OnePlus Pad 2 Review: A Worthy Successor But Still a Long Way From Replacing Your Laptop
OnePlus’s first tablet, the Pad, made a big splash last year with its impressive value and mid-range performance. Now, the company is back with its successor – the OnePlus Pad 2. It boasts a top-of-the-line processor, a larger display, and bundled accessories, all at a price that seems like another steal. But does this new tablet live up to the hype? Does it offer the performance and features to truly challenge laptops? We put the Pad 2 through its paces to find out.
OnePlus Pad 2 Design: Premium and Practical
The OnePlus Pad 2 may look similar to its predecessor at first glance, but don’t let that fool you. The new model is a significant upgrade in terms of design and premium feel. A sleek metal unibody chassis, beautifully machined rear panel, and a stunning high-resolution display make it a joy to hold and look at. The tablet’s rounded edges seamlessly transition to the flat rear surface, creating a comfortable and stylish design.
The standout feature is the new Smart Keyboard: a two-piece system consisting of a kickstand and a keyboard section. The kickstand firmly attaches to the rear of the tablet with strong magnets, securely supporting its weight (584g) at various viewing angles. This is a huge improvement over the original Pad’s keyboard cover, offering more versatility and flexibility. The magnetic connection on the kickstand is strong enough to hold the tablet upright for movie viewing or at a slanted angle for stylus use.
However, the keyboard half of the case is a bit of a letdown: It hangs loosely from the Pogo pin connector at the bottom, lacking a strong enough magnet to hold it in place when closed. This makes the keyboard feel flimsy and less secure, and it’s not ideal for those who want to use the tablet on their lap like a laptop.
The OnePlus Stylo 2, priced at Rs. 5,499, is a welcome addition. This new stylus provides a comfortable grip thanks to its leather-like texture and offers a satisfying writing experience. It also supports 16,000 levels of pressure sensitivity, which is great for creative tasks like drawing and note-taking.
OnePlus Pad 2 Display: A Mixed Bag
The Pad 2’s display boasts a significant upgrade: A larger 12.1-inch screen that still retains the taller 7:5 aspect ratio of its predecessor. This new display is sharper than before, with a 306PPI density that enhances visuals and makes multitasking more comfortable. However, it’s important to note that the panel is still LCD and lacks an HDR certification. While SDR content looks great, this means you won’t be able to enjoy the full benefits of HDR-supported content in streaming apps. The display also boasts a 144Hz refresh rate, but it only reaches a maximum of 120Hz in the software interface and apps, making it a bit of a gimmick.
OnePlus Pad 2 Software: A Touchy Trackpad and AI Features
The Pad 2 runs OxygenOS 14.1, built on top of Android 14. OnePlus has added a number of AI features to the mix, including AI Eraser 2.0, Smart Cutout 2.0, and AI Toolbox. These features, borrowed from Oppo’s ColorOS, offer a glimpse into the future of OxygenOS. However, while these features are beneficial, they are not as robust or reliable as similar offerings on other platforms like Samsung tablets or Google Photos.
The new Smart Keyboard’s trackpad is significantly larger than its predecessor. It sports a smooth surface that’s great for gestures and clicking. However, its performance is inconsistent. While the trackpad registers taps smoothly with “Tap to click” enabled, certain links and buttons on websites are unresponsive without it. This issue was resolved after a recent keyboard firmware update, but it highlights some software glitches that need addressing. The lack of touchpad support for full-screen view in Open Canvas also limits its versatility.
Open Canvas, borrowed from OnePlus’s foldable phone, is a valuable addition for multitasking. It allows you to open and view three full-sized windows simultaneously, either in preview mode or full view mode. However, navigating these windows with the touchpad is cumbersome, as it’s not possible to scroll through documents or pages while editing them.
OnePlus Pad 2 Performance: Impressive Power
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC, the OnePlus Pad 2 delivers impressive performance across the board. It handled even demanding games like Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile, and Asphalt Legends Unite with ease, while remaining cool even under heavy workloads.
Benchmark results reveal a significant leap in performance:
- AnTuTu v10: 15,64,773 (OnePlus Pad: 8,39,224)
- PCMark Work 3.0: 11,625 (OnePlus Pad: 10,275)
- Geekbench V6 Single: 929 (OnePlus Pad: 1,065)
- Geekbench V6 Multi: 4,536 (OnePlus Pad: 3,265)
The tablet’s six speakers produce powerful, balanced audio with enough bass to fill a large room. The Dolby Atmos certification adds a layer of immersive audio to movies and music.
However, the Pad 2 continues to lack a biometric authentication system for security. While face unlock is offered, it’s unreliable and not as secure as fingerprint authentication. This is a missed opportunity, especially given the tablet’s price point.
OnePlus Pad 2 Stylus: A Step in the Right Direction
The OnePlus Stylo 2 boasts a comfortable grip and 16,000 levels of pressure sensitivity. The inclusion of a vibration motor near the pen tip adds a tactile feedback element that enhances the writing and drawing experience. However, the laser pointer feature feels underwhelming, as the tip’s position often doesn’t align with the pointer on the screen.
OnePlus Pad 2 Battery: Powerhouse Performance
The Pad 2 features the same 9,510mAh battery as its predecessor, yet the improved processor helps maintain impressive battery life. In our video loop test, the tablet lasted 15 hours and 28 minutes (compared to 18 hours and 10 minutes on the original Pad). This is still enough for two full workday.
Charging speed is also boosted. The Pad 2 charges to 56% in 30 minutes and reaches a full charge in 1 hour and 14 minutes, outperforming its competition.
OnePlus Pad 2 Cameras: Not a Priority
The Pad 2’s camera setup reflects the reality of tablet cameras. The 13MP rear-facing camera with LED flash is sufficient for capturing documents and basic photos in good lighting. However, for anything more serious, using your smartphone is the better option. The 8MP front-facing camera is adequate for video calls and selfies.
OnePlus Pad 2 Verdict: A Worthy Contender But Not a Laptop Replacement
While Android tablets still lag behind Apple’s iPads in productivity, the OnePlus Pad 2 is a step in the right direction. It offers a powerful processor, a large display, and a handful of productivity features to enhance your workflow. While the Smart Keyboard suffers from design issues and the touchpad has some inconsistencies, the Open Canvas multitasking feature works surprisingly well.
The Pad 2 offers great value, especially when compared to its competition:
- The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ (starting at Rs. 42,999) has an IP68 rating and cellular connectivity, but costs more.
- The Lenovo Legion Tab (starting at Rs. 34,999) is designed for gamers with better performance than Samsung’s tablet, but lacks the multitasking capabilities of the Pad 2.
The lack of cellular connectivity and a robust biometric authentication system are the biggest drawbacks of the Pad 2. Still, with its impressive performance, sleek design, and versatile features, the OnePlus Pad 2 is a solid option for those seeking a tablet for casual use, light work, and some gaming. However, if you’re looking for a laptop replacement, you might want to look elsewhere for now.
