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Final 12 months, OnePlus launched certainly one of my favourite tablets ever with the OnePlus Pad 2. It launched a number of key modifications over the unique, culminating in probably the greatest Android tablets and solidifying its place as a competitor to Samsung’s Galaxy Tab line.
Now, the OnePlus Pad 3 is right here, providing a number of variations and modifications of its personal, whereas constructing upon what made the Pad 2 so good.
Andrew Myrick
In between determining methods to place retro emulators on all the things, Andrew completely enjoys exploring what’s potential with Android tablets. He is continuously on the lookout for new and revolutionary methods to make the most of tablets, reminiscent of changing his laptop computer or reworking tablets into sensible dwelling dashboards.
OnePlus Pad 3: Worth and availability
Preorders for the OnePlus Pad 3 are open from June 5 to July 8. It is solely out there in a single configuration, which comes at a retail value of $699. The pill can be out there in a single shade possibility: Storm Blue.
Preorders for the brand new Good Keyboard and Folio Case additionally commenced, with costs of $199 or $49, respectively. Nonetheless, should you preorder by July 7, OnePlus will embrace two free equipment, whereas provides final, and solely at OnePlus.com.
OnePlus Pad 3: Design and show
- The OnePlus Pad 3 encompasses a 13.2-inch LCD display with a 144Hz refresh price, which appears to be like improbable.
- It additionally gives a premium design, matching that of different flagship pill makers in the marketplace.
The OnePlus Pad 3 encompasses a bigger 13.2-inch show, whereas retaining the 144Hz refresh price and reaching a peak brightness of 900 nits. Surprisingly, OnePlus did not make the change to OLED, as an alternative opting to depend on an IPS LCD.
Whereas some may bemoan this resolution, I welcome it. For one, it would not exclude the a part of the market that suffers from PWM, which is not one thing that may be mentioned for different flagship tablets. Nonetheless, whereas I admire a handsome OLED display, I really feel that LCD panels will be simply pretty much as good in lots of conditions.
Since I personally do not undergo from PWM, I am simply joyful that the Pad 3 is provided with the 144Hz refresh price. Decrease 60Hz shows simply should not pleasurable to make use of, particularly while you’re utilizing one thing this massive.
The Pad 3 once more gives a number of design modifications apart from the bigger show. The digicam has been moved to the highest left nook, which we will solely assume was to accommodate the slimmer construct and bigger 12,140mAh battery.
Nonetheless, the extra I seemed on the newest OnePlus pill, the extra I spotted how a lot it jogged my memory of the iPad Professional and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The curved edges are gone, and so is the notched cutout alongside the highest, the place the OnePlus Stylo 2 was housed on the Pad 2.
Now, we’ve flat edges throughout the board, with simply sufficient bezel so that you even have one thing to carry onto, with out which it is similar to virtually all the things else on the market. I perceive that there is not a variety of wiggle room right here, which is why I discover slab telephones so boring, however I might have preferred to see one thing.
OnePlus Pad 3: Equipment
- OnePlus additionally launched a bigger Good Keyboard Cowl to match its newest pill.
- The OnePlus Stylo 2 was not upgraded, nevertheless it works completely.
OnePlus redeems itself a bit, because the Keyboard Cowl makes its return. The NFC chip constructed into the palm relaxation permits simple file transfers between your cellphone and pill. Whereas it is not one thing I exploit incessantly, I am a giant proponent of flexibility, so OnePlus hits the mark right here.
Typing on the keyboard feels similar to each different laptop computer launched previously few years, and the trackpad is large enough with out getting in the way in which. Nonetheless, I am unsure if it is a “me” factor, however I really feel like shifting the cursor round is not fairly as clean or fluid as earlier than.
It at all times appears to stutter sooner or later, and I can not seem to get the cursor to finish up the place I would like it to be. So as an alternative, I am going to simply both faucet the display with my finger or use the Stylo 2. I hope this may be remedied with a software program replace, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly irritating.
What hasn’t pissed off me is that you may take away the keyboard from the Pad 3 and nonetheless use it. This is a superb characteristic, and it is one of many causes I opted for the Flex Keyboard once I bought the Surface Pro 11. As somebody who tends to maneuver round rather a lot of their chair, this characteristic permits me to regulate the keyboard’s place whereas maintaining the display in the identical place.
OnePlus Pad 3: Efficiency
- The OnePlus Pad 3 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
- Regardless of missing expandable reminiscence, a transportable SSD works simply wonderful with most emulators.
