OnePlus Pad Review: Excellent Performance with Dimensity 9000 Chip, Long-lasting Battery, Smooth 144 Hz Display

While Android tablets have not yet made much noise in the market, there have been some promising signs in recent years. Among them, the OnePlus Pad stands out as OnePlus's first tablet with many notable highlights. So what's new with OnePlus Pad? How does OnePlus Pad perform? How long does OnePlus Pad's battery last? How much does OnePlus Pad cost? Let's review OnePlus Pad to learn more about this product!

Note: This article is translated and referenced from GSMArena and Beebom.

See more: 

• Hands-on with OnePlus Nord Buds 2: Beautiful design, great sound quality, 7-day battery life
• OPPO Pad 2 leaks more information about the camera, launch date approaching

Powerful Performance of OnePlus Pad with Dimensity 9000

I'll summarize the specifications of OnePlus Pad for everyone to reference!

• Display: 11.6-inch size, IPS LCD panel, 2,800 x 2,000 pixels resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate.
• CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 9000.
• RAM: 8 GB.
• Internal Storage: 128 GB.
• Rear Camera: 13 MP.
• Front Camera: 8 MP.
• Battery Capacity: 9,510 mAh, supports 67 W fast charging.
• Operating System: OxygenOS 13.1 - Android 13.

Check out: Roundup of all the latest Dimensity chips in 2023: Covering a wide range of segments

OnePlus Pad utilizes the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chip with an octa-core CPU and Mali-G710 MC10 GPU. Users can choose between two options of LPDDR5 memory: 8 GB or 12 GB, paired with UFS 3.1 storage of either 128 GB or 256 GB. However, this choice also depends on the region, with the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage variant widely available in most regions such as North America and Europe. In India, OnePlus Pad offers an additional variant with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage, providing users with a larger storage capacity option.

OnePlus Pad, powered by MediaTek Dimensity 9000, delivers overall CPU performance comparable to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 and GPU performance closely matching the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. Despite not boasting the latest and greatest chip, OnePlus Pad still achieves significant competitiveness against other Android tablet competitors in the market. This highlights that the performance of OnePlus Pad is noteworthy and well-suited for daily use.

In practice, OnePlus Pad exhibits fairly stable overall performance and quick responsiveness for most tasks. However, users may sometimes encounter stuttering and sluggishness when scrolling in apps, especially during web browsing. These issues are often caused by ads, videos, and other embedded elements. This could stem from operating system and app optimization not being fully completed, rather than being due to the processor's performance. OnePlus could enhance this experience through software upgrades and optimization in future updates.

Gaming performance on OnePlus Pad falls short of impressive if you enjoy modern titles that demand high resolution and stable frame rates. The device lacks the processing power to deliver native resolution at 60 FPS. In tests with games like Genshin Impact and Fortnite, OnePlus Pad struggled and only ran at low resolutions. The issue may stem from the mismatch between resolution and screen refresh rate. Even with reduced resolution, frame drops are still possible during gameplay.

For playing lighter and older games, OnePlus Pad offers a good experience with the ability to maintain a stable 60 FPS most of the time. For most of these games, there are no significant issues with the display, except for some corners being cut off due to strong curvature. However, due to the operating system's limitations, the refresh rate cannot exceed 60 Hz, resulting in the maximum speed of the games being capped at that level. Let's take a look at some performance points of OnePlus Pad!

OnePlus Pad boasts excellent thermal dissipation capability and significant thermal performance, meeting expectations for a large-sized tablet. Through rigorous testing, the processor of the device maintains consistent performance over time without significant degradation. While the area between the rear camera and the power button may become warm during prolonged use, it does not cause discomfort, as this location is sufficiently far from the user's hand placement.

OnePlus Pad's 9,510 mAh battery provides impressive usage duration.

OnePlus Pad comes with a 9,510mAh battery, larger than the average for tablets. However, considering its high-performance chipset, the battery endurance was uncertain before testing. Nevertheless, OnePlus Pad demonstrated stable battery life with 12 hours and 54 minutes of web browsing over Wi-Fi and 12 hours and 33 minutes of video playback.

