Boya Launches BoyaMic 2 And BoyaLink 3 Wireless Microphones With Enhanced AI
The BoyaLink 3 is a compact wireless microphone kit for content creators on a budget.
The market for wireless microphones is on fire right now and it reminds me of how the wireless earphone market of five or six years ago was taking off. Driving the demand for wireless microphones is the explosion in content creation for social media networks like TikTok and Instagram. Videos with poor-quality sound captured on the built-in microphone of a smartphone don't always fare well in terms of views, no matter how good the images are.
One of the growing brands in the wireless microphone space is Boya, a company that competes with the likes of DJI, Saramonic, RØDE and Sennheiser. Last month, Saramonic launched a high-end UHF wireless microphone system for professional videographers and filmmakers and this month it's Boya's turn to focus on the consumer market with the launch of two new wireless microphone kits.
Both wireless microphone product launches from Boya include AI-enhanced audio, enabling content creators to capture a higher-quality of sound for their videos. The first release from Boya is the new BoyaMic 2 which is the brand's latest flagship consumer wireless microphone system.
The BoyaMic 2 is the company's flagship wireless mic and includes two transmitters with 32-bit float ... More recording and 8GB of local storage.
The BoyaMic 2 targets consumer and professional production environments where dynamic range, audio fidelity and reliability are essential. The BoyaMic 2 uses true AI noise cancellation with a reduction of unwanted background sound by up to 40dB.
The two transmitter units contain a 32-bit float onboard recorder with 8GB of built-in storage, enabling them to capture distortion-free sound across extreme volume ranges without the need to manually set or alter input levels. This feature is particularly useful when filming scenes where there are unpredictable sound levels.
While the BoyaMic 2 kit has two transmitters and a receiver, it supports multi-transmitter and multi-receiver configurations up to 2TX-4RX, providing scalable options for solo operators using multi-cam setups for live streaming. With a 90dB signal-to-noise ratio, automatic gain control, limiter, safety backup track and a wireless range of up to 300 meters, the BoyaMic 2 promises to bring affordable studio-grade sound creators shooting on location.
The BoyaMic 2 receiver has a vibrant screen showing the status of each microphone transmitter. The ... More kit also includes two Lavalier external mics.
The second new Boya product launching today is the BoyaLink 3, a compact wireless microphone kit for content creators on a budget. While the BoyaMic 2 is aimed more at the professional market, BoyaLink 3 brings Boya's AI noise reduction technology to a wider audience with two transmitters and a single receiver.
Built into both the button-sized microphone transmitters is the ability to capture 48kHz/24-bit audio with an 85dB signal-to-noise ratio and triple distortion protection. The Link 3 system is aimed at journalists, travel vloggers and casual streamers who want better quality audio but with the ease of plug-and-play simplicity.
The BoyaLink 3 has real-time monitoring through a 3.5mm headphone jack, plus cross-platform compatibility thanks to a choice of USB-C, Lightning and TRS connectors and yet each button mic weighs just 9g. EQ tuning is customizable by using the Boya Central smartphone app and a full charge of the BoyaLink 3 can provide up to 30 hours of use before it needs recharging.
The compact BoyaLink 3 is made for content creators on a budget. The little button mics weight just ... More 9g and the who kit can slip into a pocket.
The BoyaLink 3 brings Boya's noise-reduction technology to a wider audience with AI-powered noise cancellation from a groundbreaking AI chip powered by deep neural network algorithms. Developed by the Boya Acoustic Algorithm Engineering Team after three years of research and more than 20,000 hours of deep learning on a database of over 700,000 real-time noise samples.
Both the BoyaMic 2 and BoyaLink 3 can cut noise by up to 40dB. The result is a sound quality that offers content creators more professional audio capture that eliminates many of the usual challenges posed by unwanted ambient noise when shooting.
Boya says that the launch of the BoyaMic 2 and BoyaLink 3 reflects the company's strategic focus on refining audio solutions for content creators. Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, the company has tweaked its product lineup to cater to both the growing technical demands of professional production and the accessibility and affordability needs of content creators on location.
By embedding advanced AI algorithms into both its flagship and entry-level devices, Boya says it wants to make high-fidelity and intelligent audio capture more accessible to content creators.
The BoyaMic 2 will be priced between $100 to $200, depending on configuration. The BoyaLink 3 will be priced at $75 to $120, with both products officially available from May 14, 2025.
