OnePlus 13 Mini leak flips the script on camera expectations, can it take on Galaxy S25, Pixels and iPhones?

The OnePlus 13. | Image Credit - PhoneArena

Tipster Digital Chat Station has now shared that the expected OnePlus 13 Mini camera specs may be a bit different than what was expected earlier and the 'compact' phone may come with a dual-camera system.

The very competitive OnePlus 13 was released globally not too long ago. For a couple of months, rumors have been swirling around hinting that another OnePlus 13 flagship may join it soon: a compact OnePlus 13 Mini (may also be called OnePlus 13T). Rumor has it this will be a powerful OnePlus phone with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip as its bigger sibling, but will come with a more compact display: probably 6.31 inches.

Earlier, reputable tipster Digital Chat Station claimed that the OnePlus 13 Mini will come with a triple camera system, but now, they seem to have discovered new info and say that the compact (compact for today's standards) phone will sport two rear cameras.

According to DCS, the OnePlus 13 Mini will rock a 50MP primary camera and a 50MP telephoto unit with 2x zoom. Previously, DCS claimed a triple camera setup with a 50MP main (Sony IMX906 sensor), 50MP periscope telephoto (3x zoom), and an 8MP ultrawide.

DCS indicates that this info is not confirmed, so we'll need to hold our horses for a bit longer so other leakers can also chime in.


This time, the tipster doesn't zero in on the sensors expected for the OnePlus 13 Mini. Nevertheless, I personally like the possibility of OnePlus preferring a telephoto camera over an ultrawide one. I agree wholeheartedly with this approach, as the telephoto camera can be used for stunning true-to-life portrait images while an ultrawide... well, let's say I've only used an ultrawide camera for a creative look more or less once in my life.

Meanwhile, the phone is said to come equipped with the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which is found in the best Android phones right now, and will come with an optical in-display fingerprint scanner. The display is rumored to be a 6.31-inch 1.5K LTPO panel. All of this goodness may be packed with a metal frame and glass back.

As you can see, the OnePlus 13 Mini won't exactly be a 'compact' phone in the traditional sense, but more like the 'vanilla' Galaxy S25 or the base iPhone 16. Real small phones seem to be a thing of the past now, and I find it somewhat funny that a 'mini' phone may sport a 6.31-inch display. Yet again, this OnePlus may not be called mini.

In the meantime, Oppo is also working on its own take on 'mini' with the Oppo Find X8 mini, another 6.31-inch flagship, but this one is reportedly sporting MediaTek's Dimensity 2400 chip. It is said to feature a 50MP main and a 50MP ultrawide camera.

The OnePlus 13 Mini will compete against the Galaxy S25, iPhone 16 and 17 (still unannounced), and the entry-level Pixel 9, as those are all relatively 'compact' flagships. The Galaxy comes with a triple camera system but the megapixels are less: a 50MP main, a 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP telephoto camera. The Pixel 9 comes with 50MP main and 48MP ultrawide. As for the iPhone 16, we have a 48MP main and a 12MP ultrawide.

It's worth noting that camera specs don't necessarily reflect the real-world experience with a phone. It's also about image processing, color calibration, and approach with or without AI. OnePlus' long-term partnership with Hasselblad will hopefully tip the scales in favor of the OnePlus 13 Mini, but we'll have to wait and see for ourselves.