The largest improve for the OnePlus Pad 3 comes as little shock, because it’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. This is similar chip present in most of the finest telephones of the 12 months, so it solely is smart for it to be out there in what was anticipated to be one of many best tablets.
|
Class |
OnePlus Pad 3 |
|---|---|
|
OS |
OxygenOS 15 (Android 15) |
|
Show |
13.2-inch LCD, 3392 x 2400, 144Hz, 600 nits customary, 900 nits peak, |
|
Processor |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite |
|
RAM |
12GB LPDDR5X |
|
Storage |
256GB (UFS 4.0) |
|
Rear Digital camera |
13MP, 4K @ 30fps Video Recording, EIS, Digital Zoom |
|
Selfie Digital camera |
8MP |
|
Audio |
8 Audio system (4 Woofers + 4 Tweeters), 2 Microphones |
|
Battery |
12,140mAh, As much as 80W charging |
|
Biometrics |
Face Unlock |
|
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, Bluetooth Low Power (BLE) |
|
Dimensions |
289.61 x 209.66 x 5.97mm |
|
Weight |
675 grams |
|
Colours |
Storm Blue |
The chip is paired with as much as 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, offering you with ample room for all of your actions. Sadly, there is no microSD card, nevertheless it’s really been much less of an issue than I anticipated.
I’ve lamented about how it sucks that cellphone and pill makers nonetheless will not embrace microSD card slots. Whereas 512GB of storage may sound like rather a lot to some, after I obtain apps, emulators, video games, and ROMs, that area is rapidly stuffed.
In consequence, I’ve resorted to maintaining nearly all of my gaming and emulation library on an exterior SSD. And fortunately, I do not really need to switch some video games to the Pad 3, as I can play them from the exterior drive. This is not the case throughout the board, however I’ve but to run into any points when utilizing one thing like GameSir’s GameHub for Home windows emulation.
Talking of which, it nonetheless amazes me that Android units are able to enjoying video games like GTA: V utilizing GameHub, and it has been a blast doing so once I can handle to search out the time.
Again when Winlator rose to prominence within the emulation scene, you would actually solely play lighter video games. Even one thing like Hades 2 was a bit an excessive amount of, largely due to how briskly you are shifting round throughout every stage. Nonetheless, I performed a number of rounds just lately, only for science, and seen that the FPS solely dipped beneath 100 a few times.
The primary time was proper after I began the sport, and the opposite was once I met Zeus on the finish of a special spherical. Apart from that, the Pad 3 dealt with all the things else like a champ, and did so fantastically. My solely hope is that driver development continues, because it’s nonetheless an absolute ache to get any Change video games operating with out tinkering with each setting potential.
You get it; the Snapdragon 8 Elite remains to be a beast, similar to we anticipated.
OnePlus Pad 3: Software program and AI
- OnePlus did not add a mess of AI options, as an alternative specializing in enhancing points like Open Canvas.
- Those that need Desktop Mode must wait a bit longer, as OnePlus is ready for Google’s implementation with Android 16.
Are you able to imagine I’ve made it this far with out saying “AI” as soon as? Yeah, me neither. That is as a result of there is not a lot to speak about. The keyboard nonetheless encompasses a devoted AI key, which supplies fast entry to Gemini on the fly.
Actually, it has been fairly refreshing to not have AI thrown in my face each time I open an app for the primary time. That occurs sometimes, however the actuality is that there are simply not many devoted or distinctive AI options. This isn’t a nasty factor, by any stretch, it is simply totally different from what we have grow to be accustomed to over the previous few years.
In addition to the AI key, Circle to Search can be right here, which I’ve discovered myself utilizing an increasing number of on my telephones. Simply faucet and maintain the multitasking bar, and the beautiful Gemini overlay will take over your display. I hoped to have the ability to transfer the cursor, then press and maintain to invoke Circle to Search, however that does not appear to be potential.
One other space the place you will discover AI is within the Notes app, as there is a devoted button within the backside toolbar. Faucet this, and an “AI Assistant for Notes” menu seems, providing numerous choices, reminiscent of Proceed Writing, Format, and Polish.
What you will not discover, not less than not but, are options like AI Plus Mind, which arrived in late Could for the OnePlus 13 collection. To be honest, the OnePlus Pad 3 would not have a devoted {hardware} button, however I used to be nonetheless shocked that it did not supply extra options.
As a substitute, the corporate centered extra on determining how its pill can enhance productiveness. It begins with enhancements to Open Canvas, OnePlus’ multitasking characteristic that originally debuted with the OnePlus Open.
There aren’t many new additions, per se, however the firm claims that the pill will be capable of counsel utilizing cut up display if it acknowledges that you just’re leaping forwards and backwards. Plus, should you do not thoughts the concept of floating apps, you possibly can technically rise up to 4 apps on the display without delay.
