The OnePlus 10T misses out one of my favourite features but it may not be gone forever

The OnePlus 10T is their most powerful smartphone yet so sacrifices had to be made somewhere...

OnePlus 10T
(Image credit: OnePlus)

Today saw the launch of a new flagship smartphone at an event in New York - the OnePlus 10T 5G.

Earlier this year, the OnePlus 10 Pro set a high bar for OnePlus flagships, so much so that it actually featured as one of the best phones in T3's guide. Given its success, we were looking forwards to finding out what the ever-growing tech giant had in store for us next.

All about performance, the OnePlus 10T comes loaded with loads of impressive tech including the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, a new and improved cooling system as well as 150W charging for the 4,500mAh battery. 

In the OnePlus 10T review, the results were clear, this is a powerful phone that is perfect for mobile gamers and business users who want to get work done on the go. But making room for all of that extra tech isn't easy and some sacrifices had to be made. 

One popular feature that has been left behind is the alert slider - a handy little switch on the frame that lets you quickly switch the phone between Vibrate, Silent or Ring. 

If you've never used a OnePlus device then you won't miss it but I personally love this feature and have made use of it whenever I've tested out the best OnePlus phones because you don't need to fiddle around with any on-screen settings after unlocking the phone which ultimately saves time and makes things a lot easier, especially when you've completely forgotten to make sure your phone doesn't embarrass you in a quiet moment. We've all been there! 

Calling it a 'necessary trade-off' OnePlus says that the removal of it allowed 'space inside the device to add new, meaningful technologies that deliver key advancements to the OnePlus experience while maintaining a thin and light form factor'. We also suspect that missing out the alert slider will have helped OnePlus keep the price of the phone so low. 

During an interview with Tuomas Lampén, Head of Strategy for Europe which also featured a pre-recorded video from OnePlus Founder, Pete Lau, T3 heard more about the manufacturer's plans when it comes to this nifty little feature and told us that it's not necessarily a permanent goodbye to the alert slider, even mentioning that it could 'perhaps come back on the software side'. 

OnePlus fans will be delighted because while it may not be making an appearance on the OnePlus 10T it could well be returning in the future in some new and exciting ways! 

You'll be able to buy the new handset on the 25th of August 2022 starting from $749 in the US and £629 in the UK.

Yasmine Crossland
Freelance Tech Expert

Yasmine is the former Reviews Writer for T3, so she's been knee-deep in the latest tech products for reviewing and curating into the best buying guides since she started in 2019. She keeps a finger on the pulse when it comes to the most exciting and innovative tech – and since departing has also held a role as Digital Spy's Tech Editor. In her free time, you'll catch her travelling the globe – the perks of being a freelance tech expert – tending to her plants when at home and, but of course, planning her next big trip.