The flagship smartphone market in India is on fire, with new launches from top brands heating up the competition. Among the most anticipated releases of the year is the OnePlus 13, which takes on established heavyweights like the Google Pixel 9. While both devices cater to premium users, they offer distinct advantages, making the choice between them a matter of personal preference. Let’s break down their performance, display, build, cameras, and software to help you decide which flagship is the better fit.
Performance and Battery
When it comes to sheer performance, the OnePlus 13 takes the lead with its cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, built on TSMC’s 3nm process. This powerful processor ensures top-tier performance in both synthetic benchmarks and real-world usage. In contrast, the Google Pixel 9 focuses on an AI-first approach with its custom Tensor G4 chipset, built on 4nm architecture. While it may not match the raw power of the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the Tensor G4 delivers smooth performance, excellent memory management, and AI-driven features.
On the battery front, the OnePlus 13 dominates with a 6,000mAh battery, supporting 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. It can go from 0 to 100% in under 30 minutes with its fast charging capabilities. Meanwhile, the Pixel 9 comes with a 4,700mAh battery that supports 27W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, offering decent but slower recharge times. If battery life and charging speed are priorities, the OnePlus 13 is the clear winner.
Display and Build
The OnePlus 13 boasts a massive 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a QHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and an impressive 4,500 nits peak brightness, resulting in a pixel density of 510 PPI. On the other hand, the Pixel 9 offers a smaller 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 2,700 nits peak brightness, and 422 PPI. While both displays are vibrant and fluid, the OnePlus 13 offers superior brightness and a sharper viewing experience.
In terms of build, both phones feature premium materials and IP68 water and dust resistance, but the OnePlus 13 goes a step further with IP69 certification for better durability. The OnePlus 13 also offers a vegan leather back option in its Midnight Ocean variant, while the Pixel 9 sticks to a uniform aluminium and glass build. However, due to its smaller size, the Pixel 9 may be easier to handle for users who prefer a more compact phone.
Cameras
The OnePlus 13 delivers versatility with its triple 50MP camera system, comprising a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. This setup offers flexibility for various photography styles, and the addition of Hasselblad tuning ensures improved image quality. For video recording, it supports up to 8K at 30fps.
The Pixel 9, known for its computational photography prowess, features a dual-camera setup with a 50MP main sensor and a 48MP ultra-wide lens. While it lacks a dedicated telephoto lens, the Pixel 9 excels in AI-driven photography, delivering consistent and impressive results. It can record videos up to 4K resolution. For selfies, the OnePlus 13 houses a 32MP front camera, while the Pixel 9 features a 10.5MP front shooter. Both phones offer excellent camera performance, but the OnePlus 13’s versatility gives it an edge for power users.
Software
Software is where the Google Pixel 9 truly shines. Running on Android 15, it offers a clean, stock Android experience with deep AI integration, powered by Google’s Gemini AI. Moreover, Google promises seven years of software support, making it a future-proof device for long-term users.
The OnePlus 13 also runs on Android 15, with OxygenOS on top, known for its smooth and customizable interface. However, OnePlus guarantees four years of Android updates—shorter than what Google offers. If long-term software support and AI-driven features are important to you, the Pixel 9 is the better choice.