JOIN USOnePlus 10T: Long-term review
Launched in August 2022, the OnePlus 10T comes with a new generation processor, faster-charging speed, and improved camera hardware over the OnePlus 10 Pro.
I have been using a premium Android phone for a little over two months as a secondary phone and here are my thoughts about the OnePlus 10T.
Design, build quality, and display
OnePlus 10T looks very similar to its predecessor. It has the familiar curved squarish camera module on the back, but the Hasselblad branding has been ditched for this particular. The latter is making a comeback in the OnePlus 11 5G later this week. Having said that camera does a decent job with pictures (more on that later).
Our jade green model absolutely stunning in the sunlight. It has a glossy back and thanks to colour scheme, it is very easy for the phone to hide fingerprint smudges. Also, most people will use the cover case to protect it from dirt and also from cracking due to accidental falls. The case is very soft and light and yet sturdy enough to shield the phone. The edges around the case protrude an mm or two so that the display is protected if the phone falls on the ground sideways or even if it is dropped display facing down.
On the front, the company has incorporated Corning Gorilla Glass 5 shield and on top of it, there is another layer of pre-applied plastic screen shield. Both do an excellent job guarding the screen at all times. [Note: Even on the back, OnePlus has used Gorilla Glass 5 shield too.]
As far as the display quality is concerned, the OnePlus 10T offers a decent viewing experience.
It sports a 6.7-inch full HD (1080 x 2412p) fluid AMOLED screen with a pixel density of 394 ppi (pixels per inch). It can support peak brightness of around 950 nits, which is not that much compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra series (1,750 nits) or the iPhone 14 Pro Max (2,000 nits), but just good enough to read or watch content outdoors in the shade, without having to squint eyes.
It also features an in-display fingerprint sensor and I have to say, the biometric security feature delivers the job as advertised. It works fine with the less false rejection rate.
Performance
With Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, the OnePlus 10T sails through all tasks are it in terms of day-to-day activities such as loading apps, operating the camera or browsing the internet, or watching movies for long hours. Even while playing graphics-rich games, the phone performs smoothly without dropping a sweat.
Though OnePlus took its own sweet time to bring Android 13, I am happy it is stable with no pressing issues to complain about the new OxygenOS 13 software. It brings new Aquamorphic design-based visual UI improvements and also eye-pleasing animations and improved clock features.
With a 4,800 mAh capacity non-removable cell, OnePlus 10T consistently offered a full-day battery life. Even if you indulge yourself with binge-watching TV series during a commute, the 150W charger can get the battery from zero to 100 per cent in less than half an hour.
Even with 15 minutes of charging, it can ensure the phone has enough power to last a full day under normal usage. This is a very valuable feature of OnePlus 10T, which no other tier-1 rival brands in its class can match.
Also, OnePlus 10T supports 5G service offered by both Airtel and Reliance Jio in India.
Photography
OnePlus 10T houses a triple-camera module-- 50MP main wide (f/1.8, 1/1.56-inch sensor, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF: Phase Detection Auto Focus and OIS: Optical Image Stabilisation) backed by an 8MP ultra-wide(f/2.2, 120-degree field-of-view, 1/1.4-inch, 1.12um pixel size) and 2MP(f/2.4) macro sensor with dual-LED flash on the back.
It takes pretty good pictures in the natural sunlight. Also, in portrait mode, the images are fine.
In the night mode, the pictures are decent at best, very far from what Google Pixel 7 series and iPhone 14 Pro series can do in the low-light condition.
With the ultra-wide angle mode, the phone manages to accommodate more area within the frame and what I liked is that the camera app does not bend objects, especially those bordering the frame. This is a major issue in most premium phones, but OnePlus does a fine job of keeping things straight in the photos.
OnePlus 10T also supports 4K at 60fps (frames per second) and 30 fps in addition to 1080p at 30/60/120 fps options. With a gyro-Electronic Image Stabiliser(EIS), the phone was able to deliver high-quality stable videos.
On the front, it houses a 16MP camera (with f/2.4, 24mm wide, 1/1.3-inch, 1.0µm pixel size). It is capable of recording full HD (1080p) at 30 fps. The videos are pretty stable and support high-quality video streaming, provided you have good internet connectivity.
Final thoughts
If the OnePlus 10T is described in terms of a mood, it is 'mundane'. iterative upgrade over the predecessor. Even though most of its competitors too faced the same dilemma in 2022, some tried their best to deflect the issue by making minor changes in display design language (you know very well who I am talking about) and even marketed the display limitation as a standout feature via software UI.
But, the OnePlus 10T continues to have an edge over rivals with the 150W SuperVOOC charging capability that can power up zero to 100 per cent battery capacity in less than 30 minutes. This is such a lifesaver when you forgot to charge the phone overnight and in the morning, even with 15 minutes of charging time, you can be assured of at least, lasting a full session of a routine day's virtual video conference.
Even the camera with the Hasselblad system (seen in the predecessor) is good and on par with most of the rival brands in its class. The OxygenOS user interface continues to be clean and easy to navigate through the settings even for a rookie.
The build quality and display are great too, and worthy of its price tag.
To put it in simple terms, the OnePlus 10T is a really good premium phone but lacks an X-factor to make it stand out among competitors.
The company is offering the OnePlus 10T in three configurations-- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage, 12GB RAM + 256GB storage, and 16GB RAM + 256GB storage-- for Rs 49,999, Rs 54,999 and Rs 59,999, respectively.
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