OnePlus 10T review: Velocity is the key, nonetheless is it adequate?

Professionals

• Newest Qualcomm flagship processor
• Robust battery life
• Extraordinarily fast wired charging
• No bloatware or ads
• Flat present
• Cheap worth

Cons

• No Alert Slider
• No wi-fi charging
• No telephoto camera

After inserting its T-series smartphones off for a yr — throughout the US, a minimum of — OnePlus is once more with the launch of the OnePlus 10T. The machine marks the company’s highly-demanded return to its roots of churning out snappy handsets with flagship specs — at a mid-range worth of $649. For $100 further, you presumably can double the 10T’s RAM and inside storage, making the phone an attractive risk for people who demand further vitality. In fact, OnePlus says that for individuals who make your purchase all through select days in August, you get the upgraded model for the same $649 base worth. Further particulars on that within the path of the highest.

I’ve been using the OnePlus 10T for about 2 weeks and it’s made me question whether or not or not it was worth spending $400 further for my iPhone 13 Skilled Max.     

For a phone that begins at $649, there are some notable compromises that you simply must take heed to, significantly when evaluating the 10T to the company’s flagship, the OnePlus 10 Skilled. Nonetheless the 10T is a essential competitor throughout the Qualcomm Snapdragon flagship processor market, and OnePlus believes that it’s found the middle ground between vitality, velocity, and price.

Specs

{{Hardware}}

• Latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ processor
• No Alert Slider
• Three rear cameras

One specification that OnePlus has been showboating is the mix of the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor. The Plus mannequin of this processor is marketed as having 30% improved CPU vitality effectivity with a 30% enchancment in GPU vitality effectivity. The processor moreover integrates a fourth-generation Snapdragon X65 5G modem system that helps 5G speeds as a lot as 10 Gbps. Briefly: depend on a phone that’s faster, further extremely efficient, and further atmosphere pleasant than its early-year opponents. 

The present on the OnePlus 10T is AMOLED, fabricated from a flat Gorilla Glass 5 supplies. The 6.7-inch present has a choice of 2412 x 1080 pixels, with a small hole-punch front-facing camera on the guts. It’s not most likely probably the most inspiring design, nonetheless one which I, and plenty of people, don’t have any complaints about. The 10T present moreover has a 10-bit shade depth with HDR10 Plus assist, and it seems to be like good. The present helps a refresh price of as a lot as 120 Hz with adaptive selections to shift between 120 Hz, 90 Hz, or 60 Hz, counting on the equipment in use.

The Moonstone Black finish is texturized nonetheless simple to the contact.

June Wan/ZDNet

The latest technology under-display fingerprint sensor is present, and it has labored flawlessly. I used it along with the face unlock operate for a speedy and fixed biometric experience. I merely need I didn’t ought to scan my fingers so many situations to setup the sensor throughout the first place.

The quantity button is on the left, with the ability button on the correct. The enduring OnePlus Alert Slider, nonetheless, is not present, and you could be taught further about that design dedication throughout the following half. Microphones are positioned on the excessive and bottom, along with a USB-C port and SIM card tray. It’s the usual bunch of ports and trinkets. Lastly, the best and bottom have a flat matte-finish coronary heart, whereas the sides are shiny plastic.

About that Alert Slider

After revealing that the OnePlus 10T was coming and overtly sharing a couple of of its choices, we be taught pretty a bit about group disappointment in eradicating the enduring Alert Slider. OnePlus built-in this three-position slider given that 3T in 2016 and confirmed to ZDNet that eradicating the brand-specific operate was hopefully not the path forward for all OnePlus telephones.

OnePlus issued an announcement on this compromise, stating that the trade-off was made to supply super-fast wired charging, an important functionality battery doable (300 mAh further, to be exact), and an improved antenna system for gaming that provides greater alerts when holding the machine in panorama orientation.

Phrase the Alert Slider on the ten Skilled, nonetheless not on the shiny aspect of the 10T.

Matthew Miller/ZDNet

With 10 days of use beneath my belt, I do miss the Alert Slider’s consolation. Nonetheless, the amount administration slider in Android continues to be miles ahead of the horrible iOS amount controls, so I’m ready to give up the slider for enhancements in battery life and cellular effectivity. With the great fast charging assist, I’m not happy we’d have appreciated the extra 300 mAh battery functionality provided by dropping the Alert Slider.

