OnePlus 7T
The OnePlus 7T meets the competition for hundreds of dollars less. Yes, it's missing a few fringe features, but everything it does, it does exceptionally well. Excellent software and over-built specs lead to amazing performance and a great well-rounded experience for hundreds less than the Galaxy S10.
Samsung Galaxy S10
The Galaxy S10 easily has higher-quality components and more features than the OnePlus 7T, but it's also hundreds of dollars more. In many ways, the core daily experience of using the phone is no different than the OnePlus 7T. You get more, but you also have to pay for it.
What's the difference between the OnePlus 7T and Galaxy S10?
When it comes to the regular day-to-day use of these phones, there's a lot shared. They're both metal-and-glass designs with big screens and small bezels. The spec sheets in both are great, and you won't have any shortcomings in performance or capabilities for years to come. But of course there are lots of little differences and grey areas to explore.
It's easy to set specs aside and look at the big differences in screen and battery size.
The easiest-to-see differences are ones that lead to buying decisions: display and battery. The OnePlus 7T has a bigger display — 6.55 to 6.1 inches — and a super-smooth 90Hz refresh rate that you notice in every interaction. The Galaxy S10's display may be smaller, but it's also brighter and more colorful; take your pick of whether you'd prefer that over just having more screen. However, one thing we can all agree on is having more battery life — the 7T has longer battery life, thanks to a larger battery and efficient software, and it has faster 30W charging.
The other side of the OnePlus 7T's big display and battery is a trade off in size and weight. You get more room to work, and the battery lasts longer, but The 7T is noticeably larger than the Galaxy S10 — and it's over 30 grams heavier as well. The Galaxy S10 is almost compact by today's standards, which could feel constricting or refreshing depending on what you're used to with your current phone.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | OnePlus 7T | Galaxy S10 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 10OxygenOS 10 | Android 10One UI 1.5 |
| Display | 6.55-inch Fluid AMOLED2400x1080, 90Hz | 6.1-inch AMOLED3040x1440 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 128/256GB | 128/512GB |
| Expandable | no | microSD |
| Rear Camera 1 | 48MP, 1.6 μm pixelsf/1.6, OIS | 12MP, 1.4 μm pixelsf/1.5-2.4, OIS |
| Rear Camera 2 | 12MP, 1.0 μm pixelsf/2.2 | 12MP, 1.0 μm pixelsf/2.4, OIS |
| Rear Camera 3 | 16MPf/2.2117° lens | 16MP, 1.0 μm pixelsf/2.2123° lens |
| Front Camera | 16MP, 1.0 μm pixelsf/2.0, fixed focus | 10MPf/2.2, auto focus |
| Security | Optical in-screen fingerprint sensor | Ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint sensor |
| Audio | USB-CStereo speakers | 3.5 mm headphoneStereo speakers |
| Battery | 3800 mAhWarp Charge 30W | 3400 mAh15W wired charging12W wireless charging |
| Water Resistance | no | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 160.1 x 74.5 x 8.1 mm | 149.9 x 70.4 x 7.8 mm |
| Weight | 190 g | 157 g |
So what do you really get in the Galaxy S10 that you don't in the OnePlus 7T? It's a lot of little things. The Galaxy S10 has proper stereo speakers for much better sound; and also a headphone jack, which is a major deal for some people. It's also IP68 water resistant, saving you from dunks in water. The battery may be smaller, but you can recharge wirelessly — something the 7T doesn't have despite its glass back. Plus, it has expandable storage via microSD, which again may be a niche feature but is still a value-add. The S10's cameras are also just better all the way around — the rear camera array is consistently better with each lens, and the front-facing camera has auto focus.
OnePlus and Samsung have dramatically different software philosophies.
Staring at a comparative spec sheet isn't really as important as the software that runs these two phones. OxygenOS on the OnePlus 7T is one of the best Android experiences you can have; it's clean, fast, simple and never stops performing. It has just enough extra features and customizations to make it your own without getting overwhelming — and that's a perfect balance that anyone can enjoy.
On the other hand, Samsung's software is incredibly capable and packed with features, but in trying to be all things to all people it lacks the restraint necessary to be simple when you first pick it up. The Galaxy S10 requires a lot of customization to get it to work just how you want, and in some cases the cruft and extra apps just get in your way no matter what. Both phones make it work well, but they absolutely do it differently.
Even if you don't necessarily care about the interface and software philosophy, you may care about how long it takes to get the latest software updates. OnePlus is much faster to get updates — both big and small — out to its phones, and is one of the best in the business at supporting phones for a long time. If you need to be on the bleeding edge of software, a OnePlus phone is a great device to have.
Should you buy a OnePlus 7T or Galaxy S10?
The OnePlus 7T is undeniably a better value; but if price isn't a factor this is a very tough choice.
With all of that being said, this comparison was always going to come down to one major point: price differences. The Galaxy S10 is over $150 more than the OnePlus 7T, and that's a considerable difference for two phones that really compete directly in so many ways. If you think you could better spend that money on accessories or accelerating your timeline for your next phone upgrade, the OnePlus 7T is a great pick.
If the money isn't as important as just having the best phone this is a more difficult decision. The Galaxy S10 has more features, more capabilities, and a lot of little extras that are nice to have. Despite being more expensive, the S10 has a smaller display and smaller battery than the OnePlus 7T, and its software can be a bit cumbersome to use in comparison. On the whole the S10 is a better phone, but it's not enough of a difference to make it a clear choice for everyone.
It's hard to beat the value OnePlus offers.
The OnePlus 7T can't go toe-to-toe with every aspect of the Galaxy S10, but it does so in all of the areas the matter — and does it for hundreds of dollars less.
You get more, but have to pay for it.
The Galaxy S10 easily has the most features and capabilities, but it's also hundreds of dollars more. Whether its host of little extras is worth that to you heavily depends on your budget.
