OnePlus Pad 3 review

On the Android aspect, there’s noticeable momentum—a push from manufacturers to create pro-grade tablets that may compete with Apple’s iPad Air and even the highest-end iPad Professional, although the choices are nonetheless restricted. The most recent OnePlus Pad 3, for instance, takes on premium tablets with a slimmed-down design, a 13.2-inch show, sooner efficiency, upgraded multitasking options, and it runs Google’s Android working system.

The audio system are insanely good on the Pad 3. (Picture credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Specific)

I received’t lie—I had low expectations for the Pad 3, and I wasn’t certain if OnePlus might ship a very highly effective pill. To be clear, there are already strong tablets available on the market that excel at leisure, however I used to be searching for one thing nearer to a laptop computer substitute. That meant I had even increased expectations for the Pad 3: a pill that might outperform not solely media-focused tablets, but additionally a quick, mid-range laptop computer.

I spent over every week with the OnePlus Pad 3, and used the system as my laptop computer substitute. Right here’s my overview.

What: OnePlus Pad 3, Value: to be introduced (on the time of writing, OnePlus has not launched the India worth, however within the US, the system prices $700 and equipment, together with the keyboard case with a trackpad, price additional.)

Slim design and premium end

At 5.97mm, OnePlus has managed to create one of many slimmest tablets I’ve seen. It’s barely thicker than the iPad Professional, which, at 5.1mm, is presently the thinnest pill available on the market. I used to be astonished to see how slim the Pad 3 was once I positioned it on the desk. I’ve at all times preferred light-weight units—they’re much simpler to journey with, particularly for somebody like me who travels often.

The Pad 3 feels extremely skinny and lightweight. (Picture credit score: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Specific)

That skinny design is complemented by a premium construct that includes a sturdy aluminium casing. There’s little question the Pad is massive, with a 13.2-inch display measured diagonally. Bigger tablets have at all times been a bit awkward to carry, primarily as a result of the load is unfold over a wider floor space. However as a result of the Pad 3 is thinner and lighter, I discover myself selecting it up extra typically. I like studying books on the Kindle app and spend loads of time on Pinterest or Reddit.

Whereas the Pad 3 isn’t precisely a one-handed system, the brand new lighter type issue makes it really feel far more like a real pill. It’s extra approachable. It’s merely simpler to deal with, and I haven’t skilled any scenario the place it felt prefer it was about to slide from my palms.

I’m not certain what the best form of a pill needs to be. Most tablets are designed to look comparable, and the identical goes for the Pad 3. It options a big, jumbo-sized display framed by a rounded glass rectangle, with bezels huge sufficient to grip with each palms with out interfering with the contact interface.

The Pad 3 is ideal if you’re a frequent traveller like myself. (Picture credit score: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Specific)

The Pad 3 incorporates a subtle but clear and easy aesthetic. The pill is available in two color schemes: Storm Blue and Frosted Silver — each look nice. OnePlus loaned me the overview unit in Storm Blue, which has shades of darkish gray and navy blue. The color shifts relying on the angle you view it from. The construct high quality is top-notch — there’s no flex in any respect, and completely no purpose to say the iPad has higher construct high quality than the Pad 3.

Ideally suited display measurement for getting the work performed

Up to now, I attempted engaged on a small iPad mini, but it surely simply didn’t work for me. I needed a compact system, however I additionally wanted a bigger display — one thing large enough to get actual work performed, the sort of duties I can usually solely do on a laptop computer. That meant I couldn’t accept an 8-inch and even an 11-inch show; I wanted no less than a 13-inch display, which the Pad 3 affords. The bigger show not solely helps with writing and submitting tales, but additionally significantly improves the expertise of watching films, taking part in video games, doing mild picture and video enhancing, and even attending Zoom calls.

