bit faster on everyday tasks, and it's got more extensive AI features along with better durability. Right now, the scales are tipping in the iPhone's favor, but a strong showing by the OnePlus 13R cameras could make a world of difference.
