The tablet market has seen many contenders, but few have managed to stand out in the mid-range segment quite like the OnePlus Pad 3. After spending a couple of weeks with this device, I’ve genuinely fallen in love with it. While I’ve had my fair share of skepticism about tablets in general, the Pad 3 has proven to be a compelling choice, striking an impressive balance between performance, design, and price. In this review, I’ll share five reasons why I believe the OnePlus Pad 3 could be the perfect mid-range tablet for many users, along with some honest critiques.
Table of Contents
- 💾 Storage Woes: No Expandable Storage
- 🎨 Sleek Design and Stunning Display
- 🔊 Immersive Audio and Gaming Performance
- 🔋 Battery Life and Fast Charging
- 🧑💻 Productivity and Multitasking Features
- 🔒 Face Unlock and Camera Limitations
- 🔍 Final Thoughts: The Best Mid-Range Tablet? 🤔
- 📚 FAQ
💾 Storage Woes: No Expandable Storage
Let’s start with the biggest caveat: the OnePlus Pad 3 does not offer expandable storage. You can choose between 256GB or 512GB variants, but once you make that choice, you’re locked in. For a device starting at $699, this is a bit disappointing.
Its main competitor, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 FE, offers a microSD slot, which is something I believe all tablets should have. After all, tablets often serve as media consumption and productivity hubs, and storage needs can grow unpredictably over time.
Despite this limitation, the Pad 3’s daily performance and usability make it easy to overlook this issue for many users.
🎨 Sleek Design and Stunning Display
The Pad 3 is thinner than its predecessor—the Pad 2—and boasts a premium build quality with a frosted aluminum back that feels luxurious in hand. The Storm Blue color variant is particularly striking; it might be one of the best colors I’ve seen on any device recently.
While I wish the bezels were a bit slimmer, the 13.2-inch LCD display more than makes up for it. Traditionally, I’m an OLED enthusiast, but the OnePlus Pad 3’s LCD panel impressed me with Dolby Vision HDR and 12-bit color support. The display offers rich, vibrant colors that pop, giving the impression of a much higher-end screen than it actually is.
It runs at 144Hz, matching last year’s model and outpacing competitors like the Galaxy Tab 10.1 FE, which results in a buttery-smooth user interface experience. However, the peak brightness of 900 nits means outdoor visibility, especially in direct sunlight, can be challenging.
🔊 Immersive Audio and Gaming Performance
One of the standout features of the Pad 3 is its sound system. It packs eight speakers—four bass and four tweeters—with a spatial audio feature called Hollow Audio. This technology makes watching movies or playing games feel truly immersive. The audio is full-bodied with plenty of bass and avoids the tinny sound that some tablets suffer from.
Pairing this audio system with the large, vibrant display makes the Pad 3 a fantastic gaming device. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, it handles most games at full graphics settings without breaking a sweat. Popular games like Call of Duty Mobile and Fortnite run smoothly at their highest settings.
OnePlus claims a 40% CPU performance boost over previous models, and the inclusion of a vapor chamber cooling system helps the device stay cooler during extended gaming sessions—reportedly running 3 degrees cooler after an hour of gaming compared to its closest competitor.
🔋 Battery Life and Fast Charging
The Pad 3 offers a notable upgrade in battery capacity compared to its predecessor, now featuring a 12,140mAh battery—2,000mAh larger than the Pad 2. OnePlus states that you can expect about six hours of AAA game play or up to 17 hours of video playback on a single charge.
Although I haven’t tested these exact figures, my experience over two weeks of mixed use—gaming, video watching, and general tasks—shows the battery holds up very well. Should you need to recharge, the device supports 80W SuperVOOC fast charging, though unfortunately, the UK version I tested didn’t include a charger in the box (US buyers do get one).
Additionally, the Pad 3 boasts up to 70 days of standby battery life, which is impressive for a tablet.
