OnePlus 13 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: How well do the flagships compare?

Ahead of a global launch, OnePlus has launched its new flagship phone in China. The OnePlus 13 packs a massive battery, better screen protection, more RAM, and a powerful camera setup. It is one of the first phones to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and it looks like it can take on the industry heavyweights already. If we are to go by OnePlus’ pricing history, the OnePlus 13 is likely to be cheaper than the Samsung flagship, but it still looks like it can take on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and even beat it in several key areas.

Here’s how the late 2024 OnePlus flagship compares to the early 2024 Samsung device.

OnePlus 13 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: specs

OnePlus 13 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: design and display

The OnePlus 13 is smaller and lighter than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It is also slightly slimmer and lighter than the OnePlus 12, which had a better in-hand feel than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. We expect the OnePlus 13 to feel even better, though we’ll have to wait for the global launch for hands-on impressions. While the Samsung flagship is IP68 rated, the OnePlus 13 comes with IP68 and IP69 rating, which means it is resistant to high-pressure water and steam cleaning. It can also be submerged in 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. However, we don’t recommend you jet wash your phone, regardless of IP ratings.

Both devices offer a design feature that’s exclusive to them. the OnePlus 13 features an alert slider, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra gives you the S Pen, In our experience, both are crucial in their own ways and make our lives easier.

Both the OnePlus 13 and Galaxy S24 Ultra feature a 6.8-inch display. The former sports a new Crystal Shield super-ceramic glass for protection, while the latter comes equipped with Corning Gorilla Armor. We love the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s display because of the low reflectivity, which improves visibility and the media consumption experience. Both have an OLED display with a variable 120Hz refresh rate. The OnePlus 13 also supports the Rain Touch 2.0 feature (a new version of the AquaTouch on the OnePlus 12), which makes using the phone in rainy conditions easier.

Winner: Tie

OnePlus 13 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: performance

The OnePlus 13 is powered by Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which promises crucial performance improvements – both on the CPU and GPU fronts and in terms of making AI processing tasks faster. It offers up to 24 gigs of RAM, with 16GB and 12GB options, and 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage variants. Early benchmarks from AnTuTu show that the OnePlus 13 delivers 58% better overall performance, while GeekBench 6 indicates a 36% improvement in single-core performance.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 system on a chip, which is plenty fast and offers smooth performance. We haven’t faced UI stutters or things slowing down in day-to-day life. The Samsung phone has 12GB of RAM and 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage models. You can expect the successor to get a RAM boost with smartphones advancing to perform more and more AI tasks. Due to a faster processor and more RAM, we expect the OnePlus 13 to perform better than the Samsung flagship.

Winner: OnePlus 13

OnePlus 13 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: battery and charging

The OnePlus 13 is a clear winner in this segment. It packs a huge 6,000mAh battery in a slimmer form factor. The OnePlus 12 offered good battery life with a lesser-capacity battery, so you can expect better battery life on the new OnePlus flagship. However, we’ll only be able to give experiential information once we have the device. On paper, it charges faster at 100 watts and supports 50W fast wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging.

By contrast, the Galaxy S24 Ultra houses a 5,000mAh battery with support for 45W charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Samsung phone lasted an entire day with ease consistently throughout our review process, but we expect the OnePlus 13 to last longer.

Winner: OnePlus 13

OnePlus 13 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: cameras

The OnePlus 13 sports three 50MP cameras. You get a 50MP primary sensor from Sony, a 50MP ultrawide sensor with a 120-degree field of view, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom support. Similar to the OnePlus 12 and OnePlus Open, the OnePlus 13 uses Hasselblad color tuning for its photos.

We expect to see an improvement in image quality in lowlight scenarios, thanks to better camera hardware and algorithms that enhance dynamic range and reduce noise. However, we’ll only be able to give a verdict after testing the phone for ourselves.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S24 Ultra offers a tried-and-tested camera setup with four sensors. You get a 200MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide-angle lens, a 50MP periscope telephoto sensor with 5x optical zoom, and a 3x optical zoom-capable 10MP camera. The primary and periscope camera shoot sharp images with good dynamic range, while the 3x zoom and ultrawide cameras output average photos in tricky lighting situations.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

OnePlus 13 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: software and updates

The OnePlus 13 runs OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15, so you can expect access to the latest Android features and security updates right from the start. By contrast, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is still on OneUI 6.1 based on Android 14, with the Android 15 update expected to be released alongside the launch of Galaxy S25 early next year.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will last you longer since OnePlus promises four major Android updates and five years of security updates for the OnePlus 13, whereas Samsung will provide support with seven years worth of OS and security updates.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

OnePlus 13 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: price and availability

Like the OnePlus 12, the OnePlus 13 will see a staggered rollout. It is first launching in China, with a worldwide release likely to begin early next year. For context, the OnePlus 12 was launched at $799 in the U.S., while there are no substantial launch price rumors for the OnePlus 13. The phone comes in White-Dawn, Blue Moments, and Obsidian Black.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra was launched at $1,300, marking a $100 increase over the S23 Ultra. It is now available at $1,180 on Amazon.

OnePlus 13 vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Which one to buy?

Both phones belong to separate segments. On paper, the OnePlus 13 offers a ton for a lot less, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra is full of extras at a premium. The OnePlus phone offers a bigger battery in a slimmer and lighter form factor, while the Samsung flagship remains a solid purchase even towars the end of 2024 due to long software support and the latest AI features.

Whether to buy the upcoming OnePlus 13 over the Galaxy S24 Ultra depends largely on your preferences and priorities. The new smartphone promises big performance and camera upgrades, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra sports a more versatile camera setup. However, the end decision depends on the OnePlus 13 launch price and how it performs in real life, which we’ll let you know about as soon as we’re able.