OnePlus 13S Review: The Last Small Phone Standing

Quick Take

The OnePlus 13S is a unicorn in 2026. While every major brand has abandoned compact flagships in favor of tablet-sized slabs, OnePlus swooped in with a 6.32-inch powerhouse that actually fits in your pocket. It's not perfect—there's no wireless charging and the cameras aren't class-leading—but for small-phone lovers, this might be your last chance to get a truly modern flagship that doesn't require two hands to operate.

What I Liked

• Genuinely Compact: At 150.8 x 71.7mm and 185g, this is a phone you can use one-handed without performing finger gymnastics. It feels like phones used to feel.
• Flagship Performance: The Snapdragon 8 Elite is the same chip in phones costing ₹1.5 lakh. No compromises on raw power here.
• Stunning Display: The 6.32" LTPO AMOLED with 1.5K resolution and 1600 nits brightness is crisp, vibrant, and perfectly sized.
• Monstrous Battery: 5850mAh in a compact body is wizardry. Easily lasts a full day with heavy use, and 80W charging tops it up during a quick lunch break.
• Software Longevity: 4 Android upgrades + 6 years of security updates means this phone will stay relevant until 2031.

What Could Be Better

• No Wireless Charging: In 2026, this is a strange omission at this price point. If you've built a wireless charging setup at home and work, you'll miss it.
• Camera Versatility: The dual 50MP setup takes good photos, but lacks an ultrawide lens. Landscape and group shots suffer.
• The "Plus Key" Experiment: OnePlus replaced the beloved Alert Slider with a programmable button. It's useful, but feels like change for change's sake.
• USB 2.0 Port: Transferring large files is painfully slow for a flagship in 2026.

Who Should Buy This

• Small phone orphans: If you're still mourning the iPhone 13 Mini or waiting for a Galaxy S24 FE that never came, this is your only refuge.
• One-handed texters: Commuters, parents holding babies, anyone who needs to type while doing something else.
• Performance seekers on a budget: At ₹52,999, you get Snapdragon 8 Elite performance for significantly less than the OnePlus 13.

Who Should Skip This

• Photography enthusiasts: If you need an ultrawide or telephoto beyond 2x, look elsewhere.
• Wireless charging addicts: There's simply no way around this missing feature.
• Multimedia consumers: If you primarily watch videos and play games, you'll probably want a larger canvas.

Final Verdict

The OnePlus 13S is a love letter to everyone who thought phones had gotten too big. It's not the best camera phone. It's not the most feature-complete. But it's the only compact flagship you can buy in 2026 that doesn't sacrifice the core experience. OnePlus saw an abandoned market segment and filled it with a genuinely compelling device. For that alone, it deserves attention. If this is truly the last small phone, at least it's a good one.

Rating: 4.6/5

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