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Digital Trends
43 minutes ago
- Digital Trends
OnePlus Pad 3 Review: Big, long-lasting, and powerful
OnePlus Pad 3 Score Details 'The OnePlus Pad 3 is a great tablet for video and games, with long battery life and fast charging. But it's best left at home.' Pros Large, high-res screen High performance processor Long battery life Fast charging Cons Big and heavy No fingerprint sensor OnePlus has a short, but strong history with Android tablets, and it also makes one of the best Android smartphones you can buy today. Can it follow the success of the OnePlus 13 and the OnePlus Pad 2 with its sequel, the OnePlus Pad 3? We've spent some time with it to find out. Recommended Videos Specs Dimensions 289mm x 209mm x 5.97mm Weight 675 grams Durability N/A Screen 13.2-inch LCD, 3392 x 2400, up to 140Hz refresh rate Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite RAM and storage 12GB LPDDR5x/16GB LPDDR5T, 256GB/512GB UFS 4.0 Camera 13MP rear, 8MP front Battery 12,140mAh Charging 80W wired SuperVOOC Software OxygenOS 15, Android 15 Colors Storm Blue Price OnePlus Pad 3: design The OnePlus Pad 3 looks more conventional than the more daring OnePlus Pad 2, with its simple corner-mounted camera and small volume and power keys, but what it lacks in character it makes up for in sheer size. It's huge. With the keyboard accessory attached it takes up more space and is less portable than my MacBook Air M1, and it doesn't fit into my normal, everyday bag like the Apple iPad Air M2 with the keyboard attached. It means the OnePlus Pad 3 is more suited to home use. The flat sides and rear panel give it an iPad-like look, and the aluminum body ensures it feels high quality, but the combination of its flat sides, size, hefty 675 gram weight, and a 5.97mm thickness means it's a little uncomfortable to hold for extended periods, as the natural position is to support the screen using your palm, where it starts to dig in after a while. It's not deal breaker, but a downside of having a tablet with such a big screen. If you're planning to use the OnePlus Pad 3 in the bath or by the pool, be aware there's no water or dust resistance IP rating, so it's best to be careful. The chassis feels solid, and OnePlus says its choice of aluminum helps with bend resistance without dramatically increasing the weight. OnePlus Pad 3: screen and performance The OnePlus Pad 3 has a 13.2-inch screen complete with a 3392 x 2400 pixel resolution, but it's an LCD panel rather than an OLED. This doesn't seem to affect quality, and there's little to split it and the iPad Air M2's beautiful screen, although if you really look hard you'll spot the iPad's wider contrast, and a little occasional hesitation during 2160p video on the OnePlus Pad 3. It's nit-picking though, and you won't notice unless you put it directly against another tablet. At maximum brightness the screen is visible outside in most conditions, and I've left the refresh rate in its automatic mode with no reason to change it. It will reach a maximum of 144Hz in certain situations, but most of the time it'll settle at 120Hz unless you're playing specific games. Aside from being prone to smudges (just like most other tablets), the screen is a winner and I've not questioned the decision to use an LCD over an OLED. There are eight speakers dotted around the OnePlus Pad 3's chassis, and the tablet will adjust the sound according to the screen's orientation. There's plenty of volume, but a surprising lack of low down thump, and the result is a rather harsh audio experience. The iPad Air and even my MacBook Air both have a fuller, more pleasing sound, The OnePlus Pad 3's speakers aren't bad, but the audio isn't quite as good as the specification suggests. It's a different story with overall performance though. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite is the same chip found in most top smartphones today, and it's more than powerful enough to handle everyday tasks, all the apps I've tried, and any game you want to play. The OnePlus Pad 3 has an effective cooling system, and the rear panel only gets warm during heavy gaming sessions and the 3DMark benchmarking app's hardcore stress tests. OnePlus Pad 3: security and camera A surprising omission is the lack of a fingerprint sensor to secure the OnePlus Pad 3. Instead, you can use the usual lock screen systems including a PIN, along with a face unlock option. The Face unlock is accurate, but obviously you need to look at the camera for it to work, and this isn't always convenient on a tablet due to the way it's picked up and held. The camera is set on the side in portrait orientation and can be covered by your palm. It's where a fingerprint sensor does come in handy, as you gradually get used to the location of a power key on the chassis, and automatically press it when picking up the tablet. It's how I've become used to using my iPad Air, and I quickly got into the habit with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE