Below are seven reasons why you might choose not to buy the OnePlus 10 Pro and instead look at offerings from the competition.
1. Slower 5G
For a flagship phone that costs nearly $900, the lack of mmWave 5G on the OnePlus 10 Pro is a surprising and notable omission. This means you won’t get those 1Gbps+ download speeds over mobile data, as influencers and reviewers frequently show on social media.
mmWave 5G is most prominent in the US, so you won’t miss out on much if you live in any other part of the world. Nonetheless, it is still surprising to see a flagship Android device launching without mmWave 5G support in this day and age.
As things currently stand, the OnePlus 10 Pro will work best on T-Mobile’s network in the US. The phone is yet to be certified to work on Verizon’s low and mid-band 5G, which is important since the phone lacks mmWave 5G support.
Lastly, the 10 Pro will not work on AT&T’s 5G network as the phone has not been certified, and the company does not intend to do so either. This means you can only use the phone on AT&T’s 4G network.
2. Potentially Unreliable Updates
OxygenOS was one of the key strengths of OnePlus devices, though it was always a bit buggy. However, after the company’s merger with Oppo, things have taken a turn for the worse.
The company took its own time releasing the Android 12-based OxygenOS 12 update for the OnePlus 9 series. However, as The Verge reported, the build was so buggy that it had to be pulled within a few days of its release. Eventually, it took OnePlus more than a month to resolve all the issues.
Adding insult to injury, OxygenOS is now based on the same codebase as Oppo’s ColorOS. It now merely exists as a skin on top of the latter’s version of Android. The overall experience has taken a backseat due to this, with many ColorOS elements now being thrust upon OnePlus users.
3. No IP68 Certification
IP68 dust and water resistance has become a common feature in premium and flagship Android smartphones. Despite its steep $900 price tag, the OnePlus 10 Pro does not officially carry an IP rating. The phone can survive being dunked in the water or exposed to dust since it has the necessary internal rubber protection, but is not officially certified for it.
This is because getting the device IP certified would have further increased the production cost for OnePlus and the company likely wanted to save on the associated cost. Do note that there’s a difference between waterproof and water-resistant, and the certification only gives you additional peace of mind.
4. Worse Software Support Than Samsung
When you buy a flagship phone, you expect flagship software support. However, OnePlus’ software support pales compared to flagship Samsung Galaxy devices. They will get four OS updates, while OnePlus only guarantees three Android updates for the 10 Pro.
Additionally, while Google and Samsung roll out monthly security patches for their devices, OnePlus only promises bi-monthly updates.
5. The Camera Is a Downgrade
For a phone that competes against the iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy S lineup, the OnePlus 10 Pro offers a very inconsistent camera experience. The 8MP telephoto camera is notably inferior to what other premium phones offer in this price segment. Reviews suggest that in low light, the sensor just does not stand up to the competition.
Additionally, the ultra-wide camera is a downgrade from last year’s OnePlus 9 Pro—it is a physically smaller sensor that does not collect as much light leading to noisier photos in low light.
The macro functionality is also missing, so you cannot take extreme close-up shots of subjects. Instead, you get an extremely wide 150-degree field of view in which the photos are heavily warped at the edges.
There are other weird quirks as well that end up offering a sub-par and confusing camera experience, including being limited to recording videos in only Full HD resolution at 30fps from the front 32MP selfie shooter and the telephoto camera. The 8K video recording is also a downgrade from last year’s 9 Pro, as it is now limited to 24fps instead of 30fps.
6. No 80W Fast Charging in the US
OnePlus phones are known for their superfast charging speeds, and the 10 Pro further raises the benchmark in this department with its 80W wired charging. However, this feature won’t be available in the North American units of the device.
In a post on the OnePlus forums, the company revealed that the 10 Pro will be limited to 65W fast charging in the US. This is because “80W SUPERVOOC does not currently support 110 or 120-volt AC power”—the standard that’s prevalent in the US.
While 65W is still plenty fast and good enough to top up the 10 Pro’s 5000mAh battery in just 32 minutes, it is annoying to see the same phone offer faster charging speeds in other parts of the world.
7. It’s Expensive for What It Offers
OnePlus phones were known for offering value for money back in the day. With a starting price tag of $900, though, the 10 Pro is not exactly a cheap phone in any way. For the price it commands, the OnePlus 10 Pro does not offer the same experience as other flagship devices in this segment. The camera experience, poor 5G support, and software support are the notable Achilles’ Heel.
If you are looking to spend $900 on a smartphone, you aren’t short of options. Some of those may offer more features or better performance than you’ll get with the 10 Pro.
It’s Not the Same OnePlus
The current OnePlus is not the same company that once shook up the smartphone market with its impressive products. While the OnePlus 10 Pro packs an impressive specs sheet, some notable omissions mean that it doesn’t compete with the best of Apple, Samsung, Google, and others as well as you might hope.
With so much competition among flagships, do make sure you compare what’s available carefully before you make your choice.