The author refrains from providing an overall battery life ranking for tablets, as GSMArena's phone battery evaluation method, based on standby power consumption, is not meaningful for tablets with large batteries. Instead, the testing focuses on active screen usage. Web browsing tests are conducted with a high refresh rate, while video playback tests are performed at a 60Hz refresh rate.

OnePlus Pad supports 67W fast charging with OPPO/OnePlus SUPERVOOC standard. In the box, you'll find an 80W charger (depending on the region) similar to the recent Nord CE 3 Lite, also supporting 67W charging. This charger only has a USB-A output, so it can only provide fast charging for compatible OnePlus and Oppo devices, through proprietary technology and cables. For other devices, the charging speed will revert to standard USB-A charging speed.

In GSMArena's tests, OnePlus Pad was able to charge 50% of the battery in the first 30 minutes. The time to fully charge the battery is about 78 minutes, nearly matching the 80 minutes OnePlus claims. The author is very pleased with the charging speed on OnePlus Pad, making it one of the fastest-charging tablets they've tested. What's even more impressive is that this device can charge faster than the iPhone 14.

OnePlus Pad features a sharp 11.6-inch display with a smooth 144Hz refresh rate

OnePlus Pad utilizes an IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 2800 x 2000 pixels, creating a unique 7:5 aspect ratio. With a high refresh rate of up to 144Hz, the screen delivers an excellent experience. Additionally, the LCD screen on the OnePlus Pad achieves 10-bit color output by combining an 8-bit panel with FRC. Although it doesn't use an OLED panel like some premium tablets, the color quality and contrast on the screen remain consistent whether you view it from a straight or angled angle.

GSMArena measured the OnePlus Pad's maximum brightness at 442 nits when manually adjusting the slider. In brighter lighting conditions, the device still doesn't exceed that limit. Although it doesn't reach the claimed 500 nits, this is still a notable achievement for a tablet. However, the weakness lies in the black level, which is higher than average. Therefore, the achieved contrast ratio is 1195:1, lower than many other tablets the author has tested. This is noticeable when viewing dark content, especially in low-light environments.

The Vivid mode on the screen provides beautiful and eye-catching colors but lacks color accuracy. When switching the Color temperature to Warm mode, whites and grays appear slightly greenish. The Natural mode adjusts the screen's color temperature based on ambient light to deliver neutral white. Switching to Natural mode, the screen displays colors very accurately compared to the sRGB color standard (average deltaE difference is 3). The Pro mode also delivers colors almost accurate for DCI-P3 content (average deltaE difference is 3.6).

OnePlus claims that the maximum refresh rate on the OnePlus Pad screen is 144 Hz, a number often mentioned in their advertising materials. However, it's important to remember that 144 Hz is the maximum supported refresh rate. Whether the screen actually operates at a 144Hz frequency is an entirely different question.

During testing, the author only found one app running at a 144 Hz refresh rate as advertised, and that's Chrome. Most other apps, including other browsers, only operate at 120 Hz or 60 Hz. This can be inconvenient, especially for latency-sensitive apps like drawing or gaming, as these apps are often limited to a 60 Hz refresh rate. Video apps like YouTube will only operate at a 60 Hz refresh rate except for video playback, and the refresh rate will be maintained regardless of the video's frame rate.

OnePlus Pad supports HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision formats, but finding online content with these formats can be quite challenging. Currently, Netflix is the only provider on Android that supports Dolby Vision, and the OnePlus Pad is not certified for this feature. This means there is no Dolby Vision content on Netflix and no other HDR format in the app. Additionally, Prime Video also does not stream HDR content and limits the maximum resolution to 1080p, so we're not fully utilizing the high-resolution potential of the OnePlus Pad screen. For HDR content and 4K resolution, only YouTube is the sole app supported on the OnePlus Pad.

