Which is the true flagship?

OnePlus has just released its new flagship, the OnePlus 10T. But how does it stack up compared to its predecessor, the OnePlus 10 Pro?

OnePlus is a smartphone manufacturer with a fervent fanbase, and if you count yourself as a member then you might be mulling over which one of the brand’s devices you should pick to be your next daily driver. Has the new OnePlus 10T superseded the preceding flagship, the OnePlus 10 Pro? Read on to find out our thoughts.

Design

In terms of appearance, there aren’t dramatic differences between the two. Both devices share a fairly controversial look, which sees a large three-sensor camera module dominate the rear panel, and the result seems a little clumsy rather than elegant. However, we were fans of the subtle jade green shade that’s available on the OnePlus 10T.

The newer handset has Gorilla Glass 5 on both the front and back, while its predecessor has this just on the rear, with the screen being cast in even more durable Gorilla Glass Victus. The latter also has an IP68 rating, while its follow-up has no IP rating at all.

OnePlus purists might be sad to note that the alerts slider, which lets you toggle the notification feedback and has been a long-term feature of the brand’s devices, has been dropped from the OnePlus 10T.

Screen

Again, there are several similarities when it comes to the screen as well. Both have large panels measuring 6.7-inches, both have HDR10+ support, both offer over one billion colours, and both have a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. This is a highly impressive list of specifications, and as a result we were thrilled with both displays during our time testing them.

However, one key difference between the two is that the 10 Pro has a higher resolution (1440x3216p vs 1080x2412p), so it boasts sharper image quality. Whichever one you choose, you can bank on a high quality screen.

Camera

Even though the two phones have a similar-looking camera module, the sensors at play are actually significantly different.

The OnePlus 10 Pro has a 48-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel telephoto, and a 50-megapixel ultrawide lens. This does give it a decent level of versatility, however we were somewhat underwhelmed with how the photos turned out. While the main camera gives decent levels of detail, its images are not particularly punchy, and there’s a noteworthy difference is colour palette between the wide and ultrawide lenses. Below is a selection of photographs we took with the handset:

On the other hand, the OnePlus 10T has three very different sensors onboard. There’s a high resolution 50-megapixel main sensor, and this is accompanied by an 8-megapixel ultrawide and a 2-megapixel macro snapper. The lack of a telephoto lens, in place of a macro sensor, was a bit disappointing, and otherwise we found that it performed quite similarly to the OnePlus 10 Pro, while the Nightscape 2.0 shooting mode was a welcome addition when taking photos after dark.

Performance

These phones’ performance are a high point, as both run on top-of-the-range Qualcomm mobile chipsets. In the case of the OnePlus 10 Pro, this was the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, while the OnePlus 10T runs on the newer and improved Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1.

Both of these phones posted flagship performance scores, and ran demanding mobile games very well, but the 10T takes the cake as the overall best performer between the two. Just take a look at the CPU benchmark comparison tests for an idea of the performance differential:

As you can see, the OnePlus 10T does outstrip its older brother, though both still deliver very strong performance levels.

Battery Life

The OnePlus 10T has a 4,800mAh battery capacity whilst that of the OnePlus 10 Pro has 5,000mAh, but that doesn’t always tell the whole story. Their durability over the course of the day was fairly similar, with the 10 Pro running slightly better, but generally speaking the two devices have decent but unexceptional battery life. They’ll see you through a day of moderate usage, but don’t expect marathon endurance.

However, both handset actually excel in their fast charging capabilities. The OnePlus 10 Pro has 80W wireless charging, which saw it fully recuperate its battery life in just 38 minutes, while the 150W charging of the OnePlus 10T managed to go from zero to full in 19 minutes. These are astonishing charging speeds that make life so much more convenient for the consumer, knowing that you don’t have to stress about having enough time to juice your phone up before leaving the house.

While the 10T does have significantly faster charging times, it doesn’t have the 50W wireless charging capability boasted by its forerunner.

Price

The price is one area where there’s quite a substantial difference between the two handsets, and if you’re on a tighter budget then it’s clear which one might be best for you.

The OnePlus 10 Pro costs £799/$799, and while you may occasionally get the chance to grab it for less, it’s mostly held its price since launch. On the other hand, the OnePlus 10T has a significantly lower starting price of £629/$649, so if you’re looking to save a bit of cash then this could be a better choice.

Verdict

In some respects these phones are quite similar, with a strong focus on performance, fast-charging, and screen tech that makes for a great gaming phone, while they share a potential weakness in the camera quality.

However, looking at specifics and you’ll see a slightly superior screen on the 10 Pro, thanks to its resolution, and this device also has a more versatile camera, along with 50W wireless charging support and an IP68 rating. These attributes arguably make it a more well-rounded phone than its successor.

On the other hand, the OnePlus 10T doubles down on some of these strengths, with even faster wired charging, and even faster processing power, though greater weaknesses with regard to the camera; one key advantage is its lower price.

Overall, you should probably take a look at our best phones list or best camera phones lists if you’re looking for a device that’s better balanced or can deliver better photos, but if you’re a fan of OnePlus’ unique approach then the OnePlus 10 Pro is a better overall package, while the OnePlus 10T offers better value for money.