Moreover: OnePlus 10 Skilled vs Google Pixel 6 Skilled: Your $899 phone selections in distinction

OnePlus’s quickest charging however

Wi-fi charging is not supported on the 10T; nonetheless, extraordinarily fast wired charging is, and in distinction to Apple, Samsung, and Google, OnePlus consists of the charger throughout the discipline. A 160W charger is provided with 125W wired charging supported throughout the US and 150W in several worldwide places. At 125W, the OnePlus 10T is perhaps charged from 1 to 100% in merely 20 minutes. At that price, even fast wi-fi charging makes little sense, and it’s pretty simple to stay charged up with a quick hit from the included charging system.

OnePlus moreover incorporates a Battery Properly being Engine and a custom-made smart charging chip to help lengthen the battery’s lifespan and defend its functionality. An algorithm tracks and controls the utmost charging current to make sure charging is protected, significantly on the speeds that it’s receiving. Electrodes are moreover continually repaired all through charging cycles to chop again the damage executed to anodes and cathodes. Battery properly being can be conditioned by the 13 inside temperature sensors all by way of the 10T.

Improved cellular reception

Cellular reception vitality has always been an house the place Samsung stood out from Apple and Google. OnePlus was the one contender on this house and stays top-of-the-line as regards to safety and speeds. I’ve beloved wonderful connectivity with the OnePlus 10T, even in areas with weak signal vitality. Phone calls sounded crystal clear on every ends of the choice. As normal, after I exploit OnePlus telephones on T-Mobile, I nonetheless cannot get the native seen voicemail to function. I’m glad to see it built-in like Apple and Google, nonetheless disenchanted I can in no way get it working.

Moreover: The 8 best Android telephones: Larger than the iPhone?

Hasselblad-free cameras

On the once more of the OnePlus 10T, we uncover three camera lenses and a flashlight in a stovetop design very like the OnePlus 10 Skilled. The cameras are headlined by the precept 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor with OIS and EIS and an aperture of f/1.8. The default taking photos mode would not benefit from the entire megapixels, so you could want to toggle on the whole 50MP risk contained in the camera app. Along with the precept lens is an 8MP ultra-wide that helps a 119.9-degree field-of-view, with the ultimate camera supporting macro photographs by the use of a 2MP shooter. You’ll uncover that there is not a Hasselblad integration (or branding) throughout the OnePlus 10T cameras or smartphone software program program, in order that’s one compromise made to chop again the worth of the 10T.

The camera software program program is a OnePlus operate with modes for the night, video, image, portrait, panoramic, macro, movie, sluggish motion, time-lapse, prolonged publicity, dual-view video, tilt shift, and handbook, so it’s slightly simple to get inventive alongside along with your matter on the OnePlus 10T. I notably benefit from prolonged publicity taking photos after I fly fish on rivers, macro mode for flower images, and portrait for photos of my family.  

Three cameras and a flash appear throughout the stovetop construction.

Matthew Miller/ZDNet

Software program program

• Android 12
• Oxygen OS 12.1
• Digital camera software program program

The OnePlus 10T launches with Android 12 and Oxygen OS 12.1. The July 5 Android security change is present on our review unit, nonetheless given the discharge timing, we’ll probably see one different security change on retail fashions. OnePlus has an excellent observe report of properly timed security updates, so I’m not apprehensive.

OnePlus says it will current three most important Android mannequin updates and 4 years of security updates for the OnePlus 10T. Android 13 is alleged to be coming rapidly so the first most important change will appear on the OnePlus 10T sooner than the highest of 2022.

Nonetheless, there are some useful utilities in OxygenOS 12, akin to quick launch choices, quick gestures, and gaming mode. The gaming mode settings help current an optimum experience for people who play video video games after work is completed. Some may also uncover the OnePlus Shelf, Work Life Stability 2.0, and totally different utilities useful too. The native Pictures app, in my opinion, has greater modifying devices than Google Pictures, the voice recorder is useful for quick audio notes, and the cloning utility helps quick setup of a model new phone. Oxygen OS 12.1 has been spherical for quite a lot of months now and supplies a sound experience. There’s even OnePlus Scout, which searches recordsdata all through your complete machine, along with content material materials in your contacts, paperwork, and music tracks.