The lack of widespread HDR support on the OnePlus Pad is not as significant an issue as you might think. The overall IPS LCD screen still isn't suitable for HDR content playback, especially without any dimming effect to compensate. Black colors mostly appear as gray, and due to the 7:5 aspect ratio higher than the average, there will be black bars above and below the screen.

OnePlus Pad camera 13 MP is sufficient

The OnePlus Pad is equipped with a single camera on the rear, with a resolution of 13 MP and autofocus feature, accompanied by an LED flash. You can record videos at resolutions of 720p, 1080p, and 4K, at 30 frames per second. However, the digital image stabilization feature is not available when recording videos at 4K resolution. On the front, there's a wide-angle camera with 8 MP resolution, allowing for video recording at 1080p resolution with 30 frames per second.

The camera interface of the OnePlus Pad has a design similar to other OnePlus devices but has been simplified. You can easily switch camera modes from below and have toggle buttons on the left, including: Flash, Timer, AI enhancements, Aspect ratio, and HDR. Additionally, the device features a 2x digital zoom function. You can also activate the Selfie Portrait mode to blur the background, and the device also has a night mode. Moreover, the OnePlus Pad also supports panorama, slow-motion, and time-lapse modes for you to create unique, creative photos.

The image quality from the rear camera of the OnePlus Pad is considered quite good for a tablet. The device is capable of reproducing accurate colors and wide dynamic range, while providing good detail. For regular photography or document capture, the image quality from this camera is sufficient to meet users' needs.

The front camera of the OnePlus Pad also allows for capturing photos and recording videos with beautiful quality, meeting the requirements of video calls. Particularly, the wide-angle selfie mode is a notable highlight, although the sharpness may not be high when shooting from a distance. The Limelight feature, available on the wide-angle selfie camera, helps to detect faces in the frame and focus on those faces by cropping the image.

OnePlus Pad features a unique concentric circle back design

OnePlus Pad appeals to users with its slim and lightweight design and good build quality. The front of the device is covered by a thin layer of glass with gentle curves around the edges. The screen of the OnePlus Pad is surrounded by a uniform bezel, measuring less than 1 cm. While reducing the size of the screen bezel is expected, on a tablet, there still needs to be some space to place the thumb when holding the device. That's why the edge bezels of the OnePlus Pad are still kept relatively large.

Both the body and the screen of the OnePlus Pad are heavily curved at all four corners. This may cause some content to be cropped when displayed. On the left side of the OnePlus Pad are the power button and two of the four external speakers. On the right side, you'll find the remaining two external speakers along with the USB port. Looking down below is where the three contact feet are placed to attach a magnetic keyboard.

The top edge of the OnePlus Pad is flattened to accommodate the stylus while charging. A pill-shaped cutout on the right side of the top edge will indicate the precise stylus placement during charging. On the left side of the stylus area are the volume buttons and microphone. An 8 MP front camera is also positioned on the bezel below this location.

The rear of the OnePlus Pad is finished with concentric circles emanating from the large camera lens. Surrounding the rear edge is a seamless band designed for internal radio antennas, while the back cover has a smooth monolithic design. This line may be noticeable at certain times and concealed at others, depending on how light is reflected upon it.

Spotting smudges on the surface of the OnePlus Pad is quite easy. The back of the device is made of a special metal material that easily attracts dirt, and the small grooves make cleaning more difficult compared to a smooth and uniform surface. This is regrettable considering the device's striking design. However, the OnePlus Pad impresses with its thinness, even when using a keyboard, the product still maintains its slim profile. In terms of color, users have two options: Black and Green.

While the OnePlus Pad boasts a slim and lightweight body, making it easy to use, the physical buttons on the device should be designed for easier use. They are slightly smaller than the overall size of the device and can be cumbersome to operate. Additionally, their placement is not convenient and does not provide a comfortable feel no matter how you hold the device. The OnePlus Pad is a well-crafted device. Although it is overall slim and lightweight, the device still provides a solid and sturdy grip. While the device is not certified for dust and water resistance, this is not common and necessary for a tablet.

