[Face-off] OnePlus 13s vs Xiaomi 15

Both are trying to grab a big slice of the small or compact phone market that has so far been dominated by Apple and Samsung. Both bring premium designs, top-of-the-line processors, and surprisingly big batteries to the not-big phone table. But which of the two should you go for: the just-released OnePlus 13s or the Xiaomi 15, which arrived in India in April? Let us help you make up your mind.

OnePlus 13s vs Xiaomi 15: Design and appearance

In terms of appearance, both the OnePlus 13s and Xiaomi 15 are relatively small phones in a big phone world. The OnePlus 13 is slightly smaller with a height of 150.8 mm as compared to the 152.3 mm standard of the Xiaomi 15, but the Xiaomi 15 is actually less wide at 71.2 mm compared to 71.7 mm, and slimmer at 8.08 mm as compared to 8.2 mm.

The OnePlus 13s is slightly lighter at 185 grams, but at a glance, it is difficult to tell which one is smaller. Both phones have a very premium feel to them with glass front and backs and fashionably straight sides. Both also have square-ish camera units, but the one on the Xiaomi 15 is markedly larger and has Leica branding as compared to the OnePlus 13s.

Both phones have sleek, elegant vibes, but the OnePlus 13s’ camera unit design gives it a very distinct look, while the Xiaomi 15 looks a little too like its predecessor, the Xiaomi 14, unless one looks very closely at the device. They are pretty tough customers too – the OnePlus 13s has Gorilla Glass 7i protection in front while the Xiaomi 15 comes with Xiaomi’s own Shield Glass.

Both phones also have aluminum alloy frames. However, the Xiaomi 15 comes with an IP68 rating, which means it will survive a fall in the water, while the OnePlus 13s has an IP65 rating, which protects against sprays and splashes but not against a dunking in water.

The OnePlus 13s is available in green, black, and pink options, while the Xiaomi 15 is available in black, white, and green. The slightly different design of the OnePlus 13s is more likely to turn heads and be recognized (the Xiaomi 15 can be mistaken for the Xiaomi 14), which is why we are giving it this around, but if what you are seeking is an elegant, compact phone, either will be just as impressive. And we think both look their best in black!

Winner: OnePlus 13s

OnePlus 13s vs Xiaomi 15: Hardware and spec sheet

Both phones come with flagship-level hardware inside their compact figures. Both are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip paired with 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage, although the OnePlus 13s has two storage options (256 GB and 512 GB), while the Xiaomi 15 has a single 512 GB storage variant. Both phones also have 1.5K resolution AMOLED displays with adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate, although the Xiaomi 15 has a slightly larger 6.36-inch display with 2670 x 1200 resolution as compared to the OnePlus 13’s 6.32-inch display with 2640 x 1216 resolution. Both displays are bright with vivid colors, as befits flagship devices.

The Xiaomi 15, however, has a clear edge in cameras with three 50-megapixel cameras at the back (a main with OIS, a telephoto with 2.6x zoom with OIS, and an ultrawide), all made in collaboration with the legendary Leica. The OnePlus 13s, on the other hand, has two 50-megapixel sensors on its rear – a main with OIS and a 2x telephoto and has no ultrawide at all. Both phones also come with 32-megapixel selfie cameras, although the OnePlus 13s’ snapper has autofocus, which the Xiaomi 15’s camera lacks.

The OnePlus 13s also comes with a larger 5850 mAh battery as compared to the 5240 mAh battery on the Xiaomi 15, but the Xiaomi 15 not only has faster charging at 90W (as compared to the 80W of the OnePlus 13s) but also comes with support for 50W wireless charging, while the OnePlus 13s does not support wireless charging at all. Both phones come with stereo speakers, infrared ports, Android 15, as well as support for NFC. We are giving this to Xiaomi for its cameras, slightly larger display, and support for wireless charging, but if you are not into photography, this round could be very close.

Winner: Xiaomi 15

OnePlus 13s vs Xiaomi 15: Software and UI

While both phones run on Android 15 out of the box, they come with very different interfaces. The OnePlus 13s runs on Oxygen OS 15, while the Xiaomi 15 runs on HyperOS. Both phones come with minimal bloatware and some utilities and tools and also have plenty of AI features on board, including Gemini, Circle to Search, and Magic Eraser. And well, both interfaces work very smoothly on their devices.

The OnePlus 13s, however, steals a march with its new suite of AI tools, including AI Voice Scribe and the very interesting Plus Key (which has replaced the famous Alert Slider), which allows users to access the Mind Space feature and save and analyze whatever is on their screens. The OnePlus 13s is also one of the first non-Pixel devices to come with Gemini Live, which lets you have a live conversation with Google’s AI assistant. All of this gives the OnePlus 13s a slight edge in the software and UI department, at least at the time of writing.

Winner: OnePlus 13s

OnePlus 13s vs Xiaomi 15: Cameras and photography

The OnePlus 13s comes with a very good pair of 50-megapixel sensors (one main with OIS, one telephoto with 2x zoom) on its back, but it is simply outclassed by the three Leica-flavoured 50-megapixel cameras that the Xiaomi sports on its own back – a main sensor with OIS, a telephoto with 2.6x zoom and OIS, and an ultrawide.

