The OnePlus 10 Pro is launching in just a few short days, at least for a global audience - it debuted in China in January. Because of that early launch, we know nearly everything about the phone - but turns out, if you live in the US, you need to forget one of those specs.
In a post on the OnePlus forums, the company has gone through a few of the specs, including the phone's chipset and cooling system - we knew all of this already. Also mentioned is the charging speed, and there's some new information there.
While we know the phone has 80W fast charging, apparently it won't in the US. According to the company "North American devices come with 65W SUPERVOOC wired charging". In the comments, the company justifies that "this is because 80W SUPERVOOC does not currently support 110 or 120-volt AC power – the typical standard for power outlets in the region."
So, if you live in the US, we're sorry to say that you're missing out on 80W fast charging. Admittedly that's still fast, when you consider Apple and Samsung which still stick with incredibly low powering speeds, but it's still a shame when you consider the speeds you're missing out on.
According to OnePlus, 80W powers the phone to full in 32 minutes. You're obviously not getting that same time with 65W, instead we'd expect a full charge within around 45 minutes.
Analysis: still no rivals
If you live in the US, it's fine to be disappointed by the OnePlus 10 Pro downgrade - especially because, for some people, fast charging is a hugely important aspect of a phone.
Think for a minute though: what alternative do you have?
Chinese phone brands are the ones pioneering fast charging, with Xiaomi, Realme and Oppo all touting incredibly quick powering speeds. But you know something else about Chinese phone brands? Very few of them sell in the US - none of those three companies do.
So if you want really fast charging on a smartphone, and live in the States, you don't really have any other choices.
Some super phone fans might be getting ready to write an email: "actually, gaming phones have faster charging," and that's totally true - but those are quite niche devices. If you wanted the OnePlus 10 Pro for, say, its chic design, impressive cameras or distinct lack of garish LED lights on the back, a gaming phone isn't what you want.
If you've never tried 80W charging, 65W won't disappoint you anyway, because you've got nothing to compare it to. But let's hope the OnePlus 10 Pro is a little bit more affordable than it would have been, to compensate for this downgraded feature.
