The OnePlus Pad 2 was not only a commercial success, but also one of my personal favourite tablets—perfect for content consumption whether at home or on the go. Naturally, when OnePlus announced the Pad 3 for India, I was excited. But the question lingered—how do you improve on a nearly perfect device? Over the coming weeks, I’ll be testing that very question. Until then, here are my initial impressions of the OnePlus Pad 3.
Design: Sleek, Bold, and More Refined
While I appreciated the elegant green finish of the Pad 2, the new Storm Blue has already won me over. There’s also a Frosted Silver colourway, exclusive to India. The device remains impressively sleek at just under 6mm thick and weighs 675g, making it highly portable.
A notable design change is the repositioned rear camera—now located in the top-left corner, reminiscent of the OnePlus 13R. This gives the Pad 3 a more familiar smartphone-like aesthetic, while retaining the premium metal unibody design OnePlus is known for.
Display: Big, Bright, and Smooth
The OnePlus Pad 3 sports a 13.2-inch LCD panel with a sharp 3.4K resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. With peak brightness of 900 nits, the display is well-suited for both indoor and outdoor use, although I’m curious to see how it performs under the intense Delhi sun.
Performance: Flagship Power in a Tablet
The OnePlus Pad 3 is the first tablet to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (Elite) chipset, delivering a claimed 45% boost in CPU and 40% GPU performance, while improving power efficiency. If the chip’s performance on smartphones is any indication, the Pad 3 should be a powerhouse.
It comes in two configurations: 12GB RAM + 256GB storage, and a high-end 16GB RAM + 512GB storage variant, ensuring there’s enough horsepower and headroom for demanding multitasking, gaming, or professional use.
Battery and Charging: Bigger and Faster
Battery life is a priority for tablet users, and OnePlus delivers with a massive 12,140mAh battery, up from 9,510mAh on the Pad 2. The company claims up to 70 days of standby time—an ambitious claim that I look forward to testing. Charging also gets an upgrade with 80W SuperVOOC support, up from 67W previously.
Accessories: Enhanced Productivity Tools
The Pad 3 maintains compatibility with the OnePlus Stylo 2 and introduces a new magnetic keyboard. The keyboard is larger and lighter, with better key spacing and the addition of a dedicated AI button, hinting at future productivity-focused features.
Also new is a tri-fold folio case, which provides improved stability across multiple viewing angles—ideal for both work and entertainment.
Price and Availability: Awaiting Details
OnePlus has not yet confirmed India pricing or launch date for the Pad 3. Globally, it starts at $699.99 (approx. ₹60,000), but we expect a more competitive price tag for the Indian market. Given the company’s strong foothold in India, it’s surprising that availability remains unconfirmed. Stay tuned for more updates on pricing, pre-order offers, and launch details.
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