To be fair, the OnePlus 13s put up a very decent show, and at first glance, some might prefer its slightly more saturated colors than the more realistic ones on the Xiaomi 15. Take a closer look at textures and details, however, and the Xiaomi 15 comes right out on top. Portrait snaps, low-light images, street snaps, and of course, wide landscapes come out much better on the Xiaomi 15. The OnePlus 13s is a good performer but has no ultrawide, and although its portrait images are impressive, it is really not in the league of the Xiaomi 15, which delivers those typically deep contrasts and slightly rich dark shades that are a Leica trademark.

The zoom on the Xiaomi 15’s telephoto is also markedly superior to the one on the OnePlus 13s, getting us sharper images not only in the optical zoom range but also in terms of digital zoom. Round that off with support for shooting 8K video (the OnePlus 13s can only do 4K), markedly superior video quality, and a wide array of special editing options (including some from Leica), and the OnePlus 13s seems just out of its depth here.

Mind you, the Never Settling phone stuns the Xiaomi 15 in the selfie camera department. Both phones come with 32-megapixel front-facing shooters, but the OnePlus 13s’ camera has autofocus, which results in markedly superior selfies in terms of color and detail. However, even that cannot change the result of this round – a thumping victory for the Xiaomi 15.

Winner: Xiaomi 15

OnePlus 13s vs Xiaomi 15: Gaming and multimedia

Both phones come with top-of-the-line processors, similar display sizes and resolutions, and speedy RAM and storage, so it is hardly surprising that they are very evenly matched in terms of gaming. The displays are a little small in size, but we could get through sessions of Call of Duty and Asphalt without much trouble.

As we mentioned in our reviews, the size of the display means that the phones are not the greatest for titles like Genshin Impact, which have elaborate landscapes and even football and basketball games look a little crowded on it, but both phones are capable of playing any game you throw at it without any graphics compromises, and even without getting too warm.

The Xiaomi 15 edges out the OnePlus 13s in terms of speaker quality, as its stereo speakers deliver better quality sound at slightly higher volume levels too. The speakers make watching films and shows on the Xiaomi 15 more immersive, too. Honestly, the difference between the two devices is very small in this regard, but we will hand this round to Xiaomi on the basis of its being the more “sound” investment. Pun intended.

Winner: Xiaomi 15

OnePlus 13s vs Xiaomi 15: General, everyday performance

With the kind of high-end hardware they have onboard, it is hardly surprising that both phones sail through everyday tasks like web browsing, emails, messaging, and social media scrolling without any problems at all. Multitasking also works smoothly, and we were able to run more than a dozen apps at the same time on both phones without encountering any lag.

Both phones boast swift fingerprint scanners and handle calls very well. The Xiaomi’s slightly better speakers make the audio experience on the Xiaomi 15 superior to that on the OnePlus 13s, but this is offset by the spin-on interface added by the Plus Key and the additional AI tools on the OnePlus 13s. Their compact form factor makes both phones very easy to use with one hand as well. We are calling this one a tie.

Winner: Tie

OnePlus 13s vs Xiaomi 15: Battery

Both phones come with surprisingly large batteries inside their compact frames. The OnePlus 13s, however, has the bigger number – it has a 5850 mAh battery as compared to the 5240 mAh one in the Xiaomi 15. Both phones comfortably get through a day of normal to heavy usage on a single charge, but in terms of sheer battery life, the OnePlus 13s has a slight edge – we could get a day and a half of usage out of it, which is a few hours more than the Xiaomi 15.

In charging speed terms, however, the Xiaomi 15 bosses the OnePlus 13s – it not only comes with 90W charging support as compared to 80W on the OnePlus 13s but also supports 50W wireless charging, something that the OnePlus 13s lacks. In spite of their different charging speeds, both phones take about 45-50 minutes to get fully charged over a wired connection, and both will get to about 70-75 percent in about half an hour. It really boils down to a few hours of extra battery life against support for wireless charging (which can be really handy in some situations). We are calling this one a tie – the battery of the OnePlus 13s lasts a little longer, but the Xiaomi 15’s wireless charging support squares matters up.

Winner: Tied

OnePlus 13s vs Xiaomi 15: Price

The OnePlus 13s is available in two RAM and storage variants: 12 GB/ 256 GB at Rs 54,999 and 12 GB/ 512 GB at Rs 59,999. The Xiaomi 15, on the other hand, is available in a single 12 GB/ 512 GB variant for Rs 64,999. There can be only one winner here. The OnePlus 13s wins the price wars easily.

Winner: OnePlus 13s

OnePlus 13s vs Xiaomi 15: Which one to go for?

As can be seen from the comparison above, both phones are very closely matched. Out of eight points of comparison, the Xiaomi 15 wins 3, the OnePlus another 3, and two are tied. What’s more, most of the parameters are very closely contested – the design and appearance, and software and UI rounds can easily swing the other way, depending on the users’ needs and preferences.

So, which of the two compact champions should you go for? We will keep it simple: if you are on a tight budget and/or do not give photography too much importance, then the OnePlus 13s seems the better option. On the other hand, if budget is not that much of an issue, and you want a flagship with no compromises, then the Xiaomi 15, with its superior cameras, wireless charging support, and better dust and water resistance, is the one for you. Whichever small wonder you opt for, you can be assured of a device that will turn in close to a flagship performance while stretching neither your wallet nor your palm.

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