OnePlus is a hardware company known for offering excellent value through top-notch products at competitive prices. One of my biggest regrets from last year was not reviewing the OnePlus Pad when it was released. However, I am now correcting that mistake. The new OnePlus Pad 2 is official and is an even better device than its predecessor. Here is my hands-on experience with the OnePlus Pad 2.
OnePlus Pad 2: All deals
Price & Availability
The OnePlus Pad 2 is available for $549.99. Pre-orders can be made from July 16 to July 30 on OnePlus.com, with the open sale beginning on July 30 in the US and mid-August on Amazon.
In addition to the tablet, several accessories are available at the following prices: the OnePlus Pad 2 Smart Keyboard is priced at $149.99, the OnePlus Stylo 2 is available for $99.99, and the OnePlus Folio Case 2 is offered at $39.99.
Bundle Option
OnePlus is offering a special “Less is More Bundle” during the pre-order period from July 16 to July 30. This bundle starts at $484.99 and includes the OnePlus Pad 2 along with all its accessories, providing up to $354.99 in savings. The bundle includes:
- OnePlus Pad 2
- OnePlus Smart Keyboard
- OnePlus Stylo 2
- OnePlus Folio Case 2
Design & Display
The OnePlus Pad 2 features a sleek and elegant design with a slim 6.49 mm body and a weight of 584g. The all-metal unibody construction, in the Nimbus Grey color, gives it a sophisticated appearance. Its thin and lightweight design makes it comfortable to hold and easy to handle
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The tablet features a 12.1-inch 3K display with a 7:5 aspect ratio, providing clear and vibrant visuals at first glance. It also includes an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 30 Hz to 144 Hz, ensuring smooth performance across various applications.
I also appreciated that the bezels are designed to be just the right size, making it easy to handle the device without causing issues with the touch screen. They strike a perfect balance, providing enough space for a comfortable grip.
The front camera is positioned in the landscape orientation at the top-center of the display, which is intended to provide a laptop-like experience for video calls and meetings. On the back, there is a noticeable camera bump, with the camera sensor also located at the top-center of the back cover. This distinctive placement makes the tablet easily identifiable as a OnePlus product.
Overall, the design and handling experience are practical. The rounded edges contribute to a comfortable grip, and the Pad 2 boasts an all-around design.
Software & UI
Running on OxygenOS 14, the OnePlus Pad 2 offers a user-friendly interface that will be familiar to OnePlus Open users. It also includes the Open Canvas feature, which allows for multitasking with up to three split-screen apps. For those already immersed in the OnePlus or Android ecosystem, integration with other OnePlus devices is generally smooth
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Additionally, the tablet includes useful AI-driven productivity tools that streamline various tasks. One such tool is AI Eraser 2.0, for photo editing. This feature allows users to remove unwanted people and objects from images with a single tap. It automatically detects and highlights these unwanted elements, enabling users to eliminate distractions by selecting the “Remove Passersby” option. This functionality is similar to the Magic Eraser feature offered by Google Photos.
Another AI-driven feature is the Smart Cutout 2.0, and it’s designed for creating memes, stickers, and other visual content. This tool can recognize and isolate up to three subjects or subject groups within an image. Once isolated, these cutouts can be edited, saved as stickers, or overlaid on other images, making it versatile for content creators.
I liked these additions because they can work well with accessories like the OnePlus Stylo 2. OnePlus also provides a commitment to software longevity, guaranteeing three years of major Android updates and four years of security updates.
Performance
The OnePlus Pad 2 is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 platform, which offers a 25% improvement in rendering speed and power efficiency compared to the previous model. This upgrade should provide a smooth experience for gaming, streaming, and handling demanding tasks
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The chipset is paired with either 8 GB or 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and comes in two storage configurations: 128 GB or 256 GB of UFS 3.1. However, it does not offer the option to expand the internal memory.
In terms of performance, this tablet’s capabilities are significantly enhanced when used with its accessories: the Smart Keyboard, Stylo 2, and Folio Case 2. While these types of accessories are common across many brands, the combination offered by OnePlus is undeniably compelling. For less than $500, you can transform this tablet into a laptop-like device, making it useful for everything from attending classes to serving as a great companion for business travels.
The setup with the accessories was quick and intuitive, and combined with the software features for large screens, it was very enjoyable for writing and web research. With the folio case, you can take the tablet anywhere. Additionally, similar to my experience with the Google Pixel Tablet, I am excited to play Diablo Immortal on this tablet using a connected gaming controller for the full review.
Camera
As mentioned earlier, the OnePlus Pad 2 is equipped with a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera, both centrally positioned for convenient use during video calls or for content creation, as OnePlus emphasizes. The rear camera supports AI-enhanced file scanning, a feature that can be particularly useful for work and study purposes
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Battery Life & Charging
The tablet houses a 9,510 mAh battery and supports 67W wired fast charging. According to OnePlus, it can charge the battery to 64% in just 30 minutes and achieve a full charge in 81 minutes
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The charging brick will be sent in the box in the United States.
OnePlus Pad 2 technical specifications
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Early Verdict
Considering that I only had a short time with the OnePlus Pad 2, my experience was mainly focused on getting a feel for the device and identifying some software features. Regarding the design, my first impressions are that this is a well-rounded tablet. When combined with accessories like the keyboard and Stylo pen, it turns into a nice laptop-like experience.
Equipped with a top-notch Snapdragon processor, a high-resolution display, and user-friendly software, the OnePlus Pad 2 enters the market with many promises. Additionally, OnePlus offers an attractive pre-order bundle that might appeal particularly to students.
On the other hand, there are strong competitors in the market, and the OnePlus Pad 2 still needs to prove itself as good as its spec sheet suggests. We will bring you a full review of this device and its accessories in the coming days. What I can say now is that its performance looks promising.
Do you use a tablet? What do you think about the new OnePlus Pad 2? Please share your thoughts in the comments section of this hands-on review.
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