OnePlus Pad Review: Better Than The iPad?

Ever since the pandemic changed the way we communicate with technology, tablets have come to the forefront. In today’s time, we see basically every big tech player come up with their own tablets in order to give into the whole ‘Ecosystem’ trend set by Apple. However, OnePlus was quietly waiting for its time to shine to come up with its very own Tablet which has now made its way to the Indian market simply called the – OnePlus Pad. The first generation of the OnePlus Pad stands impressive when it comes to its design factor, but is that all that it has to offer? We beg to differ.  

Design

Starting off with the design of this tablet which in itself is a style statement. This sleek machine comes with an ultra-portable form factor. OnePlus is venturing into the tablet arena for the first time and along with it has brought the 2.5D round-edge unified metal body design which hasn’t been done before. It comes with a small 6.7nm bezel which allows an 88% screen-to-body ratio for an immersive visual experience for the users. There is only one colour variant for this tablet which is called ‘Halo Green’ and is inspired by the natural world. It is an eye catchy colour which demands attention and is guaranteed to make some heads turn. One of the most unique aspects of the OnePlus Pad’s design is its camera placement. The camera here is placed at the centre as opposed to the usual top placement seen in tablets. The camera placement choice can be a hit or miss and breaks away from the staple design standard of the tablet. OnePlus claims that the camera placement saves users the hassle of having to adjust when holding the pad and clicking landscape images. 

Performance

Android tablets have historically lagged behind when it comes to performance only with the exception of Samsung and Xiaomi’s premium offerings. The OnePlus Pad joins the league of high-performing tablets as the 4nm Dimensity 9000 processor powers it. Users get two RAM options here with 8 and 12GB variants and 128 or 256GB storage. The UFS3.1 LPDDR5 RAM powers through all your computational needs with ease. The tablet is snappy and smooth thanks to its maxed-out 144Hz refresh rate. It features a large 9510mAh battery which can be juiced up with a 67W SUPERVOOC charger. OnePlus claims that the tablet comes with a one-month standby life and just over 12 hours of video streaming. People should note that the tablet does not come with a standalone SIM card slot but comes with a unique feature known as cellular data sharing. This feature kicks in when the distance between a OnePlus phone and the Pad is around 1 to 5 meters and the Pad by default gains access to the 5G signal of a user’s smartphone. This looks like OnePlus is doubling down to the ‘ecosystem’ aspect with the new launch. The camera system here consists of an 8MP front camera and a 13MP back camera. Both lenses are capable of shooting in only 30 frames per second which can be restricting to some users. 

Display

One of the primary reasons why people invest in tablets is to consume content on a larger screen. The OnePlus Pad puts heavy emphasis on entertainment by boasting an 11.61-inch screen and the industry’s first-ever 7:5 screen ratio. The display resolution here is 2800×2000 making it a 2K display. However, it is not an AMOLED screen but an IPS LCD one. As mentioned before, it comes with a 144Hz refresh rate with the capability of toggling between 30, 60, 90 and 120Hz. 

Accessories

OnePlus is offering two accessories with the OnePlus Pad namely the OnePlus Magnetic Keyboard and the OnePlus Stylo. Both the accessories are implemented well with the Pad and add-on for a seamless overall tablet experience. 

In Comparison

Let’s be honest, the tablet market is saturated right now and people have a lot to choose from. Where the OnePlus Pad stands when it comes to the price point is in direct comparison with the iPad. However, the Xiaomi Pad comes somewhat close to the OnePlus Pad’s performance in the Android arena. However, users will lose out on bigger battery life and the smooth 144Hz display on that one. 

Verdict 

OnePlus’ first-ever venture into the tablet arena is a triumphant knock out of the park. it‘s got everything you expect from a tablet coupled with some never seen before features which put it in the top spectrum of the tablets available in the market today.

Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Also Check Out Our Video Comparing OnePlus Pad and Xiaomi Pad 5