The Pad 3’s 13.2-inch display is far larger but additionally not not as heavy as I believed it could be. (Picture credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Specific)

Truthfully, over the previous week or so, I’ve barely used my TV to look at films — I’ve been watching virtually every thing on the Pad 3. The benefit of a bigger display turns into clear solely once you begin doing substantial on a regular basis duties that you simply sometimes do on a pc. Multitasking really turns into helpful, and the additional display house is particularly useful when engaged on Google Sheets or Slides.

The Pad 3 affords a refresh price of as much as 144Hz, which is increased than the 120Hz supplied by the iPad Professional. Nevertheless, it makes use of an LCD panel somewhat than OLED. That stated, the Pad 3’s show is great—a lot vibrant at as much as 900 nits, vibrant, and it helps a 12-bit color vary. I watched The Studio on Apple TV+, and the present regarded nice on the Pad 3’s 13.2-inch show—virtually like having a transportable theatre.

I used the Pad 3 totally on my desk when I’m writing and responding to the e-mail, however I’m additionally somebody who strikes round with it quite a bit. (Picture credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Specific)

Much more spectacular are the audio system on this pill. It options eight audio system—4 woofers and 4 tweeters—and whereas they don’t fairly beat the iPad Professional’s, I have to say they sound unbelievable. I used to be capable of benefit from the audio clearly even whereas my dad and mom have been sipping tea and chatting close by. It’s that good.

Whereas an OLED show would have been a pleasant addition to the Pad 3, the common consumer seemingly received’t discover a lot distinction between LCD and OLED—except you particularly care about true blacks or plan to make use of the system primarily for video enhancing.

Laptop computer-class keyboard on an Android pill, lastly

I’ve been utilizing tablets as laptop computer replacements for years and have tried a whole lot of keyboards—laptop-style, tablet-specific, and common ones that work throughout units. However irrespective of how good they have been, I by no means fairly achieved a real laptop-level typing expertise on a pill. That modified with the iPad Professional and Magic Keyboard.

Typically talking, OnePlus’ tablet-optimised software program is spectacular, ok to do on a regular basis computing duties. (Picture credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Specific)

Sadly, I haven’t come throughout a keyboard made for an Android pill that matches—and even comes near—that stage of high quality. With the Pad 3, nevertheless, issues are trying up once more. The keyboard is considered one of its sturdy factors. It’s bought individually and prices $200.

The keyboard features a spacious trackpad and is a pleasure to kind on. What’s nice about it’s that it’s not designed to easily mimic a laptop computer keyboard—it’s constructed to ship a real laptop-like expertise. It’s virtually full-sized, with good key journey, and typing on it’s pleasant. As a author, I can say with confidence that not as soon as prior to now week have I felt the necessity to swap again to my laptop computer.

The standard of apps optimised for Android has improved however they’re no close to what Apple affords on the iPad. (Picture credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Specific)

OnePlus’ strategy to keyboard design is totally different from what Apple did with the Magic Keyboard, which primarily makes the iPad float within the air. It additionally feels prefer it weighs twice as a lot because the iPad, although it doesn’t tip over backwards—even when the display angle makes it really feel top-heavy.

What OnePlus has performed is connect the keyboard to the Pad 3 by way of pogo pins, or it might probably auto-connect by way of Bluetooth. This implies it may be indifferent from the pill whereas nonetheless remaining purposeful. As somebody who likes to maneuver round inside an area and doesn’t get pleasure from being confined to a desk, I admire the liberty to make use of the pill nevertheless I select.

However just like the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Professional, OnePlus’ implementation isn’t excellent. I’ve noticed that whereas the Pad 3’s keyboard works completely effectively on any flat floor (like a desk), utilizing it in your lap is an ungainly expertise. The keyboard doesn’t use USB-C for charging, so the one method to cost it’s by reconnecting it to the pill—which, luckily, is automated and seamless. It additionally options NFC, which is a pleasant addition. Simply faucet your OnePlus cellphone (I used the brand new OnePlus 13s) to ship recordsdata. There’s even a devoted key to set off Google’s Gemini AI assistant.

