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Review: OnePlus N10 5G – A reasonable and future-proof choice

Review: OnePlus N10 5G include software and operation, good multimedia, photos and operating time along with 5G which makes it a good device.
4.3/5 - (14 votes)

Review: OnePlus N10 5G – OnePlus has for some time been no longer the legendary “flagship killer”, but a manufacturer that provides smartphones from every price range. The most expensive ones do not differ in prices from the competition’s devices, as is the case with medium-sized and budgeters, which in addition do not differ in specification and appearance from OPPO devices . For example,  OnePlus N100 is the one-to-one OPPO A53 . Model N10 5Gis currently one of the cheapest phones with 5G support, you can buy it, depending on the store and promotion, for up to 350 Euro. In return, we get a screen with 90 Hz refresh, stereo speakers, very good operation, great software, good working time on a single charge and very pleasant photos and videos. However, this price shelf is very crowded and customers have a lot to choose from, so let’s check if the N10 5G, apart from the OnePlus name, has an ace up its sleeve that will attract potential buyers.

OnePlus N10 5G – Design

OnePlus N10 5G is a typical medium, without any special extravagances, but also without any special shortcomings. The back and frame are plastic, at this price you can already find glass structures, but on the other hand, plastic should better withstand possible falls, especially since unfortunately there is no case in the box. The backs bend slightly when we press them harder. They also collect fingerprints very much, because the plastic is shiny, not dull. On the lower edge we have a mini-jack for headphones, USB-C and one of the two speakers for multimedia playback, the other is above the screen. On the right edge there is a button to turn on the device, on the left one large volume control key and a hybrid dual SIM tray, i.e. one card can be replaced with a memory card.

The fingerprint reader is placed on the back of the device and it makes a very “old school” impression – today the reader is much more likely to hit the right edge. Left-handed people will be happy with this solution, but the problem will be if we hold the phone in a car holder, then using the reader will be impossible. Fortunately, we have face unlock, which works very well.

Four lenses with a lighting diode are placed in the left corner of the back on a rectangular island that protrudes above the surface, so the phone placed on the table is clearly swaying.

The dimensions of the device are 163 x 74.7 x 9 mm and the weight is 190 g.

The display of OnePlus N10 5G

The display is made in IPS LCD technology, has a diagonal of 6.49 inches, FHD + resolution, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 406 ppi, aspect ratio 20: 9 and is refreshed at 90 Hz. It is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. In its class, i.e. among IPS panels, it is a very good unit, with high maximum brightness, nice viewing angles and color intensity. But it is enough to go outside on a sunny day and the charm is broken – there is no color depth and visibility is just so-so. However, it should be remembered that this is a feature of all IPSs, not only this particular model. However, the great advantage is the ability to set 90 Hz screen refresh, which makes everything on the phone run much smoother than at 60 Hz. On the plus side, the frequency is changed dynamically at 90 Hz, depending on the needs, which saves the battery. Generally, in combination with the efficient processor, which will be discussed in a moment, the phone is very pleasant in everyday work – fast and smooth, and the experience of using it is like from much more expensive devices. 

In the settings, we can change the white balance of the screen with the slider, there is of course automatic brightness, night and reading mode. There is no notification LED, but there is an ambiente display, i.e. information displayed after picking up the device – such a small substitute of Always on Display, which is basically not present with IPS screens. In fact, the surprising exception to this rule is HTC Desire 20 Pro , where you can set the information to be displayed all the time.

The selfie camera is hidden in the hole in the upper left corner, and the frames around the display are typical for IPS panels, i.e. quite large, with a noticeably thicker chin.

OnePlus N10 5G

Specification / Operating System

Performance

Display

Camera

Battery

  • 128 GB + 512 GB Expandable
  • Dual SIM: Nano + Nano
  • Supported by device
  • Supports Indian bands
  • VoLTE
  • Fingerprint sensor
  • Gorilla Glass 3

OnePlus N10 5G

The OnePlus N10 5G uses Snapdragon 690 5G (2×2.0 GHz Kryo 560 Gold; 6×1.7 GHz Kryo 560 Silver). This is the first model in the 600 series to be equipped with a 5G modem. Compared to the previous Snapdragon 675, it is expected to be 20 percent stronger, and thanks to the Adreno 619L GPU, the power gain during rendering will be greater by as much as 60 percent. RAM memory is 6 GB, built-in – 128 GB, expandable with a card. In Antutu Benchmark, the phone reaches 283,228 points, which is a slightly weaker result than the realme 7 Pro , Poco X3 NFC or Pixel 5 , and all of them are equipped with stronger 700 series Snapdragons.

In everyday work, the N10 5G does not disappoint – it is fast, fluid, copes with multitasking very well, keeps tabs in memory for a long time, loads pages instantly, also works as a portable console. Traditionally, we tested PUBG and, additionally, Asphalt 9 – there were no problems with fluidity, after a long game the phone only got slightly warmer, the stereo speakers work very well.   