too. It's a longer period of adjustment with the OnePlus Pad 3, and I'm still at the bobbing-my-head-around stage to ensure the camera sees me and unlocks. The front camera is a basic 8-megapixel for face unlock and video calls, while there's a single 13MP camera on the back. No tablet is used for serious photography, but the app contains a range of filters familiar from the OnePlus 13, a Night mode, and the option to take 2x digital zoom photos. OnePlus Pad 3: keyboard and software The keyboard accessory makes working on the OnePlus Pad 3 very pleasant, with just the right amount of key travel and feedback, and you quickly work up a decent speed. There's no backlight, and you must adjust the speed of the big trackpad's cursor, as it shoots around almost out of control by default. The clickiness of the keyboard does give it a slightly hollow feeling, but at least you always know when you press it. I've written the majority of this review using the keyboard and the OnePlus Pad 3, entering text into Google Docs. It gave me a chance to use the excellent Split Screen mode, which is easy and logical to set up. The Open Canvas mode adds a third app to the view, and swiping between them is smooth and satisfying. It adds a great deal of versatility to the OnePlus Pad 3's work ability. The keyboard is attached using pogo pins, then secured with a magnetic kickstand rear cover. When you use the kickstand, it leaves the keyboard secured only by the magnetic pogo pins, and it can easily come unclipped. OnePlus promotes a way to share files between devices, including its O+ Connect system which links a Mac or PC to the tablet. After several tries I couldn't get a link going between the OnePlus Pad 3 and my Mac Mini, but you may have more luck. Just don't expect it to work immediately. The rest of Android remains hit-and-miss on tablets, with most apps functioning acceptably, but formatting issues are still sadly common, with buttons covered by an immovable keyboard being the worst offender. For casual work the OnePlus Pad 3 and the keyboard case is fine, but I wouldn't want to use it all the time, or for anything much more complex than emails and documents. OnePlus Pad 3: battery and charging The OnePlus 3 Pad is big, and it houses a big battery. It's a 12,140mAh cell, which is twice what you'll find in the OnePlus 13. OnePlus promises it'll deliver 18 hours of video playback, and also last for at least 60 days on standby, so it's going to be ready to use even if you leave it alone for a while. During general use the battery has lasted for three to four days on a single charge, using it connected to Wi-Fi for video and work. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is power efficient, and a 30-minute YouTube video takes 5%, while a 20-minute benchmarking stress test replicating high-end gameplay takes 10%. It's recharged using a USB-C cable and supports OnePlus's SuperVOOC fast charging speeds. I used an Anker Prime charging station to recharge it in about 95 minutes, meeting the company's estimate of 92 minutes The OnePlus Pad 3's battery, standby, and charging features make it an excellent buy. OnePlus Pad 3: price and availability The OnePlus Pad 3 costs 529 British pounds for the 12GB/256GB model, or 699 pounds for the 16GB/512GB version. It's worth noting the RAM is LPDDR5X in the 12GB OnePlus Pad 3, and LPDDR5T RAM, potentially making it slightly faster and more power efficient. The keyboard accessory costs 169 pounds, and the stylus is 99 pounds. The OnePlus Pad 3 will be available from June 19. The price has crept up since the OnePlus Pad 2, and is now close to the price of an 11-inch Apple iPad Air, but still cheaper than the 13-inch model. Interestingly, it's the same price as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE, but has a far more impressive spec sheet, making Samsung's most recent Android tablet look like poor value next to it. Should you buy the OnePlus Pad 3? The OnePlus Pad 3's massive screen makes it a joy for video, and even the slightly tinny speakers can't ruin the experience. The battery lasts for ages, whether you use it or not, and the keyboard is very pleasant to type on. OnePlus's multitasking features make up for some of Android's shortcomings on a tablet, and the company will support the software for three years, meaning it'll last for a good while. However, it's much too big to use comfortably out of the house, and an 11-inch tablet is far more versatile. The price also puts it in direct competition with the excellent 11-inch Apple iPad Air, and size isn't the big selling point OnePlus will tell you it is, depending on what you want to do with the tablet. But put against the Galaxy Tab S10 FE, it's a much better value purchase. The OnePlus Pad 3 is a solid Android tablet we recommend, but it's not very exciting, and for all its size and power, doesn't really do much to push Android tablets forward. It's not a criticism, but more to make sure we set your expectations correctly.
