The OnePlus 13 is among the first batch of flagship smartphones that is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. But it’s only available in China at the moment, so should you wait for this premium model or buy Samsung’s budget flagship, the Galaxy S24 FE right now?
1. OnePlus 13 is a true flagship
Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, the OnePlus 13 is a full fledged flagship phone. This device arrives with cutting edge technology from its display to performance. On the other hand, the Galaxy S24 FE has plenty of cut corners. But this doesn’t mean that it’s simply worse than the OnePlus 13. All of these areas where the OnePlus 13 excels come with a cost, so the Galaxy S24 FE is more affordable.
In the US, Samsung’s budget friendly flagship is listed for 649 US Dollars for its starting 8GB + 128GB storage configuration. Interestingly, the OnePlus 13 was announced in China for 4,499 Yuan or roughly 631 US Dollars. But it is worth noting that this isn’t its global pricing. Last year’s OnePlus 12 was launched in the US for around 800 US Dollars. In other words, there is a 150 US Dollars gap in the global and Chinese pricing. The newer model might even get a price hike over its predecessor, so it could be more expensive as well.
2. So what do you get with the higher price?
The OnePlus 13 has a tall 6.82-inch BOE X2 OLED display with a 2K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and Sun Display technology with a peak brightness of 4500 nits. This device also has the “Crystal Shield Super Ceramic Glass” for improved durability. The screen has also been received by DisplayMate with an A++ rating, which supports Glove touch and Rain touch.
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 FE has a competent display, but it is outclassed by the former. The newest FE model sports a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 1.5K resolution, 1900 nits of peak brightness, and Gorilla Glass Victus+ for protection. Samsung has always offered good displays on its S series models, but the OnePlus 13 has some cutting edge technology on its flagship.
Similarly, the OnePlus 13 is also a powerhouse, being one of the fastest Android phones in the market right now. It is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which promises notable leaps in performance compared to its predecessors. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24 FE packs an Exynos 2400e, which is an underclocked version of the Exynos 2400. The device isn’t slow, but definitely not in the same class as the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Similar improvements can also be seen with the cameras, with the Galaxy S24 FE having a 50MP (Main) + 12MP (Ultrawide) + 8MP (Telephoto), while the OnePlus 13 features three 50MP sensors for the same functions. These are more advanced image sensors as well. Lastly, a 4,700mAh battery pack with 25W wired fast charging support is offered on the S24 FE. But the OnePlus 13 houses a massive 6,000mAh cell with 100W wired fast charging.
3. Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy 24 FE is fine if you’re in the market with a limited budget and need a device quickly. But there are still better alternatives right now. With the launch of the Galaxy S25 series, the OnePlus 13 will have a fairer competition against Samsung’s true flagship next year, which is also when the OnePlus 13 is expected to launch globally.
