The smartphone market in 2025 is buzzing with exciting releases, and two devices that have caught everyone’s attention are the Xiaomi 15 and the OnePlus 13. Both are premium flagships powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, offering top-tier performance, stunning displays, and impressive cameras. But with the Xiaomi 15 priced lower than its predecessor (and the OnePlus 13), many Indian buyers are wondering: which one is the better choice? Should you go for the compact Xiaomi 15 or the larger, value-for-money OnePlus 13?
In this detailed comparison, we’ll break down their design, display, performance, battery life, cameras, software, and pricing to help you decide. Whether you’re a student, a working professional, or just someone looking for a new phone under ₹70,000, this article will make things clear and simple. Let’s dive in!
Design and Build: Compact vs Premium
Xiaomi 15: Small and Stylish
The Xiaomi 15 is a breath of fresh air in a world filled with oversized phones. With a 6.36-inch display, it’s compact and easy to hold, making it perfect for one-handed use. The design isn’t a huge leap from the Xiaomi 14, but it has some nice upgrades. The matte frosted glass back (instead of glossy) feels premium and resists fingerprints. The matte aluminum sides add a touch of elegance, and the white finish looks clean, though the Titanium Silver limited edition (not available in India) is stunning.
The Xiaomi 15 feels great in the hand, but its IP68 rating means it’s dust and water-resistant, though not as durable as the OnePlus 13. The phone uses Xiaomi Shield Glass 2.0 for display protection, which is solid but not as tough as OnePlus’s solution.
OnePlus 13: Big and Durable
The OnePlus 13, on the other hand, is a larger phone with a 6.82-inch display. It’s slim despite its size, and you can choose between a vegan leather back or a glass back, both of which feel premium. The IP69 rating gives it an edge over the Xiaomi 15, making it more resistant to water and dust, even in extreme conditions. The Ceramic Guard protection on the display is tougher than Xiaomi’s Shield Glass, so it’s better for clumsy users.
OnePlus also keeps its iconic alert slider, which lets you switch between silent, vibrate, and ring modes easily. However, rumors suggest OnePlus might replace it with an action button in future models, which has sparked mixed reactions. What do you think about this change? Would you miss the alert slider?
Verdict
If you prefer a compact, lightweight phone, the Xiaomi 15 is the winner. Its smaller size and matte finish make it stylish and practical. But if you want a larger, more durable phone with a premium feel, the OnePlus 13 is the way to go.
Display: Small Brilliance vs Large Immersion
Xiaomi 15: Compact but Vibrant
The Xiaomi 15 sports a 6.36-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution (3200 x 1440). It’s a 12-bit panel, which means it supports a wider color range compared to the OnePlus 13’s 10-bit panel. The display is bright, with a peak brightness of 3200 nits for HDR content, and it supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
When watching shows like Stranger Things on Netflix, the Xiaomi 15’s color tuning is impressive, especially for skin tones. It avoids the reddish tint sometimes seen on the OnePlus 13. The Original ProColor mode ensures accurate colors, making it great for media consumption. However, in daily use, its high brightness mode (HBM) is slightly lower than the OnePlus 13, so it may not be as vibrant in direct sunlight.
OnePlus 13: Big and Bright
The OnePlus 13 has a larger 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 2K+ resolution (3168 x 1440). Its peak brightness of 4500 nits is higher than the Xiaomi 15, making it one of the brightest screens on any phone in 2025. It also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and its micro-quad-curved design (slightly curved on all four sides) looks modern.
However, the OnePlus 13’s color tuning isn’t as accurate as the Xiaomi 15’s, especially for skin tones in videos. It also has a 10-bit panel, which is good but not as advanced as the Xiaomi 15’s 12-bit panel. Still, its larger size and higher brightness make it better for gaming and watching movies.
Verdict
The Xiaomi 15 wins for its compact size and better color accuracy, especially for HDR content. The OnePlus 13 is better for those who want a larger, brighter display for gaming or multitasking.
Performance: Powerhouses with Slight Differences
Both phones are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, paired with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. This makes them blazing fast for everything from gaming to multitasking. But how do they compare in real-world use?
Xiaomi 15: Compact but Well-Tuned
Despite its smaller size, the Xiaomi 15 is a performance beast. It handles heavy games like Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves with ease, delivering 60.1 FPS in Genshin Impact after 30 minutes, with temperatures staying at 38°C. In benchmarks, it scores slightly lower than the OnePlus 13, with an AnTuTu score of around 3 million. However, its CPU stability is better, throttling less during intense tasks.
The Xiaomi 15’s smaller chassis means it’s tuned conservatively to manage heat, which is why it stays cooler during gaming. However, in stress tests like 3DMark Wild Life, temperatures can hit 48°C, which is on the higher side but still acceptable.
