First Impressions
Though the OnePlus Pad 2 may look similar to the OnePlus Pad on the surface, this could be a worthwhile upgrade with top-end processing capabilities, unique multitasking software borrowed from the OnePlus Open and a 12.1-inch, 3K, 144Hz screen, which looks ideal for both work and play.
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Top-end processing powerWith the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the OnePlus Pad 2 is one of the most powerful Android tablets around right now -
Pixel-packed displayThe 12.1-inch display features a pixel-packed 3K resolution that’s great for watching movies and the like, along with a smooth 144Hz refresh rate. -
Handy optional accessoriesThough they don’t ship in the box, the optional OnePlus Pad Smart Keyboard and OnePlus Stylo 2 hugely expand what you can do with the tablet.
Introduction
The OnePlus Pad 2 is official, and it looks like it could be one of the most capable Android tablets on the market.
The OnePlus Pad 2 sports the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, boasts a 12.1-inch 144Hz display with a 3K resolution and unique software you won’t find on any other tablet, all for the relatively budget-friendly price of £499.
While I’m not yet ready to deliver my final thoughts, I’ve had a chance to use the OnePlus Pad 2 for a few hours ahead of the launch, and here’s what I think so far.
Design and screen
- Similar design to the OnePlus Pad with a bigger screen
- 12.1-inch 3K 144Hz IPS LCD display
- New keyboard and stylus accessories
The OnePlus Pad 2 isn’t a complete rethinking of the original OnePlus Pad design – though considering the first-gen tablet was a pretty thin, sleek bit of kit, I’m not really too mad about that.
That means you’re getting a very similar tablet, sporting an all-metal unibody design that pairs well with the OnePlus Nord 4 that launched at the same time. The aluminium frame has been sandblasted and anodised to deliver a velvety smooth touch, while also being more resilient to scratches – according to OnePlus, anyway.
It’s also just as delightfully thin and light as its first-gen counterpart, measuring in at 6.49mm thick and 584g. That is 30g more than the original Pad, but considering the screen size has grown from 11.6 inches to 12.1 inches, I don’t think that’s a bad trade-off at all.
This all translates to a delightfully thin tablet that’s nice to hold, complete with those curved edges and rounded corners to make it sit nicely in the palm of your hand, though I am lamenting the OnePlus green finish that most OnePlus products come in – the Pad 2 is only available in Nimbus Gray.
Let’s talk a bit more about that display because it’s a bit of a beast, blowing any equivalent iPad out of the water. The 12.1-inch display boasts a 3K resolution and a super smooth 144Hz refresh rate that can switch between 30-, 48-, 50-, 60-, 90-, 120- and 144Hz automatically depending on what you’re doing on the tablet in a bid to save battery life – though you can manually select the high refresh rate at the expense of battery life.
It’s also a pretty unusual aspect ratio, measuring in at 7:5. While this means you might have bigger black bars atop and below the screen when binging Netflix, it also makes the OnePlus Pad 2 particularly well suited to split-screen use. It also allows for more screen real estate in its landscape mode when paired with the new OnePlus Pad Smart Keyboard.
Yep, that’s right, the OnePlus Pad 2 comes with an ecosystem of accessories including a folio keyboard case that doubles up as a kickstand with a magnetically detachable keyboard, as well as an updated OnePlus Stylo 2. These don’t come in the box, rather an additional extra, but it does greatly expand what you can do with the tablet.
The Smart Keyboard offers a nice full keyboard experience with an impressively large trackpad that essentially turns the OnePlus Pad into a laptop alternative, and though I’ve not delved too far into what the accessories can do, I have noticed that small complaints about the first-gen kit – like the on-screen keyboard not disappearing when using the physical keyboard – have finally been ironed out.
It also features an NFC chip in the keyboard for quick connection to the tablet, making it easier to share files and even access mobile apps on the tablet screen, though this functionality is limited to OnePlus and Oppo smartphones.
Features and spec
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 power
- New tablet-focused software features
- 9510mAh battery with 67W fast charging
One of the headline features of the OnePlus Pad 2 is the processor found within – the flagship-level Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. That should make the OnePlus Pad 2 the fastest, most powerful Android tablet around, even compared to high-end options like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 and its custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset – though that’s something I’ll confirm once I put the tablet through a rigorous set of benchmark tests.
From what I’ve seen so far, however, the OnePlus Pad 2 can handle just about anything that’s thrown its way.
I booted up Genshin Impact for a quick game and managed to select some pretty high-end graphics options without a noticeable slow-down, even when powering that pixel-packed 3K display. It’s just as fast and responsive in general use too, opening and switching between apps instantly with not a hint of stutter or lag anywhere.
I mean, that’s to be expected from one of the most powerful chipsets on the market, but it’s good to see it in action. That’s coupled with a healthy 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage as standard, which should be more than enough for the vast majority of users.
Continuing OnePlus’ journey into the world of AI, the OnePlus Pad 2 will sport a bunch of AI features – though most aren’t available at launch, instead coming via OTA updates in the coming months.