I’ve at all times understood the advantages of Open Canvas, however I nonetheless wrestle to make my mind work the way in which it must. I would a lot choose having windowed apps, however once more, that is simply the “desktop-style-first” mindset that I’ve.
Which leads me to Desktop Mode. Sadly, there is not one right here. As a substitute of making an attempt to reinvent the wheel once more, OnePlus will sit on the sidelines and anticipate Google’s implementation to reach.
This really makes a variety of sense provided that Google tapped Samsung to assist develop the forthcoming Desktop Mode. Now we simply have to attend and hope that Desktop Mode would not get pushed into Android 17.
OnePlus Pad 3: Frustrations
- O+ Join seems to be primarily catered in direction of Apple units.
- O+ Join will not work in any respect with Home windows computer systems, because the app fails to acknowledge and pair with the OnePlus Pad 3.
The final characteristic I wished to the touch on is O+ Join, which is each completely fantastic and an absolute crapshoot. It is not new or particular to the OnePlus Pad 3, because it initially launched in 2022, designed to carry an AirDrop-like expertise between Oppo telephones, tablets, and laptops.
When the Oppo Find N5 was launched in February 2025, an replace for O+ Join enabled distant management of your Mac from the Discover N5. Now, this performance is right here on the OnePlus Pad 3, once more aiming to supply seamless integration between OnePlus or Oppo units and Apple {hardware}.
Initially, it would not work for me in any respect, even after making an attempt to replace each the Pad 3 and my MacBook Professional. Nonetheless, it seems that the O+ Join app itself wanted to be up to date, and since then, I have never had any points.
It feels a bit odd, just because it is not a characteristic I anticipated to have. Nonetheless, it is not all that totally different from utilizing Parsec or one other distant desktop shopper. Nonetheless, I used to be shocked at how good the latency was, even when utilizing Photoshop on my Mac, from the OnePlus Pad 3 with the Stylo 2.
That is not the entire story, although. For no matter purpose, and regardless of my makes an attempt, I used to be unable to get O+ Connect with work between my desktop PC and pill. I am not speaking about “Distant Management” entry, which is not presently out there on Home windows. Even simply the Multi-Display screen Join performance, which ought to not less than enable me to switch recordsdata forwards and backwards, simply would not work.
I attempted a totally totally different Home windows pc, and nonetheless got here up empty. Provided that I spend most of my day on my Home windows desktop, it is fairly disappointing, to say the least. However hey, in case you have a Mac, it’s going to most likely work nice!
OnePlus Pad 3: Competitors
On the larger finish of the pill market, Samsung and Apple have stood alone for fairly a while. Nonetheless, it is time to embrace OnePlus within the combine because of the OnePlus Pad 3.
There are trade-offs to contemplate, it doesn’t matter what flagship pill you are taking a look at. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 lineup is comprised of simply two fashions, and regardless of dropping Qualcomm, each are nonetheless costlier than the Pad 3. However, Samsung gives probably the most software program options of the bunch, together with Galaxy AI and DeX Mode.
When it comes to pure design, you possibly can’t deny that the iPad Professional appears to be like the half. Sadly, cracks start to type in the case of the software program, not due to the app ecosystem, however attributable to iPadOS itself. To not point out that that is the costliest pill of the bunch for the bottom mannequin.
OnePlus Pad 3: Do you have to purchase it?
You can purchase this if…
- You need the most effective flagship Android pill.
- You undergo from PWM and wish a pill that is not OLED.
- You need a gadget that has a number of additional options, however would not attempt to do an excessive amount of.
You should not purchase this if…
- You favor an OLED show.
- You want a pill with LTE or 5G connectivity.
- You need a pill that has a devoted Desktop Mode and do not need to wait.
The OnePlus Pad 3 actually will get a variety of issues proper, because it’s each performant and has a premium design. Whereas there are a number of quirks and frustrations, they are not deal-breakers by any stretch.
I hope that Google rolls out Desktop Mode sooner somewhat than later, and that OnePlus jumps on that bandwagon as rapidly as potential. However even with out that, Open Canvas ought to be greater than ample for multitasking till it arrives.
For the primary time shortly, the OnePlus Pad 3 is a pill that I would really contemplate shopping for for myself, even with the iPad Professional and Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely already at my disposal. I firmly imagine the Pad 3 is healthier than each, even when it could not appear that means on paper.
Swiss Military Knife
It could be lacking a number of options, whereas not less than one simply would not work, however that should not detract from what the OnePlus Pad 3 brings to the desk. OnePlus did a improbable job implementing enhancements which are price upgrading from final 12 months’s mannequin, whereas making this the pill to beat in 2025.
