OnePlus 9 Pro vs OnePlus 10 Pro: Is it worth the upgrade?

There are many parallels between last year’s and OnePlus’ upcoming flagship. We see one of these parallels in the different memory configurations. Both models begin with 8 GB of RAM and top out at 12 GB, with flash memory arriving in 128 GB and 256 GB configurations, respectively. When the OnePlus 9 Pro was unveiled in March 2021, the company priced it at $899 for the 8/128 GB version while the 12/256 GB model was slightly more expensive for another $100.

We do not know how much the OnePlus 10 Pro will cost when it is released, so we can only base our prediction on how much it costs in China. Even then, we still have to wait for the final recommended retail price. And please remember: We have only converted the following prices into US$, no doubt the price will be higher in other parts of the world as well. Expect the recommended retail price to be about on par with last year’s pricing structure. There is a tiny glimmer of hope though: The cheapest OnePlus 9 Pro cost 4,999 RMB in China at launch.

• 8 + 128 GB: ¥4699 (approximately $740)
• 8 + 256 GB: ¥4999 (approximately $790)
• 12 + 256 GB: ¥5299 (approximately $835)

Let’s move on to the design: If the front only consists of the display and a punch-hole notch on the top left, which means there is very little potential for a drastic change. Unfortunately, this also affects the bottom bezel which remains thicker than the other three sides. A look at the back is more exciting because the camera section has been completely revamped. Previously, two sensors were arranged underneath each other, while the other two cameras were arranged next to each other beneath.

This year, there are only three camera sensors instead of four, and OnePlus has arranged them in a square along the ring-shaped LED flash. The design is a bit reminiscent of Samsung’s last year’s Galaxy S21 models, because the camera elevation also merges into the body’s edge in this example. What else has changed? The colors! Last year, we had Pine Green, Stellar Black and Morning Mist, but the OnePlus 10 Pro comes in Volcanic Black (matte) and Emerald Forest this time around.

The display also seems to be rather similar: Once again, there is a 6.7-inch “Fluid AMOLED” display with 120 Hertz refresh rate and a 3216 x 1440 pixels resolution. There is a subtle difference though: The panel varies the refresh rate between 1 and 120 Hertz using “LTPO 2.0” technology. This does not make a difference visually, but it should help prolong battery life when properly implemented.

OnePlus replaced the Snapdragon 888 chipset with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the new model, which sees the Qualcomm flagship SoC go up against last year’s Qualcomm flagship SoC. We will have to wait and see how the new SoC performs in the review. We really hope that the already great performance of the Snapdragon 888 will be usurped once again – without any overheating issues, of course.

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Let us get the most obvious thing out of the way first: Instead of four camera sensors, there are only three in the new model. We can actually refrain from saying “only”, because it is certainly not a pity that the 2 MP monochrome shooter is removed. Just like last year, the main camera has a 48 MP sensor, accompanied by the 50 MP ultra-wide-angle module and the 8 MP telephoto camera.

So is everything the same so far? No, because while the sensor of the main cam is identical to the one in the OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus has replaced the Sony sensor for the ultra-wide-angle with a Samsung chip, and this remains a questionable decision as to whether it is on par in terms of quality. However, it offers a field of view of 150 degrees and allows photos taken with a “fisheye lens” look. Let’s be fair and wait for the review before we criticize OnePlus’ decision too hastily.

Hasselblad is now on board as a partner for the second year, but just like before, their involvement is limited to only the software. OnePlus wants to score points with the improved “Hasselblad Pro” mode, which ensures that all cameras support the 12-bit RAW mode. There has also been an update in front: The punch hole at the top left of the display now hides a 32 MP camera, where 16 MP used to be sufficient.

Let’s move on to the battery and thus, part of the smartphone that could be improved further in the OnePlus 10 Pro. At least, this is possible if we go by the hard facts. You get an increased capacity from 4,500 mAh to 5,000 mAh with an identical display size. Bear in mind that the variable refresh rate also saves energy while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is supposed to work more efficiently.

Fast charging has also improved: It was already really fast in the OnePlus 9 Pro thanks to Warp Charge at 65 Watts. Now, they not only changed the wording to suit Oppo’s language and SuperVOOC, but also increased the speed: 80 Watts fast charging is possible with the 10 Pro, which means that you can completely fill up a totally empty OnePlus 10 Pro battery within 32 minutes. Furthermore, you can charge wirelessly at 50 Watts, and both models also support reverse charging.

Since we have already mentioned Oppo: Some OnePlus fans and OxygenOS supporters are worried that too much could fall by the wayside when merging the two skins. However, we can only take a look at this when our review unit arrives. OnePlus once again opted for ColorOS for China handsets, and the preinstalled Android 12 will again arrive with OxygenOS on the global version.

Phew! It is difficult to draw a conclusion here. There have been a few sensible improvements from the OnePlus 9 Pro to the OnePlus 10 Pro in terms of battery life. The SoC should also be a better performer and, this is of course only a personal impression, I also find the design of the new smartphone to be nicer than its predecessor.

However, OnePlus has improved on other points incrementally at best, and I am not even sure whether the camera’s new features would come out worse for the wear. However, I believe that OnePlus has not made any major mistakes and thus delivered a sensible upgrade of its 2021 model. While it is not terribly exciting, it is still a reasonable effort.

If I were to go out on a limb, I would say that someone who is happy with the OnePlus 9 Pro will not find the need to buy the successor when it is available. Basically, though, the OnePlus 10 Pro is a decent 2022 flagship that will certainly find many friends.

What do you think? Did you expect more innovation from the new OnePlus 10 Pro? Are you afraid of Oppo of wielding too much influence over OnePlus devices? Feel free to write to us in the comments.