This is one of the most epic battles on Planet Android — it’s OnePlus 10 Pro vs Xiaomi 12 Pro. The two players are seemingly evenly matched devices that are feature-packed. The OnePlus 10 Pro and Xiaomi 12 Pro flagships deliver more value than any other device priced under Rs 70,000. But which is the stronger pick?
Premium vibe
We rate the OnePlus 10 Pro and the Xiaomi 12 Pro as the best-looking devices ever from the respective brands. That also means there’s not much that separates the two in the looks department. We dig the Opera Mauve shade of the Xiaomi as much as we approve the Emerald Forest colour option on the OnePlus – our favourite shade of green on any smartphone. Both devices find a delicate balance between matte and gloss. The result? Devices that shine a bit and yet don’t attract fingerprints. If the rear cam placement is a big design win for the OnePlus, the waveform speaker grille on the 12 Pro has our attention. Both devices feel similar in your hand and weigh just above 200 gm.
Lightning quick
Both devices are powered by the flagship processor of the season — the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Generation 1. They’re both lightning-quick and did equally well in our Geekbench benchmark tests. While OnePlus offers an 8GB/128GB and a 12GB/256 version, both Xiaomi RAM versions (8GB/12GB) come with 256GB of internal storage. Battery performance is quite similar here but the OnePlus had a slight edge with a 5000 mAh battery (the 12 Pro features a 4600 mAh battery) in our tests. It’s Xiaomi that wins on the charging speed front. Xiaomi’s HyperCharge 120W in-box charger takes the battery from 0 to 100 percent in 18 minutes flat. OnePlus isn’t too far behind; the 80W Super VOOC charger in the box can power up your device in 32 minutes.
Gorgeous colours
It’s impossible to tell these displays apart. Both curved and almost identical in terms of size. The 12 Pro features a 6.73-inch 2K+ AMOLED display (3200 x 1440 pixels / 522 PPI) while the OnePlus crams 525 PPI (pixels per inch) in its 6.7-inch (3216 x 1440 pixels) Fluid AMOLED display. Both displays offer a variable refresh rate that goes all the way to 120Hz. The 12 Pro peaks at 1500 nits while the OnePlus features a peak brightness of 1300 nits, but they’re both equally vibrant even under direct sunlight. We prefer OnePlus’ Oxygen UI over Xiaomi’s MIUI but this might just boil down to your personal preference.
Shooters that live up to the hype?
The rear cams are a big part of the sales pitch of both these smartphones. The 12 Pro combines three 50MP lenses (all with night mode) that include the all-new Sony IMX 707 sensor (the primary lens), an ultra-wide lens and a telephoto lens. You can’t miss the Hasselblad branding on the 10 Pro’s rear cam; OnePlus is betting big on its tie-up with the Swedish photography brand. This triple rear cam combines a 48MP primary lens, an 8MP telephoto lens and a 50MP ultra-wide lens. Both these cams have their strengths and weaknesses. The 12 Pro has the edge in low-light photography while OnePlus does better with wide-angle images and zoom photography. We also like the unique 150-degree field of view on the 10 Pro as it adds a cool perspective.
The battle for top honours in the Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 Android flagship segment is tough to call. The OnePlus 10 Pro 5G (Rs 66,999 onwards) is slightly more expensive than the Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G (Rs 62,999 onwards), but both devices are available with a whole bunch of offers. The display, form factor and performance are very similar with slight variations in camera performance. This might yet again end up being a decision made on your brand preference and the UI you’re more comfortable with.
