The OnePlus 9R was a bit of an odd duck. Even though it was part of the OnePlus 9 series, and technically looked the part, too, it was closer to the OnePlus 8T in hardware. The idea was to offer a seemingly next-gen option for those on a budget, even as the 9 and 9 Pro would go on to serve the ultimate OnePlus flagship experience. But that would also mean comparisons were bound to happen, those that would point out the areas where OnePlus had to cut corners in order to keep the pricing low. Then there were the comparisons with the 8T. Clearly, the 9R had to face a lot of competition – and scrutiny— within its own camp even before it would rub shoulders with the rest of the smartphone world. No wonder, OnePlus doesn’t make it anymore (and yet, the 2-year-old 8T continues to be listed on its website, for some reason).
| OnePlus 10R 10-point rough cut: Everything to know about the 150W SuperVOOC Endurance Edition
The OnePlus 10R doesn’t have to deal with any of that. It’s flying solo, almost. There is no OnePlus 10, or a OnePlus 9T at the time of writing. The only instance of sibling rivalry, this time round, is probably with the 9RT but the 10R’s internal hardware is more than capable enough of giving it a run for its money. In some areas, it is even better than the 9RT.
The main highlight of the 10R is its 150W SuperVOOC charging support. This particular version is being marketed as the OnePlus 10R 150W SuperVOOC Endurance Edition. For context, the OnePlus 10 Pro, which is the most premium phone that OnePlus makes today, tops out at 80W. You can also get the 10R with 80W charging, just in case. OnePlus claims you will be able to charge the Endurance Edition from 1-100% in 17 minutes. In our experience, it’s even faster. We were able to charge the phone from 0-100% in just 16 minutes and 10 seconds with rapid charging turned on inside the battery settings menu. Note that the phone was completely powered down the whole time.
Charging time | Charging percentage |
5 minutes | 44% |
10 minutes | 70% |
15 minutes | 95% |
16 minutes 10 seconds | 100% |
The charging brick did get warm during the process but nothing alarming or anything and the phone remained relatively cool, too, which is amazing considering how hot Delhi is, these days. But more on this in our full review. The 150W Endurance Edition OnePlus 10R has a 4,500mAh battery while the 80W model gets a slightly bigger 5,000mAh battery.
Fast charging is great but the real star of the show – that would have more real-world use cases—is the underlying chip. The 10R is powered by a “customised” version of MediaTek’s Dimensity 8100 that OnePlus is calling Dimensity 8100-Max. Closely working with MediaTek, OnePlus has worked on improving areas like gaming, AI, and nightscape video, it claims. The Dimensity 8100 is a fairly new chip and while we’re still to put it through its paces, our initial impressions are largely positive. It’s roughly like the Snapdragon 888, but it runs cooler. OnePlus appears to have optimised it well, also, since there’s been no perceivable throttling in this phone so far. The 10R scored 71,0757 on AnTuTu, an impressive number.
The phone boots ColorOS 12.1 based on Android 12.
Watch | OnePlus 10R 150W Endurance Edition Unboxing & First Look
The display and camera credentials also don’t leave a lot to be desired, at least on paper. You get a 6.7-inch flat 120Hz AMOLED display with a 1080p resolution, HDR10+ support, and a centrally placed hole punch cut-out. This houses a 16MP camera. It can go only up to 1080p @30fps. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Biometrics are handled by an in-display fingerprint reader. Flip on to the back and you get a triple camera setup with a 50MP Sony IMX766 main sensor with optically stabilised lens, 8MP ultrawide, and another 2MP macro shooter. The 10R can record at up to 4k@30fps.
Design is probably the least inspiring thing about the 10R. Contrary to most midrange OnePlus phones in the past, this looks rather plain and generic. The phone has a dual-textured plastic back and a flat frame, also made of plastic. It comes in two colourways— Sierra Black and Forest Green. We have the Sierra Black version for review. It’s smooth to the touch and fairly resistant to smudge and fingerprints. The sides are sharp and while they do help in gripping the phone better, you will feel them digging into your palms on extended usage. The alert slider is a curious omission. You do not get a headphone jack, either (but you do get dual speakers, which is nice). At 186g and 8.2mm, the 10R is neither too thick nor too thin or light. Weight distribution is fairly on point.
OnePlus 10R 150W first impressions
OnePlus 10R will be available in three configurations. A version with 80W charging support, 8GB RAM and 128GB storage is priced at Rs 38,999. The 80W model will also come with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage for Rs 42,999. OnePlus 10R with 150W fast charging, 12GB RAM and 256GB storage will set you back by Rs 43,999.
For what it’s worth, OnePlus has priced the 10R well. The phone may seem like a one-trick pony on first look, but it’s about more than its headlining 150W fast charging feature. We quite like the all-round performance of the 10R so far. Its screen looks nice and colourful for content consumption and its cameras carry potential. There’s some handy futureproofing with 5G, Bluetooth 5.3 and NFC, as well. Then when you factor in the price, you realise, that’s a lot of phone for not-so-much money. The only catch is that the Realme GT Neo 3, which basically has the same specs, does all this at a slightly lower price. Watch this space for our full review of the OnePlus 10R coming soon.
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