OnePlus Pad 2 Review: The Flagship Killing Tablet

The Android tablet segment was in the doldrums for several years, with only Samsung offering a premium experience in the form of its Galaxy Tab S range. 2023 saw a new entry into the market with the powerful OnePlus Pad, and this year brings its successor, the Pad 2. In a reversal of Samsung's move with its new Galaxy Tab S10 series, which switched from Qualcomm to Mediatek, the OnePlus Pad 2 has moved from the latter to the former and is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.

Priced at $549 in the US, the OnePlus Pad 2 offers high-end hardware and increasingly useful software without breaking the bank. We've spent some time with it, and here is our review.

Design

The first thing I noticed when picking up the Pad 2 was that its edges are rounded off, unlike its rivals' flat, square edges. It makes for a comfy grip and, in my opinion, looks really smart. This time, the Pad 2 is only available in a single colorway called Nimbus Gray, and while it looks pretty good, it does pick up smudges and fingerprints.

There's a kinda weird juxtaposition to the layout of the tablet in that the rear camera is housed centrally for landscape use while the charging port is set at the bottom edge in portrait mode. There's nothing terribly wrong with this, it just feels a little confusing.

Anyway, there are speaker chambers located at the bottom next to the USB-C charging port and on the top edge next to the power button. The right edge of the tablet is where you'll find the volume controls, with the left side packing a trio of POGO pins that attach to the Keyboard accessory.

At 584g, the Pad 2 isn't the lightest tablet around compared to the 11-inch iPad Pro (444g) and Pixel Tablet (493g) and can be a little tiring to hold when laid in bed watching K-dramas. Still, there's always the option of using a case to prop the tablet up with.

Read: OnePlus Pad 2 v Google Pixel Tablet: How Do They Compare?

Hardware

Performance

Let us first say that the original OnePlus Pad had no issues with performance thanks to the Dimensity 9000 chipset. With that out of the way, the move to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor is a step beyond, and paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB built-in storage, it's a very speedy device indeed. Multitasking is lightning quick, and opening up games such as Call of Duty: Mobile is slickly done.

The 12.1-inch ReadFit panel with its 3K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate is bright with vivid colors and deep blacks. Viewing angles are good, and the 7:5 aspect ratio makes the display feel less cramped than Samsung's Galaxy Tab range when reading or watching videos.

We ran the OnePlus Pad 2 through a couple of benchmarking apps which it unsurprisingly blitzed through.

Battery

A big 9510mAh battery keeps the lights on, and when it's time to recharge, it takes just 30 minutes to get it from 0 to 64%. A full charge will only take 81 minutes, which puts the likes of Google and Samsung phones and tablets to shame. The only bad thing is that OnePlus doesn't include a charger in the box.

A fully charged battery will get you around 11 hours of active use (browsing or watching videos), which means you'll be fine for most long-haul flights.

Keyboard Case

The Keyboard case is a two-part affair; you can attach either piece separately. So, if you don't need the keyboard bit, you can attach the rear cover to protect the back panel. You also don't need to connect the keyboard to the tablet to type on it as it pairs up via Bluetooth. This means there's no need to be hunched over the device when you have the luxury of stretching out at a desk; use the kickstand on the rear attachment to sit the display at a helpful angle and then type away.

While the Keyboard case came with the review unit, it is sold separately and will set you back around $149 unless OnePlus has it discounted as part of a deal. There is a regular folio case available at the more affordable price of $40 if you don't need a keyboard.

Read: Why The OnePlus Pad 2 Is Better Value Than The Pixel Tablet

Software

Running OxygenOS 14.1, which is based on Android 14, the OnePlus Pad 2 will get a further 3 OS upgrades and 4 years of security patches. It's not quite as well-supported as Samsung or Google's offerings, but it's not terrible either. We'll mark it down on the report card as “Can do better.”

Unlike Samsung's tablets, the Pad 2 doesn't offer a desktop mode which means that it's lacking somewhat in the productivity stakes. What it does have is the Open Canvas feature which lets you have three apps open in split-screen at a time, and it even allows for parts of the apps to overflow past the actual limits of the display. In practice it works pretty well.

OnePlus hasn't tried to reinvent the wheel in terms of productivity apps, while the Pad 2 has WPS Office pre-installed it only offers the basic features unless you want to stump up for the Pro subscription. You can, of course, install third-party apps such as Microsoft's Office apps, Google Docs and the like in order to make the Pad 2 more of a workhorse.

It wouldn't be 2024 if we didn't mention AI features. OnePlus has included the likes of AI Eraser and Smart Cutout in the Gallery app and there are options such as AI Speak, AI Summary, and AI Write to help you with text-based tasks.

Camera

It's a tablet, and as such I tend not to worry much about its camera performance but I do understand that the best camera is the one you have with you. As you might expect, the rear camera takes images of average quality, but not terrible. Selfie pics with the front-facing camera are about the same, but great for video calls and the like.

Conclusion

In terms of competitors, the OnePlus Pad 2 only really has Honor's Magic Pad 2 and Samsung's Galaxy Tab S9 FE which are around the same price. While the cheaper Tab S9 FE offers an IP rating and longer software support the Pad 2 has a better display, better sound, faster charging, and increased performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. The Magic Pad 2 offers a similar experience to the Pad 2, albeit at around £50 more expensive and with a slightly bigger battery.

I'm a big fan of the OnePlus Pad 2, and as my venerable Xiaomi Pad 5 was on its last legs, I was in the market for a new Android tablet. It's comfy to hold, performance is knocked out of the park, battery life is excellent, and the display is positively gorgeous to view, whether you're watching movies or playing games.

Unless you really need a desktop mode and IP rating, there's no reason to break the bank to buy one of Samsung's high-priced Tab S10 series. The OnePlus Pad 2 offers one of the best entertainment and gaming experiences you can find on a tablet, especially at this price point.