Realme 13 Pro vs OnePlus Nord 4: Which Mid-Range Phone Should You Pick?   

Realme 13 Pro vs OnePlus Nord 4: Design

Realme has focused heavily on design with its latest Pro variant. They collaborated with the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston to create a Claude Monet-inspired colour scheme. The unit we reviewed, the “Monet Gold” variant, is truly stunning. Inspired by Monet’s famous painting “The Golden Haystacks,” it beautifully depicts light and atmosphere.

The device also feels unique in hand. The glass back adds to its premium appeal, and with an IP65 rating, it feels well-built with no loose or fragile parts.

On the other hand, OnePlus has taken a different design route. The Nord 4 features a metal body divided into two parts. The top section is shiny with a horizontally aligned camera, while the rest has a smooth, texture-like finish. It comes with an IP54 rating, lower than the 13 Pro’s IP65, but it’s still sufficient for most users.

The 13 Pro feels sleek and premium, while the Nord 4 gives a nostalgic, solid feel typical of metallic devices. Additionally, the Nord 4 showcases OnePlus’ iconic alert slider.

While we know that design is very subjective, if you are looking for a sleek phone with a premium vibe, the 13 Pro is a no-brainer. But if you are looking for a device that looks and feels solid and completely sets itself apart from the usual glass slabs, the Nord 4 will appeal to you more.

Realme 13 Pro vs OnePlus Nord 4: Performance and UI

The Realme 13 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, while the OnePlus Nord 4 boasts the more powerful Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3. In synthetic benchmarks like AnTuTu and Geekbench, the Nord 4 outperforms the 13 Pro significantly. This is expected, as the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 is a superior SoC with a higher CPU clock speed of 2800 MHz compared to the 2400 MHz of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2.

Despite the difference in benchmark scores, the 13 Pro doesn’t feel slow or laggy in everyday use. It handles tasks like switching between apps, running social media, making calls, and playing casual games smoothly. Naturally, the Nord 4 also excels at these daily chores.

We also tested the 13 Pro with demanding games like Call of Duty: Mobile on ‘High’ graphics and ‘Max’ frame rates, and the performance was smooth with no significant frame drops or stutters. Similarly, while playing BGMI at ‘HD’ quality and ‘High’ fps, the experience was seamless.

On Nord 4, we achieved 59 fps on Call of Duty Mobile and 40 fps on BGMI with the highest graphics settings. Lowering the graphics settings allowed us to get 90 fps on both games.

Regarding software experience, both devices have several pre-installed apps that can be easily uninstalled, and neither sends spammy notifications, which is a big plus. However, OnePlus takes the lead in software updates. The Nord 4 offers four years of software updates and six security patches, whereas the 13 Pro only receives two years of software support and three years of security patches.

Realme 13 Pro vs OnePlus Nord 4: Cameras

Smartphone companies are heavily focusing on cameras, and just as you would expect, the 13 Pro and Nord 4 offer impressive camera setups. The Realme one features a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 f/1.88 primary sensor that captures stunning photos in all lighting conditions. Images taken with this sensor have ample detail, balanced dynamic range, accurate colours, and controlled saturation. The 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor on the 13 Pro shows a slight colour shift but maintains good detail.

Realme 13 Pro Camera Samples

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The 13 Pro also excels in portrait photography, accurately detecting subject edges and providing a smooth background blur, regardless of the background’s complexity.

The Nord 4, on the other hand, with its two-camera setup, avoids the common 2MP macro or depth sensors found in many phones, including the 13 Pro. The primary sensor on the Nord 4 delivers crisp photos in daylight. It offers good highlights and texture even under harsh backlighting, which is tricky to ace, especially for a mid-range device like these. Besides, the ultrawide sensor on the Nord 4 performs well, too.

OnePlus Nord 4 Camera Samples

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For selfies, the 13 Pro has a 32MP front camera, while the Nord 4 has a 16MP sensor. The difference in megapixels is only noticeable when zooming in on selfies, which is rarely necessary. Apart from that, both phones provide a good front camera experience with accurate skin tones and ample detail.

Realme 13 Pro vs OnePlus Nord 4: Display

Both devices feature 6.7-inch AMOLED displays, where the 13 Pro has a curved screen, while the Nord 4 opts for a flat design. We prefer flat displays for their ease of use, though curved screens offer a more premium, bezel-less, and immersive visual experience. Ultimately, it boils down to personal preference.

Both devices support a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring buttery smooth scrolling. They also have Widevine L1 certification, allowing you to watch HDR content on apps like Prime Video and Netflix. Both phones are nearly identical in terms of display performance. They produce accurate colours and deep blacks, providing a delightful content-watching experience.

Additionally, both devices have similar peak brightness levels of around 2000 nits. While these numbers seem adequate on paper, you might find yourself wanting more brightness in real-world situations.

Realme 13 Pro vs OnePlus Nord 4: Battery Life and Charging

Realme and OnePlus are known for delivering best-in-class battery life and fast charging capabilities, which is evident in the 13 Pro and Nord 4. During our testing, both devices easily lasted a day and a half on a single charge. Even heavy users will find these phones can get through a full day without needing a recharge.

However, the Nord 4 wins when it comes to charging capabilities. The 100W charger bundled with the device can refuel the device from 0 to 100% in just about 25 minutes, which is crazy. The 13 Pro, on the other hand, comes with 45W fast charging support, which takes about one hour and five minutes for a full charge. This is not bad, but in comparison to the Nord 4, it looks significantly time-consuming.

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Realme 13 Pro vs OnePlus Nord 4: Verdict

This covers the Realme 13 Pro and OnePlus Nord 4. Still not sure which is the perfect mid-ranger for you? Let’s break down the differences to help you choose:

• Pick the Realme 13 Pro if you are looking for a more “affordable” option with an amazing design, solid build quality, and a capable camera system.

• Choose the OnePlus Nord 4 if you want a phone that looks and feels solid and if you value that extra edge in performance. It’s also ideal for those who are always on the go and need a phone that charges (Super) quickly.