Android Authority
43 minutes ago
- Android Authority
OnePlus wants Samsung's Android tablet crown, and I think the Pad 3 can take it
OnePlus Pad 3 OnePlus set out to create one of the best Android tablets money can buy with the Pad 3, and it checked nearly every box. This third-generation slate charges faster than options from Apple, Google, and Samsung, while sporting a form factor that pulls the strengths from all three. It's more expensive than either of its predecessors yet offers enough of an enticing mix of premium design, incredible performance, and innovative software (Open Canvas is still the best thing) to make this a challenger for the best Android tablet, dollar for dollar. Samsung has been my go-to for Android tablets for several years, and I'm probably not the only one. The tall, thin Galaxy Tabs have been perfect for almost all of my travel needs, from streaming shows to writing on the go, and it hasn't hurt that there's a Samsung option at virtually every price point. As with all things, however, that dominance — relative to Android at least, iPad is still the sales king in the tablet world — has come with a slowdown in innovation. The last few Galaxy Tab S updates have been merely good rather than exceptionally great, opening the door to competition. And, if the rest of the competition is as good as the $699 OnePlus Pad 3, Samsung might have a battle on its hands. After two successful stabs at making a serious tablet push, here's why I think the original flagship killer's third attempt kicks things up a notch and stakes a claim for the mantle of the best Android tablet around, dollar for dollar. There's something… familiar about this design Paul Jones / Android Authority I'm caught between two sayings when I look at the OnePlus Pad 3 — both in the same vein. The first is that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Just one glance at this third-generation tablet is probably enough to tell you which well-regarded, fruit-associated slate it's modeled after. The second saying that comes to mind, though, is that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and I think that does a better job of positioning the OnePlus Pad 3 than anything else. If you're unsure what I'm referring to, I have two words for you: iPad Air. On pretty much all levels except for software, the OnePlus Pad 3 is a dead ringer for Apple's light, powerful tablet, and I don't think that's an accident. After all, I don't think OnePlus would have shuffled the position and changed the shape of its circular camera bump or moved away from its classic green finishes if it hadn't been using Samsung's main tablet rival for inspiration, as opposed to Samsung itself. It walks like an iPad Air, and it talks like an iPad Air, but it's actually one of the best-looking Android tablets around. And yes, I know that this sounds like me being an iPad fanboy, but hear me out — there isn't another line of tablets that challenges Samsung as effectively as Apple's iconic iPad. Sure, the oddball Pixel Tablet takes care of Google fans and smart home users who want a tablet-hub combo, and the Amazon Fire Tab comes in several sizes and is much cheaper, but for one reason or another, neither makes Samsung sweat. The iPad, however, does. Whenever it gets lighter, thinner, or more powerful, the Galaxy Tab usually does the same, so by copying Apple, OnePlus is just trying to stay ahead of the curve. So far, I'd say that it's working. Everything about the Pad 3 feels just a bit more polished than the previous generation OnePlus Pad 2, thanks in part to its slightly more comfortable Storm Blue-colored aluminum frame. It's thinner than before, sitting at a hair under 6mm thick (almost literally at 5.97mm), but the more important change is that the flattened frame is much more comfortable to hold than the previous rounded one. Besides, I think OnePlus was always going to have to change something about the shape of its tablet once it upgraded the display size, again. This time, it's up to 13.2 inches, an increase of more than an inch and a half from the original OnePlus Pad that only launched in 2023. That makes it one of the bigger Android tablets on the market right now, falling right between the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and Tab S10 Ultra and matching, well, the iPad Air… of course. And, at that size, it can be tough (or simply uncomfortable) to hold a huge, rounded frame for long stretches, like taking a video during your kid's dance recital. Jokes aside, I like how OnePlus has used the space while expanding its flagship tablet. Yet again, it's added more speakers to the setup, bringing the slate to an even four woofers and four tweeters, creating one loud tablet. I set it up next to the OnePlus Pad 2 and turned both to full volume for a quick playthrough of a few songs from Mt. Joy's record, I Hope We Have Fun, and the Pad 3 was both louder and sharper from start to finish. It's easier to pick out the softer instruments across the additional speakers, and the bass notes have more of a presence. Ryan Haines / Android Authority Those speakers also seem to pair perfectly with the Pad 3's 7:5 aspect ratio, one spot where it finally veers off from Apple's well-trodden path. To me, OnePlus's slightly more rectangular display (at least compared to the iPad's usual 4:3 aspect ratio) makes it a little better for all-around usage, while avoiding the horizontal-only feel of the wider Galaxy Tab flagships. It's perfectly comfortable as a secondary screen for me to refer back to briefing notes, but it is also wide enough that I'm not losing too much of my display to letterboxing while