OnePlus 13 vs Xiaomi 15: Flagship Android smartphone shootout

The OnePlus 13 and Xiaomi 15 are your top picks for Android flagships under Rs. 70,000

OnePlus 13 vs Xiaomi 15

Ali Pardiwala 11 Apr 2025 11:20 AM

Smartphones can cost a lot of money, especially if you want something high-end and with flagship grade camera capabilities and specifications. That said, it doesn’t have to be bank-breaking either, and a budget limit of Rs. 70,000 can get you a top-end flagship smartphone too. Two new-age brands with a decent presence in India - OnePlus and Xiaomi - have their 2025 flagship smartphones firmly in place, giving you powerhouse Android options with promising camera systems.

The OnePlus 13 and Xiaomi 15 are both powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and come with flagship-grade triple-camera setups developed in collaboration with major camera and photography equipment makers. With Leica chops on the Xiaomi 15 and Hasselblad tuning on the OnePlus 13, are these sub-Rs.70,000 Android flagships worth it? And which one should you buy? Find out in this comparison.

ALSO SEE: Buying Guides: Top 10 Premium Smartphones

OnePlus 13 vs Xiaomi 15: Price and variants

Both the OnePlus 13 and Xiaomi 15 start at competitive price points of under Rs. 70,000, with the Xiaomi priced at Rs. 64,999 and the OnePlus 13 retailing at Rs. 69,999 for the variant with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The Xiaomi 15 is, however, available in only a single variant with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. In comparison, the OnePlus 13 also gets a 16GB RAM / 512GB storage option for Rs. 76,999, and a 24GB RAM / 1TB storage option for Rs. 89,999. So while the Xiaomi is more affordable and comes with more storage in the single variant than the OnePlus 13’s base option, the latter comes with the ability to get more RAM and internal storage.

ALSO SEE: Buying Guides: Top 10 Premium Smartphones

OnePlus 13 vs Xiaomi 15: Cameras

Co-development of smartphone cameras with a photography brand is all the rage these days, and both OnePlus and Xiaomi have been on this bandwagon for a while now. The OnePlus 13 continues the partnership with Hasselblad, while the Xiaomi 15 sticks with Leica for its camera development. 

In terms of pure specs, both the OnePlus 13 and Xiaomi 15 get triple-camera setups, and interestingly both work with a 50MP (wide) + 50MP (telephoto) + 50MP (ultra-wide) configuration. That said, the individual characteristics of the sensors are fairly different, notably when it comes to the OnePlus 13 which uses a periscope telephoto sensor with 3X optical zoom, compared to Xiaomi’s telephoto sensor with 2.6X optical zoom. Video recording at up to 8K resolution at 30fps and 4K at 60fps is possible on both devices, along with support for Dolby Vision in video recording.

ALSO SEE: Xiaomi 15 review

At the front, both the Xiaomi 15 and OnePlus 13 get 32MP cameras. Slow-motion video recording goes up to 240fps natively and a massive 1920fps at 720p with interpolation on the Xiaomi 15, while the OnePlus 13 can do up to 480fps at 720p resolution natively.

For detailed information on how the two smartphone cameras perform, as well as camera samples, check out our full reviews of the OnePlus 13 and Xiaomi 15.

ALSO SEE: OnePlus 13 review

OnePlus 13 vs Xiaomi 15: Software and UI

OnePlus 13 vs Xiaomi 15

Both the OnePlus 13 and Xiaomi 15 run on Android 15, but the user interface is obviously different on the two smartphones. OnePlus uses OxygenOS 15, while Xiaomi works with HyperOS 2.0, both of which come with their distinct qualities and features. While OnePlus’ software is focused on performance and efficiency, Xiaomi puts a bit more effort into customisation and presentation.

OxygenOS 15 is very similar to Oppo’s ColorOS, but definitely has less bloatware and a bit more polish. On the other hand, Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2.0 is visually and functionally a big change as compared to MIUI or even the earlier versions of HyperOS, coming across as a lot more refined and efficient. This likely has to do with the Xiaomi 15 being a premium device and Xiaomi adapting the OS for this, but we’re not complaining.

ALSO SEE: OnePlus 13 vs Samsung Galaxy S25+

Both UIs have a few AI-based features, largely focusing on generative AI for editing and modifying images. Access to Google Gemini is easy on both, but AI isn’t really pitched as a focus point on either smartphone; both instead focus on camera capabilities and performance as key talking points.

OnePlus 13 vs Xiaomi 15: Display and specifications

OnePlus 13 vs Xiaomi 15

The display is where you’ll see the biggest difference between the Xiaomi 15 and the OnePlus 13, despite the similar pricing. The OnePlus 13 has a larger 6.82-inch display with a resolution of 1440x3168 pixels, while the Xiaomi 15 has a smaller 6.36-inch display with a resolution of 1200x2670 pixels. 

The OnePlus 13 does have a slightly higher PPI count than the Xiaomi 15, but it’s not by much; as such, both phones are practically equal when it comes to sharpness. Both screens are LTPO AMOLED 120Hz displays with support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range content. The OnePlus can get a bit brighter at peak, but average levels of brightness will be similar on the two smartphones.

ALSO SEE: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review

In terms of specifications, both the OnePlus 13 and Xiaomi 15 are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. The Xiaomi 15, however, comes in only a single variant in India with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, while the OnePlus gets three variants - 12GB / 256GB, 16GB / 512GB, and 24GB / 1TB. Both devices use DDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage standards.

Both smartphones get dual-SIM connectivity with support for 5G on both SIMs, Wi-Fi 7, and USB Type-C 3.2 ports. The OnePlus and Xiaomi both get the all-important IP68 dust and water resistance rating which means that the phones can be submerged in water and handle most typical levels of water damage, but the OnePlus 13 also goes one step further with the IP69 rating that suggests it is protected against high-temperature liquids and powerful water jets.

OnePlus 13 vs Xiaomi 15: Battery and charging

OnePlus 13 vs Xiaomi 15

The OnePlus 13’s larger size also means that it gets a bigger battery; the phone has a 6000mAh dual-cell battery. The Xiaomi 15 has a 5240mAh battery, and both the OnePlus and Xiaomi smartphones support fast wired and wireless charging. Battery life on both devices is similar despite the differences in battery capacity, which has to do with the similar specifications and the obvious difference in screen sizes.

The OnePlus 13 uses its proprietary 100W wired fast charging standard, with the correct adapter and cable included in the sales package. The Xiaomi 13 gets 90W wired fast charging, also including the right adapter and cable in the box. Expect a full charge in less than an hour on both phones, and the ability to charge in bursts for a few minutes at a time, to add a significant charge percentage.

Wireless chargers are optional accessories for both OnePlus and Xiaomi, although the speed you get will depend on the accessory used. Both devices support the brands’ respective 50W wireless charging accessories, although Xiaomi is stated to support up to 80W wireless charging with the right charging kit.