🧑💻 Productivity and Multitasking Features
Multitasking on tablets can sometimes feel clunky, and I admit I’m not the best at using it. However, the Pad 3’s multitasking capabilities pleasantly surprised me, especially with the new Open Canvas feature. You can run up to three apps side by side or hide a full-page app just below two others, easily tapping to expand it when needed.
There’s also a handy pop-up suggestion for split-screen view when you frequently switch between two apps, which streamlines workflow.
Pair this with the new Pad 3 keyboard, and you have a solid productivity machine. The keyboard keys have enough travel distance to feel comfortable, though the trackpad is a bit too sensitive for my taste, and there’s no setting to adjust that yet.
Attaching the keyboard can be fiddly due to the pogo pins on the back of the tablet, which have also been changed from the Pad 2. This means that if you’re upgrading from a Pad 2, your old keyboard won’t be compatible, and you’ll need to buy a new one.
On the plus side, the back cover with a kickstand offers an almost infinite range of viewing angles, perfect for both work and entertainment.
Another neat feature is the NFC tag embedded in the keyboard. If you have a OnePlus or Oppo phone, you can quickly share photos to the Pad 3 just by tapping the phone on the keyboard.
🔒 Face Unlock and Camera Limitations
The Pad 3 relies solely on face unlock for security, which works well when it works. The sensor is well positioned, but it can struggle in low-light conditions, making it frustrating at times without the fallback of a fingerprint sensor.
Regarding cameras, the rear camera has been repositioned to a better spot and looks more aesthetically pleasing than the Pad 2’s round camera module. However, the 30MP rear camera performance is average at best—typical for tablets, which often don’t prioritize camera quality.
The 8MP front-facing camera is soft with little detail, suitable for casual video calls but less ideal for recording videos. It only records at 1080p, and I noticed occasional sync issues between audio and video when transferring footage to my Mac, which I hope OnePlus can fix via software updates.
🔍 Final Thoughts: The Best Mid-Range Tablet? 🤔
Overall, the OnePlus Pad 3 delivers an excellent balance of features, performance, and price. While it’s not without flaws—no expandable storage, finicky keyboard attachment, and so-so cameras—the positives far outweigh the negatives.
If you’re looking for a mid-range tablet that handles gaming, media consumption, and productivity well, this device provides everything you need without breaking the bank. Plus, OnePlus promises three years of Android updates and six years of security updates, which is decent for the category.
For anyone on the fence about the Pad 3, I’d say this is a tablet worth considering seriously. It’s become my go-to device, and I don’t see myself putting it away anytime soon.
📚 FAQ
Does the OnePlus Pad 3 support expandable storage?
No, the Pad 3 does not have a microSD slot. Storage options are limited to either 256GB or 512GB, so choose wisely.
How good is the display on the OnePlus Pad 3?
The tablet features a 13.2-inch LCD display with Dolby Vision HDR and 12-bit color, running at 144Hz. It offers vibrant colors and smooth performance but can be difficult to see in bright outdoor lighting due to a peak brightness of 900 nits.
Is the OnePlus Pad 3 good for gaming?
Yes, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and equipped with a vapor chamber cooling system, the Pad 3 handles high-end games like Call of Duty Mobile and Fortnite at maximum graphics settings smoothly.
What about battery life?
The 12,140mAh battery offers solid endurance, with claims of six hours of AAA gaming and up to 17 hours of video playback. It supports fast 80W SuperVOOC charging for quick top-ups.
How is the multitasking experience?
Multitasking is enhanced by the Open Canvas feature, allowing up to three apps side by side, and is complemented by a comfortable keyboard and kickstand cover, making it a capable productivity device.
Are the cameras good on the OnePlus Pad 3?
The rear 30MP camera and the 8MP front camera are average and best suited for casual use like video calls. Video recording quality is limited to 1080p and can have occasional audio sync issues.
What security features does the Pad 3 have?
The Pad 3 uses face unlock exclusively, which works well in good lighting but can be unreliable in low light. There is no fingerprint sensor.