Now is the perfect time to talk about the accessories of the OnePlus Pad, as mentioned earlier, you need to buy them separately. First up is the OnePlus Magnetic Keyboard, a pricey accessory that includes a folio case, keyboard, and integrated mouse pad. This keyboard attaches to the OnePlus Pad magnetically and uses pogo pins to transmit data. The outside of the folio features a soft leather-like material, providing good grip when moving around. The inside of the folio contacts the metal back of the OnePlus Pad and is lined with felt, helping to clean off some dirt on this surface.

The keyboard on the OnePlus Magnetic Keyboard is designed in chiclet style with keys of appropriate size for typing letters and numbers. The number row also includes shortcut keys for commonly used functions, accessible by pressing the Fn key. Initially, it may take some time to get used to the keyboard, but after a few hours, the author found themselves typing faster. The keys also have good tactile feedback and are comfortable to type on. Below the keyboard is the trackpad, with a hinge in the center and can be clicked across the entire surface. The trackpad also supports multi-touch gestures.

The magnetic keyboard is a useful accessory on the OnePlus Pad, however, it also has some issues to consider. Firstly, the angle at which the OnePlus Pad is attached to the keyboard is very steep, causing the tablet to stand upright when combined with the keyboard. This can help balance the tablet on your lap without tipping over, but the downside is that you always have to look at the screen at a very uncomfortable angle.

The second issue is that the keyboard does not have backlighting. This makes it difficult to use the keyboard in low-light conditions, especially when you're not familiar with the key layout. The third issue is that the mouse pad is too short compared to the height of the screen. While the touchpad has enough width to move the cursor in line with the screen width, the short height only allows you to move the cursor about 4/5 of the screen height before running out of space on the touchpad. This means you have to frequently lift your finger to move the cursor to the remaining part of the screen.

The issue with the touchpad isn't too bothersome during usage; however, the author wishes the keyboard had backlighting and the ability to adjust the tablet angle at more angles when connected. This would make this accessory more suitable for its price point.

The author also received another accessory, the OnePlus Stylo - a wireless stylus that connects via Bluetooth and charges through a magnetic connection on the tablet's top edge. This stylus has a smooth surface, almost entirely flat to attach to the tablet; the device also has reasonable weight and good balance from end to end.

The stylus pen works well, and the pairing and charging process goes smoothly. Through real-world experience, the author notes that this device provides a good drawing experience, even though he is not an art professional. The stylus has a pressure-sensitive tip of 4096 levels, allowing for thicker strokes when pressed harder, and you can also tilt the pen to draw broader lines. The operating system also automatically recognizes and provides options as you move the pen across the screen. Palm rejection works well, and you can place your hand on the screen while drawing without hindrance.

OnePlus claims that the stylus has a latency of 2ms, however, sometimes the response time seems a bit longer. This may be due to limitations of most drawing apps running at a 60Hz refresh rate, but the author believes this could improve in the future. Overall, the OnePlus Stylo is still a good tool if you prioritize using an Android tablet for drawing.

How much is the OnePlus Pad? Is it worth owning?

Overall, OnePlus Pad stands out as a notable breakthrough in the tablet market due to its significant advantages. The sleek and elegant design combined with the sharp display and good performance create a positive initial impression. However, the most notable point is the addition of the keyboard and stylus, showing that OnePlus Pad is not just a basic media playback device, but also ambitious to become a versatile and creative tool.

OnePlus Pad opens up many creative possibilities and enhances productivity, from word processing, drawing, note-taking, and many other applications. This helps transform OnePlus Pad into a versatile and multimedia tool worth exploring and using. The price of OnePlus Pad in the US market is 479 USD for the 8 GB RAM, 128 GB internal storage version. So what do you think of OnePlus Pad? Leave a comment below to let us know!

If you're in need of a powerful performance tablet, you can visit Mytour to explore many genuine products with special prices. Click the button below to discover now!

BUY GAMING TABLETS AT ATTRACTIVE PRICES

Check out: Hands-on with OnePlus Ace 2 Xiangling Edition: Loads of cool gifts