Magic Eraser 2.0, which removes subjects from photos, along with an AI-powered recording summary feature and document scan tech will be available sometime later this month, while the more interesting AI features – like AI Speak, which reads out text for you, AI Summary that’ll summarise long chunks of text and AI Writer, that can rewrite text for you – will be out sometime in September.
It’s not exactly the most feature-packed approach to AI we’ve seen, especially compared to the likes of the Pixel Tablet and Galaxy Tab S9 range that has recently seen the addition of Galaxy AI, but it’s a step in the right direction at least.
As well as a suite of AI tools, OnePlus is bringing its Open Canvas multitasking feature from the OnePlus Open to the Pad 2. It was hands-down one of my favourite features of the OnePlus Open when I reviewed it last year, allowing you to multi-task while still using full-screen apps.
Instead, you just tap or swipe from the edges of the display to switch between full-screen apps, and these app groupings can be saved and added to the Home screen for later use – ideal if, say, you find yourself frequently using Slack, Google Chrome and Google Docs as I do for working on the go.
What’s currently unclear, however, is just how long the OnePlus Pad 2 will be supported. OnePlus made a big celebration of the fact that the Nord 2 will get four OS upgrades and six years of security updates, and I’m hoping for similar here, but we’ll have to wait and see for now.
When it comes to camera tech, there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of change, sporting the same centrally-positioned 8MP camera and 13MP rear-facing camera as the original OnePlus Pad. That’s to say that, going by our original OnePlus Pad review, the cameras are fine for quick snaps and video calls, but anything noteworthy that you want to capture should probably be done via your smartphone.
The 9510mAh battery found within the Pad 2 is about what you’d expect from a 12-inch tablet, and I’d expect it to last a few days with sporadic use when combined with the battery efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, though that’s something I’ll have to test for the full review.
OnePlus claims that its standby time is pretty decent too, up to 43 days, and it supports 67W fast charging too – though a charger doesn’t actually come in the box so you’ll have to source that separately.
That’s not a problem if you’re a OnePlus phone user, which the tablet is obviously targeted at first and foremost, but it’s an annoyance if you want to dabble with a OnePlus product for the first time.
Latest deals
Early Thoughts
I’m not yet ready to deliver my final thoughts on the OnePlus Pad 2, but I do like what I’ve seen so far.
Though the OnePlus Pad 2 may look similar to the OnePlus Pad on the surface, this looks to be a worthwhile upgrade with top-end processing capabilities, unique multitasking software borrowed from the OnePlus Open and a new suite of AI tools rolling out over the next few months. And let’s not forget about that 12.1-inch, 3K, 144Hz screen, which looks ideal for both work and play.
First Impressions
Though the OnePlus Pad 2 may look similar to the OnePlus Pad on the surface, this could be a worthwhile upgrade with top-end processing capabilities, unique multitasking software borrowed from the OnePlus Open and a 12.1-inch, 3K, 144Hz screen, which looks ideal for both work and play.
-
Top-end processing powerWith the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the OnePlus Pad 2 is one of the most powerful Android tablets around right now -
Pixel-packed displayThe 12.1-inch display features a pixel-packed 3K resolution that’s great for watching movies and the like, along with a smooth 144Hz refresh rate. -
Handy optional accessoriesThough they don’t ship in the box, the optional OnePlus Pad Smart Keyboard and OnePlus Stylo 2 hugely expand what you can do with the tablet.
Introduction
The OnePlus Pad 2 is official, and it looks like it could be one of the most capable Android tablets on the market.
The OnePlus Pad 2 sports the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, boasts a 12.1-inch 144Hz display with a 3K resolution and unique software you won’t find on any other tablet, all for the relatively budget-friendly price of £499.
While I’m not yet ready to deliver my final thoughts, I’ve had a chance to use the OnePlus Pad 2 for a few hours ahead of the launch, and here’s what I think so far.
Design and screen
- Similar design to the OnePlus Pad with a bigger screen
- 12.1-inch 3K 144Hz IPS LCD display
- New keyboard and stylus accessories
The OnePlus Pad 2 isn’t a complete rethinking of the original OnePlus Pad design – though considering the first-gen tablet was a pretty thin, sleek bit of kit, I’m not really too mad about that.
That means you’re getting a very similar tablet, sporting an all-metal unibody design that pairs well with the OnePlus Nord 4 that launched at the same time. The aluminium frame has been sandblasted and anodised to deliver a velvety smooth touch, while also being more resilient to scratches – according to OnePlus, anyway.
It’s also just as delightfully thin and light as its first-gen counterpart, measuring in at 6.49mm thick and 584g. That is 30g more than the original Pad, but considering the screen size has grown from 11.6 inches to 12.1 inches, I don’t think that’s a bad trade-off at all.
This all translates to a delightfully thin tablet that’s nice to hold, complete with those curved edges and rounded corners to make it sit nicely in the palm of your hand, though I am lamenting the OnePlus green finish that most OnePlus products come in – the Pad 2 is only available in Nimbus Gray.
