OnePlus 10 Pro: 3 reasons to get it (and 1 reason why most people won’t)

Ever since spherical the originate of the 5T the total shrink back in 2017, OnePlus telephones were my inch-to capture for ‘perfect bang for your buck’ Android cell phone. A come-stock OS, powerful camera, and graceful designs at mid-range costs helped beget a exact fanbase of OnePlus fans. But over the years the tag for every recent originate has slowly crept up as OnePlus shifted to the flagship position to strive to supply a extra ‘premium’ journey, and that’s exemplified by the newly announced $899 OnePlus 10 Pro.

With Samsung locking down the majority of flagship Android gadgets being supplied in the U.S. it’s a tough market to get into, and one which doesn’t benefit from uncommon pricing address in the mid-range. So does the OnePlus 10 Pro compete? How does it compare to the Samsung’s Galaxy S22 offerings? Listed below are three reasons why I accumulate you would possibly perchance perchance perchance desire to be taught at the OnePlus 10 Pro as your next cell phone—and one if reality be told gigantic reason why you don’t.

The OnePlus 10 Pro is a nice improvement over the 9 Pro, nonetheless is it satisfactory?

Adam Patrick Murray/IDG

Pro 1: OxygenOS

While I will trace the allure of stock Android, address what’s featured on Google’s Pixel gadgets, it’s never been for me. I’ve repeatedly loved seeing what assorted manufacturers designate to customize and differentiate themselves from the rest — most continuously successfully, and most continuously unsuccessfully. Traditionally OnePlus’s custom OxygenOS, now on model 12, has repeatedly felt address a beefed-up model of stock Android, with thoughtful extras and straight forward beget tweaks. I’ve repeatedly pointed people who grew frustrated with Google’s decisions for Pixel telephones over the years to OnePlus telephones as an glaring enhance. On the flip side, Samsung has had a history of bloated working programs. For people who grew drained of that, OnePlus telephones are a breath of fresh air. OxygenOS has almost repeatedly been my favorite variant of Android and almost certainly the most predominant reasons why I enjoy the exhaust of OnePlus telephones.

The settings app is easy yet deep satisfactory for most well-known personalization.Adam Patrick Murray/IDG

With OxygenOS 12, OnePlus has merged its code sinister with ColorOS from it’s mother or father firm Oppo and given it an overhaul. It’s humorous because whereas OxygenOS has in general been my favorite, ColorOS has been one of my least favorite variations of Android, so I changed into once a bit stunned by the adjustments recent. Fortunately, the tweaks mostly revolve spherical beget quite than deep adjustments to functionality and OS positive aspects. Positive, the launcher, app icons, and settings menu possess a recent be taught to them, nonetheless sides address personalization alternatives, navigation positive aspects, and notification coloration usability are restful recent so for the most segment I’m blissful.

While I designate affirm I’ve fallen out of the deep bask in I’ve had with OxygenOS prior to now, it’s restful a implausible model of Android.

Pro 2: Digital camera machine

In the early days of OnePlus it changed into once the camera programs that repeatedly lagged critically at the back of flagship and numerous mid-range alternatives. Over time OnePlus has looked to rectify these shortcomings with orderly hardware and critical machine updates that helped bring it up to par with the costs they were charging. No longer changed into once the subpar camera the greatest caveat for me recommending a OnePlus cell phone. Extra as of late OnePlus has partnered with boutique official camera maker Hasselblad (who built the first cameras extinct on the moon landing missions) to bring their uncommon expertise to the 9- and now 10-sequence telephones.

An up to date Pro mode is candy for photo nerds address me.

Adam Patrick Murray/IDG

Closing years camera didn’t recent a substantial improvement from its Hasselblad dealings, nonetheless did as a minimal develop consciousness to OnePlus’s commitments to building an even bigger camera machine. I’m no longer seeing a huge leap in performance with the OnePlus 10 Pro either, nonetheless quite a continuation of the identical enhancements. The greatest upgrades are for photo nerds address myself, with the predominant one being enhance for 10-bit coloration processing (only on hand in HEIF format) which critically will enhance the quantity of coloration reproduction. One other improvement is a ‘2nd-gen’ Pro Mode that offers enhanced RAW file capabilities and easier to exhaust management alternatives. The closing predominant photo nerd characteristic is the ability to switch to the elephantine 150-diploma self-discipline of gape on the extremely-large angle lens, which offers for some fun taking pictures alternatives.

