OnePlus 10 Pro vs. OnePlus 9 Pro: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the OnePlus 10 Pro is the better buy. Its significantly improved battery endurance (107h vs 86h) and more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset outweigh the slightly dimmer display. However, North American users should be aware of the slower 65W charging.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | OnePlus 9 Pro | OnePlus 10 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - EU | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA - EU | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat18 1200/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 3, 28, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - CN | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 40, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - India | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 23 | 2022, January 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 30 | Available. Released 2022, January 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7 mm (6.43 x 2.90 x 0.34 in) | 163 x 73.9 x 8.6 mm (6.42 x 2.91 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 197 g (6.95 oz) | 201 g (7.09 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant - T-Mobile only (not for use underwater, liquid damage is not covered under warranty) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) | 1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO Fluid2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | LTPO2 Fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 800 nits (HBM), 1300 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, OxygenOS 14 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 14, OxygenOS 14 (International), ColorOS (China) |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Hasselblad Color Calibration, dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Hasselblad Color Calibration, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 77mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, AF 2 MP, f/2.4, (monochrome) | - |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 77mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 150˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired, PD, 100% in 29 min 50W wireless, 100% in 43 min 5W reverse wireless | 80W wired, PD, 100% in 32 min (International) 65W wired, PD, 58% in 15 min (North America) 50W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Morning Mist, Forest Green, Stellar Black | Volcanic Black, Emerald Forest, Panda White (Extreme Edition) |
| Models | LE2121, LE2125, LE2123, LE2120, LE2127 | NE2210, NE2211, NE2213, NE2215, NE2217 |
| Price | € 246.17 / $ 264.95 / £ 287.00 | $ 264.39 / C$ 349.99 / £ 360.00 / € 399.99 |
| SAR | - | 1.16 W/kg (head) 0.70 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 86h | Endurance rating 107h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) | -25.2 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 886248 (v9) GeekBench: 3447 (v5.1) GFXBench: 48fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
OnePlus 9 Pro
- Slightly brighter display for outdoor visibility
- Potentially better color accuracy due to Hasselblad tuning
- Lower price point (now that it's older)
- Inferior battery life compared to the 10 Pro
- Less efficient Snapdragon 888 chipset
- Slower charging speeds compared to the international 10 Pro
OnePlus 10 Pro
- Significantly improved battery life
- More powerful and efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- Faster wired charging (international version)
- Dimmer display compared to the 9 Pro
- North American version has slower charging speeds
- Potentially higher price
Display Comparison
The OnePlus 9 Pro boasts a peak brightness of 859 nits, exceeding the 10 Pro’s 780 nits. While the 9 Pro is brighter, the 10 Pro counters with an infinite contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels, and likely benefits from more advanced color calibration. Both utilize fluid AMOLED technology, but the 10 Pro’s panel is likely more power efficient due to the newer chipset’s display driver capabilities. The difference in brightness is noticeable in direct sunlight, favoring the 9 Pro, but the 10 Pro’s overall image quality is likely comparable.
Camera Comparison
Both phones share a similar 'Photo/Video' camera focus, but detailed sensor information is missing. However, the 10 Pro benefits from the improved image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, enabling faster processing and potentially better low-light performance. The 9 Pro’s Hasselblad partnership likely focused on color science, but the 10 Pro’s newer hardware provides a more substantial upgrade. Without specific sensor details, it’s difficult to declare a clear winner, but the 10 Pro’s processing capabilities give it an edge.
Performance
The jump from the Snapdragon 888 (5nm) in the 9 Pro to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) in the 10 Pro is significant. The 8 Gen 1’s Cortex-X2 core, clocked at 3.00 GHz, provides a performance uplift over the 9 Pro’s 2.84 GHz Cortex-X1. The newer chip also features the Cortex-A710 cores, offering improved efficiency compared to the A78 cores in the 9 Pro. This translates to better sustained performance and reduced thermal throttling during demanding tasks like gaming. While both phones feature ample RAM, the 4nm process node of the 8 Gen 1 is the key differentiator, offering better thermal efficiency.
Battery Life
The OnePlus 10 Pro delivers a substantial improvement in battery endurance, achieving 107 hours compared to the 9 Pro’s 86 hours. This is a direct result of the more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and likely optimizations in software power management. While the 9 Pro charges at 65W, fully charging in 29 minutes, the 10 Pro offers 80W (international) achieving 100% in 32 minutes. North American users are limited to 65W, with a 58% charge in 15 minutes, a noticeable compromise. Both phones support 50W wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the OnePlus 9 Pro if you prioritize a slightly brighter display and can find it at a substantial discount. It remains a capable phone for everyday tasks and photography. Buy the OnePlus 10 Pro if you demand all-day battery life, faster charging (internationally), and the performance benefits of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, even if it means sacrificing a bit of peak display brightness.