streaming. Unfortunately, with most of my favorite shows done for the season and Chelsea having secured Champions League football for next year, there hasn't been as much to watch, but it's also given me a chance to go back and catch a few movies from the start of 2025. I hopped into Wicked to get a taste of the Pad 3's 68 billion colors (which is what it supports, according to OnePlus), and then immediately had to cleanse myself with a dark, moody rewatch of Nosferatu — mostly to see how the LCD panel would handle the night scenes in Wisburg. OnePlus's 7:5 aspect ratio lands right in the sweet spot between streaming and web browsing. For the most part, it breezed through my home cinema marathon. The bright hues of Shiz University were about all I could ask for, while the stereo speakers were probably loud enough to convince my upstairs neighbor that I was playing the movie on my TV. That might be an exaggeration — I kind of hope they didn't hear showtunes through the floor. Conversely, those night scenes in Nosferatu reminded me why OLED panels are still slightly better. Although the Pad 3 did pretty well with the blacks of Orlok's cape and almost everything else about the movie, they weren't as deep or dark as I've gotten from something like the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. OnePlus does, however, have the more pixel-dense display of the two, with a smoother 144Hz refresh rate than Samsung's 120Hz. Another display-adjacent advantage of Samsung's flagships over the Pad 3 is their front-facing camera. The 12MP selfie shooter on the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is a little sharper and offers a slightly wider maximum aperture for better light capture. OnePlus's 8MP, 1/4.0-inch sensor is perfectly fine for a basic Zoom call — and provides the Pad 3's only biometric unlock because there's no fingerprint reader — but it's limited to a meager 1080p video at 30fps compared to Samsung's 4K support at the same frame rate. It at least matches the iPad Air for resolution, but it's still half the Air's 60fps spec. Ryan Haines / Android Authority The last thing I need to mention about OnePlus's revamped tablet is the new slate of accessories. Because the Pad 3 is significantly larger than the Pad 2, your existing folio case and smart keyboard will no longer fit, meaning you'll have to upgrade your entire tablet setup with either the $199 Pad 3 Smart Keyboard, or the $49 Pad 3 Folio Case. This isn't much different than if you'd gone from a base iPad to an iPad Air, but it quickly pushes a $700 tablet closer to $750 or $800. On the bright side, OnePlus decided not to update its optional stylus, the Stylo 2, so you can save that $100 if you already have one. OnePlus knows how to pack in the power Ryan Haines / Android Authority Although the OnePlus Pad 3 looks and feels like an iPad Air from the outside, its internals are Android from top to bottom. By that, it kind of feels like OnePlus took the beating heart of the superb OnePlus 13 and scaled it into a massive 13.2-inch body. The Pad 3 pairs a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in the base configuration, though a 16GB and 512GB version is available in specific markets. For those keeping track at home, those are the exact RAM and storage options available on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, just without quite as steep a pricetag. And, with all of that power in the palms of your hands, you might be wondering just how to position the OnePlus Pad 3 among other premium Android tablets. To me, this feels like a laptop replacement through and through — and not just because the smart keyboard reminds me of my beloved Surface Laptop 3. In all seriousness, it feels like the type of slate that you'd much rather use for gaming, drawing, and creating than simply taking to class or wasting time on YouTube. In an effort not to seem like I'm simply hyping up OnePlus's packed spec sheet without backing it up, I decided to run the Pad 3 through our phone-centric slate of benchmarks — or at least the basics. I set up the usual CPU and GPU-heavy suspects (Geekbench 6, PCMark Work 3.0, and 3DMark's Wild Life stress test), and put the Pad 3 up against both Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and the Galaxy S25 Ultra, as well as the OnePlus 13 — you know, just to see how a flagship tablet keeps pace with a flagship phone. As it turns out, the paces were pretty close. I mean, the overclocked Galaxy S25 Ultra put up the best numbers across the board — not a huge surprise — but the Pad 3 kept almost perfect sync with its smartphone counterpart, and easily overcame the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra's Dimensity 9300 Plus chipset in the single and multi-core phases of the Geekbench 6 run. Samsung's slate jumped a little further ahead in the more comprehensive PCMark Work 3.0 test, though I'm not sure that the delta in performance is worth the extra $500. Ryan Haines / Android Authority On the graphics side, the Pad 3's Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset shows more of its strength. It doesn't start quite as high as either the OnePlus 13 or the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but it maintains its top-end performance a bit better throughout 20 runs, finishing at somewhere around 80% of its original efficiency. More impressive is that it hardly budges after the 11th loop, hanging onto consistent scores while both Samsung products bounce up and down to finish the test. So, if you're looking to mix mobile gaming and/or retro emulation into your everyday tablet usage, it certainly looks like the Pad 