Thanks to the NFC module, we will pay with it contactlessly, the location is fast and accurate, phone calls are at a very good level. The sound quality on the headphones is very good, we can adjust it with the Dirac Audio Tuner. 

OnePlus N10 5G

The communication package includes: LTE, WiFi ac, Bluetooth 5.1, aptX HD, NFC. Location is accomplished using A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, SBAS, NavIC. The sensor set includes: accelerometer, proximity, light, magnetometer, gyroscope, gravity, fingerprint reader.

The software is Android 10 (at the time of writing with the November security patches), with an Oxygen OS overlay. For many people it is considered the best Android overlay. Indeed, it gives the user many setting options while maintaining consistency and logic.

There are many ways to customize the appearance of the interface – of course, with a dark theme at the forefront, with the leading color, tone, system icons and icon packs. There are gestures for navigation, quick gestures (including double tapping the screen to blank and wake the screen, which is especially useful when unlocking with your face). There is an application lock along with hiding notifications or parallel applications, i.e. double accounts in social networks and messengers.   

OnePlus N10 5G

Camera and result

The camera kit includes: Four rear lenses:

  • 64 MP, f/1.8, 1/1.72″, 0.8µm, PDAF;
  • 8 MP, f / 2.3, 119˚, wide angle;
  • 2 MP, f / 2.4, depth sensor;
  • 2 MP, f/2.4, makro.

On the front we have:

  • 16 MP, f / 2.1

In the application you will find: time-lapse mode, panorama, slow motion, video, photo, portrait, night scene and pro with histogram and RAW format. Access to the settings is also possible after swiping up the screen in any place, which is a very convenient solution. At the top, we find a timer, flash, resolution selection, macro mode, filters and settings. At the bottom we switch between the wide angle and the main lens and 2x the approximation, digital of course, the maximum is 10x.

OnePlus N10 5G

The photos from the basic matrix are of very good quality, with eye-catching natural colors and lots of detail. Pictures in portrait mode look very nice with precise clipping and blurring of the background. The wide angle has slightly different colors and less detail, especially on the sides of the frame, but they are still attractive photos. The 2x zoom is of very good quality and you can easily use it, with good light even 5x magnification is still sharp and is suitable for publication, for example, on Facebook or Instagram. When there is less light, the night mode helps, nicely brightening the shots and sharpening the light sources. The worst situation is during gray, when there is still too much light to use the night mode, but not enough for the camera to handle it without any problems – the frames become soft and sometimes blurry. However, this is typical for this price range. The selfie photos are generally very nice, but the phone didn’t do well with the portrait mode and the exact clipping of the background every time. 

We will record movies in 4K 30 FPS and lower, 4K is realized with the main lens, while shooting in FHD we can switch to a wide angle. Electronic stabilization works best in FHD, but 4K is stabilized as well, and generally movies can be enjoyed. They have a lot of detail, the sound is collected very well. 

Sample pictures taken from OnePlus N10 5G

Battery life

The cell has a capacity of 4300 mAh and at 90 Hz energy refreshment it was enough for me for two days with about 6 hours of screen on. No inductive charging, the charger has a capacity of 30W and it takes about 50 minutes to fully charge the phone.

OnePlus N10 5G

OnePlus N10 5G – Conclusion 

OnePlus N10 5G is a very interesting device that definitely gains on closer acquaintance. On the plus side, apart from 5G support, it include software and operation, good multimedia, photos and operating time. If someone prefers IPS screens to AMOLED, the display will also be a big advantage for him, because it is very good in its class. My initial mistrust caused by the 600 series processor turned out to be unfounded – the new 690 unit is very efficient, on the level of 700 series processors and can handle even more demanding tasks very well. The price is a moot point – for  £329 we can get well-functioning smartphones with an AMOLED screen. However, few of them support 5G networks, and in the coming years, the purchase of OnePlus N10 5G it may turn out to be a more reasonable and future-proof choice. And here and now is also a very good phone.

Who is OnePlus N10 5G for

  • People who are looking for a cheap smartphone with 5G
  • Looking for a smartphone with good software
  • People who pay attention to good multimedia
  • Looking for a smartphone with a powerful battery
  • People who care about 90 Hz screen refreshing
  • Brand lovers

Who is not OnePlus N10 5G 

  • People who need better quality materials
  • AMOLED screen lovers

Advantages of OnePlus N10 5G 

  • Very good performance
  • 5G support
  • 90 Hz screen refresh
  • Stereo speakers
  • Good battery life
  • Friendly software

OnePlus N10 5G Disadvantages

  • IPS screen with medium visibility in direct sunlight
  • Dirty housing
  • No case included