The OnePlus 10 Pro was released earlier this week, and it even had its first sale — you probably didn’t get one, though, since it’s only available in China, and everything available sold out in a second. This is a small batch, 18-21,000 units, so now it’s a race to produce more for future releases.
Including a global launch in the spring, though the company is keeping it vague. The same goes for pricing, we only know that the 8/128 GB model in China costs CNY 4,700 ($740/€650 direct currency conversion).
The 9 Pro started at RMB 5,000 last year, so we expect global pricing for the new model to remain the same, or maybe even lower — 900 euros for the 9 Pro when it launched in Germany. Now at 800 euros, what’s the extra cost for the 10 Pro?
One compare Highlight the following upgrades: chipset (duh), camera, screen and battery. The last three are not small, but not big either. Let’s dig a little deeper. The new chipset is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which (according to official figures) has a 20% faster CPU and 30% faster GPU than the 888, while being more power efficient to boot.
Not bad, plus Qualcomm has done a lot of work on the camera hardware, including upgrading the ISP and adding hardware support for more features. This has to do with the updated color processing and Pro mode co-developed by OnePlus and Hasselblad.
This brings us to the camera, which has the same main and telephoto modules on the back and a new 150º ultra-wide-angle lens. However, this is combined with a smaller sensor, 1/2.76” vs. 1.56” (0.64 µm pixels vs. 1.0 µm). We have to test it before we can make a judgment. The selfie camera resolution is doubled to 32MP.
Next up is the screen – it has the same 6.7-inch diagonal and the same 1440p+ resolution. However, it uses LTPO 2.0 technology, which allows it to use its variable refresh rate capability in more scenarios, reducing power consumption. Additionally, protection for Gorilla Glass Victus (from GG5) has been added.
The remaining battery capacity has been increased from 4,500 mAh to 5,000 mAh. It also comes with a more powerful charger, 80W (up from 65W). But is it really faster? Well, no. A full charge takes 32 minutes, while the 9 Pro takes 29 minutes to reach 100%. Of course, the new phone has an additional 500 mAh recharge, but the upgrade of the charging speed seems to be whitewashed.
Let’s compare the OnePlus 9 Pro with some competitors, starting with the new Mi 12 Pro. Xiaomi has an older LTPO panel, but it’s basically the same size and resolution. Of course, it also uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. As for the cameras, its ultra-wide lens only covers a 115º FoV, while the 2x telephoto has a 50MP sensor (vs. 3.3x 8MP). Finally, the battery is smaller (4,600 mAh) but charges faster (18 minutes at 120W). In China, both phones are priced the same.
Mi 12 Pro
How about Realme GT2 Pro? An 8/256 GB device costs CNY 4,000, so it’s 15% cheaper than OnePlus. The screen is nearly identical, and the new GT even matches the 150º ultra-wide camera (in fact, it’s the first to have one). But no telephoto lens. And the 5,000 mAh battery only charges at 65W, so it takes a long time… wait, it only takes 33 minutes, and one more minute. Ok.
Realme GT2 Pro
Earlier this week, we saw some evidence that the Motorola Edge X30 will launch globally as the Edge 30 Pro. While it doesn’t have an LTPO panel, it does have a higher refresh rate, 144Hz. It also doesn’t have a telephoto camera, and the ultra-wide camera isn’t very wide (114º). Additionally, the 5,000 mAh battery takes 35 minutes to fully charge at 68W. The Edge won’t be the best Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 smartphone out there, but it might be the cheapest in a while — the 8/128 GB model is currently priced at CNY 3,000 in China, about three-fold the price of OnePlus of two.
Motorola Edge X30
Well, it’s time to vote – who’s going to buy the OnePlus 10 Pro once it hits a store near them?
If you’re having trouble using the embedded polls above, try polling here.
