OnePlus Pad Review: A Gorgeous, Sub-$500 Android Tablet That’s Loaded with Useful Features

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The Lowdown

If you’re a OnePlus user and you’re looking for a slim, stylish Android tablet that’s loaded with features, the $479 OnePlus Pad seems like a no-brainer. The hardware is excellent, the screen is large enough to conveniently multitask, and the soon-to-be-released Cellular Data Sharing for 5G OnePlus smartphones sounds convenient. But even if you’re simply looking for a capable, non-iOS tablet with a larger display that can handle multitasking, the OnePlus Pad certainly fits the bill.

Overall
4

Pros

  • Gorgeous hardware
  • Three years of Android updates and four years of security updates
  • Releasing with optional Magnetic Keyboard and Stylo for those who need those types of accessories
  • Long battery life
  • Fast charging with the included 67W SUPERVOOC charger
  • Camera is perfectly placed for video calls in landscape mode
  • The rear-facing camera is more than capable
  • Dolby Atmos & Dolby Vision

Cons

  • No biometric authentication
  • Only available configured with 8GBRAM and 128GB user memory
  • Unlike OnePlus phones, the Pad doesn’t ship with a factory-installed screen protector
  • The RAM and processor may not be powerful enough for graphics-intensive gaming

I’ve felt a sense of frustration because there really weren’t any real options if I wanted to own a stylish, thin, non-iOS tablet with a larger display, but now we have the OnePlus Pad to consider. The Pad is OnePlus’s first tablet, and they’ve loaded it to the gills with goodies, including a powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset, face unlock, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, all-day battery life, and an 11.61″ display with 144Hz refresh rate. Best of all, it is just $479. Is the OnePlus Pad the tablet that Android users have been hoping for?

I received the OnePlus Pad, the OnePlus Stylo, and the OnePlus Magnetic Keyboard on loan a few weeks ago. Available for pre-order now with shipping starting on May 8th, right from the start, this tablet is available with some helpful optional accessories, including the OnePlus MagneticKeyboard and the OnePlus Stylo.

We’ll take a look at the accessories shortly, but first, let’s start with the star of the show, the new OnePlus Pad.

First Impressions of the OnePlus Pad and the Hardware

Unboxing the OnePlus Pad is a lovely experience. My favorite color happens to be green, so I was immediately struck by the Halo Green metal body and its matte green, cambered aluminum frame ringing the tablet, but my second impression was how thin and light the OnePlus Pad happens to be.

The OnePlus Pad’s package includes the Pad, a 67W SUPERVOOC charger, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, a quick guide, a safety guide, and a membership card for OnePlus’s Red Cable Club.

The OnePlus Pad measures 10.15″ long by 7.4″ wide by 0.26″ thick, and it weighs one pound 3.5 ounces. The tablet is comfortable to hold, even for longer periods, and the 2.5D round edges make the tablet feel even thinner.

I love that OnePlus doesn’t have any sharp edges, and I like the slimness of the 0.67″ bevels, although I have had some mistouches due to that. I do wish that the Pad had come with a preinstalled screen protector, as OnePlus smartphones all do, but that’s a minor quibble.

The 8-megapixel front-facing camera is located on the long side that will sit on top when the tablet is in landscape mode (more on that in a bit); it is capable of 720p and 1030p video at 30 frames per second, and it has electronic image stabilization.

In landscape mode, which is how the Pad naturally fits into the OnePlus Magnetic Keyboard, the three Pogo pins will be on the bottom of the OnePlus Pad; when in portrait mode, the unobtrusive pins will be on the left.

The power button and two speakers are located on the Pad’s top (or the left side in landscape mode).

On the right side (top, if in landscape mode), there are volume up and down buttons, a microphone, and a magnetic strip that holds the OnePlus Stylo.

On the bottom (right side in landscape mode) are speakers on either side of the Type-C port and microphone.

The back of the OnePlus Pad has a round, 13-megapixel camera module that also contains the LED flash. A subtle concentric design flows out from the camera module, that I found aesthetically pleasing.

As you can see, the back can be a bit of a fingerprint magnet! =P

The rear camera is capable of filming 730p, 1030p, and 4K video at 30 frames per second. Video zooming is supported, as is electronic image stabilization.

It might seem odd to place the rear camera where it would be center-top when the OnePlus Pad is in landscape mode and offset to the left when holding it in portrait mode, but it comes in handy when you are sitting in a meeting with the Magnetic Keyboard attached and need to snap photos.

The OnePlus Pad Camera

I’ll be honest and say that I am not usually one to take photos with a tablet, as it’s generally awkward. But if you are someone who likes to, or if you are ever using your One Plus Pad and see something worth shooting, you’ll find the rear camera quite capable, especially with decent lighting. Take a look at these sample shots to see what I mean.

The one place that the rear camera struggles is in low-light situations without a flash.

To wrap up the hardware section, I just want to say that this is one of the nicest tablet’s I’ve used in some time, and I have to give props to OnePlus for the Pad’s hardware.

