OnePlus Pad 2 review: Android tablet with impressive multitasking abilities | Tech Reviews

OnePlus has optimised the ergonomics for landscape orientation, making it easy to hold and use in this mode. However, the experience in portrait orientation presents a few challenges. The rear camera module, centrally aligned at the top in landscape mode, can interfere with grip when the tablet is held vertically. Additionally, the tablet’s flat-edged top, designed for the magnetic attachment of the stylus in landscape mode, creates a slight discomfort when holding the device in portrait orientation.

Display and audio

The OnePlus Pad 2 sports a 12.1-inch 3K LCD display, offering good visuals while playing games, watching videos, and in general everyday use. With a peak brightness of 900 nits, the tablet performs well outdoors, although glare can occasionally hinder visibility under direct sunlight at certain angles. The 144Hz refresh rate is particularly noticeable on the larger display, making scrolling feel smooth. Additionally, the tablet allows for app-specific refresh rate settings, enabling some apps to run at 144Hz, even if they do not natively support high refresh rate.

The display supports Dolby Vision HDR for select content when streaming from platforms like Netflix and Prime Video. OnePlus has integrated several visual enhancement features under the “Display and Brightness” settings – Image Sharpener, Video Color Boost, and Adaptive Detail Enhancement.

The Image Sharpener tool noticeably enhances the clarity of low-quality images and videos, even on third-party apps like YouTube. However, the Video Color Boost feature, which attempts to convert SDR content to HDR-like quality, does not perform as impressively. When tested on a non-HDR YouTube video, enabling this feature resulted in some of the darker sections being toned down, which affected the visibility of certain details.

On the audio front, the OnePlus Pad 2 impresses with its six-speaker system, delivering clear sound and satisfactory bass reproduction. While the built-in speakers are more than adequate for watching videos or playing games, they also perform well for occasional music playback. It is worth noting that while the speakers are sufficiently loud for indoor use, the volume around the 50 per cent mark feels low, with a significant jump in loudness as you increase the volume. However, this is a minor issue that could easily be addressed through a software update.

For those with supported wireless earbuds, the tablet offers the option for high-definition audio out on wireless. During testing, I paired the tablet with the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro and CMF Buds Pro 2, both of which provided the option to enable HD audio within the settings.

Software and features

The OnePlus Pad 2 is powered by Android 14-based OxygenOS 14.1 and, like the OnePlus Nord 4, it comes equipped with a suite of AI-powered features. Firstly, it gets the Smart Sidebar, also found on the Nord 4 and Oppo Reno 12 Pro, which offers a variety of assistive tools. When browsing an article online, you can slide open the sidebar to access two new options under the “Reading Assistant” section: “AI Speak” and “AI Summary.” “AI Speak” reads the webpage’s text aloud, while “AI Summary” generates a concise bullet-point summary highlighting key information.

The AI Writer feature is another useful tool, offering writing assistance whenever you open a text field, such as an email composition page. Tapping on the feature brings up a floating window where you can input pointers, keywords, or phrases to generate text. You can also select from different tones for the generated content, including “concise,” “detailed,” and “polite.” Similar to the Nord 4, this feature is available on Instagram for writing captions, but not for typing messages in the native messaging app or third-party apps like WhatsApp.

The tablet also includes audio transcription and text summarization features for voice recordings. The text summarization feature effectively provides an overview of a voice recording by highlighting key information in bullet points. However, the text transcription is not real-time and becomes available only after the recording is completed and saved.

Overall, the OnePlus Pad 2 offers a clean and feature-rich user interface. There are no intrusive notifications, and the number of pre-loaded third-party applications is minimal, with only Netflix and WPS Office included. The user interface is smooth, with subtle animations and transition effects, enhancing the overall experience.

Open Canvas

In addition to the AI-powered features, the OnePlus Pad 2 supports Open Canvas functionality for enhanced multitasking. Introduced with its maiden foldable, the OnePlus Open, this feature is now available on the OnePlus Pad 2. Open Canvas allows you to open multiple apps in a split-screen setup, with the flexibility to arrange them in a grid or stack like pages according to your preference. If you open another app or return to the home screen, the split view is minimised to the taskbar, enabling you to quickly return to where you left off. While Open Canvas allows for up to three apps, you can get the fourth as a floating window.

