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OnePlus 10 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Which flagship should you buy?
When it comes to buying smartphones, choosing the right Android is a much more convoluted task than with iPhones. In the realm of Google-powered handsets, there are choices aplenty. Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola, and Google themselves offer a range of phones that make sales associates scratch their heads when customers ask, "What Android phone should I buy?".
But if you want a top-of-the-line flagship, the list narrows down to the heavyweight flagships such as the OnePlus 10 Pro and Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra The two offer complete, utilitarian smartphone experiences, with prices to match. But with a $400 price gap, you'll want to know all the key reasons to buy one over the other. Read on.
Specifications
OnePlus 10 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra | |
Display | 6.7-inch AMOLED with 120Hz (LTPO 2.0) | 6.8-inch AMOLED with 120Hz (LTPO 2.0) |
Weight | 201g | 228g |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| RAM/Storage | 8GB/12GB with 128GB/256GB | 12GB/16GB with 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB |
| Battery | 5,000mAh with 80W charging (65W in North America) | 5,000mAh with 45W charging |
| Camera | 48MP wide, 50MP ultra-wide, 8MP telephoto, 32MP front | 108MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto (10x), 10MP telephoto (3x), 40MP front |
| Connectivity | 5G (sub-6 GHz) | 5G (mmWave and sub-6 GHz) |
Colors | Emerald Forest, Volcanic Black | Phantom Black, Phantom White, Burgundy, Green |
IP rating | IP68 on the US T-Mobile version only | IP68 on all models |
| Price | Starting at $799 | Starting at $1,199 |
You should buy the OnePlus 10 Pro if...
The OnePlus 10 Pro in Emerald Forest.
1. You want a flagship Android at a not-so-flagship price
Nowadays, buying a "flagship" smartphone warrants a $1,000 pay-up -- unless you're buying the OnePlus 10 Pro or Google Pixel 6 Pro. In fact, since its debut in early March, OnePlus has slashed the official price from $899 down to $799, putting it in arms reach of more consumers. For the price, you're still getting a large, 6.7-inch handset with a 120Hz refresh rate, up to 12GB of RAM, and a software experience that's noticeably less intrusive than other brands.
2. You want a phone that can fully charge in minutes
If you always find yourself in a time crunch, then the OnePlus 10 Pro, with its 80W Warp Charging (65W for North American users, which is still very fast) will be of great benefit. While the typical smartphone takes a good hour or two to fully charge, OnePlus says that the 10 Pro can give you "a day's power in 15 minutes". In practicality, you can expect the device to make 0% to 100% gains within half an hour, saving you from battery anxiety.
Also: Everything you need to know about the OnePlus 10 Pro
3. You want a smooth and bloatware-free software experience
OnePlus smartphones have always been known for their bloatware-free, Oxygen OS software. Unless you're buying the handset from, say, T-Mobile, then you'll be met with a user interface that is void of any unnecessary, marketing-heavy apps and services. Instead, the OS is more of an empty canvas -- as all new smartphones should be -- for you to personalize and customize to your liking. It also helps that Oxygen OS has visually smooth animations that play well with the OnePlus 10 Pro's high refresh rate display.
More: OnePlus 10 Pro review
You should buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra if...
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has a quad-camera setup, with the main being a 108MP shooter.
1. You want a reliable and consistent smartphone camera
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra leads the way with its quad-camera setup at the rear, including a 108MP main lens, 12MP ultra-wide, and two 10MP telephoto lenses for natural-looking depth of field and focused zoom shots. In terms of capturing portrait shots, Samsung's camera systems have proven to be among the best, accurately blurring out the background of subjects while keeping the front sharp and clear.
The S22 Ultra also has Pro modes built into the camera app, with the ability to record 8K footage. There's also the Bluetooth-powered S Pen that doubles as a remote camera clicker.
2. You plan on using the phone for the next 4-5 years
Besides having better future-proof features like up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra also comes with up to four generations of operating system upgrades and five years of security updates. That's both longer-lasting and more consistent than OnePlus's three-year standard.
The S22 Ultra also supports sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, which makes it more compatible with high-speed networks across the US and the world.
More: How Samsung's 2022 software upgrade policy fares with the competition
3. You want the Swiss Army knife of smartphones
There's not a lot that's missing from the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which makes its $1,199 price tag justifiable. You're getting a large 6.8-inch, LTPO display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a durable 5,000mAh battery, arguably the best camera system on the market, IP68 rating on all models (only the T-Mobile OnePlus 10 Pro is certified), and an integrated S Pen for your doodling needs. The S22 Ultra is as complete as a modern-day smartphone can get.
More: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review
Alternatives to consider
Open to other smartphone prospects? Consider these ZDNET-tested devices: