You don’t often see the launch of an entirely new smartphone company, which makes comparing the OnePlus 10 Pro and Nothing Phone 1 an intriguing prospect. Both devices come from relatively new players in the smartphone arena who share a similar vision. However, there are considerable differences between these two handsets when you look at their design, hardware and features.
OnePlus and Nothing Backstories
But first, let’s understand the backstories of OnePlus and Nothing.
OnePlus was founded in December 2013 by Pete Lau and Carl Pei. The company quickly made a name for itself by offering flagship-level specs at an affordable price point compared to the likes of Samsung and Apple.
To date, OnePlus has launched over 15 smartphone models along with wireless headphones, smart TVs and other devices. Some of their most popular phones include the OnePlus 3, 5, 6T and 8 Pro.
Nothing was founded more recently in October 2020 by Carl Pei shortly after he left OnePlus. The company believes technology has become too complex and aims to return to a purer design ethos with their products.
In July 2022, Nothing launched their Phone 1 – the very first smartphone offering from the fledgling company. With its unique transparent back showing the phone‘s internal components and customizable LED lighting, the Phone 1 grabbed plenty of attention.
Now let‘s see how the OnePlus 10 Pro and Nothing Phone 1 stack up across various parameters:
OnePlus 10 Pro vs. Nothing Phone 1: Key Specs
| OnePlus 10 Pro | Nothing Phone 1 | |
| Release Date | January 2022 | July 2022 |
| Dimensions | 163 x 73.9 x 8.6 mm | 159.2 x 75.8 x 8.3 mm |
| Weight | 201 grams | 193 grams |
| Build | Glass front and back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame | Glass front and back, aluminum frame |
| Screen Size | 6.7 inches | 6.55 inches |
| Display Type | Fluid AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate | Flexible OLED, 120Hz refresh rate |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3216 pixels (~525 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels (~402 ppi) |
| Processor | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G+ 5G |
| Memory | 8GB/12GB RAM | 8GB/12GB RAM |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB | 128GB/256GB |
| Rear Camera | 48 MP (wide) + 50 MP (ultrawide) + 8 MP (telephoto) | 50 MP (wide) + 50 MP (ultrawide) |
| Front Camera | 32 MP | 16 MP |
| Battery Capacity | 5,000 mAh | 4,500 mAh |
| Charging Speed | 65W wired, 50W wireless | 33W wired, 15W wireless |
| Water Resistance | IP68 dust/water resistant | No official IP rating |
| Colors | Emerald Forest, Volcanic Black | White, Black |
| Price | $799+ | $469+ |
From the above comparison, you can notice both phones have comparable memory, storage and high refresh rate AMOLED displays. However there are marked differences when it comes to the processor performance, camera setups, battery size and charging capacities.
Next let‘s do a deeper dive on the key parameters.
Design and Build Quality
The most standout aspect of the Nothing Phone 1 is definitely its transparent back panel that gives you a peek at some internal components including wireless charging coils and other elements. The Phone 1 combines this clear glass back with a striking metal frame to achieve its distinctive industrial design.
Moreover, the Phone 1 has LED strips on the see-through rear panel called the Glyph Interface. Using various light patterns and effects, these LEDs indicate notifications, charging status and can also be customized to your liking. It certainly makes the Nothing Phone 1 one of the most uniquely-designed smartphones out there.
The OnePlus 10 Pro features a more conventional design with the well-recognized OnePlus logo on the glossy rear panel and a prominent camera bump. The alert slider – a hallmark OnePlus feature – is also present. With smaller bezels all-round and more rounded corners, the OnePlus 10 Pro achieves an immersive, almost edgeless look.
As for build quality, both phones sport an aluminum frame sandwiched between Gorilla Glass front and rear panels. However, the OnePlus 10 Pro utilizes latest generation Gorilla Glass Victus which provides better drop and scratch protection compared to the Nothing Phone 1.
The OnePlus 10 Pro also carries an IP68 rating making it dust and water resistant to a depth of 1.5m for 30 mins. The Nothing Phone 1 does not have any formal ingress protection certification.
So when it comes to design originality and flair, the Nothing Phone 1 easily wins. But in terms of sturdiness and robustness, the OnePlus 10 Pro is ahead. Ultimately aesthetic preference will play a big role here in deciding which look you like better.
Displays
The Nothing Phone 1 is equipped with a 6.55-inch flexible OLED display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2400 pixels), 120Hz dynamic refresh rate and HDR10+ support. It offers vivid colors, deep blacks and excellent viewing angles as expected from an OLED screen.
With a peak brightness of 700 nits, legibility under sunlight is decent though not the best. Touch sampling rate is also excellent at 240Hz ensuring a highly responsive display for gaming and other usages.
The OnePlus 10 Pro meanwhile has a bigger 6.7-inch curved LTPO 2.0 Fluid AMOLED display with higher QHD+ resolution (1440 x 3216 pixels). The LTPO technology allows its refresh rate to adjust anywhere from 1 to 120 Hz on the fly based on the screen content. This leads to smoother animations and scrolling, while also preserving battery life.
In terms of brightness, the OnePlus 10 Pro display can go up to an impressive 1300 nits lending it better outdoor visibility over the Phone 1 screen. The OnePlus 10 Pro panel is also capable of reproducing over a billion color shades for the most accurate and life-like images and videos.
Both displays have HDR10+ and hardware calibration for accurate colors. Optically, the OnePlus 10 Pro display simply provides that little extra pop and vibrancy in anything you view on it. The higher resolution is icing on the cake making images, videos and games look especially sharp.
Performance
Under the hood, the OnePlus 10 Pro packs the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform which is Qualcomm’s most powerful processor yet for Android devices. Built on advanced 4nm process, this chip delivers around 30% faster CPU and 35% improved GPU performance over previous generation hardware.
The Phone 1 contains the capable Snapdragon 778G+ processor belonging to the upper mid-range 700 series lineup. Though no slowcoach by any measure, it cannot match the cutting edge power and efficiency of the flagship-grade Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 silicon inside the OnePlus 10 Pro.
This difference is borne out in independent benchmark tests. The OnePlus 10 Pro achieves a single-core Geekbench score of 1226 and multi-core score of 3644 which are way higher compared to Phone 1’s scores of 796 and 2716 respectively.
For graphics, the OnePlus 10 Pro attains 110 fps in GFXBench Car Chase test versus 58 fps for the Nothing Phone 1. Clearly the newer generation processing hardware gives OnePlus 10 Pro a commanding lead when it comes to raw CPU and GPU performance.
Both phones come equipped with speedy UFS 3.1 storage and ample LPDDR5 RAM (8GB or 12GB) ensuring you face no slowdowns or lag even with multiple apps open. Large games load quickly and run smoothly too. But hardcore mobile gamers will find better frame rates and graphics fidelity with the OnePlus 10 Pro.
Camera Configurations
The OnePlus 10 Pro sports a versatile triple camera setup with each sensor co-developed in partnership with legendary camera company Hasselblad. There is a 48MP f/1.8 primary camera with Sony IMX789 sensor and OIS + EIS support. This is accompanied by a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera with 150-degree field of view and an 8MP f/2.4 3.3x telephoto camera with OIS.
On the front is a 32MP f/2.4 selfie shooter. The OnePlus 10 Pro cameras have Hasselblad color calibration for true-to-life images and support captures up to 8K 30fps resolution. There is a dual-LED flash on the rear as well.
The Nothing Phone 1 features dual cameras consisting of 50MP f/1.88 main and 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide sensors. The main cam utilizes Sony’s advanced IMX766 sensor with OIS and EIS. The selfie camera has a 16MP sensor. Both front and rear cameras are capable of 4K video.
So while both feature excellent primary and ultra-wide cameras, the OnePlus 10 Pro adds a useful telephoto and generally more advanced camera hardware like Hasselblad tuning. This gives it better overall versatility – from portraits to closeups and low light, which reflects in image quality. But make no mistake, the Phone 1 cameras are extremely capable too producing vibrant, social media ready shots in all conditions.
Ultimately it depends if the optical zoom lens makes a big difference in your usage patterns when deciding between them. Professionals and camera enthusiasts will find the OnePlus solution more to their liking.
Battery Life and Charging
The Nothing Phone 1 packs a 4500mAh battery which delivers a day of use comfortably or around 6 hours of screen time based on reviews. The phone supports 33W fast charging – enough to get up to 50 percent levels in just 30 minutes. 15W wireless charging is also provided.
By comparison, the OnePlus 10 Pro is fueled by a larger 5000mAh unit. Thanks to more efficient hardware and software optimization by OnePlus, users can achieve nearly 9 hours of screen-on time i.e 40-50% better than the Phone 1.
Moreover, the OnePlus 10 Pro supports blazing fast 80W wired charging. Using the included 80W SUPERVOOC charger, you can charge from 1 to 100% in under 35 minutes! There is also support for fast 50W wireless charging that can go from 1 to 100% in 47 minutes.
So if you are always on the move and require quick top-ups, the OnePlus 10 Pro is simply in another league compared to Nothing’s offering when it comes to charging speeds and cable-free convenience. Of course battery optimizations in OxygenOS 13 help too in stretching each charge with the OnePlus.
Storage and Connectivity
In terms of native storage, both provide either 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1 options tailored to light and heavy users. While the phones themselves do not support expandable storage, their ample built-in capacity should suffice for most. Connectivity specs are also evenly matched between them featuring 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC etc.
Each phone runs the same Android 12 software but with their own customized UIs on top – OxygenOS (OnePlus) and Nothing OS (Phone 1). Bothinterfaces offer unique enhancements but stay relatively clean and minimalistic. You can expect at least 2 major Android OS upgrades and 3 years of security updates from either player.
Price and Availability
The OnePlus 10 Pro starts at $899 (~₹72,000 in India) putting it firmly in flagship territory. Being an established global brand, OnePlus phones are conveniently available across online and offline channels around the world. Carrier partnerships also make it easier to buy the OnePlus 10 Pro on contract or installment plans if needed.
In contrast, the Nothing Phone 1 has launched with an aggressive starting price of just £399 (~₹40,500 in India) reflecting its midrange internals. This makes it a far more affordable proposition than the OnePlus for many buyers. However availability is limited to certain regions for now including Europe and Southeast Asia. Those in North America cannot purchase the Phone 1 officially yet and would need to import unofficially.
There is no denying the Nothing Phone 1 gives you great bang for buck. But due to lack of retail presence in many large markets, buying one could be tricky. OnePlus meanwhile provides reliable support and service globally through both online as well as hundreds of brick and mortar OnePlus Experience Stores and service centers.
The Bottom Line
When comparing the OnePlus 10 Pro vs Nothing Phone 1, the OnePlus emerges as the more well-rounded and versatile performer with better cameras, display, power, battery life and charging tech. You also have to factor OnePlus’ wider availability in more regions and better local customer support.
But if your needs revolve around an eye catching design, good cameras and reliable performance at an affordable budget, the Nothing Phone 1 also makes for an exciting option. Ultimately both push boundaries in their own ways – one on innovation and the other on value. So carefully assess your must have‘s before deciding.
Upcoming Content
Be sure the check our upcoming camera phone comparisons and reviews:
- Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra First Impressions
- Vivo X90 Pro+ Camera Review: The New Android Photography King?
Let me know in comments if you would like me to cover any other specific smartphone model battle or latest launch!