3 can back you up. Moving beyond the raw numbers, I simply love how the Pad 3 feels in everyday life. I've given it a little bit more responsibility than I gave the Galaxy Tab S10 FE — the last tablet I reviewed — tasking the Pad 3 with a bit more intensive research into where I'm staying for the Erie Marathon in a few months, how I'm getting there, and which race shoes I need to be narrowing my decision down to. It handled all of the above with ease, and Open Canvas remains the best possible way to multitask on a tablet. I'll talk more about the software wrinkles in a second, but it's tough to beat extra windows that you can swipe in and out as if you were solving a Rubik's Cube. The OnePlus Pad 3 feels fast and smooth in everyday life, and its battery just runs and runs. The OnePlus Pad 3 is perhaps a little bigger than I might like for games that count on on-screen controls like a joystick or virtual buttons, but it works perfectly for puzzle titles like Railbound, and the 13.2-inch display might be slightly cheating when it comes to hidden-object adventures. At the very worst, I could probably attach my smart keyboard to the pogo pins and use classic WASD controls with the touchpad if I really wanted to get into a gaming session. But, whether I'm gaming, researching, or mindlessly scrolling, the OnePlus Pad 3's battery has been a tank. OnePlus claims that its 12,140mAh cell supports up to 70 days of standby time before needing a charger, and so far, I think I'm inclined to believe it. I, of course, have been using my OnePlus Pad 3 far too actively during my week with it to gauge the standby time, but I can't say I've noticed much passive drain at all. If I put it down overnight, I'll come back to maybe a percentage or two missing, which is nothing to complain about. Ryan Haines / Android Authority I've also only charged the Pad 3 once in my time with it, which is up there with the reliability I've come to expect from things like my Garmin running watch. However, unlike my trusty GPS wearable, the Pad 3 charges at a spicy 80W with the included SuperVOOC block. And, if you've ever had to sit and fully charge an iPad or a Galaxy Tab, you know the difference that 27W vs 45W vs 80W charging can make. I'm used to sitting by an outlet — or rather, leaving my tablet at an outlet — for two to two-and-a-half hours at a time before it's ready to go, which makes the OnePlus Pad 3's 90-minute charge time feel like an absolute sprint, especially given the huge battery capacity. Giving OxygenOS room to breathe Ryan Haines / Android Authority One of the harder things for most Android tablets to do, though, is scale their software experience effectively. For whatever reason, scaling tall, thin apps onto wider displays hasn't worked out exceptionally well. It's almost like most developers approach their tablets like massive phones rather than like laptops or like the secondary displays they are. Not OnePlus. It's had a pretty good feel for how Oxygen OS should fit and function since the first Pad, and it's only gotten better since then. And yes, that means it's time to talk about Open Canvas and a few other software wrinkles in more detail. But first, the just-okay news. OnePlus's latest tablet ships with Android 15 right out of the box, which is great. However, it will only get three years of Android updates and six years of security patches. I'm perfectly fine with that security commitment — it's almost up to Samsung's level — but I have to say that I'm let down by only offering Android version upgrades through version 18. This is an expensive tablet, and it deserves better support. Now, back to the good news. I'd like to see a few more Android updates hit the Pad 3, but the overall software experience is so, so good. From the minute you set up the OnePlus Pad 3, it feels like the developers went in with a fully formed idea of what they wanted Oxygen OS to feel like on the big screen. It's a pretty faithful secondary screen, supporting clever tricks like a File Dock, which allows you to drop a file along the right edge of your tablet in the Smart Sidebar and quickly retrieve it on another OnePlus device. Similarly, it'll sync any photos and videos you capture on your phone to your tablet the next time both devices are active and near each other. That said, my hands-down favorite piece of Oxygen OS 15 Tablet Edition is still Open Canvas. I've been using it almost daily — at least while using the Pad 3 every day — and it's still miles ahead of most other multitasking solutions. Yes, you can only split two apps across the main display at a time, but you can comfortably hide others along the edges of the Pad 3's display, allowing you to quickly swipe back and forth when you need to dedicate the full 13.2-inch panel to whatever you're doing. OnePlus has also expanded the number of apps that support Open Canvas, but without a dedicated list, I'm still doing a bit of trial and error to figure out what works. OnePlus has also expanded O-Plus Connect to work with the Pad 3, and it can connect to both Mac and Windows devices. If there's one thing I don't love about O-Plus Connect, it's the fact that you have to install it via an APK file, which makes the whole experience feel less than official, but the setup process itself is pretty quick and painless. And, if you thought we would get through this review without at least a passing mention of AI, think again. It's 2025, this is a flagship tablet, of course there's at least a little bit of AI at play. Thankfully, most of it is pretty simple and straightforward — there's a dedicated button on the Smart Keyboard to launch Gemini, and the Pad 