Even after years of trying, Android tablets have failed miserably to develop a mobile computing device or entertainment centre that would be a good substitute for the Apple iPad and Windows PCs. Some companies have pushed harder than others, but there is one thing that unites all of these efforts: Google has no plans to create an Android device designed exclusively for tablet use cases. Therefore, none has completely succeeded. With such as a background, OnePlus’ task is made much more challenging.
The company’s first try at a tablet is the OnePlus Pad. This comes after years of successfully competing as premium Android phone bestsellers in the smartphone market. Priced at 37,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage version of the OnePlus Pad and 39,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model. The latter is unquestionably the superior option because of the longer lifespan provided by the higher specifications.
Although it still has a price advantage over the 10th generation iPad (whose price range starts at around $44,900), this device is very similar to it in terms of pricing. The OnePlus Pad completely dismantles Samsung’s apparent domination in the Android tablet market; pricing for the Galaxy Tab S8 from last year start at approximately 58,999, and the Tab S8+ series costs substantially more, with cellular internet connection driving up the price even more.
Now, without having to pay the kind of premium that Samsung’s tablets require, you can purchase a genuinely powerful (and therefore future-proof) Android tablet with the keyboard for considerably less than 50,000. That chapter on comparison has a second section.
If you want to finish replacing your laptop, OnePlus offers a keyboard cover for $7,999. Samsung’s keyboard attachments range in price from $12,499 to $22,999 for the Tab S8+ and Tab S8 Ultra, respectively. The Tab S8 keyboard dock has been listed as out of stock as of the time of writing this (and in fact, far before that too).
First things first: if you just purchased a new OnePlus Pad, we urge you to check for a software update right away (this is the EX01), as it includes several system and stability enhancements. The fact that it is 4.9GB in size should give you a good sense of how critical this is.
However, even then, and we’ll focus on this point for a moment, adjustments are still required to smooth out the sharper edges. For instance, the option to wake up the screen from the keyboard and then unlock it sometimes works and often doesn’t. For the latter, you’ll need to swipe the screen. Another example is the unpredictable three-finger swipe-up motion that certain applications use.
Before you even reach the many enjoyable parts, that is. The Android 13 operating system, which the OnePlus Pad uses, has been optimised for tablet display space. On tablets, the majority of Google’s own applications now look nicer, and OnePlus’ approach to multitasking is very much a utility, keeping apps open side by side. In the case of certain programmes, you may even use a floating window. You could see a calculator, for example, hovering above documents and online browser programmes while you mentally process certain figures.
The good news is that performance is very fluid and seamless while multitasking with two programmes sharing the same screen area, one floating about above them, and a few apps active in the background. When you push the OnePlus Pad to its limits with programmes, it doesn’t stutter, and because the back also stays cool, there is no indication that it is uncomfortable.
One gets the impression that earlier changes made to the Android tablet experience to increase productivity pushed a little bit too far on imitating the conventional desktop or laptop interface. Despite its undeniable value, Samsung’s DeX makes too many attempts to make Android operate as Windows 10 or Windows 11 would on a laptop. In this instance, OnePlus has taken the best aspects of Android and admittedly drawn some influence from Apple’s iPadOS, which is quite acceptable.
In a word, this is an Android tablet that is great for replacing a laptop if you often travel or have meetings on the go.
Since remote work is still very popular, you’ll probably need to conduct some video calls and meetings from the OnePlus Pad. You need to be aware of the two key players in this conflict. The longer bezel on one side of the display houses the 8-megapixel front-facing camera. This indicates that the camera is positioned in the centre of the OnePlus Pad’s dimensions while you hold the tablet in landscape mode (which you’ll probably use for video chats). Not like the iPad and the Galaxy Tab series, which are on one side.
Second, OnePlus has included an auto-center function for video calls that maintains you in the centre of the picture even if you move slightly during a conversation. Even though it isn’t always ideal, it usually does the job (no one ends up staring at a close-up of your ear as you dangle half out of the call window). Currently, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom all support this. There might be more, but we can confidently claim that it works well on these applications.
The keyboard is functional, with a well-spaced layout and a touchpad that can handle movements that need more than one finger. Nevertheless, there is limited flexibility in controlling the screen’s viewing angles due to the magnetic connection with the tablet. And you need keep this on a level surface, like a table, for it to actually operate. We observed that the magnetic hinges are weak and may easily separate from the tablet; as a result, there is a genuine danger of the tablet crashing to the icy, hard ground.
The fact that the OnePlus Pad comes with preinstalled applications for Messages, Phone, and Google Pay is peculiar to the tablet experience. All three applications attempted to leverage tablet hardware that wasn’t available. for instance, a SIM card slot or NFC. This is an example of one of Google’s well-known contracts that mandates pre-loading of its own apps.
Second, in order to enable Android tablets to scale correctly on tablet displays, Google must prioritise collaborating with developers. One illustration of how horrible things are is Twitter. Another is Instagram. That is only the beginning.
Having said that, the OnePlus Pad will acquire cellular connection in a very distinctive manner once the key feature addition takes place (an update is anticipated later this summer). Since it lacks a SIM card slot, it will share mobile data (4G or 5G, either will work) from a nearby OnePlus phone. According to OnePlus, for this to operate, the tablet and the OnePlus phone need to be maintained at a distance of 5 metres or less. The absence of a cellular modem in the phone should, in theory, result in greater battery life while sharing the mobile data.
But we won’t understand until we really go through this.
The OnePlus Pad can effectively be used as a Wi-Fi only gadget if you don’t own a OnePlus phone. To be honest, that restriction is unjust. For a larger population, at the very least, the e-SIM capabilities should have been an option.
Additionally, that marks the start of OnePlus’ ecosystem play. Both an OTP sharing option and an Auto Connect feature, which would sync phone functionality to the tablet as well (presumably initially restricted to OnePlus phones), are under development. This functionality includes alerts, clipboard access, and other features. But the majority of that is still to come.
There are several positive aspects to the 11.61-inch display. This boasts a 2800 × 2000 pixel resolution, a 7:5 aspect ratio, and a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz. This screen size maintains a low weight while providing close to the ideal balance for portability. When necessary, it is pretty bright, and auto-brightness adjustments seem to have been improved for smoothness (rather than abrupt, jarring changes). It may become really dark when the lights are turned down, which is amazing!
In our experience, the first large software update considerably increased and stabilised battery life. When deciding whether to carry the charger or not, you must be cautious. If you’re primarily using the web browser or working on documents, the discharge is one sip at a time. However, if there are video calls or some Netflix streaming thrown in, it takes a little longer.
A 15-minute Google Meet call consumes 4% of the battery, for context. The battery level decreases by up to 2% during a 30-minute session of reading or surfing the web.
I never felt as confident in the OnePlus Pad’s ability to last as long at work on a single charge as I do with the Apple iPad Pro for some reason. Some of that conclusion may be attributed to Google and how Android is developing for tablets. For its part, OnePlus included a 67-watt charger with the tablet. That’s more than what this tablet seems to utilise, since it took an hour and 20 minutes for a totally depleted OnePlus Pad to reach 100% again.
The OnePlus Pad seems to be doing rather well for a first go at a tablet. Performance from the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 is comparable to that of a top-tier Android smartphone. Even the most reckless (or purposeful) multitaskers have ample headroom with the 12GB RAM option. It is well constructed, and its Halo Green colouring gives it a personality that no other tablet can match.
However, a few items have been added to the list of unfinished or missing tasks. There isn’t a fingerprint sensor, and the only actual entry options are a pin or facial recognition. Apple has included biometrics into the power key on the iPad Air. Second, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack. However, you may not really miss it. However, the OnePlus Pad currently, in my opinion, is more about potential, at least until the ecosystem features start to roll out and become useful.
The OnePlus Pad is a significant step in the right way when everything is taken into account. A tablet like this was necessary for Android, especially one that wasn’t as expensive as some of its more established competitors. However, it is still too early to definitively position this as a rival to the iPad or the iPad Air, especially for use cases involving productivity.
For Android tablets, OnePlus has done what they could; now Google needs to pick up the pace.