Let’s talk a bit more about that display because it’s a bit of a beast, blowing any equivalent iPad out of the water. The 12.1-inch display boasts a 3K resolution and a super smooth 144Hz refresh rate that can switch between 30-, 48-, 50-, 60-, 90-, 120- and 144Hz automatically depending on what you’re doing on the tablet in a bid to save battery life – though you can manually select the high refresh rate at the expense of battery life.
It’s also a pretty unusual aspect ratio, measuring in at 7:5. While this means you might have bigger black bars atop and below the screen when binging Netflix, it also makes the OnePlus Pad 2 particularly well suited to split-screen use. It also allows for more screen real estate in its landscape mode when paired with the new OnePlus Pad Smart Keyboard.
Yep, that’s right, the OnePlus Pad 2 comes with an ecosystem of accessories including a folio keyboard case that doubles up as a kickstand with a magnetically detachable keyboard, as well as an updated OnePlus Stylo 2. These don’t come in the box, rather an additional extra, but it does greatly expand what you can do with the tablet.
The Smart Keyboard offers a nice full keyboard experience with an impressively large trackpad that essentially turns the OnePlus Pad into a laptop alternative, and though I’ve not delved too far into what the accessories can do, I have noticed that small complaints about the first-gen kit – like the on-screen keyboard not disappearing when using the physical keyboard – have finally been ironed out.
It also features an NFC chip in the keyboard for quick connection to the tablet, making it easier to share files and even access mobile apps on the tablet screen, though this functionality is limited to OnePlus and Oppo smartphones.
Features and spec
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 power
- New tablet-focused software features
- 9510mAh battery with 67W fast charging
One of the headline features of the OnePlus Pad 2 is the processor found within – the flagship-level Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. That should make the OnePlus Pad 2 the fastest, most powerful Android tablet around, even compared to high-end options like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 and its custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset – though that’s something I’ll confirm once I put the tablet through a rigorous set of benchmark tests.
From what I’ve seen so far, however, the OnePlus Pad 2 can handle just about anything that’s thrown its way.
I booted up Genshin Impact for a quick game and managed to select some pretty high-end graphics options without a noticeable slow-down, even when powering that pixel-packed 3K display. It’s just as fast and responsive in general use too, opening and switching between apps instantly with not a hint of stutter or lag anywhere.
I mean, that’s to be expected from one of the most powerful chipsets on the market, but it’s good to see it in action. That’s coupled with a healthy 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage as standard, which should be more than enough for the vast majority of users.
Continuing OnePlus’ journey into the world of AI, the OnePlus Pad 2 will sport a bunch of AI features – though most aren’t available at launch, instead coming via OTA updates in the coming months.
Magic Eraser 2.0, which removes subjects from photos, along with an AI-powered recording summary feature and document scan tech will be available sometime later this month, while the more interesting AI features – like AI Speak, which reads out text for you, AI Summary that’ll summarise long chunks of text and AI Writer, that can rewrite text for you – will be out sometime in September.
It’s not exactly the most feature-packed approach to AI we’ve seen, especially compared to the likes of the Pixel Tablet and Galaxy Tab S9 range that has recently seen the addition of Galaxy AI, but it’s a step in the right direction at least.
As well as a suite of AI tools, OnePlus is bringing its Open Canvas multitasking feature from the OnePlus Open to the Pad 2. It was hands-down one of my favourite features of the OnePlus Open when I reviewed it last year, allowing you to multi-task while still using full-screen apps.
Instead, you just tap or swipe from the edges of the display to switch between full-screen apps, and these app groupings can be saved and added to the Home screen for later use – ideal if, say, you find yourself frequently using Slack, Google Chrome and Google Docs as I do for working on the go.
What’s currently unclear, however, is just how long the OnePlus Pad 2 will be supported. OnePlus made a big celebration of the fact that the Nord 2 will get four OS upgrades and six years of security updates, and I’m hoping for similar here, but we’ll have to wait and see for now.
When it comes to camera tech, there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of change, sporting the same centrally-positioned 8MP camera and 13MP rear-facing camera as the original OnePlus Pad. That’s to say that, going by our original OnePlus Pad review, the cameras are fine for quick snaps and video calls, but anything noteworthy that you want to capture should probably be done via your smartphone.
The 9510mAh battery found within the Pad 2 is about what you’d expect from a 12-inch tablet, and I’d expect it to last a few days with sporadic use when combined with the battery efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, though that’s something I’ll have to test for the full review.
OnePlus claims that its standby time is pretty decent too, up to 43 days, and it supports 67W fast charging too – though a charger doesn’t actually come in the box so you’ll have to source that separately.
That’s not a problem if you’re a OnePlus phone user, which the tablet is obviously targeted at first and foremost, but it’s an annoyance if you want to dabble with a OnePlus product for the first time.
Latest deals
Early Thoughts
I’m not yet ready to deliver my final thoughts on the OnePlus Pad 2, but I do like what I’ve seen so far.
Though the OnePlus Pad 2 may look similar to the OnePlus Pad on the surface, this looks to be a worthwhile upgrade with top-end processing capabilities, unique multitasking software borrowed from the OnePlus Open and a new suite of AI tools rolling out over the next few months. And let’s not forget about that 12.1-inch, 3K, 144Hz screen, which looks ideal for both work and play.
