Undercutting flagships has been an ingredient in OnePlus' secret sauce since its inception, but the transition into making actual flagships led to a continual price increase, making the brand and its devices what it had set out to conquer. But regardless of its newfound interest, the device maker still offered more value than some of its direct competition in some ways. And the $899 OnePlus 10 Pro is another device from their stables that offers such a proposition.

While we'd traditionally pit a device at this price point against the Galaxy S22 Plus, the 10 Pro has a set of specifications that make it comparable to Korean OEM's top-of-the-line device — Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. So at a price that's $300 lesser, is OnePlus 10 Pro the device to get instead of the one from Samsung? Read this article to find out how they compare.

Design and Display

Source: Pocketnow

The OnePlus 10 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra have drastically different designs, but when you place them side by side, you might notice some similarities; for example, the slight curvature on the display and a flat section on the top.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra borrows a lot from the Note lineup. In its design, not only does it have a flat side at the top, but it even has one at its bottom. Combine this with the rounded edges on its sides, and this device features one of the most distinctive looks on the market. Even its camera array is unique in the realm of flagships, with just the lenses rising out of the back panel instead of the traditional island we're used to seeing.

Overall, for a device part of the Galaxy S series, this design is a huge step away from its predecessor and competition. On the other hand, the OnePlus 10 Pro continues in the footsteps of the OnePlus 9 Pro, with the new camera array being the only significant change. The camera hardware is now in a ceramic segment that looks like it is rising out of the frame — like Samsung's Contour Cut design language — and onto the glass back panel.

As for ports and button placements, on the Samsung, you will see its power button and volume rockers on the right-hand side, while its bottom edge features the USB C Port, S Pen silo, and SIM tray. On the OnePlus, the right-hand side features the Alert Slider and power button. The volume rockers are present on the left-hand side. And like on Samsung, its USB C port and SIM tray can be found on the bottom. Whether this tray can use multiple SIMs or not will be based on the region of purchase.

But focussing on the displays, both panels here feature QHD+ AMOLED panels with LTPO technology that allows them to adapt their refresh rates between 1Hz and 120Hz. On the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the display sizes in at 6.8-inches, whereas on the OnePlus, you will have access to a 6.7-inch panel. Both panels get bright enough for outdoor use, so this isn't a factor to worry about! The two phones also have fingerprint sensors beneath their display; an optical one on the OnePlus, and an Ultrasonic set on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

If you're wondering what the exact spec is on the glass used, the OnePlus 10 Pro uses Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and Gorilla Glass 5 on the back. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra uses Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on the front and back.

Note: OnePlus claims a peak of 1300 nits while Samsung has a claimed peak of 1750.

What processor do these devices feature?

Source: Qualcomm

OnePlus 10 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra ship with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in North America. When compared to its direct predecessor, the Snapdragon 888, the new chipset on these devices provides 20% more power while increasing its efficiency by 30%, claims Qualcomm. There is also an improved ISP on board, along with better modems.

In certain parts of the world, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra does ship with the OEM's in-house Exynos 2200, which unfortunately does fall behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. We expected the gap between Qualcomm and Samsung to reduce significantly owing to the graphics system powered by the RDNA-based Xclipse GPU, but that isn't entirely the case.

Source: Pocketnow

Hence, if you're shopping for the Galaxy S22 Ultra or OnePlus 10 Pro in regions where both feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, you can pick either device to get your tasks completed. But if Samsung sells the Exynos equipped model in your country, we recommend importing a Snapdragon unit or going the OnePlus route to get your fill of a powerhouse smartphone.

How does the camera hardware on OnePlus 10 Pro compare to Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra?

Camera performance is one avenue where OnePlus has always struggled, but with help from the Hasselblad collaboration and the move into the premium smartphone category, the Chinese phone maker did improve on their overall offering. And the OnePlus 10 Pro carries on this new legacy. But if photography is your top priority, Samsung will serve your needs a lot better.

