The OnePlus 10T is a strange phone, and I didn’t really like it when I first reviewed it at the end of September. As I prepared to revisit the 10T to see if the weather had been good, I had to change the SIM card on the phone that was going to cause the OnePlus phone the most problems: the Google Pixel 7.
After using them side by side for a day, the question is, is there something about the OnePlus 10T that should convince you to buy it over the Pixel 7?
The importance of good design
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Looks have never been the problem with the OnePlus 10T, and that hasn’t changed even when compared to the Pixel 7. The 10T’s design is aptly reminiscent of the superior OnePlus 10 Pro, with some cutting-edge manufacturing techniques from Oppo thrown in for good measure. The way the camera module blends into the back panel is very attractive, right up there with the Oppo Find X5 Pro. It’s an attractive phone.
However, the plastic body looks and feels cheap, especially compared to the Pixel 7’s metal body and high-gloss back panel. Take a look at one of the photos in the gallery below to see how the OnePlus 10T has already received scratches, illustrating why this is a mark on the phone.
Pixel 7 Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
OnePlus 10T Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
OnePlus 10T (left) and Google Pixel 7 (right) Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Even in dull black, the Pixel 7 is fantastic to look at, and the viewfinder-like camera module is just as important a design feature as the 10T’s camera module. The two phones are also shaped differently, with the taller OnePlus phone being easier to operate with one hand but feeling cheaper and not quite as sleek as the Pixel 7.
The OnePlus 10T’s fingerprint sensor and face unlock are faster, and more importantly, so is the charging speed. Connect the OnePlus 10T to the included charger and the battery will be 100% charged in 20 minutes; the Pixel 7 takes more than three times to reach full capacity. I prefer the way the Pixel 7 looks and feels, but it can’t match the charging speeds of the OnePlus 10T, making it one of the main (and only) reasons someone would pick it over the Pixel 7.
Similar performance, different software
OnePlus 10T (left) and Google Pixel 7 Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
The OnePlus 10T has arguably the best processor available right now, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and it comes with tons of performance and an impressive level of efficiency. when playing Asphalt 9: Legends in 30 minutes, you don’t have to worry about speed and power at all. The Pixel 7 and the Google-developed Tensor G2 processor deliver the same level of gaming performance, and overall both phones are smooth and comfortable to use.
I don’t see much of a difference between the two displays, even though the OnePlus 10T’s 120Hz refresh rate is higher than the Pixel 7’s 90Hz. And since the resolution and pixel density are about the same, they’re both top-tier media phones. There are only slight differences when you look closely, with the Pixel 7 appearing a bit brighter and increasingly attractive in hue. The Pixel 7’s speakers continue to be of better quality, with more clarity and less distortion.
Now we come to the important difference: the software. The clean and simple installation of Android on the Pixel 7 is a world away from the more complicated and intrusive Android 12-based OxygenOS 12 on the OnePlus phone. There’s a no-nonsense, fluid approach to menus and navigation on the Pixel 7 that the less intuitive and more boring OnePlus 10T lacks. Although it is reportedly coming, it is surprising that the 10T does not have Android 13 yet.
When faced with two phones, I lean towards the Pixel 7 when I go to pick one up and check Twitter or a Teams message. It’s generally a bit faster, I prefer the animations, and it has a more modern feel to the software. Both play the same way, so performance isn’t an issue, but the Pixel 7’s software makes it a much nicer daily companion.
The camera quality is not even comparable.
Both phones have a 50-megapixel main camera, but the Pixel 7 has a 12MP wide-angle camera compared to the OnePlus 10T’s 8MP wide-angle camera, and the 10T’s 2MP macro camera barely makes sense. The two main cameras have very different specs, but the best way to understand the differences is to see the photos they take, because they are so different.
OnePlus 10T Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
OnePlus 10T Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
OnePlus 10T Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
OnePlus 10T Wide Angle Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
The Pixel 7’s camera is simply excellent, with a realism that the OnePlus 10T can’t replicate. Colors, shadows and tone on the main camera are beautiful, while the OnePlus phone relies on increased saturation to make your photos grab your attention. The Pixel 7’s HDR effect and the way it balances shadows and detail is a much more mature and visually pleasing way to do the same.
Pixel 7 Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Pixel 7 Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Pixel 7 Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Pixel 7 Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
The differences are even more noticeable when you switch to a wide-angle camera. The OnePlus 10T’s 8MP camera avoids detail like poison, and photos are pixelated and poor quality when you dare to zoom in. The Pixel 7’s wide-angle camera is much better, offering plenty of detail and sharpness. There is absolutely no competition between the two phones when it comes to the camera – the Google Pixel 7 is far superior.
The last advantage of the Pixel 7: the price
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Pixel 7 Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
OnePlus 10T Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
The cheaper OnePlus 10T is yours for $650 or £630, while the Pixel 7 starts at $600 or £599. I won’t sugarcoat this – if you’re wondering which phone to buy between the two, you should definitely pick up the cheaper Pixel 7. Using them side by side reveals that the two phones are very different and highlights the step in the wrong direction that is the OnePlus 10T for OnePlus.
Does the 10T have any features that I can take advantage of? Fast charging is the real reason to buy a OnePlus phone, but not the 10T, as the charging speed is basically the same on the OnePlus 10 Pro, which is a better phone overall. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is also incredibly capable and the phone is available at a reasonable price. My problem with the 10T is that it has many good aspects, but it is let down by the basics, from the materials to the usability of the software.
When I review a phone that doesn’t reflect what I know the manufacturer is capable of, I often look forward to reviewing the phone again to see if my opinion has changed or if updates have improved it in any way. Unfortunately, the OnePlus 10T hasn’t become a more attractive device in the month since it launched, its mediocrity only being accentuated by the lower price and impressive capabilities of the excellent Pixel 7.
editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn