For years, OnePlus has offered a mid-year refresh to its phones, which often have a faster processor and additional specs compared to the model released earlier in the year. The OnePlus 10T comes 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 a few hardware features.
The OnePlus 10T is also $150 less than the OnePlus 10 Pro (opens in new tab) – even after the OnePlus 10 Pro’s recent price drop – but offers significantly better performance and, more importantly, more consistent performance from this phone. Although it sacrifices wireless charging for the new larger cooling system, it charges incredibly quickly – just over 20 minutes for a full battery – and has great battery life to boot.
Similar to what we saw with the OnePlus Nord N20 5G, the OnePlus 10T feels a bit like 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 new tab) that you’ll soon be able to buy for under $700.
About this review
I’ve been using the 16GB RAM/256GB storage Moonstone Black OnePlus 10T since July 25, 2022 on the T-Mobile network in North Carolina and New York, USA
After getting it there was one software update that fixed the multitasking bug along with a few other smaller issues. It runs OxygenOS 12.1 on top of Android 12 and is currently in the July 2022 security patch at the time of writing.
OnePlus has provided the device to Android Central, along with two official OnePlus cases to use with the phone.
OnePlus 10T: Price and Availability
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
You’ll be able to pre-order the OnePlus 10T as early as September 1st in the US and Canada via Amazon, Best Buy or OnePlus.com. Orders are expected to ship on September 29, with carrier availability to be announced at a later date.
OnePlus is selling the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage version for $649 USD / $849 CAD. The upgraded model with 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage is slightly more expensive at USD 749 / CAD $999.
OnePlus is offering a way to get a free upgrade to the 16GB/256GB model by pre-ordering from OnePlus.com before the phone goes on sale. Pre-order buyers will also get a special offer of 0% APR with 24-month installments on OnePlus.com.
OnePlus 10T: Display and design
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
At first 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, however, reveals a few differences, 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 like it was on the OnePlus 10 Pro.
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 only real unique hardware feature it had over every other Android OEM. While I don’t often switch from vibrate-only mode myself, people who normally switch between ring, vibrate and silent modes will find this particular change more than just 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 doesn’t have an alert slider either. More modern OnePlus phones don’t have an alert slider ever.
For me, it caused a bit of a headache when switching between ring and vibrate modes. OxygenOS 12 is obviously built for phones with a physical notification slider, and it’s inconvenient 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 is 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 LPDDR5Storage128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1Display6.7-inch Fluid AMOLED, 2412×1080 resolution (394 ppi), 60/90/120Hz, HDR10+, Gorilla Glass 5, 1,000Hz touch response61S50MX7 Rear camera, ƒ/ 1.8, 1.0μm pixel size, OIS, 4K video @ 30/60FPS, 1089P @ 240FPS super slow motion video Rear Camera 28MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.12μm pixel size, 119.9 degree FoV, OIS, 1080P video @ 30FPS Front Camera 16MP, ƒ/2.4, 1.0μm pixel size, 1080p video @ 30FPSBattery4800mAh (2x2400mAh cells), 125W SUPERVOOC cable chargingConnectivityBluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6,USB Type-C, USB 2.0 speedAudioStereo speakers, Dolby1X HD3Dimensions, apt x 75.37 x 8.75 mm Weight 203.5 grams Water and dust resistance IP54 Security In-screen fingerprint sensor, face unlock with single camera Colors Moonstone Black, Jade Green OS Android 12 with OxygenOS 12.1 Update guarantee Three major Android updates (up to Android 15), four years of security updates
The OnePlus in-display fingerprint sensors continue to be simply excellent.
The display has undergone a technical downgrade from the OnePlus 10 Pro, although you’re unlikely to notice it in real-world use. This Fluid AMOLED display can only switch between 60, 90 and 120Hz depending on what is happening on the screen.
This is a big departure from the OnePlus 10 Pro’s LTPO display, which allows the display to drop to 1Hz when there is no screen movement. Brightness and all other usage stats are nearly identical at 950 nits, and the touch response rate can go up to 1000 Hz for gaming. Even the small bezels around the display are also the same.
OnePlus is also centering the hole-punch camera in the display, which may help people who were bothered by the 10 Pro’s left-aligned camera.
I’m happy to report that the 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 notification 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 charming texture that seems to be trying to mimic the Sandstone texture that OnePlus phones are so well known for. However, since it is glass, this texture will not become smoother over time. Not as rough as Sandstone though. Instead, it has a bamboo mat-like texture. The Jade color is smooth and feels more like ceramic.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
As is always the case with flagship OnePlus phones, the OnePlus 10T comes bundled with some great official cases. OnePlus shipped two with my review device, and both feel amazing to hold.
The downside to these clamshell cases is that they don’t offer extensive protection from big drops, although they will help with most waist-height falls. However, the rough texture of both cases will likely keep it in your hand or pocket, so you’re unlikely to drop it in the first place.
Having one of these cases will help resolve the annoying wobble that most modern smartphones exhibit when placed on a table, as there is a protruding camera bump located on 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 didn’t bother me at all about battery life.
Even with all the improvements over the years, it’s not often that I use a flagship phone and not worry about battery life. Even if it’s just something nagging at the back of my mind. For me, the OnePlus 10T was the first phone in a long time that didn’t bother me at all about battery life, no matter what time of day it was or what I needed the phone for that day.
But battery life itself wasn’t really the reason. Due to the display differences, the OnePlus 10T gets about an hour less runtime than the OnePlus 10 Pro. This result is according to the lab test of a dead battery by our parent company, Future.
Rather, the charging speed gave me full confidence that 15 minutes of downtime 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 at 5%, 15 minutes will charge the battery to a whopping 70%, and just over 20 minutes will take you to 100% using the charger included in the box.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Yes, one company still includes a charger with their phones, and it’s an undeniably amazing 160W charger. Here in the US, it’ll only charge at 125W, but this GaN charger will work overseas with the right plug adapter and it will load even faster (if that’s possible).
OnePlus told Android Central that wireless charging has been omitted from the OnePlus 10T to keep the phone slim. It seems like an odd excuse, given that many phones that…
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