3 supports Circle to Search — but there's a little bit of OnePlus cleverness at play, too. More specifically, the Pad 3 supports the same AI Toolkit the company showed off when it announced its Android 15 refresh. That means it packs AI Speak, which reads articles aloud, AI Summary, which, well, summarizes those articles, and AI Writer, which is a OnePlus-flavored version of Apple's Writing Tools or Google's Help Me Write. The only trick to the toolkit is that you'll have to turn on Screen Recognition first, which allows the Pad 3 to watch what's on your display and recommend tools or suggest when you might need to split screen for more effective multitasking. If you don't allow Screen Recognition, you'll be limited to Gemini and Circle to Search for your AI experience, which is perfectly fine for most people. OnePlus Pad 3 review verdict: Premium but pricey Ryan Haines / Android Authority If OnePlus set out with the specific goal of stealing Samsung's flagship tablet crown, then the Pad 3 is nothing less than mission accomplished. From top to bottom, it might be the most consistent, well-rounded Android tablet I've ever used, settling in a middle ground of not too streaming-specific like the Galaxy Tab, not so smart home-centric like the Pixel Tablet, and with more raw power across performance, battery, and charging metrics than any Android tablet to date. We can sit here and debate whether or not imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but whatever you want to call the OnePlus Pad 3, it just works. The flattened side rails make it a little easier to wrangle the massive footprint, and the switch from a green finish to a blue one makes the tablet look much more mature, if a little less fun. Besides, with eight stereo speakers and a vibrant display like this, I don't think you'll spend much time looking at the color options anyway. OnePlus came for the king, and it did not miss. OnePlus's flagship killer roots are on full display inside the Pad 3, too, with its ample RAM and storage backing up the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset across everything I've asked. Mix in a long-lasting battery with some of the fastest tablet charging you'll ever use, and it's tough to find an obvious weak spot on OnePlus's third-generation slate. Would I have preferred an OLED panel to an LCD? Sure, I think most people would. Would I also like a fingerprint reader tucked into the power button? Yes, of course, this feels like the strangest omission from the whole setup. However, OnePlus's face unlock is quick and pretty reliable in my experience (my colleague Paul who also tested it had less luck, check out his video review to hear his take), so it was easy enough for me to live without the extra biometrics. Unfortunately, all good things come at a cost, and for the OnePlus Pad 3, that cost is literal. In just three years, OnePlus's only tablet option has climbed from a launch price of $459 to $699, reserving it for a different tier of Android fans. That means if you jumped on the OnePlus Pad train right at the start and are now ready to upgrade because your previous tablet has run out of software updates (yes, already), you'd better be prepared to pay one and a half times what you originally spent. Unless you're going to ditch your laptop for good, I'm not sure that will be in the cards for many OnePlus fans. And, if you're not already at least partially ingrained in the OnePlus ecosystem, that asking price of $699 could climb quite a bit higher. You'd have to budget for a OnePlus phone to nab a few of the more specific cross-device features, and you're already going to have to pick up a few new accessories. Even if you have a trusty pair of wireless earbuds, the new smart keyboard or folio cover will add to your cost, and the Stylo 2 is pretty much a must-have when exploring a screen this big, making a $700 tablet feel more like $800 or $900 by the time all is said and done. If you buy it before July 7, 2025 you can pick from two of three accessories (Smart Keyboard, Stylo 2, and Folio Case) as a freebie, but after that, you'll be talking a decent chunk of change to get the most out of the Pad 3 as a productivity beast. So, if that climbing price tag has you reconsidering how badly you want a OnePlus Pad 3, what can you do? Well, the first option is to stick with an ecosystem you're already comfortable with. If you have a Samsung Galaxy phone, you'll probably be more at home with a Galaxy Tab S10 FE ($499.99 at Amazon) or a Galaxy Tab S10 Plus ($999.99 at Samsung), both of which offer a pretty similar experience just with different levels of polish. In my review, I called the Galaxy Tab S10 FE all the tablet that Android fans need, and I stand by it. It's more affordable than the Pad 3, yet it offers a comparable LCD panel with a slightly lower refresh rate. Samsung's battery life is also excellent, though its Exynos 1580 chipset isn't quite as powerful. The Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, on the other hand, leaps above the Pad 3 in terms of price, but adds a second rear camera to the mix, comes with an S Pen in the box, and will get several more Android updates before it reaches the end of its life. It's slightly smaller than OnePlus's latest tablet, and the 16:10 aspect ratio will take some getting used to if you're coming from an iPad or another relatively square pick, but you'll quickly find that you lose almost no screen real estate to letterboxing when streaming. Plus, Samsung still has the largest stable of tablet-friendly AI features, and has the unique DeX mode for anyone who wants to scale up their tablet with a monitor