Introduction
Meet the OnePlus Pad 2, a new tablet that might be among the best of the best when it comes to Android tablets. It comes with the latest snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chips and has a 12.1-inch 144Hz display that supports up to a 3K resolution. All of this is backed up by a distinctive software you’ll not encounter on a comparable gadget, all for a reasonable £499. Now, before getting into my final review, here are my initial impressions about the OnePlus Pad 2.
Design and Display
The latter is true to form with the OnePlus Pad 2 not deviating from the initial OnePlus Pad design all that much, and that is just dandy with me because the first-gen tablet was shockingly slim and stylish. This new one has carried forward the all-metal unibody look that can go hand in hand with the OnePlus Nord 4 that has been announced at the same time. The frame is made of sand-blasted and anodized aluminum; it feels smooth to the touch and is more resistant to scratches than the previous material, says OnePlus.
The Pad 2 is again like the Pad 1 – pleasingly slim and light: the body has thickness of 6.49mm and it weighs 584g; it is 30g more than the previous model, though it has a larger screen – from 11.6 inch to 12.1 inch, which deserves attention. But the feel and the texture of the tablet are still good with the curved edges and rounded corners, however, I didn’t find the one plus green rear finish of the tablet, it comes in Nimbus Gray only.
The next one is the display which stands out to be greatly improved over pro iPads. The 12.1 inch screen has 3072 x 1920 pixels and 144Hz refresh rate that switches between seven rates from the lowest on this list to the highest for conserving power; but the higher rate could be selected if wanted. One might get larger black bars while watching Netflix with the 7:5 aspect ratio, however it excels in split screen use and affords more screen real estate in landscape mode especially with the new one plus pad smart keyboard.
Talking of accessories, yes, OnePlus Pad supports an ecosystem that has the folio keyboard case, which also works as a kickstand, and the improved version of the OnePlus Stylo 2. These items can be bought separately though they play a vital role in boosting the features of the tablet. The Smart Keyboard offers full typing experience with a large trackpad; thus, serving as a better replacement of the laptop. Some of the problems in the first-generation kit have been addressed among them being that the on-screen keyboard developed does not hide when the physical one is used.
Also, the keyboard has an NFC strip for fast pairing that enables to transfer files and open applications on the tablet based on the gadget by OnePlus and Oppo only. In addition the second-generation stylus has a retro thing that feels like taking a pen to paper, the experience is different depending on the type of pen. The stylus also locks on the side of the Pad 2 through the magnetic force for charging and awaits use.
Specifications And Features
The first thing I find exceptional in the OnePlus Pad 2 is the integration of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset that makes the slab one of the fastest Android tablets. This high-caliber chipset sets the Pad 2 to go higher than ever to blow off almost all iPads in both the CPU and GPU performance category with slight touches from recently released iPads that boasts of Apple’s desktop-grade M chipset. In testing with games such as Genshin Impact, the tablet was equally capable of handling high graphics settings on the tablet’s 3K screen, and proved to be quick in its responses to various commands during the tests. Regardless of whether consumers are involved in the casual games or the real money online casino games or any other multimedia activities, they will observe that it runs with a fluent and uninterrupted flow with no lag.
Sturdy is a fitting word to describe the OnePlus Pad 2 because the package incorporates a potent chipset, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB storage as the default configuration for the intended audience. Even in terms of CPU and GPU performance, the Pad 2 is slightly inferior compared to some of the new iPads that use Apple’s M processors; in the benchmarks, the Pad 2 lost to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9. This could be due to the fact that Pad 2 has UFS 3.1 storage while the Galaxy Tab has a faster UFS 4 dot . However, taking the range of the Pad 2, the actual interaction reveals the device’s capability of performing the tasks effectively. This tablet also incorporates a variety of advanced features based on AI for gradual update through OTA updates such as Magic Eraser 2.0 for photo editing, AI Speak for reading the text, AI Summary for content summarization, and AI Writer for new content generation. Also, the implemented Open Canvas multitasking feature from the OnePlus Open helps to switch between full-screen applications for better usability for people who have to complete different tasks simultaneously on the go.
What remains unclear is how long the OnePlus Pad 2 will be supported, unlike the Nord 2 which is guaranteed four OS upgrades and six years of security updates. In this regard we have to wait and see when this will be clarified. As for the camera, the Pad 2 comes with the same as the Pad 1, front 8MP and rear 13MP cameras for photography and face-to-face video calls but not suitable for capturing remarkable moments like the present smartphones. The tablet comes with a 9510mAh battery which is average for a 12 inches tablet, expected best power duration when using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset which will be checked out on the detailed review section. Also, standby time is decent for the OnePlus, up to 43 days; the phone supports 67W fast charging, though you don’t get a charger in the box and need to buy one separately. This may not be much of a problem to the targeted audience, who already actively uses OnePlus products; however, for people who are only getting to know the brand, this may be rather inconvenient.