OnePlus 13: Slightly Better Optimization
The OnePlus 13 edges out slightly in benchmarks, scoring 3.18 million on AnTuTu and higher in Geekbench. Its GPU stability is better, making it great for graphics-heavy tasks like ray tracing in games. In Genshin Impact, it delivers similar FPS (around 58-59 FPS) and keeps temperatures below 45°C.
The OnePlus 13’s larger chassis and advanced cooling (with a 9925mm² VC cooling area) help it manage heat better during prolonged use. It also supports up to 24GB of RAM, which is overkill for most users but great for heavy multitasking.
Verdict
Both phones are neck-and-neck in performance, but the OnePlus 13 has a slight edge in benchmarks and GPU stability, while the Xiaomi 15 is better at CPU stability and staying cool during gaming. For most users, the difference is negligible.
Battery Life and Charging: Big vs Compact
Xiaomi 15: Good for Its Size
The Xiaomi 15 has a 5248mAh battery, which is impressive for a compact phone. It delivers 6 to 6.5 hours of screen-on time, which is great for a day of moderate use (social media, browsing, and some gaming). The 90W fast charging takes about 45 minutes to fully charge, which is decent but slower than the OnePlus 13.
The Xiaomi 15 also supports 50W wireless charging, which is handy if you use a compatible charger. However, its smaller battery means it won’t last as long as the OnePlus 13 for heavy users.
OnePlus 13: Battery Champion
The OnePlus 13 boasts a massive 6000mAh silicon-carbon battery, one of the largest in 2025 flagships. It easily delivers 8 hours of screen-on time, making it ideal for power users. The 100W SuperVOOC charging fully charges the phone in just 36 minutes, and it also supports 50W AirVOOC wireless charging.
The larger battery and faster charging give the OnePlus 13 a clear advantage, especially for those who need their phone to last all day and charge quickly.
Verdict
The OnePlus 13 is the clear winner for battery life and charging speed. The Xiaomi 15 is still impressive for a compact phone, but it can’t match the OnePlus 13’s endurance.
Cameras: Leica vs Hasselblad
Both phones feature 50MP triple-camera setups, but their approaches differ thanks to Xiaomi’s partnership with Leica and OnePlus’s collaboration with Hasselblad.
Xiaomi 15: Leica-Tuned Excellence
The Xiaomi 15 has a 50MP main sensor (Light Fusion 900, 1/1.31-inch), a 50MP ultra-wide, and a 50MP 2.6x telephoto (replacing the 3.2x from the Xiaomi 14). The larger main and telephoto sensors capture more light, resulting in detailed shots, especially in low light. The Leica Vibrant and Leica Authentic modes offer different color profiles, with Vibrant being punchier and Authentic mimicking Leica’s film-like look (with vignetting).
In daylight, the Xiaomi 15 pulls in more details than the OnePlus 13, especially at 2x and 2.6x zoom. Its AI upscaling for 10x, 30x, and 60x shots is superior, producing crisp and natural results. Portraits offer focal lengths like 23mm, 35mm, 60mm, and 75mm, with good bokeh but slightly less accurate edge cutouts compared to the OnePlus 13. The floating telephoto lens also makes it great for macros.
For videos, the Xiaomi 15 shines in Dolby Vision 4K 60fps, with higher bit rates and better dynamic range. However, its ultra-wide and standard 4K 60fps videos are slightly weaker than the OnePlus 13’s.
OnePlus 13: Hasselblad’s Color Science
The OnePlus 13 has a 50MP main sensor (Sony LYT-808), a 50MP ultra-wide, and a 50MP 3x periscope telephoto. Its ultra-wide camera has a larger sensor, making it better for landscapes and low-light shots. The Hasselblad color science ensures neutral and accurate colors, though skin tones can lean reddish in some scenarios.
At 3x zoom, the OnePlus 13’s optical telephoto outperforms the Xiaomi 15, and its 120x digital zoom is impressive. However, its low-light shots tend to crush shadows, making them darker than the Xiaomi 15’s. Portraits have better edge cutouts, and selfies are sharper, though skin tones aren’t always neutral.
For videos, the OnePlus 13 excels in standard 4K 60fps, with better stabilization, detail, and sound recording. Its ultra-wide videos are also superior thanks to the larger sensor.
Verdict
The Xiaomi 15 is better for low-light photography, macros, and Dolby Vision videos, thanks to its larger sensors and Leica tuning. The OnePlus 13 wins for ultra-wide shots, 3x zoom, and standard videos. It’s a close call, so choose based on your priorities (e.g., low-light vs video quality).
