The OnePlus 10 Pro, the latest high-end smartphone from OnePlus, comes across as an attempt to reset the company’s direction. After some pushback on the high cost of 2021’s OnePlus 9 Pro, the company dialed back the price and adjusted the specs of its new phone to realign itself with fan expectations. The effort, though appreciated, hasn’t necessarily coalesced in the way OnePlus probably hoped.
The lone device, which isn’t part of a larger family or series (yet), competes with category leaders from Apple, Samsung, and Google, all of which have multiple entries in their flagship lineups. That means the 10 Pro has a lot to prove. In our full review, we found it came up short. In this OnePlus 10 Pro review second opinion, I want to take another look to see if it’s really the phone OnePlus fans deserve
Finding comfort in the familiar
If there’s one thing about OnePlus you can rely on, it is the company’s consistency with respect to hardware design. The OnePlus 8 Pro, 9 Pro, and 10 Pro are similar devices that stick strictly to OnePlus’ script. How does that impact the 10 Pro?
The core shape and user experience of the 10 Pro’s hardware is almost unchanged year over year. That means curved glass on the front, a metal frame, and curved glass on the rear with a near-identical footprint to its predecessor. I appreciate the compact shape and smooth hand feel. The 10 Pro is a slender, comfortable affair but it could do a lot more to stand out visually. OnePlus upgraded the display glass to Gorilla Glass Victus but kept the rear panel on older Gorilla Glass 5. This isn’t quite up to par with competing flagships, some of which have adopted Gorilla Glass Victus Plus both front and back.
The buttons and ports are placed identically to older OnePlus phones, so seasoned veterans will know where to find them. The alert slider and power button, for example, are on the right and the volume toggle is on the left. The power button is somewhat sharp and your finger might get caught on its edge, though this is alleviated if you use a case.
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