OnePlus 10 Pro 5G was launched in India in March 2022 and went on sale in April. The device can support both Airtel and Jio's 5G networks in India. I have been using it on the 5G network of Jio. Now this observation that I name sharing won't be so much as of Jio's 5G network, but it will be focused on what kind of experience I had with the device running on the 5G network. First of all, I would like to share that the condition of the device is top-notch, and it doesn't have any battery or display issues at all.
Battery Drain, a Big Issue
Now I have not used 5G on several OnePlus devices yet. But one thing that I have noticed about using 5G on the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G is that the battery drain is too fast than what I would have liked. Battery drain at a faster rate with 5G compared to 4G is a normal thing. But the battery on the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G is going so fast that it doesn't last one day, even when it is in power-saving mode and is not being used too much. Now that's a point of concern for me.
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This smartphone has a 5000mAh battery, which is not a small battery by any standard. One good thing is that it supports 80W fast charging, so while the battery drains fast, it can charge fast. There's also support for 50W wireless charging, again a useful thing for the users. But it can be a tricky thing if your device's battery is draining too fast.
For example, when I went for an international cricket match in Jan 2023, my OnePlus 10 Pro 5G was hardly in any use for 6 to 7 hours (inside the stadium) as mobile networks don't really work inside cricket stadiums (so the usage was very less, except for opening the camera a few times). Yet, when I left home at 10 AM with 100% charge and reached back around 12 hours back, my device hardly had any battery left. I am not blaming 5G for the entire battery drain issue, but it does add to it.
There are a few things that I would like you guys to know about the device settings here. I use the display at QHD+ resolution (there is an option to dim it down to FHD, but why do that if you have a premium display). Second, the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G uses Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, which is not really the most energy-efficient chip in the market. So over time, yes, the kind of battery life I used to get, I won't get. All these factors do add a little stress to the battery, especially when the device has been in continuous use for some months.
But yes, when I switch back to 4G, the battery performance improves significantly. But if you have a charging point accessible at almost every point of the day, then battery drain on 5G won't be an issue with the OnePlus 10 Pro as it can charge pretty fast.
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At the same time, my friend, who had an iPhone 13 Pro Max, used his device for recording videos at 4K 60fps for hours inside the stadium and played music through it on the drive back. Yet, his device could preserve battery in a much better way and note that his smartphone was also on the 5G network of Jio only. I know that the two devices are not really comparable because of the price difference, but it does make me question, can there be improvements made by OnePlus to ensure that 5G doesn't consume too much battery?
Much Faster Data Speeds
One thing that the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G could brilliantly do was latch on to the 5G network, even in places with weak coverage. When I was in Mumbai, the device was almost completely on the 5G network and could deliver excellent speeds. So if you are looking for a fast internet experience with 5G, OnePlus 10 Pro 5G can definitely help you get that.
Is OnePlus 10 Pro 5G a Good Device to Buy?
Yes, it is an excellent device to buy in 2023 as well. However, there's the new OnePlus 11 5G already available for open sale in the Indian market. It comes with a newer generation chipset that promises energy efficiency, a better cooling system, and a better camera than the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G. Moreover, it is priced lower than the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G.
So if your preference is the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G, that is fine. But if you want a better value, OnePlus 11 5G is the better device today. Very soon, I will also share the experience of using 5G on the OnePlus 11. Stay tuned for that.