The tablet also includes ecosystem features like Content Sync, which allows you to mirror your OnePlus smartphone on the tablet. This feature enables seamless copying of text, viewing of pictures, and notifications from your smartphone on the tablet.

Performance and battery

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip paired with up to 12GB of RAM, the OnePlus 12 excels in performance. Everyday tasks like web browsing, casual gaming, and content consumption are handled well by the tablet. It also performs as good in more demanding scenarios, such as multitasking and running resource-intensive games.

Throughout extended multitasking sessions, I did not encounter any lag or stutter. For gaming, the OnePlus Pad 2 shines, delivering a solid experience even with graphically intensive titles like Genshin Impact and FC Mobile. Both games consistently ran at around 60 frames per second on the highest graphic settings. Additionally, by adjusting the app-specific refresh rate in the settings, I was able to push the frame rates even higher, achieving up to 72 fps on select titles like Injustice 2. During gameplay, I didn’t observe any significant frame rate drops or overheating issues.

The OnePlus Pad 2 also impresses with its battery life. Equipped with a 9,510mAh battery, the tablet lasted almost a full day of heavy use that included writing with multiple apps in split screen, video watching, web browsing and about an hour and half of intensive gaming. It’s worth noting that the Smart Keyboard and Stylo were connected most of the time, which would have drawn some additional power. The tablet comes with a 67W charger in the box, which recharges it from 15 per cent to 100 per cent in just over an hour.

Accessories

I used the OnePlus Pad 2 together with OnePlus Smart Keyboard and OnePlus Stylo 2 accessories. The Smart Keyboard is a valuable addition to the tablet, enhancing both functionality and user experience. It features a Windows-style keyboard layout, minus the number pad, but includes a well-sized trackpad that supports gestures like two-finger swiping for scrolling. There’s also a dedicated “AI” button, similar to the new Copilot button on Windows laptops, which opens up either Google Assistant or Gemini, depending on your selection. Common keyboard shortcuts such as Ctrl+C for copying and Ctrl+V for pasting work seamlessly with the Smart Keyboard.

In terms of typing, the keyboard performs well. Despite its sleek design resulting in minimal key travel, the feedback on each key press is impressive. The layout is comfortable, and even though the keys are closely spaced, typing doesn’t feel cramped. The only downside I noticed is that the trackpad doesn’t support gestures for the Open Canvas feature, which would allow easier app placement in a split-screen setup.

Notably, the Smart Keyboard offers dual connectivity with the tablet. It functions both when magnetically attached to the tablet and via Bluetooth, allowing you to control the Pad 2 from a distance. The transition between these modes is smooth, with the keyboard remaining connected even when detached from the tablet.

As for the OnePlus Stylo 2, it’s fun to use and offers great comfort. The stylus has a leather-like texture that enhances grip and feels good in the hand. During sketching, I experienced no lag in its response. Additionally, each tool—like Pencil, Highlighter, and Eraser—offers a distinct tactile experience. For instance, the Pencil feels rougher, while the Highlighter and Eraser glide smoothly.

The stylus charges and pairs with the tablet magnetically on the top edge of the device. However, finding the exact spot and orientation to securely attach it can be a bit frustrating.

Verdict

OnePlus Pad is among the best mid-range Android tablets in terms of functionality. A complete all-rounder, it ticks all the boxes for a secondary portable workstation, a content watching companion and even an impressive portable gaming device with a big screen.

Priced at Rs 39,999 onwards, the OnePlus Pad 2 offers a premium aesthetic, a vibrant display, impressive performance and a solid battery life. While there is not much to complain about, the tablet only comes with up to 256GB of on-board storage and does not get a microSD slot for expansion. Additionally, it also does not have the option for LTE connectivity. If big storage and SIM support is what you are looking for in a tablet, there are other options available in the market.