OnePlus 12 vs. OnePlus 10 Pro: Should you upgrade? What are the new features in the OnePlus 12, and is it really that different from the year-old OnePlus 10 Pro?
Although both phones look very similar, the OnePlus 12 has some key improvements that you should really know about.
If you're in the market for a new OnePlus flagship, should you go with the new OnePlus 12 or the year-old OnePlus 10 Pro? And if you still have the OnePlus 10 Pro, is the OnePlus 12 a worthy upgrade? Here's what you need to know before you decide.
OnePlus 12 vs. OnePlus 10 Pro: Price, Availability, and Specifications
OnePlus announced the OnePlus 12 in December 2023, with a retail price of $799 for a 12GB RAM and 256GB storage version or $899 for a 16GB RAM and 512GB storage version. It is available in Silky Black and Flowy Emerald, although Flowy Emerald is only available in the pricier configuration. Flowy emerald green is like granite and offers a more stylish look.
The OnePlus 10 Pro is a few years old, and launched in January 2022. The OnePlus 10 Pro came with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, which initially launched at $899, and a 12GB RAM and 256GB storage option launched at $969. OnePlus finally dropped the price by $100 after almost a year. The OnePlus 10 Pro launches in Volcanic Black and Emerald Forest. The OnePlus 10 Pro is no longer available through carriers, and finding a brand-new one has become difficult.
winner: OnePlus 12
OnePlus 12 vs. OnePlus 10 Pro: Design
Typically, phone design doesn't change much over the years, and that's mostly true for these OnePlus devices. There are some minor differences. The camera housing and selfie camera location are worth noting, but they both reflect the typical OnePlus design.
The front of the OnePlus 12 and 10 Pro has a curved display with thin bezels. The OnePlus 12 has the selfie camera at the top-middle of the display, which I prefer over the 10 Pro, which has the selfie camera at the top-left.
The biggest design differences can be found on the backs of these devices. The camera assembly on these phones shares a similar aesthetic, with the camera housing flowing in from the left edge. The OnePlus 12 features a raised round assembly that covers almost half of the device. The 10 Pro's camera housing is dim and flatter and comes in a more traditional rectangular style. Both look great, but the OnePlus 12 is more attractive.
The OnePlus 12 has volume and power buttons on the right edge, and the alert slide can be found on the left. The 10 Pro has a power button, an alert slide on the right edge, and volume buttons on the left. It's a small change, but the overall button placement of the OnePlus 12 is slightly more convenient to use.
winner: OnePlus 12
OnePlus 12 vs. OnePlus 10 Pro: Display
Aside from their extreme peak brightness, the display is another area where these two devices are similar. The OnePlus 12 features an AMOLED, 6.82-inch, 120Hz LTPO display. With a resolution of 3168 x 1440, the 12K has a pixel density of 510 ppi. The 12 has an impressive peak brightness of 4500 nits, making the display very easy to see in the brightest conditions.
The OnePlus 10 Pro has a slightly smaller 6.7-inch AMOLED, 120Hz LTPO display. The display resolution is 3216 x 1440, for a pixel density of 525 ppi. Its maximum brightness is also 1300 nits.
Both devices have always-on displays, and apart from the difference in brightness, they will look and feel similar. The 10 Pro has a slightly smaller display, but both phones will be great for everyday use.
winner: OnePlus 12
OnePlus 12 vs. OnePlus 10 Pro: Cameras
The OnePlus 12 has a great all-around triple-camera system that works well in any situation. It comes with a 50MP f/1.6 primary lens, a 48MP f/2.2 UltraWide lens, and a 64MP f/2.6 telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. It can record 8K video at up to 24 fps and 4K video at up to 60 fps. The front-facing camera is a 32MP f/2.4 snapper that does great enough work when you need to capture a quality shot of yourself.
The camera setup on the OnePlus 10 Pro is a bit of a mixed bag. The 48MP f/1.8 main camera and 50MP f/2.2 UltraWide camera are quite capable and can capture some great-looking photos. The 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom is a bit more limited, capturing less detail and a bit more grain in low-light conditions.
