Design
OnePlus Pad’s metallic unibody is of the highest quality. The halo green tint, which is somewhat darker than the perpetual green colour of the OnePlus 11 5G smartphone, looks fantastic. The pen is available in white, which makes the add-on magnetic keyboard device look out of place in the setup. The tablet measures 6.5mm in thickness and weighs 552g. It is easy to grasp and use, thanks to the frame’s curve. With or without the stand or the keyboard accessory, it is heavier than average, as is evident after prolonged use.
Display
The display capabilities of the OnePlus Pad are among its key advantages. The display is an 11.61-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 2800 x 2000 and a 7:5 aspect ratio. The display is capable of adjustable refresh rates of up to 144Hz. The screen is bright and responsive. It is comfortable to read and watch multimedia content in bright outdoor conditions. The unique aspect ratio here is both tall and broad, which is useful for multitasking alongside ordinary everyday use. Compared to displays with a standard 16:9 aspect ratio, there is ample space on the display for more material in both a vertical and horizontal orientation. Additionally, it is useful for productivity tasks including composing and editing documents, utilising spreadsheets, and participating in group video conferences. Although there is ample space for the material to appear in-depth, videos made in the standard 16:9 and 21:9 aspect ratios have a broad black band on the top and bottom of the screen. Speaking of videos, there is support for Dolby Vision and it works well on supported platforms such as Netflix, Apple TV+, and Disney+ Hotstar.
Sound Quality
The auditory experience on the OnePlus Pad enhances the visual one. The excellent display is accompanied by a quad-speaker system that supports Dolby Atmos, similar to what is found on the iPad Pro and the Tab S8. A good audio experience is provided by the loud, clear speakers. There are a total of four speakers on the OnePlus Pad, two of which are located on the horizontally oriented sides of the device. The Dolby Atmos-powered speakers are powerful, crystal-clear, and well-balanced. These tablets have some of the highest sound quality, clarity, and depth to be found anywhere. The speakers auto shifts left and right channel separation based on tablet orientation. So, whichever way you hold the tablet, the audio experience will stay top-notch. Unfortunately, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack, so for more private music, you’re left with Bluetooth headphones or a USB-C adaptor.
Camera
The OnePlus Pad has an 8MP front camera and a 13MP back camera. If you occasionally need to take a picture, the rear camera is quite fine in terms of quality. It would actually work best for those occasions when you need to take a shot or scan a document, though, rather than for family vacation images. The front-facing 8MP camera although, is average in quality. With Limelight, OnePlus has created a feature that keeps you in the picture during video conversations even if you move around. In order to keep you centred in the frame, this auto-follow feature that can be utilised with popular video calling apps like Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom.
Performance
Another area where the OnePlus Pad excels is in the hardware and performance space. The MediaTek Dimensity 9000 system-on-chip, which powers the OnePlus Pad, provides lag-free performance. Even after prolonged usage, the tablet maintains top performance thanks to well-controlled thermals. It executes routine activities with ease and doesn’t exhibit any weaknesses while performing jobs that require a lot of power and graphics. The gaming experience on the OnePlus Pad is also good, but many well-known games are not designed to get the best performance out of the chip, despite its capability. The OnePlus Pad’s OxygenOS 13.1 interface, which is layered over the Android 13 operating system, and similar navigational components on OnePlus Android smartphones make the device feel comfortable to use. Users may quickly learn how to operate the gadget and its functions thanks to the intuitive interface without having to consult instructions. The OnePlus Pad has 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM inside. There is no microSD card slot and no way to purchase additional capacity. Although, it would have been preferable to have the option to have at least 256GB for additional space for offline movies and games.
Battery
The on-battery life adds on to the list of benefits of the OnePlus Pad. Since it doesn’t support SIM cards as a companion big-screen device, the OnePlus Pad can go for up to a week on a single charge. The battery quickly depletes under heavy use, especially in workloads that require a lot of power and graphics. However, it easily lasts for more than a day before requesting a battery replacement. The OnePlus Pad charges swiftly with the included 67W fast charger in less than one and a half hours.
OnePlus Magnetic Keyboard & Stylo Pen
Two practical add-ons for the OnePlus Pad are the OnePlus Magnetic Keyboard and OnePlus Stylo. The tablet may be placed on a stable base of the keyboard and the keyboard itself feels quite solid. You can type really quickly, but the keyboard will not move. You’ll discover the keys have a respectable amount of resistance when pressed if the keyboard’s size is not a concern for you. Despite being small, the touchpad is responsive and fluid.
One of the best alternatives to the Apple Pencil right now is the OnePlus Stylo. The stylus is well-built and weighs a respectable amount. Additionally, unlike the Samsung S Pen, it has a thick tip. And unlike the iPad 10th generation, the pen may be recharged by attaching it to the flat top part, and no additional USB-C adapter is needed, which is fantastic.
Price
The OnePlus Pad is priced quite reasonably at $479. The OnePlus Magnetic keyboard costs $39 and the OnePlus Stylo costs $99. Although they are available separately, if you get the tablet before they go on sale, you will receive either the Magnetic Keyboard or Stylo for free.
Verdict
Even though OnePlus entered the tablet market late, the wait was worthwhile for its first attempt. The OnePlus Pad stands out from other Android tablets not just because of its distinctive design but also because of its other stand-out features. With a gorgeous display, rock-solid performance and long battery life, the OnePlus Pad excels at the core components of a great slate. All the components come together in a sleek, high-end style. It is a fantastic Android tablet if you’re wanting to spend less than $500. It is the Android tablet to take into consideration in its own right if you require a companion device for work, entertainment, and everything in between.