Other than the keyboard, the pill additionally helps the OnePlus Stylo 2, which is bought individually. It hasn’t modified from the model that got here with the Pad 2. I didn’t attempt the stylus, although.

I could also be within the majority once I say this: I’ve at all times needed a pill with a terrific keyboard that offers a real laptop-like expertise—one thing designed for the pill and never only a third-party add-on. I couldn’t be happier that it lastly exists on an Android pill.

The OnePlus Pad 3 could be a laptop computer once I want it to be—and the remainder of the time, I can detach the keyboard and use it in pill mode.

My solely gripe is that the keyboard lacks backlighting. That’s a letdown, particularly if you’re an evening owl and prefer to work at night time. Nonetheless, I perceive not everybody wants a keyboard, which is why it’s bought individually.

The brand new OnePlus 13s works very well with the OnePlus Pad 3. (Picture credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Specific)

That stated, the OnePlus-designed keyboard is a significantly better alternative if you wish to carry round a pill with a keyboard with out feeling like you might be lugging a laptop computer. If you happen to solely plan to make use of the Pad 3 sometimes as a piece system, you possibly can simply pair it with any Bluetooth keyboard of your alternative—Logitech, as an example, makes some good keyboards. I like to recommend trying out.

The state of Android on tablets

Considered one of my criticisms of tablets (together with iPads) lately is that the consumer expertise hasn’t matured to the extent of what you get with Home windows laptops and Macs. Your entire business is conscious of this, and I’m not the one one with a crucial tackle it.

To my shock, I’ve began to understand how the Android working system works on tablets greater than iPadOS on iPads. There’s clear progress on the Android aspect, each from Google and from varied manufacturers. It’s not that the consumer interface has develop into precisely like a Home windows PC—and I don’t assume that’s mandatory—however there are delicate adjustments that I discover refreshing.

Frankly, telephones can already deal with lots of the duties you do on a laptop computer. However you employ a pc to do a number of issues on the identical time—looking, watching movies, listening to music, writing, engaged on an task, and so forth. You get what I’m making an attempt to say.

The interface on the Pad 3 is totally different from what you see on a cellphone. For lack of a greater phrase, let’s name it a modified model of Android optimised for tablets. The model of OxygenOS working on the Pad 3 places its personal spin on the Google app bar, which might be dragged into view from the underside of the display when utilizing an app, permitting for seamless switching. It reveals each latest and pinned apps, together with a fast file browser for system-wide drag-and-drop performance.

Though I’m nonetheless trying ahead to the desktop mode on the Pad 3 (hopefully with the arrival of Android 16), the proprietary multitasking interface—Open Canvas, which first debuted on the OnePlus Open foldable cellphone—feels significantly better on the bigger display.

It means that you can place three apps aspect by aspect, or organize two aspect by aspect with a 3rd app expanded on the prime or backside—simply scroll to entry it. With a single faucet, you possibly can swap the energetic app—no menus or gestures required. There’s additionally a fast menu on the prime of every window that allows you to swap to full display, open a unique app, or flip it right into a floating window. It really works extremely effectively and goes far past primary split-screen performance. In case you are critical about getting work performed, no different Android pill comes near the Pad 3—because of Open Canvas multitasking.

On the coronary heart of the Pad 3 is Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. (Picture credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Specific)

OnePlus hasn’t made many adjustments to the consumer interface in any other case; it stays near inventory Android with only a handful of its personal apps and barely any bloatware. There are many customisation choices, together with the selection between a mixed or break up fast settings menu and a number of methods to regulate app icons. There’s additionally an choice for a floating toolbar, which you’ll disable if desired.

Maintaining with the development, there’s a dose of AI—but it surely’s not in your face. The voice recorder can use AI to transcribe and summarise your audio, which I used quite a bit when conducting interviews. Google’s Circle to Search is included, and Gemini is the default voice assistant. In the meantime, the Notes app has a generative writing assistant that may increase, shorten, or polish any textual content. The picture gallery additionally advantages from AI options.

