OnePlus 10 Pro: Restoring faith in flagships

OnePlus smartphones always stand out with their distinctive features like dash charging or speedy performance.  

The Chinese consumer electronics brand began 2022 on a high note with the launch of its flagship smartphone - the OnePlus 10 Pro, in China. It is expected to hit the global market soon.

OnePlus has had two big releases every year; one in spring and another in fall. But, last year, it skipped its fall release and thus, we did not get the customary 'T' model with upgraded specs.

In the meantime, OnePlus has developed a more compact partnership with its parent company Oppo. 

Display measurements and quality

We use smartphones everyday for hours, making the display quality absolutely crucial. 

Thankfully, OnePlus ticks all boxes with a gorgeous 6.7-inch OLED screen with a refresh rate that automatically modulates from 1Hz all the way to 120Hz for smooth scrolling. The brightness is excellent - a staggering 1,330 nits. 

HDR support is included and most importantly, the colours are properly calibrated out of the box.

Biometric sensors

The OnePlus 10 Pro features an optical type fingerprint scanner under the screen - it is as fast as current in-screen fingerprint readers. It is accurate, nearly instantaneous, and truly impressive. OnePlus has moved the fingerprint a bit higher on the 10 Pro compared to previous models, making it easier to reach. 

Performance and software

With the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor under the hood, the OnePlus is as powerful as Android phones get in 2022. 

The latest processor upgrade promises 20 percent faster performance and 30% more power efficiency than the Snapdragon 888 found inside the OnePlus 9. Unlike other companies, which use different processors depending on the market, you get Snapdragon everywhere on the OnePlus and that is great.

However, the OnePlus 10 Pro will reach its true software potential when the company will launch an operating system (OS) formed upon combining OnePlus's existing Oxygen OS and sister brand Oppo's ColorOS.  

And the aforementioned upgrade is soon to hit the market as OnePlus co-founder - Pete Lau, confirmed that OnePlus will be introduced to an entirely new firmware, which is still in the works. It may debut with the global launch of the OnePlus 10 Pro. 

Camera and image quality

OnePlus might not have an original design but the 10 Pro features a 48MP main camera along with a 50MP ultrawide shooter, and 8MP telephoto lens with 3.3x optical zoom. 

The ultrawide lens sports a 150-degree field of view option which is much wider than lenses of other smartphones. It also features a 32 MP front camera, a jump up from the 16MP sensor on the OnePlus 9 Pro.

Highlights of the camera features include the ability to shoot in 10-bit colour from any rear lens for more natural and precise tones. 

An updated Hasselblad Pro mode lets you shoot in 12-bit RAW and a new RAW Plus format combines enhanced detail with post-processing. A new movie mode for shooting cinematic videos has been included in the OnePlus 10 Pro as well.  

Battery life and charging speed

The most remarkable thing about the OnePlus 10 Pro might just be how the company managed to cram in a 10% larger battery in a body about the same size as last year's model. 

The cell has now expanded from 4,500mAh to 5,000mAh battery which, combined with the more efficient display, will bring about a much better battery life than the OnePlus 9 series.

The already rapid 65W charging feature has been increased to 80W; it should keep the OnePlus 10 Pro at the top of the fastest charging phones list for the rest of the year. The phone can go from zero to 50% in about 11 minutes and a full charge takes less than half an hour. 

Size and colours 

The all-new OnePlus 10 Pro is not as wide as other XL-sized phones, making it more manageable and palm-friendly. It is also not too heavy, especially compared to Pro Max iPhones and Ultra Galaxies, weighing 200.5 grams. 

Simply put, it is a tall and narrow slab, which is still big but within reason.

The OnePlus 10 Pro comes with two colour options - green and black - both with a subtle matte finish. 

What is in the box?

The great thing about OnePlus is that it still includes a ton of accessories in the box. 

It comes with the zippy 80W fast charger, the signature red cable, a silicone case, very useful pre-applied screen protector on the phone, SIM tool, selection of OnePlus stickers, and the usual user manuals.

Price and final verdict 

The OnePlus 10 Pro is currently only available in China. The 8/128GB is priced at Tk35,000 while the 8/256GB variant comes with a price tag of Tk40,000. 

However, these prices are subject to tax and other charges if purchased from China and brought to Bangladesh. The price for our local market is yet to be announced. 

Should you buy it? 

Well, we have to reserve the final judgment until assessing the local market retail price when the actual international model arrives. 

But, for what it is worth, the OnePlus 10 Pro is shaping up to be more of what you already love about the smartphone brand, but not quite the breakthrough one might have hoped for.

If your phone is aging and you do not crave for the ultimate camera, the OnePlus 10 Pro would be a well considered option. 

Specification:

Camera: 48MP (Main), 50MP (Ultra Wide), 8MP (Telephoto), 32MP (Front)

Display: 6.7-inches (17.02 cm)

Resolution: 3216 x 1440 Pixels

Operating System: Android v12

Performance: Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen1

RAM: 8GB, 12GB

Storage: 128GB, 256GB 

Battery: 5000mAh

Charging Time: 47 minutes

Colors: Black, Green

Screen-to-body Ratio: 89.97%