For years now, OnePlus has been updating its phones mid-year, often featuring a faster processor and additional features over the model released earlier in the year. The OnePlus 10T arrives just a few months after the launch of the OnePlus 10 Pro and offers a much better processor and cooling system at the expense of some hardware features.
The OnePlus 10T also costs $150 less than the OnePlus 10 Pro (opens in a new tab), even after the OnePlus 10 Pro’s recent price drop, but offers substantially better performance and, more importantly, more consistent performance than this phone. While it sacrifices wireless charging due to the new, larger cooling system, it charges incredibly fast (just over 20 minutes on a full battery) and has great battery life, to boot.
As we saw with the OnePlus Nord N20 5G, the OnePlus 10T feels like a bit of a return to the company’s roots. Ultra-fast speeds, great battery life, useful software features, and a great price. There are compromises, but this is one of the best Android phones (opens in a new tab) you’ll soon be able to buy for under $700.
About this review
I’ve been using the Moonstone Black 16GB RAM/256GB storage OnePlus 10T since July 25, 2022 on the T-Mobile network in North Carolina and New York, USA
Since getting it, there’s been a software update that fixed a multitasking bug, along with a few other smaller issues. It runs OxygenOS 12.1 on top of Android 12 and is currently on the July 2022 security patch at the time of writing.
OnePlus provided the unit to Android Central, along with two official OnePlus cases for use with the phone.
OnePlus 10T: Price and Availability
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
You will be able to pre-order the OnePlus 10T starting September 1st in the US and Canada through Amazon, Best Buy or OnePlus.com. Orders are expected to ship on September 29th and carrier availability will be announced at a later date.
OnePlus sells the version with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for USD 649 / USD 849. The upgraded model with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is slightly more expensive at $749 / $999.
OnePlus is offering a way to get a free upgrade to the 16GB/256GB model by pre-ordering on OnePlus.com before the phone goes on sale. Pre-order buyers will also get a special 0% APR offer on 24-month installments on OnePlus.com.
OnePlus 10T: display and design
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
At a glance, the OnePlus 10T and OnePlus 10 Pro look exactly the same. They certainly share the same design language and both phones are identical in size. A closer look reveals several differences, however, including a camera hump that now rises up, similar to what Samsung did with the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (opens in a new tab), instead of being a separate piece of metal as it was on the OnePlus. 10 Pros.
The edge curves are also slightly different between the two phones, but nothing as extreme as the lack of an alert slider on the OnePlus 10T. Yes, you read that right.
OnePlus removed the one real unique hardware feature they had over every other Android OEM. While I don’t often switch from vibrate-only mode, people who usually switch between ring, vibrate, and silent modes will find this particular switch more than annoying.
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(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
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There is no alert slider on the OnePlus 10T.
OnePlus says this omission isn’t indicative of its plans for future phones, but you can’t help but notice that the Nord series also doesn’t have an alert slider. More modern OnePlus phones don’t have an alert slider than ever.
For me, this gave me a bit of a headache every time I switched between ring and vibrate modes. OxygenOS 12 is clearly designed for phones with a physical alert slider, and it feels awkward to perform this simple function due to the lack of a quick hardware or software option.
OnePlus told Android Central that the main reason for removing the alert slider was because of the new 360-degree antenna design. This new antenna seems to have improved overall signal quality and speed, and I noticed that the OnePlus 10T had better signal strength in many areas than the OnePlus 10 Pro. Hopefully, they can figure out how to do both next time.
