OnePlus 10T: I’d buy it if it’s cheaper than the 10 Pro

OnePlus has been quite unpredictable with its smartphone releases over the last couple of years, and they’ve carried on that trend with their latest flagship 10 series. 

Earlier in 2022, they launched the OnePlus 10 Pro, a camera-focused rival to the best phones in the world that will set you back a substantial £799 in the UK or $899 in the US. Unlike in previous years, it wasn’t followed by a more affordable OnePlus 10 for those restricted by a tighter budget, which let’s face it, is more of us than ever given the recent cost of living crisis sweeping the globe. 

Instead, they’ve skipped ahead, announcing that the One Plus 10T which will be launched on the 3rd August at an event in New York - but what will that mean for its price tag and will it be worth buying? To figure that out, our best bet is to take a trip back through time to their older devices from 2021 and 2020. 

Going way back to April 2020, the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro launched at the same time, they started at £599 / $699 and £799 / $899 respectively and were then followed by the 8T later that year which started at £550 in the UK and saw upgrades to charging speed, display refresh rate and the camera system. In the US you could only buy the higher-spec model which started at $750 (£650 in the UK).

The year after that came the 9 series which again launched as two phones early in 2021 with the OnePlus 9 which started at £629 / $729 and the OnePlus 9 Pro which would set you back £829 / $969. But that time a 9T never arrived on our shores. 

Elsewhere across the OnePlus portfolio, other phones have had similar trajectories, like the recent OnePlus Nord 2 (priced at £399) which was followed by the OnePlus Nord 2T (£369). I’ve tried out both of those devices and they aren’t that different from one another but the T model is undoubtedly an improvement on the first when it comes to speed and performance. 

What we can take from that is that the T models are kind of like a second edition or a halfway mark between the initial release and the next year’s devices - it makes adjustments to what was already there rather than big game-changing upgrades and usually, those upgrades are very much focused on performance. More often than not, its price aligns with the base model of the current series as well although that's not always the case. 

We’re hoping that the 10T will be priced lower than the 10 Pro, almost like a replacement for the OnePlus 10 which never came to fruition as opposed to an evolution of the initial version of the phone. It would fill the gap and it'd undoubtedly be one of the best OnePlus phones there is. But as things stand, it looks as though OnePlus are positioning this as their second global flagship of the year which ultimately suggests a higher price point. 

If it is more affordable, it could be a very convincing piece of kit because while the 10 Pro did wow us with a stunning QHD+ screen, impressive three-lens camera system, steady performance and seriously fast charging, its price tag won’t be for everyone and it’s a shame that there isn’t currently a more budget-friendly alternative in Europe or the US. 

Personally, I’d happily make a few small sacrifices to get a similar phone for a bit less cash and I’m sure a lot of other people will feel the same.