To call the OnePlus 10 Pro one of the most anticipated Android flagships of 2022 is not an exaggeration. It tells you a couple of things. First, OnePlus has quickly leapt into the flagship league after starting out as a flagship killer brand in 2013 with just one or two launches each year. Now, it’s a brand that straddles different price segments.
The second and more significant thing is that OnePlus’ flagships can now hold their own against the likes of Samsung and the iPhone; this also includes camera performance. But for most OnePlus die-hards, the big question around the 10 Pro is whether this device makes a significant jump over last year’s 9 Pro.
Our favourite green on a smartphone
We’ve had our eyes on the Emerald Forest colour way of the OnePlus 10 Pro ever since the first images of the device hit the internet. All I can say is that it looks even better than the images or videos of the device. It’s tough to categorise the back as glossy or matte, the good thing is that it repels smudges. It’s the placement of the rear lenses that sets the OnePlus 10 Pro apart. We’ll go as far as saying it’s one of the best looking smartphones right now. OnePlus finds that delicate balance between form and function, and the device feels good in your hand despite the 201g heft.
Ride like the wind
OnePlus has built its reputation on speed. An ultra-quick experience is always a given with devices across the board from the OnePlus stable. At the heart of the 10 Pro is the best of breed Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset that also powers Samsung’s S22 flagships. We checked out the top-end 12GB/256GB variant; there’s also a 8GB/128GB option. The device blazed through our Geekbench benchmark test with a score of 3458 that was in the same league as the S22 Ultra. It’s not just the extra wings for gaming but speed in everything whether you’re multi-tasking or snapping images. That speedy experience also extends to the battery charging – there’s an 80W Super VOOC charger in the box that can take your device from 1 to 100% in 32 minutes flat. Yes, that’s super-fast.
Long live the night
OnePlus tied up with iconic Swedish brand Hasselblad (with a 180-year history) for last year’s OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro devices. You can’t miss the Hasselblad branding on the 10 Pro’s rear cam. If last year’s 9 Pro marked a big leap in the OnePlus camera, the 10 Pro is more an incremental upgrade. OnePlus ditched the 2MP monochrome sensor and has put together a triple rear cam (48MP primary lens + 8MP telephoto lens + 50MP ultra-wide lens) that focuses on the essentials. While the hardware itself hasn’t changed much, the real story here is computational photography. Lowlight images and videos were sharper on our tests compared to the 9 Pro. There’s a bunch of new features and modes including the cool fish-eye lens that allows you to get creative. We also like the 150-degree field of view on the ultra-wide lens.
Perfect 10?
The OnePlus 10 Pro delivers a flagship experience at a price lower than some of its rivals. One of our favourite features of this device is the immersive 6.7-inch (3216 x 1440 pixels) Fluid AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate that packs an impressive 525 PPI (pixels per inch). We’re relieved OnePlus has stuck with its Oxygen OS instead of opting for OPPO’s Color OS. It adds to the fluidity and appeal of this device. There’s also no bloatware that dilutes the experience. The OnePlus 10 Pro ticks most boxes, if there are a couple of minor cribs it’s the zoom photography and selfies (vis-à-vis the competition) on the 32MP front cam. If you already own a OnePlus 9 Pro, there’s not enough to justify the switch. But if you’re looking for an Android flagship under Rs 70,000, the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G ought to be on your radar.
The OnePlus 10 Pro 5G is available in Emerald Green and Volcanic Black. The 8GB/128GB variant costs Rs 66,999 while the 8GB/256GB variant is priced at Rs 71,999. There are multiple offers including an instant discount of Rs 4,500 on SBI cards.