Software: HyperOS vs OxygenOS
Both phones run Android 15 with custom skins: HyperOS 2.0 on the Xiaomi 15 and OxygenOS 15 on the OnePlus 13. They promise 4 years of OS updates and 6 years of security updates, which is solid but not as long as Google or Samsung’s 7 years.
Xiaomi 15: Feature-Packed HyperOS
HyperOS 2.0 is smooth and packed with features. It has parallel animations (similar to OxygenOS) for a fluid experience, and the lock screen customization is excellent. AI features include AI writing, speech recognition, interpreter, subtitles, and gallery tools like AI enhance, eraser, and sky editor. However, the design feels slightly less cohesive than OxygenOS, and Xiaomi’s update track record isn’t as consistent as OnePlus’s.
OnePlus 13: Polished OxygenOS
OxygenOS 15 is clean, fast, and visually appealing. Its parallel animations make transitions buttery smooth, and features like Open Canvas (for multitasking) and live activities (similar to Apple’s Dynamic Island) add flair. AI features include AI writer, notes assist, summary, and eraser tools. The interface feels more polished and cohesive, making it a favorite for many users.
Verdict
OxygenOS 15 on the OnePlus 13 feels more refined and user-friendly, but HyperOS 2.0 on the Xiaomi 15 is equally capable with unique AI features. It’s a matter of personal preference.
Specifications Comparison Table
| Feature | Xiaomi 15 | OnePlus 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.36-inch LTPO AMOLED, 1.5K, 3200 nits | 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED, 2K+, 4500 nits |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| RAM/Storage | 12GB/512GB | 12GB/256GB, 16GB/512GB, up to 24GB/1TB |
| Battery | 5248mAh, 90W wired, 50W wireless | 6000mAh, 100W wired, 50W wireless |
| Main Camera | 50MP (Light Fusion 900) | 50MP (Sony LYT Librarian:808) |
| Ultra-Wide Camera | 50MP | 50MP |
| Telephoto Camera | 50MP, 2.6x | 50MP, 3x periscope |
| Front Camera | 32MP | 32MP |
| Software | HyperOS 2.0 (Android 15) | OxygenOS 15 (Android 15) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP69 |
| Price (India) | ₹64,999 (12GB/512GB) | ₹69,999 (12GB/256GB), ₹76,999 (16GB/512GB) |
Pricing and Availability in India
The Xiaomi 15 launched in India at ₹64,999 for the 12GB/512GB variant, which is ₹5,000 cheaper than the Xiaomi 14’s launch price (₹69,999). With discounts (e.g., ICICI card offers), you can get it for as low as ₹60,000. It’s available in a single configuration, which limits choice but offers great storage.
The OnePlus 13 starts at ₹69,999 for the 12GB/256GB variant and goes up to ₹76,999 for the 16GB/512GB model. It offers more RAM and storage options, but the base model is pricier than the Xiaomi 15. Both phones are available on platforms like Flipkart, Amazon, and their official websites, with occasional discounts during sales.
Should You Buy the Xiaomi 15 or OnePlus 13?
Buy the Xiaomi 15 If:
- You want a compact flagship that’s easy to carry and use.
- You prioritize low-light photography, macros, and Dolby Vision videos.
- You prefer a 12-bit display with better color accuracy for media consumption.
- You’re on a budget and want a phone under ₹65,000 with premium features.
Buy the OnePlus 13 If:
- You need a larger display for gaming, movies, or multitasking.
- You want better battery life (8 hours screen-on time) and faster charging (100W).
- You prefer ultra-wide shots, 3x zoom, and standard 4K videos.
- You value OxygenOS for its polished and cohesive experience.
Is It Worth It?
Both phones are excellent value for money in 2025. The Xiaomi 15 is a steal at ₹64,999, offering flagship performance, a compact design, and Leica-tuned cameras. Its lower price compared to the Xiaomi 14 makes it even more appealing. The OnePlus 13, while slightly pricier, justifies its cost with a larger display, bigger battery, and better durability. If your budget allows, the extra ₹5,000 for the OnePlus 13 is worth it for power users, but the Xiaomi 15 is hard to beat for compact phone lovers.
Final Verdict
Choosing between the Xiaomi 15 and OnePlus 13 is tough because both are fantastic flagships with their own strengths. The Xiaomi 15 is perfect for those who want a small, stylish phone with great cameras and a vibrant display. The OnePlus 13 is ideal for those who need a larger phone with longer battery life, faster charging, and a polished software experience.
For Indian buyers, the decision comes down to your priorities:
- If you value portability and camera versatility, go for the Xiaomi 15.
- If you want battery life, a big screen, and durability, pick the OnePlus 13.
Whichever you choose, you’re getting a top-tier smartphone that competes with pricier flagships like the iPhone 16 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra for much less.