Now, don't get me wrong, the OnePlus does have an acceptable camera setup, but the Galaxy S22 Ultra has one that's a lot more versatile.

Source: Pocketnow

The OnePlus 10 Pro's camera hardware includes a 48MP Wide camera, an 8MP Telephoto lens, and a new Ultrawide using the JN1 Sensor, with a 150-degree field of view. There is also a new fish-eye mode baked into the software in addition to traditional additions like a night mode, a portrait mode, and exclusives like the Hasselblad XPAN mode.

Source: Pocketnow

Compared to this, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra offers a lot more versatility. This is perfectly showcased in Adam Lein's latest piece, which goes over the capability of each lens on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and the images it can capture.

To break down the hardware for you, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has a 108MP wide camera, which serves as the headliner, a 12MP Ultrawide, and a pair of 10MP Telephoto cameras with different focal lengths. Add Samsung's computational algorithms to these lenses, and you get a very capable multi-lens shooter in your hands.

And before I forget, the front-facing camera on both of these devices is present in the hole punch on the front; with OnePlus shipping a 32MP sensor while the Samsung carries a 40MP unit.

How does the OnePlus 10 Pro compare to Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in terms of battery life?

Source: Pocketnow

Both Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and OnePlus 10 Pro come with a 5000 mAh cell confined within the limits of their chassis. Since the phones feature the same processor and have similar display sizes, we believe if you're an average user, the devices should last you through an entire day of use without breaking a sweat.

An average user may be defined as someone scrolling through social media, keeping up with people via email and instant messaging applications, and watching the occasional video or playing a game for a little while.

But obviously, if you ever needed to get the phones charged and ready to go, the OnePlus 10 Pro holds an advantage over the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra due to its support for 65W (or 80W in some regions) charging which promises to power the device from 0 to 100% in 34 minutes. The Samsung only supports 45W and has a claim of providing 50% power in 20 minutes, and you may already know that there is a drop-off in power supplied after a certain point, meaning the OnePlus is likely to complete its charging session before the S22 Ultra.

Both devices also support wireless charging, although OnePlus holds a more significant advantage here, due to its support for 50W AIRVOOC charging, compared to the 15W capability of the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Verdict

So if you're in a situation where you need to pick between the OnePlus 10 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, here are some of our thoughts on the two phones.

The OnePlus 10 Pro is the device to get if you're someone who uses their phone quite a lot as the day goes on and prefers having the ability to charge up and continue their tasks in a jiffy. The 10 Pro is a device with a great display, a decent camera setup, and a performance factor that isn't much of a differentiator. Hence, if you need a good phone that doesn't cost $1200, this is the device to buy for many.

But if you're looking to eke out that extra bit of productivity or need extra software longevity on your device, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the device to consider. The S Pen stylus, its integration into the device, and its overall functioning is a huge advantage for a productivity fanatic, and the additional features it brings will also be a pleasant surprise.

And tracking back to the software longevity part, unlike OnePlus, which promises three OS updates and four years of security patches, Samsung provides four major updates and five years of patches, and they've also kept the ball rolling on updates over the last couple of years.

Nevertheless, both devices are great options to consider, and the decision between them should mostly fall upon your wish to have more productivity features and longer software support or a device that looks and feels great without an ounce of sacrifice in the battery and performance department.

• 

  OnePlus 10 Pro

  $484.99 $799.99 Save $315

  OnePlus 10 Pro ships with a 6.7-inch QHD+ display that uses a 2nd generation LTPO panel. It also features the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and aims to deliver a unique camera experience with a 150-degree Ultrawide camera and implementations from the second year of the Hasselblad partnership. For $899, it offers capable hardware that can hold its own in the sea of flagship smartphones.

  $484.99 at Amazon

• 

  Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

  $800 $1200 Save $400

  The Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with a larger 6.8" QHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display, a versatile camera setup, and a large battery that will keep you going through a whole day! Check out the deals available on this smartphone via the links given below.

  $1200 at Amazon $800 at Best Buy $1200 at Samsung

Technical Specifications