OnePlus guarantees three years of Android model updates and 6 years of safety updates. It’s first rate, however nonetheless lower than what Samsung affords for its flagship tablets. As compared, Apple gives six years of iPadOS updates.

Certainly highly effective

It’s not simply video games that I can play on the Pad 3—at this stage of efficiency, I can do some critical work. Armed with the brand-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor (the flagship chip of 2025), together with 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage, the Pad 3 is constructed for top efficiency. I opened ten Google Chrome tabs concurrently and was capable of write a narrative in Google Docs, add it utilizing our content material administration system, and publish it with none lag. That is precisely what I’ve needed from a pill, and the Pad 3 delivers.

For 90 per cent of customers, the Pad 3 will meet expectations with ease, dealing with all of the must-have and often used apps with out situation.

The Pad 3 is actually good at multitasking. (Picture credit score: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Specific)

You might be most likely questioning how the Pad 3 compares with a Home windows laptop computer or a Mac. Properly, that is dependent upon your supposed use. In case you are shopping for the Pad 3 for informal use, comparable to engaged on Phrase and Excel, and making displays, enhancing, or gaming, it’s a incredible alternative.

Nevertheless, it’s a unique story once you evaluate it to a MacBook Professional or a high-end gaming laptop computer. Whereas the Pad 3 could really feel a bit snappier in sure duties, there are limitations, whether or not attributable to {hardware} or software program.

That stated, these limitations additionally apply to Home windows laptops and Macs, relying on the configuration. One benefit of the Pad 3 is the simplicity of alternative—in contrast to Home windows laptops or Macs, which are available a whole lot of configurations, selecting a Pad 3 is simpler. Your determination actually comes right down to your profile and the way you intend to make use of your system.

I want the Pad 3 had 5G connectivity. Whereas it’s not a must have function, it’s undoubtedly helpful for individuals like me who journey quite a bit and like to work from totally different places. I’ve confronted many conditions the place getting a secure Wi-Fi connection—even in locations like airports—is a trouble. It’s 2025, and the dearth of built-in eSIM help in a high-end pill appears like a critical omission.

Lengthy battery

Maybe the largest shock to me was that the Pad 3’s battery life lasted round 15 hours. OnePlus claims a battery lifetime of 17 hours, and I spent your complete day utilizing the Pad 3—not just for work, but additionally to catch the newest season of And Simply Like That. As compared, the iPad remains to be rated at simply 10 hours.

The place does the OnePlus Pad 3 stand?

For individuals who are eager to check the Pad 3 to the iPad Professional, I might say that Apple’s highest-end pill stays a strong system. Its chip delivers desktop-class efficiency, and whereas the working system has its flaws, Apple’s suite of enhancing apps and its broader ecosystem present a major benefit.

That stated, the iPad Professional is positioned extra as a professional-grade enhancing machine, designed primarily for video editors and content material creators. For instance, it may be used as an enhancing monitor or a colour-grading show—capabilities that put it in a unique league past what most individuals sometimes count on from a pill.

However the OnePlus Pad 3 isn’t any much less spectacular, and this pill reveals simply how far high-end Android tablets have come. I used to be capable of add and publish tales, edit photographs in Lightroom, minimize movies in Adobe Rush, and multitask between an online browser and file supervisor with no hassle.

Options like Open Canvas and O+ Join—which supply an AirDrop-like expertise between the Pad 3 and a Mac—do improve the general expertise. Nevertheless, I nonetheless really feel that the Android OS lacks high-quality pill apps.

Perhaps the OnePlus Pad 3 is the most effective high-end Android pill, though it’s not an iPad Professional competitor simply but (and I don’t assume OnePlus is making an attempt to undercut that system). It appears extra immediately aimed on the iPad Air.