OnePlus 7 Pro
The OnePlus 7 Pro represents the best value in the flagship smartphone space. Despite the low price tag compared to a lot of its competitors, the 7 Pro manages to offer incredibly fast performance, clean software, a gorgeous design, and one of the best displays available on a smartphone in 2019.
Galaxy Note 10
The Galaxy Note 10 is an interesting entry in Samsung's Note series. It ditches longtime staples such as a headphone jack and expandable storage, and even decreases its display resolution to just 1080p. Despite those drawbacks, it still stands out thanks to the S Pen and a more manageable form factor.
If you're all about getting the most bang for your buck, the OnePlus 7 Pro is the clear winner. Not only does it cost almost $300 less than the Note 10, but it also has a better display, a simpler software experience, and a larger battery. The Galaxy Note 10 is certainly worth a look, but unless you absolutely need the S Pen, we think the OnePlus 7 Pro is the better choice for most people.
We recommend getting the OnePlus 7 Pro
Whenever a new phone is released, it can be easy to assume that it's automatically better than anything else that came out before it. While this is sometimes the case, it's not necessarily true when comparing the Galaxy Note 10 against the OnePlus 7 Pro. Despite the Note 10 coming out in August while the 7 Pro was released back in May, OnePlus's phone gets our top recommendation between the two.
For starters, both of these phones have a lot in common. They're both powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 processor, meaning you've got more than enough horsepower for all of your apps and games. There's also plenty of RAM in either phone, with the OnePlus 7 Pro offering you the choice of 6, 8, or 12GB with the Note 10 available in 8 and 12GB configurations.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | OnePlus 7 Pro | Galaxy Note 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 9 Pie OxygenOS | Android 9 Pie One UI |
| Display | 6.67-inch 3120 x 1440 516ppi AMOLED 90Hz refresh rate | 6.3-inch 2280 x 1080 401ppi AMOLED 60Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 |
| RAM | 6/8/12GB | 8/12GB |
| Storage | 128/256GB | 256GB |
| Rear Camera 1 | 48MP main camera f/1.6 aperture | 12MP main camera f/1.5 to f/2.4 aperture |
| Rear Camera 2 | 8MP telephoto camera f/2.4 aperture | 12MP telephoto camera f/2.1 aperture |
| Rear Camera 3 | 16MP ultra-wide camera f/2.2. aperture | 16MP ultra-wide camera f/2.2 aperture |
| Selfie Camera | 16MP camera f/2.0 aperture | 10MP f/2.2 aperture |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh 30W Warp Charge | 3,500 mAh 25W Adaptive Fast Charge |
| 3.5mm Headphone Jack | ❌ | ❌ |
| Expandable Storage | ❌ | ❌ |
| Water Resistance | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Dimensions | 162.6 x 75.9 x 8.8mm | 151.0 x 71.8 x 7.9mm |
| Weight | 206g | 168g |
As for where the OnePlus 7 Pro has the advantage, it beats out the Note 10 in the display department. Samsung phones typically have the best phone screens around, but the Note 10's can't hold a candle to the display found on the 7 Pro.
Resolution-wise, the OnePlus 7 Pro is the clear winner at 3120x1440. That's a true Quad HD+ resolution and considerably sharper than the Note 10's 2280x1080 Full HD+ panel. Furthermore, the OnePlus 7 Pro benefits from a 90Hz refresh rate. Very few phones offer this feature, and it means everything on the 7 Pro looks and feels smoother compared to the Note 10.
We also have to give the 7 Pro a win in the software department. OnePlus's custom OxygenOS interface is easy to navigate, free of unwanted clutter, and the features it adds on top of Android are genuinely useful — such as a powerful theming system, reading mode, quick gestures, and more.
Why you should still consider the Galaxy Note 10
With so much in the OnePlus 7 Pro's favor, why should anyone still consider the Galaxy Note 10? For a lot of people, that will boil down to one thing — the S Pen.
The S Pen has always been one of the greatest strengths for Note phones, and that holds true with the Note 10. This year's S Pen is just as powerful as ever, allowing you to draw and take notes with incredible precision, use it as a remote camera shutter button, or just as another way to navigate the phone when you don't feel like using your finger.
There isn't anything like the S Pen on any other phone, so if it's important to you, the Note 10 is the way to go.
Elsewhere, the Note 10 also benefits from better cameras. The OnePlus 7 Pro's main 48-megapixel camera takes great shots, but its telephoto and ultra-wide angle cameras fall short compared to the quality of sensors on the Note 10.
Finally, the Note 10 also benefits from existing in Samsung's Galaxy ecosystem. If you have things like the Galaxy Buds or Galaxy Watch Active, the Note 10 offers a more seamless experience of using them compared to other Android phones.
It all comes down to price
Last but certainly not least, there's the matter of price.
The OnePlus 7 Pro isn't a cheap phone, but with a starting price of $669, it's considerably more affordable than the $950 Galaxy Note 10.
And, as we've detailed here, that price difference doesn't make the 7 Pro considerably worse in any manner. Not only does it have a lot in common with the Note 10, but it's noticeably better in some important regards.
As such, unless you really, really want the S Pen, we'd advise saving some cash and picking up the OnePlus 7 Pro.
A powerful Android flagship that your wallet will love.
While not "cheap," the OnePlus 7 Pro is an incredible value in a world of $1,000 phones. It has one of the best displays on the market, astonishing performance, and an excellent software package. It might be a little heavy, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a better deal.
The flagship for people that love the S Pen.
The Galaxy Note 10 has one thing you won't find on any other phone — the S Pen. Samsung's iconic accessory adds a lot of functionality you simply will not get on the OnePlus 7 Pro, and for some people, that'll be reason enough to get the Note 10 over anything else.
