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If you are a fan of the OnePlus 9 Pro, you'll surely love the new OnePlus 10 Pro once it arrives in the United States. In a surprise move, the company officially launched the phone on January 11th, 2022, but it's not yet available in most regions. Either way, the OnePlus 10 Pro packs a gorgeous screen, powerful cameras, and top-tier specs to rival Samsung and Apple.
Unlike several other OnePlus phones over the last several years, the new OnePlus 10 Pro is only available in China right now. That said, we're expecting a wide release around the globe and in the U.S. soon. Part of the reason behind this unique launch is the merging of OnePlus with Oppo, and the software, but more on that below.
[update include-date= "2/8/22"]Following the publication of this article, OnePlus officially announced and released the OnePlus 10 Pro. We've updated all the sections below with the latest up-to-date information, specs, pricing, and release details for those interested.[/update]
The Design: A Familiar Look, In Several Ways
As you can see, the OnePlus 10 Pro features a very familiar look in several ways. First, it is familiar because it looks like almost any other OnePlus phone, only with the huge stovetop-style camera bump getting an overhaul and moving to the left side, with the metal frame wrapping around the phone's edge. Additionally, if this looks familiar, it's because Samsung's Galaxy S21 line has the same styling.
This year OnePlus ditched the 4th camera in favor of three bigger, better cameras, kept the huge screen, and still features an under-display fingerprint sensor. Of course, there's also a hole-punch front-facing camera and not an under-screen camera, as that technology is still a work in progress. Still, it looks like a stylish and classy device capable of competing with the best of the best.
We still have curved edges for the screen, and now the camera housing curves over the side, too. So far, OnePlus has confirmed the phone would be available in Volcanic Black and Emerald Forest colors, but that could change when it comes to other regions.
Spec Talk: Lots of Power
As expected, OnePlus uses the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon processor in the OnePlus 10 lineup as with previous releases. That's Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon 8 Gen1. Then, OnePlus outfitted the device with several other features and specs worthy of the "Pro" moniker.
Qualcomm's latest SoC should deliver nearly 20% improved performance, fast 5G speeds, improved multitasking and A.I., excellent camera features, fast charging, and much more. Here's the full specifications list for those interested.
OnePlus 10 Pro Specs
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- O.S.: OxygenOS 12 or ColorOS 12 (Android 12)
- RAM and Storage: 8/12GB RAM and 128/256GB storage, LPDDR5 + UFS 3.1
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Rear Camera Setup: 48MP + 50MP + 8MP (Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto)
- Front Camera: 32MP
- Imaging System: Second-Gen Hasselblad for Mobile
- Charging Speed: 80-watt SuperVOOC
- Audio: Dual Stereo Speakers
- Display: 6.7-inch 120Hz Fluid AMOLED with LTPO
- Wireless Charging: 50-watt AirVOOC
- Reverse Wireless Charging: Yes
- Dimensions: 163 x 73.9 x 8.55mm
- NFC: Yes
We're still not sure why the company decided to only release the phone in China at launch. As a result, we're left wondering if anything will change between now and the global release. That said, for now, this is what we know about the OnePlus 10 Pro.
The Cameras: Still Hasselblad, But Less is More
OnePlus went big on the camera array with that large stovetop-style design. However, you'll quickly notice the OnePlus 10 Pro only has three cameras instead of four like the OnePlus 9 Pro.
The company ditched its largely pointless 2MP monochrome camera to deliver three excellent and improved camera sensors for this new phone. The OnePlus 10 Pro sports a triple rear camera setup from Hasselblad, and the company promises amazing results.
With the OnePlus 10 Pro, you'll enjoy a primary 48-megapixel camera for most shots. Then, it packs a 50MP ultra-wide and an 8MP telephoto lens with 3.3x zoom for multiple photography scenarios. During the announcement, OnePlus shared several sample photos of the new Fisheye mode, too.
Thanks to the partnership with Hasselblad and software tweaks, OnePlus talked about the camera's ability to shoot in 10-bit color from any rear lens for more natural and precise tones. Owners can also try a new 12-bit RAW shooting mode, RAW Plus, along with a Portrait-style video mode similar to Samsung. An updated Hasselblad Pro mode lets you shoot in 12-bit RAW. Then, OnePlus added a new video mode similar to Samsung's Portrait Mode video, or Apple's Cinematic Mode, which helps bring subjects into focus while blurring everything else.
OnePlus 10 Pro Release Date & Price
Last year, the company released its OnePlus 9 series in March, starting at $729, with the high-end OnePlus 9 Pro starting at $969 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. More expensive models came with more RAM and 256GB of space.
Lately, OnePlus has increased the price of its phones with each new release, but that might not happen this year. The OnePlus 10 Pro is now available in China as of January 13th. It starts at 4699 yuan, which is less than the OnePlus 9 Pro last year. Then, the 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage model cost a little more but still less than previous releases.
Converting pricing between regions isn't ideal, so we can't speculate too much on pricing for the United States. However, given the lower starting price in China, we're hopeful the OnePlus 10 Pro will cost less than last year's $969 starting price.
Sadly, we have no details on when the OnePlus 10 Pro will come to the U.S., but we've seen several leaks suggesting a late March or early April launch which aligns with the 9 Pro release in 2021.
A Few Other Details
For now, we're expecting a Black and Green OnePlus 10 Pro and potentially a Silver variant as well. This phone should offer 5G speeds in the U.S. from carriers like T-Mobile and come unlocked to work elsewhere. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like a smaller or more affordable T-model is coming or a regular OnePlus 10.
In even more exciting news, we have seen rumors of an all-new OnePlus 10 Ultra to take on Samsung and Apple. If true, that phone will pack even more impressive specs and get a massive upgrade in the camera department.
We also want to take a moment to mention the software. Part of what made OnePlus successful stateside is the OxygenOS with a clean Android experience and fast updates. However, moving forward, OnePlus aims to merge OxygenOS with Oppo (its parent company) ColorOS, which the company claims will allow for faster software updates. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has already confirmed the 10 Pro is the first OnePlus device to get this new operating system.
"By combining our software resources to focus on one unified and upgraded operating system for both OnePlus and Oppo devices globally," Lau said." We will combine the strengths from both into one even more powerful O.S.: the fast and smooth, burdenless experience of OxygenOS, and the stability and rich features of ColorOS."
For a quick look at the OnePlus 10 Pro and an explanation of the software, check out this MKBHD video. In the meantime, we'll keep an eye out for more details on the OnePlus 10 Pro release date in the United States, the rumored OnePlus 10 Ultra, and anything else regarding these phones. So bookmark this page or join our free newsletter to keep up with the latest OnePlus news.