The OnePlus 10 Pro is here, and one of its biggest competitors in the flagship phone space is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus.
What makes this matchup so interesting is that there are few similarities between the two phones down to the smallest detail. These two manufacturers do things very differently, which is always nice to see.
So which of these two phones is the better buy? Let’s take a closer look.
OnePlus 10 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus: price and availability
The global model of the OnePlus 10 Pro hit stores on April 5. The entry-level model costs $899 / £799 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. In the UK you can upgrade to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for £899 (which would probably be around $999).
The Galaxy S22 Plus arrived in the US on February 25, Australia on March 3, and the UK on March 11. .
In the price department, then, it’s a clear win for the OnePlus 10 Pro. Identically, it’s $100/£150 cheaper.
OnePlus 10 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus: design
We’re big fans of the OnePlus 10 Pro’s revamped design. After the somewhat bland OnePlus 9 Pro, our reviewer hailed it as “distinct without falling into ‘strange’ territory”.
It’s the 10 Pro’s square camera array that really impresses, with its expansive yet surprisingly slim dimensions. We also liked the frosted glass finish of the phone; but it’s only available in black or green, and those colors are partly tied to the storage capacity you choose.
On the other hand, our reviewer’s reception of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus design was a bit more mixed, stating that we “love it and hate it” at the same time. The love was for Samsung’s Contour Cut camera bump, as well as the fact that the handset comes in a much wider choice of colors (white, black, green, pink, grey, cream, pale blue and purple). However, we noted that the phone was uncomfortable to hold and use.
It’s not so much to do with its size – at 157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6mm it’s wider but also shorter and thinner than the 163 x 73.9 x 8 OnePlus 10 Pro. .6mm. It also weighs less at 195g compared to the 201g OnePlus.
However, that considerable width, coupled with the square design and sharp edges of the phone, makes it a literal pain to hold at times. OnePlus has opted for a much more curved shape, and therefore more comfortable.
In favor of the Galaxy S22 Plus is its display covered with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Plus, which is probably a bit tougher than the Gorilla Glass Victus coating of the OnePlus 10 Pro. Both phones offer IP68 dust and water resistance.
However, only the OnePlus 10 Pro comes with this unique alert slider. Being able to put your phone in silent mode without turning on the screen is a small but potentially significant benefit.
OnePlus 10 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus: display
The OnePlus 10 Pro packs a 6.7-inch screen, while the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus has a slightly smaller 6.6-inch equivalent. Both have 120Hz refresh rates, so they’re equally smooth.
Both are AMOLED displays, offering vivid and accurate colors, with the ability to adjust the tone to your liking. However, the OnePlus 10 Pro display can expand up to 3216 x 1440 (WQHD+) resolution if desired, while the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is stuck at 2340 x 1080 (FHD+).
FHD+ is fine for most tasks of course, and some video services and games will get the most out of the full QHD resolution. But it’s still something we’d expect to see from non-Apple phones at this price.
Samsung hits back with a higher peak brightness of 1750 nits, with the OnePlus 10 Pro landing well below 1300 nits.
OnePlus 10 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus: cameras
The OnePlus 10 Pro packs a very similar camera system to its predecessor, the OnePlus 9 Pro, while the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus sounds the changes.
With the OnePlus 10 Pro, you get a 48-megapixel f/1.8 wide sensor, an 8-megapixel 3.3x telephoto lens, and a new 50-megapixel ultra-wide that can take 150-degree fish-eye shots.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, meanwhile, leads with a new 50-megapixel f/1.8 sensor, accompanied by a 12-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide and a 10-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto lens for optical zoom. 3x.
OnePlus wins for the size of the main sensor, but Samsung’s camera takes more consistent photos. Samsung is well known for delivering an even tone across its various sensors, while our reviewer noted that the OnePlus 10 Pro’s balancing between the three cameras was off.
Both manufacturers like to spice up their colors a bit. This is a common move by Samsung, while OnePlus’ partnership with Hasselblad seems to have led to more vibrant color science lately.
Both phones handle Portrait Mode well, but Samsung may be the best in the business yet. It just manages to pick out more detail around the edges of the subject, and it also gets the artificial background blur and range of effects spot on.
The OnePlus telephoto lens gets a little closer to the action than its rival, but neither is up there with the best in the business (which would be the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra).
OnePlus 10 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus: specs and performance
We’d give the performance win to the OnePlus 10 Pro, simply because its hardware configuration is more consistent. You get the lightning-fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip no matter where you are in the world, while Samsung splits its supply between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and the Exynos 2200.
There isn’t much of a difference between the two chips in the CPU department, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 seems to have the edge over the Exynos 2200 when it comes to GPU. Or at least that’s what the benchmarks seem to suggest.
In practice, however, you certainly won’t be able to tell the difference. These are two fast flagship phones that can handle anything you throw at them.
Our Galaxy S22 Plus review noted that it’s “great for gaming because it loads titles quickly, doesn’t stutter during sessions, and allows you to load the best graphics settings for gaming.” This is also the case with the OnePlus 10 Pro.
Both phones offer 8GB of RAM as standard, although the OnePlus 10 Pro tops you out at up to 12GB if you opt for the larger capacity model.
Of course, performance is also about the software that sits on top of that hardware, which can often be a matter of perception as much as anything. On that front, OnePlus continues to use its smart and fast OxygenOS, although it now runs on Oppo’s ColorOS underpinnings.
Either way, it’s a crisp and fast UI, and it certainly looks snappier and cleaner than Samsung’s rather slow and busy One UI. OnePlus also includes fewer additional apps and services on its phones.
Conversely, Samsung promised four years of software updates to OnePlus’ three years. It’s a win for Samsung, if you’re the type to keep their phones well past the end of your average contract.
OnePlus 10 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus: battery
The OnePlus 10 Pro comes with a 5,000mAh cell, while Samsung equips its phone with a smaller 4,500mAh battery. On paper, this would seem like an instant advantage for the OnePlus phone.
In practice, both handsets are good for a day of moderate to heavy use, and no more. The Galaxy S22 Plus’ low-res display probably evens things out here.
However, there’s no denying which phone wins on the charging front. While OnePlus provides an impressive new 80W charger in the box, Samsung only supports 45W, and it’s not included with the phone.
Also, in our tests, we just couldn’t charge the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus as quickly as it should. Even with a much faster charger, it still took us two hours to charge the battery to 100%, while the OnePlus 10 Pro was full in 30 minutes.
Wireless charging support is 50W for the OnePlus 10 Pro and 15W for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, so that’s another win for OnePlus.
Take away
Both the Samsung and OnePlus are sleek and stylish flagship phones with their own strengths, but we have to give the OnePlus 10 Pro the win as a whole.
Yes, we rated the OnePlus higher than the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus (8/10 beats 7/10), but that’s more than just a numerical comparison.
The OnePlus 10 Pro is cheaper than the $100/£150 Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, but has a cooler, more comfortable design, a sharper display, faster charging (with that built-in charger) and faster software .
Conversely, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus has a more consistent camera system, higher maximum screen brightness, and an extra year of software updates. So designed, the OnePlus 10 Pro simply gives you more for your money.