The OnePlus 12 camera system is more reliable than the OnePlus 10 Pro camera. The credit for this goes to its better camera setup and new sensor. If I had a choice between these devices, the OnePlus 12 would be the more reliable shooter. That doesn't mean the 10 Pro is atrocious; it's also quite capable. It is less reliable and has a greater tendency to let you down at inopportune moments.
winner: OnePlus 12
OnePlus 12 vs. OnePlus 10 Pro: Performance
The OnePlus 12 is an absolute performance beast. Equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage or 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, the OnePlus 12 is guaranteed to chew up anything you throw at it.
The OnePlus 10 Pro may be older, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset can still hold its own. Sure, it won't be as fast as the new one used in the OnePlus 12, but it shouldn't struggle to play the latest games or perform your daily tasks. The 10 Pro comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, or 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
In a head-to-head battle in OnePlus, the OnePlus 12 would put the 10 Pro to shame. The question is not whether the OnePlus 12 is the faster of the two devices, but whether the OnePlus 10 Pro is fast enough? Smartphone processors have become much better in the last few years. In fact, the speed difference will be negligible in daily use. It may take a second to load some things, but unless you really need that much power, there's not enough power to differentiate between these two devices.
winner: OnePlus 12
OnePlus 12 vs. OnePlus 10 Pro: Software
As long as the devices are appropriately supported, the software in a company's core portfolio shouldn't differ that much in two years. Both devices run on almost the same software despite the age difference.
Since it is the most recent model, the OnePlus 12 was launched with Android 14 and OxygenOS 14. The OnePlus 10 Pro was launched with Android 12 but has since been upgraded to Android 14 and OxygenOS 14.
The OnePlus 12 also has a more liberal update policy. OnePlus has promised to bring four Android OS updates & five security updates to the OnePlus 12. This means the 12 should see Android 18 and receive software updates until 2029. The OnePlus 10 Pro doesn't get such a generous update policy. The 10 Pro is expected to stop receiving Android OS upgrades after Android 15 and security updates after a year. It provides one or two years of the latest Android features and two years of security updates.
For those currently using the OnePlus 10 Pro, the OnePlus 12 is going to feel similar from a software perspective. OxygenOS 14 is OnePlus' custom skin built on top of Android 14. It's not everyone's favorite skin, but the OS is fast.
winner: OnePlus 12
OnePlus 12 vs. OnePlus 10 Pro: Battery life and Charging
The OnePlus 12 has 5,400 mAh of battery life support. It can easily last you a whole day on a single charge. It also charges incredibly fast. Using the included 80W SuperVOOC wired charger, the OnePlus 12 can charge up to 100% from idle in about 30 minutes. Wireless charging is also back this year, and it's capable of charging up to 55W, taking it from zero to 100% in about an hour. It can also charge other accessories thanks to its 10W reverse wireless charging.
The OnePlus 10 Pro isn't as fast, but it's not slouch either. Its 5,000mAh battery can also last a whole day, and if your battery gets low, the included 65W wired charger can fully charge you in 32 minutes. The OnePlus 10 Pro supports 50W wireless charging and reverse wireless capabilities.
winner: OnePlus 12
Overall winner: OnePlus 12
The OnePlus 12 comes with a better chipset and better power efficiency. This means you get more hours of use from the OnePlus 12 than from the OnePlus 10 Pro. It comes with faster overall performance, better cameras, and four years of Android OS upgrade support.
If you're in the market for a new phone for around $800, the OnePlus 12 is a better choice, as it offers improved performance, battery life, software support, and rear cameras. However, if your budget is limited to $600, the OnePlus 10 Pro should be your priority, but be aware that it will last you two years less than the OnePlus 12.
What if you already have a OnePlus 10 Pro? It will remain an excellent device in 2024 and should serve you well for the next year or two without malfunctioning. Don't feel like you need to upgrade to the OnePlus 12. But if your OnePlus 10 Pro is giving you battery issues or you're experiencing performance issues, the OnePlus 12 is a safe and easy upgrade recommendation.
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