and accessories. Outside of Samsung but sticking with Android, you could save a couple of bucks and pick up Google's Pixel Tablet ($499 at Amazon), which is like a detachable Nest Hub. It brings the clean, smooth experience of Pixel UI to a big screen, and the fact that you can charge it by simply sitting it on a dock and leaving for the day feels like Google chasing the smart home of the future. You'll once again get plenty of updates to look forward to, and I thoroughly appreciate that the Pixel Tablet is designed to make life around the house easier rather than chasing the functionality of a laptop. If you can fit the OnePlus Pad 3 into your budget, you can't really go wrong. Lenovo has a few good options, too, in both the Yoga Tab Plus ($699.99 at Amazon) and the Legion Tab Gen 3 ($549.99 at Lenovo). The former is your AI-enriched, everyday option, which offers a stylus and keyboard that feel a lot like the OnePlus Pad 3's accessories. It's big, loud, and powerful, but it's also slightly more expensive than the Pad 3 and probably offers the best cross-platform functionality if you already have a Motorola phone in your pocket. The Legion Tab Gen 3, on the other hand, is a gaming tablet that drops the price point just a bit. It combines last year's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset with Legion ColdFront cooling and a 165Hz refresh rate to throw you into the action and keep you there until the 6,550mAh battery runs out. And then, there's the venerable iPad — practically the OnePlus Pad 3's evil twin, still set on world dominance. More specifically, I'm talking about the iPad Air ($529 at Amazon). I mean, the two tablets look the same, they feel the same, they both come with 13-inch displays, and they both start at roughly the same price, depending on whether you pick the 11-inch or 13-inch iPad Air. If you already have an iPhone, it only makes sense to stick with the iPad for its long-term updates, seamless notification sharing, convenient software features like FaceTime and iMessage, and, let's admit it, Apple's superior app ecosystem for tablet power users. The iPad Air is also at a high enough level within Apple's hierarchy that it'll benefit from the larger Apple Intelligence rollout in a way that the base iPad ($321 at Amazon) won't just yet. Of course, if you're taking this as a sign to dive headfirst into Apple's ecosystem, just remember that accessories like the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil will balloon your overall cost up to or above the $1,000 mark. As an Android fan first and foremost, if it were me, I'd just grab the OnePlus Pad 3 and call it a day — if you can fit it into your budget, you can't really go wrong. OnePlus Pad 3 MSRP: $699.99 Flagship-killing tablet. The OnePlus Pad 3 is a true step into the flagship tablet race, pairing Qualcomm's best chipset with an upgraded design and some of our favorite tablet software features in the business. See price at AmazonSee price at OnePlus Positives Vibrant 165Hz display Vibrant 165Hz display Premium, versatile design Premium, versatile design Phenomenal battery life Phenomenal battery life Blisteringly fast charging Blisteringly fast charging Elite performance Elite performance Punchy speakers Cons Rising price tag Rising price tag Limited Android version updates Limited Android version updates Basic front camera Basic front camera No fingerprint biometrics
Yahoo
an hour ago
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Citigroup to axe around 3,500 tech roles in China
Citigroup is trimming its workforce size by approximately 3,500 at two of its technology centres in China, reported Reuters. The aim is to consolidate and streamline the bank's global technology operations to enhance its risk and data management systems. The staffing reductions will affect the China Citi Solution Centres in Shanghai and Dalian, with the bank planning to complete the process by the start of the fourth quarter of this year, the news agency said citing a statement by Citi. The jobs being cut are predominantly full-time positions, a source privy to the development disclosed. Some of the jobs from these centres would be relocated to other technology hubs within the company, although the specifics regarding the number of jobs or their destinations were not provided. This announcement follows last month's report, which indicated that Citigroup was reducing around 200 information technology contractor roles in China. In March, the bank communicated internally its strategy to decrease its reliance on IT contractors and to increase its in-house IT staff, in response to penalties imposed by regulators concerning data governance and control shortcomings. The downsizing in China is part of Citigroup's global restructuring plan, which has also seen the bank scaling back operations in the US, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Poland. The China-based service and technology unit is tasked with delivering financial technology and operations services to support Citigroup's global business operations. Citigroup is currently in the process of establishing a securities unit in China, still maintain the regional presence. Post-reduction, Citigroup's staff count in China is expected to be around 2,000, which includes several hundred employees within the technology division. Citi Japan, Asia North and Australia banking head Marc Luet was quoted by Reuters as saying: "Citi continues to pursue the establishment of a wholly owned securities and futures company in China." "Citigroup to axe around 3,500 tech roles in China " was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