OnePlus 10T Specifications ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1Memory16GB LPDDR5Storage 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1 6.7-inch fluid AMOLED display, 2412×1080 resolution (394 ppi), 60/90, Camera 60/90, MXR600Hz, MXR600Hz, Touch Camera MXR60+ 100 , ƒ/1.8, 1.0 μm pixel size, OIS, 4K video at 30/60 FPS, 1089P @ 240 FPS super slow motion video Rear camera 28 MP, ƒ/2.2, size 1.12μm pixel, 119.9 degree FoV, OISPSF, video front @1300FP Camera 16MP, ƒ/2.4, 1.0μm pixel size, 1080p video at 30FPS Battery 4,800 mAh (2 cells of 2,400 mAh), 125 W SUPERVOOC cable charging Connectivity Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6, USB Type C, USB Type C, USB Speakers, HD Speakers6. x 75.37 x 8.75 mm Weight 203.5 grams Water and dust resistance IP54 Security In-display fingerprint sensor, single camera face unlock Colors Moonstone Black, Jade Green OS Android 12 with OxygenOS 12.1 Update guarantee Three updates major Android (to Android 15), four years,
OnePlus’ in-display fingerprint sensors continue to be simply excellent.
The display has seen a technical downgrade on the OnePlus 10 Pro, although you’re unlikely to ever notice it in real-world use. This Fluid AMOLED display can only switch between 60, 90 and 120 Hz depending on what is happening on the screen.
This is a big departure from the OnePlus 10 Pro’s LTPO display which allows the screen to drop to 1Hz when there is no movement on the screen. Brightness and all other usage stats are nearly identical at 950 nits, and the touch response rate can reach 1,000 Hz for gaming. Even the small bezels around the screen are also the same.
OnePlus has also centered the hole-punch camera on the screen, which might help people who were annoyed by the left-aligned camera on the 10 Pro.
I’m happy to report that OnePlus’ in-display fingerprint sensors continue to be simply excellent. It’s a feature that would normally go unnoticed if it weren’t for the fact that some other phones still struggle with such a basic feature.
The alert slider is completely gone on the OnePlus 10T (top) compared to the OnePlus 10 Pro (bottom) (Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Depending on the color you choose, the back of the OnePlus 10T will have a different texture. The Moonstone Black variant I have for review has a lovely texture that seems to try to mimic the Sandstone texture that OnePlus phones are so well known for. Although, since it’s glass, this texture won’t get any smoother over time. However, it is not rough like sandstone. Instead, it has a bamboo mat-like texture. The Jade color combination is soft and feels more like ceramic.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
As always with the mainline OnePlus phones, the OnePlus 10T ships with some really cool official cases. OnePlus sent two with my review unit, and both feel amazing to hold.
The downside to these shell cases is that they don’t offer much protection against big drops, although they will help with most waist-height drops. However, the rough texture of both cases will keep it in your hand or pocket, so you’re not likely to drop it in the first place.
Having one of these cases will help solve the annoying wobble that most modern smartphones have when placed on a table, as there’s a protruding camera hump located in the top left corner of the back of the phone.
OnePlus 10T: Performance and battery life
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
The OnePlus 10T was the first phone in a long time that stopped me from worrying about battery life.
Even with all the improvements over the years, it’s not often I use a flagship phone and not worry about battery life. Even if it’s just something that bothers me in the back of my mind. For me, the OnePlus 10T was the first phone in a long time that stopped me from worrying about battery life, regardless of the time of day or what I needed the phone to do that day.
But battery life itself wasn’t really the reason. Due to display differences, the OnePlus 10T has about an hour less runtime than the OnePlus 10 Pro. This result is according to our parent company Future’s battery drain lab test.
Rather, it’s the loading speed that gave me full confidence that 15 minutes of idle time could get me through literally anything. Say you forgot to charge your phone and are about to run out the door for a night out. Even if it’s only 5%, 15 minutes will charge the battery up to 70%, and just over 20 minutes will get you to 100% using the charger included in the box.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Yes, a company still bundles a charger with its phones, and it’s an undeniably awesome 160W charger, too. Here in the US it will only charge at 125W, but this GaN charger will also work overseas with the right plug adapter and charge even faster (if possible).
OnePlus told Android Central that wireless charging was left out of the OnePlus 10T so the phone can stay slim. It seems like an odd excuse considering that many phones that…