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OnePlus is holding yet another Back to School sales event for its flagship phone, the OnePlus 13. Right now, if you purchase either the 256GB or the 512GB OnePlus 13, you’ll receive a free OnePlus Watch 2 (normally $300) in either Radiant Steel (gray) or Black Steel — your choice. If you don’t want the wearable, you can instead receive a Wood Grain Magnetic Half-pack Case for free.
Be aware that the OnePlus Watch 2 gift has a strict 700-unit limit. Once all 700 smartwatches are gone, the company won’t be giving any more away during the current promotion. But you can still grab the case.
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Don’t worry if you miss out on the free smartwatch. A OnePlus representative told us that “once supplies run out,” shoppers can enter the code “BACK2COLLEGE” at checkout and receive a $100 discount on the OnePlus 13. Adding the code at the time of this writing will not lower the price.
Although the code won’t work, it is possible to discount the OnePlus 13 through the company’s trade-in program. You can trade in any device, in any condition, and receive a nice $100 discount. I should also mention that the deal applies to every color option for the OnePlus 13: Black Eclipse, Midnight Ocean (blue), and Arctic Dawn (white).
The OnePlus 13 is the company’s latest flagship smartphone, and it’s a top-notch device — earning ZDNET’s coveted Editors’ Choice Award for April 2025. We praised the model “because it nails all the fundamentals of a great smartphone experience while leading the market in some regards,” ZDNET’s Kerry Wan wrote in his review.
It features the powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a 6,000mAh Silicon NanoStack battery, 80W fast charging, and a high resistance rating of IP69. This means the phone is completely sealed against dust and can survive brief submersion underwater. At a glance, this seems excessive, but according to Wan, “it’s a benefit that users will appreciate when they least expect it”.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
Photography is another area where the OnePlus 13 shines. Its triple-lens system captures bright, highly detailed images, although post-processing can create overly saturated pictures. I also can’t forget to mention the stylish design, which flaunts a vegan leather backing that makes the phone visually striking and comfortable.
How I rated this deal
As per ZDNET’s rating system, I give the base deal a score of 3/5. When I say “base deal,” I am only taking into account the free OnePlus Watch 2. Together, the phone and wearable cost $1,200, but this deal shaves off $300. However, if you take advantage of the “trade in any device, any condition” program, that score jumps up to a 4/5 since you’ll be saving $400 in total.
As per OnePlus, this deal will end on September 14.
Deals are subject to sell out or expire at any time, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We’re sorry if you’ve missed out on this deal, but don’t fret — we’re constantly finding new chances to score savings and sharing them with you at ZDNET.com.
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