A 150-dgree FOV would possibly perhaps also additionally be invaluable and fun.Adam Patrick Murray/IDG

So whereas it’s no longer almost certainly the most suitable cameras you can get in a smartphone, I imagine the OnePlus 10 Pro’s machine fits its entry-level tag, and it’s a extinct establish in an otherwise titanic cell phone. OnePlus has stated its partnership with Hasselblad is a multi-12 months deal, so right here’s to hoping for persevered and even extra sizable enhancements.

Pro 3: Specs

Indubitably one of OnePlus’s claims to popularity changed into once being ready to exhaust the most modern and greatest specs and processing in a mid-range machine. This style continues with the 10 Pro, which positive aspects top specs address a 2d-gen LTPO affirm, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a 5000mAh battery able to up to 65w charging over a wired connection, and some distance extra.

SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1RAM: 8GB LPDDR5Storage: 128GB UFS 3.1Battery: 5,000 mAhDisplay: 6.7″ 3216×1440 120Hz AMOLEDMain camera: 48MP f/1.8 Sony IMX780 w/ OISUltra-large camera: 50MP f/2.2 Samsung ISOCELL JN1Telephoto camera: 8MP f/2.4 w/ OISIn my overview of the OnePlus 9 Pro closing 12 months I eminent how grand I cherished that recent display cowl cowl and the 10 Pro only improves right here, making it all over once more almost certainly the most standout positive aspects. OnePlus tells me that it implemented a dual coloration calibration system in allege to better retain exact colors and contrast across the elephantine range of brightness stages. I’ve encountered this big situation in past flagships the establish at almost certainly the most vital darkest settings colors would get to the bottom of in a single more draw and blacks would be crushed, ensuing in a sinister journey. This hasn’t been a huge advise as of late nonetheless it’s upright to know companies are persevering with to enhance on this position. OnePlus also mentioned this 2d-gen panel being ready to recent 50 p.c extra exact colors than the outdated display cowl cowl, nonetheless I couldn’t observe a huge incompatibility. It restful looks to be like implausible to me.

Flagship specs? Test. Flashship beget? That’s for you to to find.

Adam Patrick Murray/IDG

Most of these specs are ideally suited-searching in line with assorted flagship telephones on the market and I will’t rep a establish the establish I if reality be told feel address the cell phone is lacking. It’s rapid, it’s ready to closing all day and value snappy, and the display cowl cowl is a deal with for the eyes.

Con: Competition

So whereas I imagine the OnePlus 10 Pro is titanic cell phone that is definitely value excited about, it does possess one downside: the competition. Because OnePlus has made up our minds to transfer up to the huge leagues and are attempting to compete at the flagship level it has stiff competition. Sure, whereas the OnePlus 10 Pro is a nice improvement over the 9 Pro and the assorted OnePlus telephones sooner than it, it’s restful can’t be considered in a vacuum, namely in the US the establish there would possibly be the 800-pound gorilla in the Android room. Samsung has made titanic strides to tighten up its OS with OneUI and it’s repeatedly been at the head of hardware beget. Now not to point out the reality that Samsung cameras persistently inch toe-to-toe with the suitable there would possibly be and supply almost certainly the most vital suitable alternatives for photo and video taking normies. And whereas I individually would never to find into fable an iPhone, others are having to produce that possibility, which isn’t a easy one to initiate with. Working machine apart, there are legit reasons why anyone would possibly perhaps also presumably be swayed to the Apple ecosystem and a OnePlus cell phone isn’t the basically the machine that can produce you stop on your tracks.

OnePlus is caught between a rock and a no longer easy position.

Adam Patrick Murray/IDG

For now OnePlus telephones proceed to mainly operate at some point soon of the enthusiast bubble, the establish Android diehards address to compare specs and OS differences. But for the informal smartphone buyer it’s most likely going to to find extra provider moves address the T-Cell partnership or bringing back the ability to undercut the top canines with a much less dear tag to if reality be told get away and compete at a flagship level. Even supposing I loved my time the exhaust of the OnePlus 10 Pro and can without problems point out it to doable traders, it would possibly perhaps also presumably be no longer easy getting too many people to bite with such powerful competition accessible.

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