It’s obvious that a lot of thought went into things like the tablet’s design, the user’s comfort when holding it for extended periods when not a case, and the placement of the cameras. I also appreciate that it is being offered at release with optional accessories that may or may not be needed by everyone, but if they are, they will make the OnePlus Pad even more useful.

That’s not to say that everything is perfect, though; some will complain that there isn’t a headphone jack, but it’s 2023! We all have a set of Bluetooth earbuds or earphones now, don’t we? And if not, if you pre-order the OnePlus Pad, you can get 50% off their excellent $179 OnePlus Buds Pro 2.

OnePlus Pad Software

The OnePlus Pad ships running Android 13 with an OxygenOS 13.1 made-for-tablet overlay. There’s no bloatware to uninstall (unless you’re not a fan of Netflix, which comes preinstalled), and the interface is very clean, which is to be expected from a OnePlus device.

Fans of gesture controls will be pleased as there are several useful ones included, including Split Screen, Flexible Windows, Dual Windows, Display Size, Quick Return, Smart Sidebar, and Limelight.

Screenshots are easily taken by swiping down on the display with three fingers, and partial screenshots can be taken by touching and holding with three fingers and then releasing to view the partial screenshot options.

If you are in split-screen mode, you can swipe down with three fingers on only the side you want to capture. A quick tutorial walks you through the gestures, and it is an easy process to remember.

You can split your Pad’s screen between two apps by opening the first app, swiping down with two fingers, and then opening the second app, which is highly useful for multitasking while writing reports (or posts like this one).

There is a customizable tray of apps on the right of the display that when opened and an app is touched, will open the app in a floating window that can be moved about the display and resized. This makes multitasking while checking Telegram or getting passwords from your app manager, for instance, so efficient.

It’s worth noting that OnePlus is also offering three years of Android updates and four years of security updates.

Using the OnePlus Pad

Unlocking the OnePlus Pad is done by using a pin/password/pattern or facial recognition. There is no fingerprint reader, which is fine, but it does mean that you’ll have to enter your PIN rather than relying on facial unlocking if you are using a secure/banking app.

The Pad has 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB user memory, and the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset powers it.

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more RAM included, but surprisingly, I’ve found the Pad to be more than capable of keeping multiple apps open and dozens of tabs in the Chrome browser open without lags or slowdowns.

Gamers who play graphics-intensive titles may run into some slowdowns, but the types of games I generally play are limited to word and wood-block style puzzles, so I didn’t have any issues.

I really like that the Pad’s 8-megapixel camera is located in the top bezel when the tablet was in the keyboard, as it meant I didn’t look off-centered and like I was looking elsewhere during video conversations on Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.

This seems like such an obvious thing, and yet, how many tablet makers are putting the camera in such a prime position?

Limelight, mentioned in the Special Features in the previous section, allows the front ultra-wide lens to keep you in the middle of the frame during Video Calls; it works very well in Zoom and Meet.

The OnePlus Pad’s 11.61″ display is the first to use a 7:5 ratio, which is great for reading books, browsing websites, and working on documents. The 2800×2000 pixel display has 296 pixels per inch, and it can be as bright as 500 nits.

The display has an adaptive 144Hz for smoother animations, and it can be set to High, which will automatically adjust the refresh rate to best suit what you’re doing on screen; this helps give the best experience based on the app you’re using while helping to save battery power. You can also adjust it to Standard, which has a maximum refresh rate of 60Hz to conserve the battery.

Watching videos is a great experience because the OnePlus Pad not only has Dolby Vision, its speakers have Dolby Atmos. The display is brilliant, and if you are listening through the speakers, the experience is great — the sound is crisp and clear, and it is loud enough to enjoy even when you aren’t hunched over your tablet.

Scene from an Uncle Roger/Nigel Ng video featuring Gordan Ramsey.

The Pad has a 9510mAh battery, and it will easily get you through a full day; if you don’t use it for several days, the drain is minimal. OnePlus says you can expect up to 12.4 hours of videos playing or one month of standby life, and that seems legit.

When it is time to recharge, the included 67W SUPERVOOC is fast! I haven’t let the battery run to zero, but OnePlus says it will hit a full charge in about 80 minutes. In my use, 30 minutes of charging was usually enough to top it off.

While no cellular option is offered for the Pad, you can easily tether it to your mobile device.

But if you have a OnePlus smartphone, a June OTA update will come to your phone that will bring Cellular Data Sharing.

With it, the Pad will be able to access the 5G signal on your OnePlus smartphone, which will also allow the Pad to receive notifications with a shared clipboard that will enable instant copying and pasting from your OnePlus phone to the OnePlus Pad.

A time (and frustration) saving feature that will also come with that capability is OTP Auto Filling.

Think about how many times you’ve tried to sign into a website on your tablet, only to be asked for a one-time passcode that will be sent to your smartphone via text.

Typically, you’d have to look at your phone and then enter the passcode onto your other device, but with the OTP, you’ll no longer need to bother with this, as the messages will also pop up on your Pad.

