To say the least, the OnePlus 10T 5G is an oddly positioned smartphone. It runs counter to OnePlus’ recent push toward premium offerings with devices like the OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 10 Pro. Instead, it appears to carry the same “never settle” spirit that OnePlus was once known for, catering to users who want unrivaled performance but are willing to compromise on the cosmetic or camera fronts.
While the OnePlus 10T has top-tier specifications, it also makes some concessions in exchange for a lower price. Because of these flaws, it falls into the category of flagship killers, rather than true flagships, as recent OnePlus numeric series phones have tended to do. All of these changes give the impression that the company is attempting to break through the image it has created in recent years, particularly since its readmission into camp Oppo.
To understand how the OnePlus 10T differs from previous flagship OnePlus phones, it is useful to examine the evolution of the company’s T-series upgrades.
OnePlus evoluTion
The OnePlus 3T was the company’s first T-series upgrade. The letter symbolically referred to a more powerful Turbo version, even though OnePlus simply wanted to be seen as one step ahead of Apple’s usual S-upgrades. The OnePlus 3T provided minor internal improvements, such as the option for more internal storage and a slightly improved chipset.
The transition from the third to the fifth generation, after skipping the fourth due to Chinese traditions, saw a different type of T upgrade. The OnePlus 5T had the same internals as the OnePlus 5, but with a taller display. The 6T followed suit, with OnePlus opting for a taller display and an in-screen fingerprint sensor — a first for the company.
The OnePlus 7 series marked a watershed moment for OnePlus, which was preparing to enter the flagship segment with the OnePlus 7 Pro in 2019. The OnePlus 7T, released later that year, was positioned between the OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7 Pro. Unlike previous upgrades, it was completely redesigned and included many new features over the non-Pro-non-T variant.
The following year, OnePlus followed a similar pattern, focusing on the performance of the OnePlus 8T after promoting the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro as premium candidates. The flat display panels and simpler camera module gave the OnePlus 8T a rather crude — and some might say less premium — design, but it charged more than twice as fast as the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro. This easily slotted the OnePlus 8T between the two models.
The OnePlus 9T’s design would place it between the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro. But the company’s dynamic shifted, with one of the co-founders leaving and the other leading it back into Oppo, which had given birth to OnePlus in 2014. Simultaneously, with the Nord series, it expanded into the mid-range segment and expanded into fitness wearables, including a OnePlus Band and a OnePlus Watch. In order to prioritize this brand restructuring, OnePlus decided to remove the OnePlus 9T from its 2021 roadmap.
In 2022, OnePlus took a new approach, launching the OnePlus 10 Pro without a non-Pro variant. As a result, while the OnePlus 10T fills the void left by the absence of a 9T, it ends up being the OnePlus 10 that never was — and the phone that few want due to its limited improvements.
OnePlus 10T 5G that never was
The OnePlus 10 Pro set a high standard for performance, but also for aesthetics and camera performance. Its vapor cooling mechanism withstood the excessive heat generated by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. OnePlus also accepted the challenge of designing an elegant ceramic profile around the camera.
The outline is created by sintering the ceramic part for four days at 1,400 degrees Celsius and then brushing it for another 60 hours to polish the surface for a mirror-like finish that blends in with the aluminum frame. Kinder Liu, OnePlus’s chief operating officer, previously told us that the company achieved significant “breakthroughs” while developing a “burdenless design” for the OnePlus 10 Pro.
Unfortunately, the OnePlus 10T cannot fill those shoes. Although it may be a stretch to expect the OnePlus 10T to match the 10 Pro’s good looks and refined display, the 10T also falls far short in camera performance due to a primary sensor that is smaller than even a two-year-old OnePlus 8 Pro, as well as baseless auxiliary cameras like the 2MP macro.
It compensates for this with a more efficient Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and a much faster 150-watt (125-watt in North America) charging, but it isn’t enough to keep the phone from feeling out of place.
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OnePlus 10T 5G price
For many who have embraced OnePlus in its new and more diverse guise, the OnePlus 10T may appear not only out of price but also inconsistent with the company’s primary lineup. For those who still wish OnePlus hadn’t settled, the 10T returns to the company’s former image, but not by chance. This is due to its high price, which is closer to the OnePlus 10 Pro’s introductory pricing than the OnePlus One’s.
The price difference between the two phones makes choosing the OnePlus 10T over the 10 Pro difficult. The OnePlus 10T starts at $649, while the OnePlus 10 Pro costs $799. Better cameras, a more durable and meticulous design, a far superior display, and a slightly larger battery justify the Pro’s higher price.
The OnePlus 10T represents a return to the company’s earlier form, but not to the same glory, as it is a significant step down from the 10 Pro. That’s what, despite its Turbo specifications, ultimately makes the OnePlus 10T lackluster and somewhat Terrible.
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