Earlier today (11th January 2022), the highly anticipated OnePlus 10 Pro was finally launched in China. This is the company’s latest flagship entry and is the higher end variant of its new 10 series. But, how does it stack up against last year’s flagship the OnePlus 9 Pro and is it a worthy upgrade? Lets find out.
OnePlus 10 Pro VS OnePlus 9 Pro
| OnePlus 10 Pro | OnePlus 9 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 163 x 73.9 x 8.5mm, 200.5 g | 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7 mm, 197 g |
| DISPLAY | 6.7 inches, 1440 x 3216p (Quad HD+), 2nd Gen LTPO Flexible AMOLED | 6.7 inches, 1440 x 3216p (Quad HD+), LTPO Fluid2 AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, octa-core 3.0 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, octa-core 2.84 GHz |
| MEMORY | 8 GB RAM +128 GB, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB, 12 GB RAM + 256 GB | 8 GB RAM +128 GB, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB, 12 GB RAM + 256 GB |
| SOFTWARE | Android 12, ColorOS 12.1 | Android 11, OxygenOS or ColorOS |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS |
| CAMERA | Rear: Triple 48 + 50 + 8 MP Front: 16 MP | Rear: Quad 48 + 8 + 50 + 2 MP Front: 16 MP |
| BATTERY | 5,000mAh, 80W SuperVOOC fast wired charging, 50W AirVOOC fast wireless charging | 4500mAh, fast charging 65W, wireless charging 50W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | 5G, x-axis linear vibration motor, dual stereo speakers | Dual SIM slot, 5G, IP68 waterproof |
| PRICE | ~$737 | ~$766 |
Design and Display
With the launch of the OnePlus 10 Pro, the company made a major shift in terms of design. While the 9 Pro also featured a redesign over the 8 series, the top end 10 Pro’s rear design is quite a bit different and controversial. Some prefer the large new camera module, while some don’t. But if you’re looking for a smartphone that stands out between the two, the 10 Pro has more of a design impact. Talking about the display, both models feature a 6.7 inch AMOLED panel with the same resolution. Both of these also use LTPO technology with adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, but the latest model arrives with a second gen flexible LTPO panel. So, the display isn’t a major factor when considering an upgrade.
Specs & Software
In terms of specifications, both smartphones are quite similar, especially in regards to storage. The OnePlus 10 Pro and 9 Pro are available in either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. The former features Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip while the latter houses the last gen Snapdragon 888 SoC. The new chip is about 20 percent faster and 30 percent more power efficient over the older model while its GPU is quite a lot more powerful than the last gen. So, if you wish to have the latest and greatest device every year, the upgrade seems viable, although, the Snapdragon 888 is still a flagship grade processor that can handle the same tasks as the 8 Gen 1 without a hitch. But, the one aspect that might turn some away from the upgrade is the ColorOS 12.1 on the OnePlus 10 Pro, since many prefer the clean and stock Android like OxygenOS. Meanwhile, gamers might prefer the improved GPU on the new chipset.
Cameras
Apart from the noticeable changes with the camera modules between the two phones, the number of sensors are also different. The OnePlus 9 Pro sports a quad camera setup while the 10 Pro features just three sensors on the rear. The primary camera on both phones are exactly the same so there might not be a large change in photography. The 50 megapixel ultra wide angle lens and 8 megapixel telephoto lens also make a reappearance and are quite similar on paper. Regardless, the latest handset’s sensors are also co-tuned by Hasselblad with features like Hasselblad Natural Color Optimization 2.0, XPan Mode, and more. So, there aren’t a lot of changes to see here either, but only a real life comparison can tell what kind of upgrades the new phone offers in this department.
Battery
The OnePlus 10 Pro is powered by a larger 5,000mAh battery pack while the 9 Pro is powered by a 4,500mAh battery. Although, the newer model supports up to 80W SuperVOOC fast wired charging and 50W AirVOOC fast wireless charging while the predecessor supports 65W Warp Charge and 50W wireless charging called Warp Charge 50 Wireless. In other words, your handset will charge faster and likely last longer owing to its more efficient processor.
Price
The OnePlus 10 Pro starts from 4,699 Yuan (roughly 737 US Dollars). Meanwhile, the OnePlus 9 Pro had started from a higher price tag of 4,999 Yuan (roughly 766 US Dollars). So given the option between the two at their launch prices, the newer model would obviously offer better value considering it features cutting edge hardware and will receive updates for an entire year more as well since it just launched.
Verdict
On paper, the OnePlus 10 Pro doesn’t seem to offer a large enough update to make it a worthwhile upgrade. So, if you already have the OnePlus 9 Pro, we can’t advise an upgrade with these incremental changes. But, if you’re upgrading from any older OnePlus smartphone model like the 8 series, the 10 Pro might be a better option to go for.
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