We look ahead to seeing Android 13 with the next technology of Oxygen OS appear on every the 10T and older 10 Skilled throughout the subsequent few months. In case you are break up between the company’s 2022 fashions, this can be a quick comparability of the two.   

Moreover: OnePlus 10 Skilled review: An impressive show display heads up an excellent-value specification

OnePlus 10T versus 10 Skilled

The OnePlus 10T supplies a couple of enhancements over the ten Skilled, nonetheless to ensure that you each factor OnePlus has to produce and will do with out the latest processor, the ten Skilled continues to be the upper machine in just about all respects.

With the $100 worth drop throughout the OnePlus 10 Skilled (from $899 to $799), there’s now a $150 worth distinction between the 8/128GB fashions. For $150, you obtain an Alert Slider, a telephoto camera, Hasselblad camera software program program enhancements, metallic physique, wi-fi charging, reverse wi-fi charging, greater entrance glass supplies, and a greater resolution front-facing camera that is tucked away throughout the left entrance nook. 

Nonetheless, the OnePlus 10T supplies the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and faster-wired charging. The OnePlus 10T moreover has a flat glass present, which requires fewer unintended touches and palm presses compared with the ten Skilled’s curved present.

The ten Skilled, left, and 10T, correct, have a similar design on the once more.

Matthew Miller/ZDNet

On the worldwide press briefing, OnePlus acknowledged {{that a}} purchaser who wishes the quickest on the market charging system and enjoys gaming on their phone must look to the 10T. These potential shoppers who want the right OnePlus camera experience ought to pick out the discounted OnePlus 10 Skilled.

OnePlus moreover acknowledged that the OnePlus 10 Skilled might be getting the Android 13 enhance sooner than the OnePlus 10T, so to ensure that you the official Android software program program change sooner, then the OnePlus 10 Skilled is also a extra good selection. OnePlus is part of the Android beta program so you’ll always enhance early with a beta mannequin of the software program program.

OnePlus was requested about upgrading the ten Skilled sooner than the latest 10T and acknowledged that the company has had the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in-house for longer, so it is able to optimize the older chipset sooner for Android 13. Nonetheless, the OnePlus 10T will get the enhance sometime this yr.

OnePlus 10T vs 10 Skilled

Early entry specific and automotive charger

The 8GB/128GB OnePlus 10T will most likely be on the market for $649 in Moonstone Black and Jade Inexperienced, whereas the 16GB/256GB variant is $100 further at $749. Pre-orders start on September 1st, with official availability on September twenty ninth.  

In case you’re enthusiastic about shopping for the OnePlus 10T, then it’s best to undoubtedly ponder ordering one all through one in every of many 4 specific early-access durations: August 3-6, 10-13, 17-20, and 24-27. Early entry shoppers will receive a free enhance to the 16GB/256GB model, so for the $649 worth, you get the higher-end model that is wonderful for vitality prospects. OnePlus moreover says that purchases made by way of the product sales events will receive 0% APR with 24 month-to-month installments, a free case, and 50% off the protection plan, alongside the free RAM and storage enhance. 

OnePlus may even provide a SuperVOOC 80W automotive charger with USB-A and USB-C ports for $39. This can most likely be on the market starting September 1st at OnePlus.com.

Bottom line

I’ve been using the OnePlus 10T for about 2 weeks and it’s made me question whether or not or not it was worth spending $400 further for my iPhone 13 Skilled Max.

There have been clearly only a few compromises made with the OnePlus 10T as OnePlus focused completely on effectivity upgrades and by no means upgrades all through the board on a T sequence machine. For the $649 worth, $749 for this express review unit, OnePlus supplies masses to like when Android flagship models, and it’s the main usually on the market Android smartphone we now have seen with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor. In case you don’t care in regards to the Alert Slider or Hasselblad camera enhancements, the OnePlus 10T stands out because the machine for you.

Choices to consider

OnePlus 10 Skilled review: An impressive show display heads up an excellent-value specification   

Google Pixel 6 Skilled review: Yup, nonetheless Google’s best smartphone 

Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus review: That’s the Galaxy you’re trying to find