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But comparing the two phones is still worthwhile for anyone who wants a lower-cost alternative to pricey flagships.
The new OnePlus features some big camera improvements, including a telephoto lens.
Google Pixel 8a
Meanwhile, the OnePlus 13R includes the same AI features the phone maker introduced with itsOnePlus 13flagship.
The good news is the OnePlus 13R also costs $300 less than OnePlus' flagship offering.
That’s not necessarily a price hike, though.
Google Pixel 8a
Last year, OnePlus offered a 128GB version of its R series phone for $499.
The size difference is because of the larger screen that the OnePlus 13R offers.
The OnePlus 13R is set to come in Nebula Noir (black) and Astral Trail (silver).
The OnePlus 13R lists the higher maximum brightness, claiming that its screen can reach 4,500 nits.
The Pixel 8a claims a more modest peak brightness of 2,000 nits.
I also appreciated viewing colorful videos on a larger panel.
The result are some truly stellar photos with high dynamic range and strong performance in low-light parameters.
(We’ve got a similar 200 photo face-off with the OnePlus 13R coming soon.)
The 50MP sensor supports a 2x optical zoom and seems optimized for portrait shots.
(When you switch to Portrait mode, you default to a 2x shot with the OnePlus 13R.)
Otherwise, OnePlus completes its triple camera array with a 50MP main camera and an 8 MP ultrawide lens.
The OnePlus 13R cameras emphasize bright colors versus the more balanced tone of the Pixel 8a shots.
Depending on the shot, that can work to either phones advantage.
The Pixel 8a’s cooler look mutes the overall impact of the image.
A night mode photo of some holiday decorations looks much sharper in the OnePlus 13R shot.
Meanwhile, the Pixel 8a also uses an older chip in Google’s own Tensor G3.
(The Pixel 9 flagships run on newer Tensor G4 silicon.)
And you’d have imagined correct.
But the OnePlus 13R is undeniably faster in most respects.
Indeed, the OnePlus 13R turned in a time of 18 hours and 49 minutes on our battery test.
The OnePlus 13R charges faster, too, thanks to 80W wired charging support in the U.S.
Google Pixel 8a
Using a 30W charger, the Pixel 8a hit a 33% charge in that same time.
OnePlus doesn’t offer that feature, presumably as a way of keeping the OnePlus 13R’s cost down.
Past OnePlus phones haven’t really emphasized AI features, but that’s changed with the OnePlus 13 series.
I had less success using the blur and detail tools to improve photos.
That’s still shy of the seven years of software and security support you get from the Pixel 8a.
More from Tom’s Guide
Pixel 8a
OnePlus 13R
OnePlus 13R
Pixel 8a
