Alright, let's dive into a head-to-head comparison of the OnePlus 10 Pro and the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra. These two phones, while both flagships, offer distinct experiences, and understanding their nuances is key to making the right choice.
1. Specifications Breakdown
Here’s a detailed look at how these devices stack up, focusing on what each specification means for the user.
| Feature | OnePlus 10 Pro | Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | Real-World Implications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Launch Date | 2022-01-13 | 2024-04-29 | The Pura 70 Ultra is significantly newer, potentially benefiting from more recent advancements. |
| Dimensions | 163 × 73.9 × 8.6 mm | 162.6 × 75.1 × 8.4 mm | Both are similar in size. The Pura is slightly wider (1.2mm) but a hair thinner (0.2mm). |
| Weight | 201g | 226g | The OnePlus 10 Pro is noticeably lighter, making it more comfortable for extended use. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.7" | 6.8" | Very similar sizes, negligible difference in screen real estate. |
| Resolution | 1440x3216 | 1260x2844 | The OnePlus 10 Pro offers a significantly sharper display with more pixels, leading to finer details. |
| Pixel Density (PPI) | 525 | 460 | The OnePlus 10 Pro has higher pixel density, providing a crisper visual experience. |
| Technology | Unknown | OLED | The Pura 70 Ultra has superior display technology (OLED vs Unknown) , with deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | Both offer smooth scrolling and animations. |
| Brightness | 1300 nits | 2500 nits | The Pura 70 Ultra is much brighter, making it far more visible in direct sunlight. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Kirin 9010 (7 nm) | Different architectures. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is older but on paper has better performance with 4nm vs 7nm lithography process. The Pura 70 Ultra has a newer chipset, but not as optimized. |
| AnTuTu Score | 900,491 | 869,707 | Both offer excellent performance, with the OnePlus 10 Pro showing a slightly higher performance. |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Maleoon 910 | Different GPUs; the impact depends on the specific applications, but both can handle demanding tasks well. |
| Battery Life | |||
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 5200mAh | The Pura 70 Ultra has a slightly larger battery, offering marginally longer battery life. |
| Charging | 80W fast charging | 100W fast charging | The Pura 70 Ultra charges slightly faster, reducing downtime. |
| Wireless Charging | 50W | 80W | The Pura 70 Ultra offers faster wireless charging |
| Reverse Wireless Charging | 50W | 20W | The OnePlus 10 Pro offers faster reverse wireless charging. |
| Camera | |||
| Standard Camera | 48MP, f/1.8, 1/1.43", IMX789, 1.12µm | 50MP, f/1.6, 1", IMX989, 1.60µm | The Pura 70 Ultra boasts a larger sensor and wider aperture for better low-light performance and natural bokeh. |
| Selfie Camera | 32MP, f/2.0, 1/2.74", IMX615, 0.80µm | 13MP, f/2.4, Omnivision | The OnePlus 10 Pro offers higher resolution and wider aperture for superior selfie performance. |
| Telephoto Lens | 8MP, f/2.4, 1/4.4", OV08A10, 1.00µm | 50MP, f/2.1, Omnivision | The Pura 70 Ultra has a vastly superior telephoto lens with significantly higher resolution and wider aperture for better zoom capabilities. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 50MP, f/2.2, 1/2.76", S5KJN1, 0.64µm | 40MP, f/2.2, 1/1.7", OV40A, 1.00µm | Both offer a wide-angle lens, but the Pura 70 Ultra has a larger sensor with larger pixels resulting in superior wide-angle capture. |
| Video | Up to 8K@24fps | Up to 4K | The OnePlus 10 Pro offers 8K video recording, which is excellent for professional videography. |
| DXOMARK Score | 122 (Mobile) | 163 (Mobile) | The Pura 70 Ultra has a much higher overall score. |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 12 (upgradable to 14) | Unknown | OnePlus 10 Pro has a clear upgrade path with Android 14, while the Pura 70 Ultra lacks OS information. |
| Connectivity | |||
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 7 | WiFi 6 | OnePlus 10 Pro offers faster speeds with WiFi 7. |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.2 LE | Bluetooth 5.2 | OnePlus 10 Pro offers better energy consumption and APT-X support. |
| GPS | More satelites (L1+L5) | More satelites (L1+L5) | The Pura 70 Ultra has more supported satellite systems for increased location accuracy. |
| Storage | |||
| Internal | 128GB/256GB/512GB | 512GB/1024GB | The Pura 70 Ultra offers a higher capacity, making it better for users who need more storage. |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB | 16GB | The Pura 70 Ultra has more RAM for smoother multitasking. |
| Expandable Storage | No | No | Neither phone supports expandable storage, which may limit flexibility for some users. |
| Audio | |||
| Quality | Dolby Atmos, Noise cancellation, 3 Mics | Dolby Atmos, Stereo Speakers | OnePlus 10 Pro offers better audio recording due to more microphones, with active noise cancellation for cleaner calls. |
| Security | |||
| Security | Fingerprint sensor | Fingerprint sensor | Both phones use a similar type of fingerprint sensor |
| Build | |||
| Screen Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Unknown | OnePlus 10 Pro uses superior screen protection. |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope | Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Gravity, Hall | The Pura 70 Ultra has more sensors, for more advanced features and gaming. |
2. Key Insights
OnePlus 10 Pro Strengths:
- Sharper Display: Higher resolution and pixel density make for a more detailed and crisp viewing experience.
