OnePlus Pad 3 Review: Aiming to be your next laptop

The Hindu

a day ago

OnePlus is gradually building up an ecosystem of power-packed products. As a brand, it has already established a strong foothold in the smartphone segment (as seen in our latest reviews), and it is now replicating this in the tab segment. The company has launched the 3rd generation of OnePlus Pads – the OnePlus Pad 3. Backed by strong features like the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a massive 12,140 mAh battery, a 13.2-inch LCD display, and the latest AI-powered multitasking interface, the new Pad 3 positions itself as a strong challenger for the latest iPad, and may emerge as a fan favourite.
Right off the bat: the new keyboard accessory is a game-changer. It transforms the tablet into a near-laptop experience. Whether you're drafting documents, browsing, or juggling multiple apps, the keyboard is intuitive and responsive. It's sold separately, but if productivity is your goal, it's absolutely worth adding to your cart.
Design & Build
Let's start with the aesthetics. The OnePlus Pad 3 is available in two colour options: a classy Storm Blue and Frosted Silver. The model I reviewed was the Storm Blue version, which looks sharp and offers up premium vibes without being flashy. Despite a large 13.2-inch display and an 8-speaker system, the tab has a slim and balanced profile. With just 5.97mm thickness and a weight of 675g, it's one of the slimmest tablets, just a notch thicker than the iPad Pro, which still holds the crown at 5.1mm.
The aluminium unibody design adds a premium feel and solid grip, making the Pad 3 portable without compromising on screen real estate. Button placement is also thoughtful: the power button is positioned on the top-right corner, while the volume buttons sit on the side. The USB-C charging port is located at the bottom, keeping cable management neat when using it in landscape mode with the keyboard.
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This is a tablet that feels solid yet lightweight, built for both portability and performance.
Display
The 13.2-inch LCD LTPS display with 3.4K resolution (3392x2400) is one of the most impressive panels on an Android tablet today. With a 7:5 screen ratio and ultra-slim bezels (89.3% screen-to-body ratio), it hits the sweet spot between productivity and entertainment. Whether you're reading, editing, or binge-watching, the display offers crisp text, rich colours (DCI-P3 98% coverage), and smooth transitions thanks to its adaptive refresh rate of up to 144 Hz.
Brightness levels go up to 900 nits in high brightness mode, so outdoor usability isn't an issue. Add to that a high touch sampling rate of 540Hz, making the display responsive too. But what really works in its favour is its utility. This is a display made for real work. Paired with the new keyboard, it handles multitasking like a pro.
OS & AI
Running OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15, the OnePlus Pad 3 offers a custom software experience that fully taps into its powerful hardware. At the core is Open Canvas, OnePlus' proprietary multitasking interface that shines on the Pad 3's expansive 13.2-inch screen. You can place up to three apps side by side, or have two in split screen with a third floating above or below—switching between them takes just a tap. A smart quick-access menu above each window lets you float, maximize, or switch apps instantly, making multitasking smooth and intuitive.
Complementing this is a new app dock that slides up from the bottom to show recent apps, pinned shortcuts, and a drag-and-drop file browser for seamless interaction. Whether you're researching, editing content, or running complex workflows, Open Canvas makes the Android tablet experience genuinely productive.
The tab also features new AI-powered tools. Open a document and you'll see a sidebar with smart features like translation and summaries. Circle to Search works on any screen, and pressing the AI key on the keyboard instantly launches Google Gemini. OnePlus AI is being integrated thoughtfully with the new products, with a focus on performance and productivity, not just flash.
Performance
The latest OnePlus Pad 3 is built like a flagship. It's powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite, paired with the Qualcomm Oryon CPU running at up to 4.32GHz, and the Adreno 830 GPU. This makes it one of the most powerful Android tablets on the market. You get RAM options of 12 GB (LPDDR5x) or 16 GB (faster LPDDR5T), along with UFS 4.0 storage in 256 GB or 512 GB variants. That's serious laptop-level power in a portable chassis.
From streaming 4K content to gaming, multitasking, or editing large files, the Pad 3 can do it all. Thermal management is solid, and everything runs fast and fluid, even with multiple apps open.
And if you're wondering whether the performance matches the polish, it absolutely does. On Geekbench, the Pad 3 scored an impressive 3,081 in single-core, 9,375 in multi-core, and a GPU score of 17,942. These numbers not only put it ahead of most Android tablets but even make it competitive with some ultrabooks and Apple's M-series iPads. From gaming to graphic-heavy apps, the Pad 3 keeps everything running smoothly.
If you're serious about productivity on Android, no other tablet in this segment comes close.
Camera
Let's be real — no one buys a tablet for its camera, but that doesn't mean it should be bad. The Pad 3 features a 13 MP rear camera and an 8 MP front camera. The rear camera can shoot 4K at 30fps and supports Electronic Image Stabilization. This renders it more than capable for scanning documents, capturing whiteboards, or the occasional outdoor click. The front camera does a solid job for video calls — clear enough for work meetings and casual conversations. It won't blow your mind, but it gets the job done.
Audio
With an 8-speaker setup — 4 woofers and 4 tweeters — this tablet offers surprisingly immersive sound. Whether you're watching a film or on a video call, the audio is clear, rich, and impressively loud for a device this slim. Spatial audio support enhances the experience, making this tablet a decent portable cinema in a pinch.
Battery
Battery life is where the OnePlus Pad 3 flexes hard. With a 12,140 mAh cell, it comfortably lasts a full workday and then some. OnePlus claims a battery life of up to 17 hours, and in mixed-use scenarios (video, productivity, and browsing), one can get around 13–14 hours, which is still ahead of the curve. In comparison, even the latest iPad clocks in at around 10 hours. Charging is quick too, thanks to the 80 W SuperVOOC charging support, getting the tablet from near empty to full in under an hour.
Verdict
The OnePlus Pad 3 isn't trying to be just another Android tablet. It's trying to be your next laptop — and in many ways, it succeeds. With desktop-grade performance, a laptop-sized display, excellent multitasking software, and long battery life, it's built for serious users. Add in the optional keyboard, and it's a productivity powerhouse that easily doubles as an entertainment device.
If you're looking for a premium Android tablet that can genuinely help you get work done — without compromising on style or speed — the OnePlus Pad 3 is one of the best options out there. It's not just a competitor to the iPad — it's a credible alternative.
One caveat: I would have liked to see a SIM tray to take the value proposition of the OnePlus Pad 3 a notch higher, along with a bundled stylus.
In the U.S., the Pad 3 retails for around $700. However, OnePlus is still figuring out its India pricing and has not revealed details yet.