With the OnePlus 13 finally reaching international markets in early 2025 and Asus’ ROG Phone 9 Pro making waves in the gaming community, consumers have a tough decision to make.
While both devices sport the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the similarities end there, as they are built for very different audiences.
Let’s compare both flagships in key areas and determine which flagship phone is the best for you to buy.
Design & Build
The OnePlus 13 presents a premium yet somewhat eclectic design. Its world-first microfibre vegan leather variant (Midnight Ocean) stands out, while its Arctic Dawn model brings a textured wood-grain finish.
It’s also among the most durable phones with both IP68 and IP69 ratings, making it more water- and dust-resistant than even its biggest competitors like Apple and Samsung.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
On the other hand, the ROG Phone 9 Pro takes a more subtle approach (for a gaming phone especially), with a fingerprint-resistant back and toned-down branding.
However, the AniMe Vision LED matrix remains, giving gamers the ability to display custom animations.
The phone also features touch-sensitive AirTriggers, making it a formidable gaming device.
Joshua Brown
The OnePlus 13 offers a more refined and practical flagship experience, whereas the ROG Phone 9 Pro stays true to its gaming roots with added functional features.
Screen Tech
OnePlus has equipped the 13 with a 6.82-inch LTPO 4.1 OLED display, boasting a 2K resolution and a peak brightness of 4500 nits.
It’s also the first smartphone to receive a DisplayMate A++ rating, ensuring excellent contrast, colour accuracy, and viewing angles.
Additionally, it includes an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner for improved security.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
The ROG Phone 9 Pro, in contrast, opts for a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a lower 1080p resolution but an impressive 185Hz refresh rate, designed specifically for gaming.
The 960Hz touch sampling rate ensures ultra-responsive interactions, making it an ideal choice for competitive mobile gamers.
Joshua Brown
If you prioritise a sharp, high-quality display for media consumption and everyday use, the OnePlus 13 is the better option.
However, for gaming performance, the ROG Phone 9 Pro’s ultra-high refresh rate and touch response make it the superior choice.
Battery Life & Charging
The OnePlus 13 features a massive 6000mAh ‘Silicon NanoStack’ battery, offering unprecedented battery life that rivals even dedicated gaming phones.
It lasted 15 hours and 27 minutes in our PCMark battery test compared to the Asus’s 14 hours and 40 minutes.
With 100W wired and 50W wireless charging, it outpaces most competitors in recharge speeds as well (hitting 50% charge after 34 minutes).
However, OnePlus doesn’t include a charger in the box.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
The ROG Phone 9 Pro comes with a slightly smaller 5800mAh battery but still offers exceptional endurance.
While its 65W wired charging is slower than the OnePlus 13, it’s giving better results – a 15-minute boost nets around 41% from empty, with a 30-minute charge managing up to around 70%.
The phone also offers 15W wireless charging, which is functional but slower than its rival. There is a charger in the box as well.
Joshua Brown
The OnePlus 13’s battery life is truly outstanding, making it the better choice for general users who want long-lasting endurance.
However, the ROG Phone 9 Pro’s balanced battery, fast charging and efficient cooling system ensure stable performance during long gaming sessions.
Other Key Differences
The OnePlus 13 offers a more refined camera setup with three 50Mp sensors, including a new folded telephoto lens. The ROG Phone 9 Pro also includes a 50Mp main sensor but prioritises its telephoto and ultrawide cameras less, focusing instead on performance.
Both phones run Android 15. However, the OnePlus 13 promises four years of OS updates and six years of security patches, while the ROG Phone 9 Pro offers only two years of OS updates and five years of security updates.
Elsewhere, the ROG Phone 9 Pro has a side-mounted USB-C port for easier charging while gaming, touch-sensitive AirTriggers, and an external fan cooling accessory. It’s hard to look for such extras in the OnePlus 13.
Price & Availability
The OnePlus 13 starts at £899/$899 for the 256GB variant and £999/$999 for the 512GB model.
Regional availability comes courtesy of OnePlus UK and OnePlus US directly, as well as select retailers like Amazon UK.
On the other hand, the ROG Phone 9 Pro starts at £1,099.99/$1,199.99, with the Pro Edition costing £1,299/$1,499.99.
You can buy it directly from Asus UK and Asus US.
Both phones aren’t available with any carrier partners at the moment, meaning it’s best paired with a SIM-only deal if you’re looking for a complete switch-up.
You can also check out our list of the best phones to see what the OnePlus 13 and ROG Phone 9 Pro are competing against across the market.
Verdict
Both phones are excellent options, scoring 9/10 and Editor’s Choice awards. However, they appeal in different ways.
The OnePlus 13 is the best choice for general users looking for excellent battery life, display quality, and camera performance at a competitive price. Still with some solid gaming prowess.
Meanwhile, the ROG Phone 9 Pro is the clear choice for full-on gamers who demand high refresh rates, cooling solutions, and game-centric features like AirTriggers and the AniMe Vision LED matrix.
At a higher price, it might be harder to justify the Asus so the OnePlus makes for better value overall.
