In the last decade, Apple’s iPad has clearly dominated the tablet market, overshadowing the numerous tablets released by Android competitors such as Samsung and Lenovo.
Although a few devices, including the Lenovo Yoga and Samsung Galaxy S Tablet series, gained popularity among users, they fell short in terms of essential features or were often priced too high, hindering their widespread adoption.
These limitations made it challenging for Android OEMs to establish themselves as the top choice for a complete tablet experience.
However, times have changed! Many OEMs, such as Xiaomi, Realme, and OnePlus, are launching their tablets at an ideal price-to-performance ratio to eat a chunk of the market captured by the Cupertino company.
In a recent attempt to compete in this space, OnePlus launched the OnePlus Pad 2 last month at Rs. 39,999 (excluding accessories). We tested the OnePlus Pad 2 to uncover what it offers at this price point. Here’s our review.
Why should you buy it?
Excellent build with comfortable ergonomics
The OnePlus Pad 2 features an all-metal unibody exterior that looks great and feels premium. Its 2.5D curved edges provide excellent ergonomics, making it comfortable to hold.
At just 6.49mm thick and weighing around 584 grams, the tablet is impressively sleek. The circular rear camera module is centered, with antenna lines following the rear edges. The front-facing camera placement is optimized for landscape mode.
When held in landscape mode, the volume rocker is on the top edge, and the power button is on the left edge. The OnePlus Stylo 2 pen magnetically attaches to the top edge, resulting in a flat edge design.
The OnePlus Pad 2 also boasts six speakers—three on each side for an immersive audio experience—and a USB Type-C port on the right edge. The bottom edge includes pins for connecting the keyboard accessory.
Immersive display for gaming and multimedia consumption
The OnePlus Pad 2 features a 12.1-inch (3200 x 2120) 3K 144Hz display with a 7:5 aspect ratio, 303 PPI, Dolby Vision, up to 900 nits brightness, and a 540Hz touch sampling rate.
The display is bright enough for indoor use and offers good color reproduction and viewing angles. The high refresh rate ensures smooth navigation and an enjoyable user experience.
The six-speaker setup, certified with Hi-Res audio, delivers impressive sound quality with good volume and clarity. OnePlus has tuned them well, making watching TV shows and movies with built-in speakers a delight.
Powerful Performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
The OnePlus Pad 2 is powered by the latest Octa-Core Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 4nm Mobile Platform, which includes an Adreno 750 GPU.
The performance is top-notch, and it is available in 8GB/12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage options.
Everyday tasks such as media consumption, web browsing, and email management are handled effortlessly. Even gaming experiences are smooth, with lighter titles running at maximum FPS and more demanding games performing decently well.
The display’s 144Hz refresh rate contributes to a buttery smooth experience without thermal issues. Running on Android 14 with OxygenOS 14, OnePlus promises three years of Android OS updates and an additional year of software security support.
Long-Lasting Battery Life
The OnePlus Pad 2 packs a 9510mAh (typical) battery with 67W SuperVOOC fast charging.
We achieved around 8 hours of screen time on a single charge while watching YouTube, reading on Acrobat Reader, and browsing the internet. This is impressive, considering the tablet’s specifications.
To charge the tablet faster, OnePlus includes a 67W SuperVOOC charging adapter in the box.
Accessories for enhanced productivity
OnePlus offers two accessories for the Pad 2—the OnePlus Magnetic Keyboard and the OnePlus Stylo 2.
The magnetic holder features an adjustable tilt from 110° to 165°, while the keyboard connects seamlessly via a pogo pin and Bluetooth.
The OnePlus Smart Keyboard includes an expansive 8,640 mm² touchpad, significantly larger than its predecessor, and six rows of keys, including shortcut keys for faster tasks. The keyboard doubles as a case for the Pad and provides a better typing experience than the on-screen keyboard, making it ideal for heavy typing tasks.
The OnePlus Pad 2 also supports the OnePlus Stylo 2, featuring an upgraded grip and a hyperrealistic pen-tip vibration generated by its linear motor. It offers zero-millisecond delay tracking, making note-taking easier with impressively low latency.
Why should you not buy it?
Not-So-Great Cameras
The OnePlus Pad 2 is equipped with a 13MP rear camera with LED flash and an 8MP front-facing camera. While it’s absurd to expect smartphone-level camera performance in a tablet, both cameras perform decently for video calls in well-lit conditions. However, if you expect high-quality outputs, you might be disappointed. Check out some camera samples.
Scratch-Prone Display
The OnePlus Pad 2’s display is prone to scratches, partly due to the smart keyboard accessories that double as a case. If scratches are a concern, consider protecting the display with a suitable scratch guard or tempered glass.
Conclusion
The OnePlus Pad 2 is a compelling tablet with excellent build quality, a stunning display, and powerful performance. It offers a long-lasting battery life and versatile accessories that can convert it into a mini-laptop or notebook.
Overall, the OnePlus Pad 2 is a worthy contender in the tablet market, offering great value at its price point. If you’re looking for a device under Rs. 40,000, this tablet is worth considering for your next purchase.
Pricing and availability
The OnePlus Pad 2 is priced at Rs. 39,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model and the 12GB + 256GB model costs Rs. 42,999. The OnePlus Stylo 2 is priced at Rs. 5499 and the OnePlus Smart Keyboard costs Rs. 8499.
It is available from Amazon.in, Flipkart, OnePlus.in, OnePlus Store App, Myntra, OnePlus Experience Stores and select offline partner stores starting from August 1st.