Display
The OnePlus Pad 2 has an amazing screen size of 12.1 inches with a resolution of 2120 x 3000 specifically designed for pixel peepers and the display has an adaptive refresh rate of 144 Hz which can switch between different rates depending on whether it is in productivity or entertainment mode but allows users to manually select high refresh rate mode as well. This configuration provides an incredibly seamless and smooth ride for the user and uplifts activity such as gaming since it can render up to 144 frames per second in supported games.
The peculiar 7 colon 5 ratio is added to the tablet’s mix to differentiate it from others and make multitasking and split-screening even more effective, along with increased usable width in landscape mode, which should benefit in particular from the new OnePlus Pad Smart Keyboard during mobile work. The screen shines through all of the following aspects; Streaming your favorite series from Netflix and Disney plus with sharp color hues or enjoying HDR contents with the respective peak brightness of 900 nits and HDR10 plus compliant. There is a feature of six integrated sound outputs which makes the tablet perfect for listening to, for example, music on the go, and for watching films, while using headphones Bluetooth 5.4 with Wireless Hi-Res Audio and LHDC codec for a more elaborate listening experience.
Software and Artificial Intelligence
Thus, in the frame of the so-called Artificial Intelligence or AI, the OnePlus Pad 2 unveils a set of AI features, the majority of which is planned to be released in the frames of the subsequent months through OTA updates. The existing features include Magic Eraser 2.0 which is a photo editing tool, an AI summary of recordings made and document scanning feature. Other fascinating AI features such as the AI Speak that will enable users to convert texts to speech, AI Summary that will enable users to reduce large volumes of text into a summary, as well as the AI Writer that will enable users to rewrite articles are expected to be released by September.
Of course, the tablet’s AI characteristics are not as numerous as on the Pixel Tablet or the Galaxy Tab S9 series but it signifies the direction towards adding AI features. Besides these AI tools, OnePlus also adapts the Open Canvas multitasking feature from the OnePlus Open into the Pad 2 through OxygenOS 14.1 with full-screen app support; this feature is also reviewed as useful. This functionality enables users to factory three apps to run in full-screen while still having the opportunity to manage previews and edges to dictate taps or swipe while having a built-in app interface with buttons. While the Pad 2 comes with three OS upgrades and four years of security patches, it can be considered somewhat lacking compared to the OnePlus Nord 4 which is promised to receive six OS upgrades provided that it will be released concurrently with the Pad 2.
Cameras
As for the cameras, the OnePlus Pad offers decent camera quality for taking photographs and video calls but it implies no peculiar improvements for it. 8Mp front and 13Mp rear cameras are located in the same positions as in the initial tablet; consequently, the camera quality of the tablet is unmodified and corresponds to the traditional tablet capabilities that offer video call functionality alongside low photography capabilities. As for the cameras, they provide the standard performance for tablet usage, handling fast snapshots and video calls properly, especially taking advantage of the selfie camera’s landscape orientation; however, they can hardly fulfill the requirement of serious photography, which should be addressed to smartphones or dedicated cameras instead.
Battery
This gadget’s battery capacity of 9510mAh is normal for a 12-inch tablet, and coupled with a smart efficiency mode that works hand in hand with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor means that its battery performance will handle the intended workload. This combination means it is possible to achieve a consistent and reliable battery benchmark that lasts easily through a day’s normal/heavy use and beyond for a while more particularly if used intermittently to complement its standby mode that arrogates a longevity of up to 43 days as claimed by the flanks of OnePlus. Succinctly, the battery efficiency of this tablet is quite spectacular as it only uses a 1% battery charge upon a 30-minute gaming session of Zombie Gunner Survival. Also, the Pad 2 has fast charging options, with SuperVooc of 67W technology, allowing for a higher charging rate; nonetheless, the charger is not included, and one has to purchase it separately. As to the presented setup, it is rather beneficial for the owners of the Oneplus smartphones; still, it may pose certain inconveniences for the new users who do not have the specific charger to use. Still, it is recommended to acquire a compatible charger for the best charging experience, where the tablet is half charged in only 22 minutes and gets fully charged in 55 minutes making it the fastest-charging tablet to date and a significant improvement over its predecessor and other tablets seen.
In conclusion
Even if a real resemblance with the first version of the OnePlus Pad can be noted at first glance, there is a step forward with the OnePlus Pad 2. Claiming the impressive Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 flagship processor at an affordable price tag of £499, this tablet is incredibly fast and efficient in all operations. Integration of the Open Canvas multitasking software by the OnePlus Open in enhancing the functionality of the split-screen mode as well as the top-notch 12.1 inch 3K 144Hz panel makes the visuals very appealing. Here, 67W SuperVOOC charging effectively sets up intensive recharging standards in the realm of the tablet business.
Despite the lack of the corresponding AI tools on the OnePlus’ tablet compares to the competitors such as Samsung and Apple, as well as falling a little short of the older Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 when it comes to benchmarks, the affordability of the OnePlus Pad2 in comparison to similarly positioned premium tablets makes the imperfections virtually irrelevant to most of the clients. In general, the OnePlus Pad 2 is a good Android tablet that manages to meet many customers’ needs even beyond their expectations.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
