After plenty of teasers and leaks, the compact OnePlus 13T is official – and it could be one of the most capable small-screen smartphones around.

Despite measuring in at a similarly compact 6.3 inches to the likes of the iPhone 16 and Samsung Galaxy S25, the OnePlus 13T packs in a larger battery than most ultra-level flagships – and a processor to match. Throw in a refreshed design, dual 50MP cameras and OnePlus’ charming OxygenOS and you’ve got a tempting smartphone.

The catch? It probably won’t be launching outside of China. 

OnePlus 13T at a glance:

• Compact 6.3-inch flagship smartphone
• Massive 6,260mAh battery
• Snapdragon 8 Elite performance
• New Shortcut button in place of Alert Slider
• China-only, with no plans for a wider release

OnePlus 13T release date and pricing

The OnePlus 13T was officially unveiled in China at an event on 24 April 2025, with the compact smartphone set to go on sale in the region on 30 April. It’ll cost CNY3,399, which translates to around £350/$460, though that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s how much it’d cost in the UK.

That’s not something we need to really worry about, however; OnePlus has confirmed that there are no plans to launch the smartphone outside of China. If you want to get your hands on it, you’ll have to import it – and that’ll come with taxes and other fees. 

OnePlus 13T design and screen

The OnePlus 13T is the first small-screen flagship-level smartphone from OnePlus, though at 6.32 inches, it’s still bigger than the 6.1-inch iPhone 16 and the 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy S25. Still, compared to the OnePlus 13, it’s half an inch smaller, and that’s not all either.

Rather than opting for the same general look and feel as its namesake, the OnePlus 13T looks a little different. It sports flat edges like the flagship, albeit with a flat screen. It’s a similar look to the aforementioned Apple and Samsung phones, and is certainly on-trend. 

It also ditches the 13’s circular camera housing, opting instead for an offset square housing that looks a little similar to that of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.  

The biggest change, however, is the inclusion of OnePlus’ new Shortcut key instead of the fan-favourite Alert Slider. We knew this change was coming – it was outlined by OnePlus’ CEO Pete Lau back in March – but it’s the first OnePlus-branded smartphone to use the tech. 

As we’ve seen from Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and Oppo’s Find X8 Ultra, it’s essentially a multifunction key you can program to different functions. It can still switch between silent and ring modes like the alert slider did, but it can also open the camera app, record a voice note and more. 

That AMOLED screen, though small, is mighty; despite its compact 6.3-inch dimensions, it offers a pixel-packed 2460 x 1216 resolution, along with premium elements like a 120Hz LTPO-enabled screen – something Apple’s compact alternative lacks – to provide a top-end viewing experience. 

OnePlus 13T performance and software

The fact that the OnePlus 13T is small is interesting, but it’s only when you find out what’s underneath that it becomes truly impressive. 

Despite similar dimensions to the iPhone 16 and Galaxy S25, the OnePlus 13T sports a frankly humongous 6,260mAh battery – larger than not only the OnePlus 13’s 6,000mAh but the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 5000mAh.

Combined with a smaller, more power-efficient display than its flagship equivalent, the OnePlus 13T has fantastic potential when it comes to battery life. The OnePlus 13 easily lasted two days during our testing, so it could theoretically be even better here. 

OnePlus claims that the battery boost is down to the use of an updated version of the silicon-carbon battery tech found in the OnePlus 13, making it easier to squeeze an even higher-capacity battery into a smaller chassis when compared to regular lithium-ion batteries. 

However, the battery may also be the reason why the OnePlus 13T is staying in China. Shipping laws in the EU are strict when it comes to the capacity of individual battery cells. 

Manufacturers like OnePlus and Xiaomi have either reduced battery capacity for UK and EU variants as a result, or opted for a multi-cell arrangement. The OnePlus 13T’s compact dimensions might mean the latter simply isn’t possible.  

Battery aside, the OnePlus 13T sports the same combination of the top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite, up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB as the OnePlus 13, making for a powerful, compact smartphone.

Elsewhere, it’ll ship with OxygenOS 15, OnePlus’ take on Android 15, complete with a range of AI features we’ve already seen on the regular 13. OnePlus has yet to confirm how many OS upgrades it’ll get, but if it’s anything like the 13, it should get four OS upgrades and six years of security patches. 

OnePlus 13T cameras

If there’s one area that doesn’t quite match up to the flagship OnePlus 13, it’d be the camera department. 

The OnePlus 13T sports a dual-camera offering – a 50MP main and a matching 50MP 2x telephoto – but it’s a far cry from the combination of 50MP main, 50MP 3x periscope zoom and 50MP ultrawide lenses on the full-fat flagship. The lack of any kind of ultrawide may be a surprise to some, as it’s essentially a staple of mobile camera setups at most budgets. 

It also doesn’t offer the same Hasselblad branding or shooting modes, though how much of a difference this will make in day-to-day use is yet to be seen.