- Superior Selfie Camera: With higher resolution and a wider aperture, the OnePlus 10 Pro excels in selfies.
- 8K Video Recording: Offers 8K video recording for professional video capture.
- Lighter Design: It is lighter, making it more comfortable for extended use.
- Faster Reverse Wireless Charging: 50W
- Advanced WiFi WiFi 7 and better Bluetooth connectivity.
- Better audio recording: Due to its 3 microphones and active noise cancellation.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra Strengths:
- Brighter Display: Significantly brighter display ensures excellent visibility in direct sunlight.
- Superior Main Camera: Larger sensor and wider aperture provide outstanding low-light performance and dynamic range.
- Better Telephoto Lens: Higher resolution and wider aperture offer excellent zoom capabilities.
- Better Wide Angle Lens: Larger sensor provides superior performance for wide angle capture.
- Faster Charging: Both wired and wireless charging are faster, reducing downtime.
- Larger Battery: Provides slightly better battery life due to its larger capacity.
- Higher Overall Camera Score: Outperforms the OnePlus 10 Pro overall on the DXOMARK scale.
- More sensors: More advanced features and better gaming experience.
- Larger Storage Options: The 1024GB option offers ample storage for all your needs.
- More RAM: 16 GB of RAM is excellent for multitasking.
Trade-offs:
- OnePlus 10 Pro: Sacrifices some low-light camera performance for sharper video and a lighter build.
- Huawei Pura 70 Ultra: Heavier and slightly less sharp display, but makes up for it with significantly better brightness and camera performance.
3. User Profiles and Recommendations
- OnePlus 10 Pro:
- Best for: Users who value a lightweight design, a crisp display, and professional video quality. Excellent for users who are serious about selfies.
- Use Cases: Content creators focusing on video, users who need a lightweight phone for daily use, and those who prioritize high-resolution selfies and social media content creation.
- Huawei Pura 70 Ultra:
- Best for: Photography enthusiasts who need the best possible low-light performance and zoom capabilities. Great for heavy multitaskers and users who want the most storage possible.
- Use Cases: Users who rely on their phone camera for professional-quality photos, and those who often use their phones in bright sunlight, enjoy heavy mobile gaming, or require significant storage for media.
4. Buying Decision Framework
Here are three questions to guide your choice:
- Do you prioritize camera performance or video quality?
- If camera: The Pura 70 Ultra’s superior low-light capabilities, zoom, and overall DXOMARK score make it the better choice.
- If video: The OnePlus 10 Pro's 8K video recording is unmatched.
- Do you value a lighter phone or maximum battery capacity/charging speed?
- If lighter phone: The OnePlus 10 Pro is significantly lighter.
- If battery/charging: The Pura 70 Ultra's larger battery and faster charging wins.
- Is screen brightness or display sharpness more important to you?
- If brightness: The Pura 70 Ultra's display is much brighter.
- If sharpness: The OnePlus 10 Pro's display has higher resolution and pixel density.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- The Mobile Photographer: Go for the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra. The camera is much better in low-light, the telephoto zoom has significantly higher resolution, and the larger sensor captures more detail.
- The Casual User with a Content Creation Hobby: The OnePlus 10 Pro is a great all-around device. The 8K video recording and sharp front-facing camera for selfies are outstanding.
- The Heavy Multitasker and Media Consumer: The Huawei Pura 70 Ultra with its larger battery, faster charging, 16 GB of RAM, and the option for 1024GB of storage, will better suit your needs.
My Choice
If I were to pick one, I would lean towards the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra. Here’s why:
- Camera Supremacy: As a tech journalist, I am constantly taking photos in a variety of settings and need the most flexible and best performing camera system, which the Pura 70 Ultra clearly wins.
- Display Brightness: I work outdoors often, so that 2500 nits display is a game-changer.
- Battery and Charging: With a larger battery and faster charging, I can rely on it throughout a busy day of traveling and event coverage.
While the OnePlus 10 Pro is an excellent device, the Pura 70 Ultra’s camera performance, display brightness, battery, storage, and RAM are just too compelling for me. The slightly heavier design is a fair trade-off for the overall functionality, performance and flexibility I will get with the Pura 70 Ultra.
Hopefully this has helped clarify the main differences between these two excellent smartphones!
