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Design8
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Display10
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Processor10
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Camera and audio10
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Battery life10
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Accessories10
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Value for Money10
I’ve been forced to look past the iPad a fair bit this year, thanks to a bunch of Android-based review units.
The latest to cross my desk is the OnePlus Pad 2, and, I won’t beat around the bush – it’s a bit of a belter.
It’s been refreshing to step away from the iPad now and again, although I should note that I’m still very much a full-time iPad user; I’m yet to switch to an Android tablet full-time (namely because of the Apple ecosystem and Ulysses – a writing app that cannot be matched on any other platform).
So, any Android-based tablet I test has quite a job on its hands.
This is how the OnePlus Pad 2 fared.
Specs and pricing
The OnePlus Pad 2 is running the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There are no other options beyond that configuration. The same goes for the colour – it’s a (rather attractive) Nimbus Grey or nothing.
Power is taken care of via a 9,510mAh battery that can deliver up to 12 hours of video playback and is compatible with 67W super-fast charging.
The display is a 3K unit measuring 12.1 inches diagonally, and featuring a 144Hz adaptive refresh rate, Dolby Vision support, and up to 900 nits of peak brightness. If you’re the sort of person to take photos with your tablet (I’m not judging), there’s a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP selfie camera.
Everything is powered by OxygenOS 14 (which is based on Android 14), and there are a couple of homegrown accessories you can add to the bag at checkout – the £149 Smart Keyboard, and £99 Stylo 2 stylus. If you’re quick enough, you can grab either one of those completely free during the pre-order process.
The OnePlus Pad 2 is priced at £499 (although, as always, you can save a bit if you pre-order).
Design, display, and performance
There isn’t much you can do with tablet design. Just like phones, they are slabs of metal and glass with a camera bump thrown in for good measure. That leaves manufacturers with the unenviable task of making them as unique and recognisable as possible.
OnePlus has done a good job with the Pad 2. It’s smart-looking in Nimbus Grey, benefits from very simple OnePlus branding, and has a distinctive but non-intrusive camera bump.
The only thing I’d ask for in future is some additional colour options.
Onto the display. It’s bloody lovely. The high refresh rate, Dolby Vision support, and bezels, which are perfectly sized for grip vs screen estate, belie this tablet’s price point. It’s so good that I’m tempted to make the Pad 2 my travel media device. This idea is bolstered by the fact that it also includes stereo speakers, which do a great job (there are six in total, and they use something called the ‘Omnibearing Sound Field’, which is a bit like Dolby Atmos).
Continuing the audio theme, the Pad 2 has a feature called Holo Audio, which is intended to make specific sounds feel as though they’re coming from different locations – i.e. notifications to the left, digital assistant to the right, audio above, and alarms just off-axis. It’s an interesting idea and works pretty effectively – although it’s best suited to earbuds (like the OnePlus Buds 3 Pro, which are superb performers, incidentally).
In terms of performance, the Pad 2 is indeed running the latest Snapdragon chip and has enough RAM for pretty much anything most of us will want to do with this tablet. At this price, you cannot ask for any more – it’s barnstorming.
OxygenOS is great, too. It feels nicely stock Android but with some lovely little OnePlus touches. Of all the Android device manufacturer brands, they remain one of the most considerate when it comes to tweaking Google’s mobile operating system, and the Pad 2 is all the better for it.
I particularly like the multitasking options, which enable you to easily run three apps side-by-side (called Split View). While only two are displayed by default, you can drag the one that’s just out of view into view and zoom out with four fingers to fit all three on the screen at once. Split views can be saved to the Home Screen for easy access and a Smart Sidebar can be slid in to access specific apps, which subsequently open in floating window form (and which you can drag and resize freely).
If you’re wondering, the OnePlus Pad 2 does indeed have AI stuff built in, including web summaries, writing assistance, and audio transcriptions from voice note recordings.
OnePlus Pad 2 accessories
To really get the most out of your OnePlus Pad 2, you’re going to need a couple of accessories – namely the Smart Keyboard and Stylo 2. They’ve both received upgrades over their predecessors and they’re great – once again, particularly at their respective price points.
The Smart Keyboard has a great typing feel, and although it isn’t backlit, you can use it while detached from the rest of the case, which makes for some very useful ergonomic situations. On that note, the back cover attaches very securely via magnets and offers loads of tilt-ability.
The Stylo 2 matches the Apple Pencil lineup for responsiveness and is extremely comfortable to use thanks to the grippy finish. I particularly like the fact the pencil tool actually makes a pencil noise (fabricated via the speakers, of course).
Conclusion: Is the OnePlus Pad 2 better than the iPad Air?
Having given this some thought, I think the most comparative iPad for the OnePlus Pad 2 is the 11-inch M2 iPad Air.
This is where things get really interesting.
The 256GB model of Apple’s tablet is £699. Add in the Apple Pencil Pro at £129 and the Magic Keyboard for £299, and you’re facing a bill of £1,127. That’s £380 more expensive than the same OnePlus Pad 2 setup – if you pay full price for the latter. Which you probably won’t.
Despite this huge saving over what might be the obvious tablet brand for a lot of people, it comes down to whether you prefer iPadOS and Apple in general over the Android competition.
For some people, it’s a no-brainer – the iPad wins, hands-down. For anyone who doesn’t have a specific affinity for Apple and the iPad, the OnePlus Pad 2 is also an absolute no-brainer. This is a brilliant Android tablet with performance, display prowess, and accessories, that do not compute with how little you pay for them.
It’s also the first five-star rating I’ve ever given a product on this website. Bravo, OnePlus.