Obviously, I wasn’t able to test the Cellular Data Sharing feature, as that OTA update hasn’t yet been released, but it should be a great feature for OnePlus smartphone owners once it is released.

The OnePlus Magnetic Keyboard and Stylo

The $149 OnePlus Magnetic Keyboard is also an attractive green, making it stand out from the usual black or brown.

The keyboard magnetically attaches to the Pad and holds it in place, and it works well as a folio, offering back protection to the Pad. When the folio is closed, Magnets keep it shot, which will help keep detritus from getting in.

But again, I wish there was a factory-installed screen protector because it would give me a bit more assurance that the display would stay pristine, especially when it is resting against the keyboard keys when the folio is closed.

The keyboard has decent key travel and is comfortable enough to use; the built-in touchpad works well for navigating around the screen.

Perhaps the only real downside to the Magnetic Keyboard is that because it uses Pogo pins rather than Bluetooth to connect, only one angle is available when you are using it.

I’ve found that it’s great when being used on a tabletop or desk, but — maybe because I am a taller person — the angle isn’t as optimal for me as it appears to be for the model in the photo above when the Pad with Magnetic Keyboard is sitting on my lap.

The $99 OnePlus Stylo (cue Gorillaz) charges when it is magnetically attached to the Pad and connects to the Pad via Bluetooth.

The first time you try to use the Stylo, you’ll have to agree to some terms of service, but once that’s done, it’s off to the races. I like that the Stylo’s battery status pops up when the Stylo is connected to the Pad’s magnet, and its status is also available at any time under the Bluetooth settings.

You can use the Stylo to flick through screens, take notes, draw in your favorite art apps, and more.

The Stylo’s specifications say that it has a 2ms delay, a 60-degree tilt angle, and 4096 levels of pressure. I am not an artist, so I won’t show you any of my scrawlings, but I can tell you that the Stylo is very responsive, and I didn’t notice any lag when I was doodling.

Stock photo of a girl drawing with the OnePlus Pad and the Stylo

Obviously not me, nor is this my artwork.

Both optional accessories are quite nice, although I wish there was a discounted bundle price for people who would like to buy the whole kit and caboodle. However, if you were smart enough to order the OnePlus Pad during the blind pre-order period, you’ll receive the Magnetic Keyboard for free when your order ships. If you simply want a matching Folio for your Pad without the keyboard, they are available with your Pad order for $39.

Update 05/09/23: OnePlus is also offering a trade-in option, whereby you can simply trade in your old device and receive up to a $50.00 bonus toward your new OnePlus Pad. OnePlus is also offering a free folio case gift with purchase while supplies last.

So, Should You Buy a OnePlus Pad?

If you’re a OnePlus user and you’re looking for a slim, stylish Android tablet that’s loaded with features, the $479 OnePlus Pad seems like a no-brainer. The hardware is excellent, the screen is large enough to conveniently multitask, and the soon-to-be-released Cellular Data Sharing for 5G OnePlus smartphones sounds convenient. But even if you’re simply looking for a capable, non-iOS tablet with a larger display that can handle multitasking, the OnePlus Pad certainly fits the bill.

The OnePlus Pad sells for $479; it is available directly from the manufacturer.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample on loan

What I Like: Gorgeous hardware; Three years of Android updates and four years of security updates; Releasing with optional Magnetic Keyboard and Stylo for those who need those types of accessories; Long battery life; Fast charging with the included 67W SUPERVOOC charger; Camera is perfectly placed for video calls in landscape mode; The rear-facing camera is more than capable; Dolby Atmos & Dolby Vision

What Needs Improvement: No biometric authentication; Only available configured with 8GBRAM and 128GB user memory; Unlike OnePlus phones, the Pad doesn’t ship with a factory-installed screen protector; The RAM and processor may not be powerful enough for graphics-intensive gaming

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About the Author

Judie Lipsett Stanford
Judie is the co-owner and Editor-in-Chief of Gear Diary, which she founded in September 2006. She got her start in 1999 writing software reviews at the now-defunct smaller.com; from mid-2000 through 2006, she wrote hardware reviews for and co-edited at The Gadgeteer. A recipient of the Sigma Kappa Colby Award for Technology, Judie has written for or been profiled by nationally known sites and magazines, and she has served on multiple industry hardware and software award panels. She is best known for her device-agnostic approach, enjoyment of exploring tech, gadgets, and gear, and her deep-diving, jargon-free reviews.

4 Comments on "OnePlus Pad Review: A Gorgeous, Sub-$500 Android Tablet That’s Loaded with Useful Features"

  1. Pretty cool. I’m not sure how fast it is. I’m thinking at that price point it might take some time to boot up.

  2. THIS TABLET LOOKS LIKE A KEEPING. IT SEEMS TO HAVE GREAT TECHNOLGY, AN OK PRICE, AND LOOKS USER FRIENDLY.

  3. Andrew Hall | May 4, 2023 at 8:02 pm | Reply

    This is a nice attractive basic tablet.
    I would be open to getting one to use.

  4. It looks great for my needs!

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