After months of anticipation, OnePlus has unveiled the OnePlus Pad 3, now available for purchase in India. This flagship tablet boasts impressive specs, a sleek design, and a price tag that undercuts premium competitors like the iPad Air and Galaxy Tab S10 series. Starting at Rs. 47,999 for the 12GB RAM/256GB storage variant and Rs. 52,999 for the 16GB/512GB model, it’s a step up in cost from the OnePlus Pad 2 but still offers compelling value. With standout features like a slim form factor, powerful speakers, exceptional battery life, and stylus support, the Pad 3 aims to dominate the Android tablet market. We’ve put it through its paces and have answered our readers' pertinant question - is it worth the price?
OnePlus Pad 3 Design
OnePlus has refined the Pad 3's look, ditching the quirky circular camera bump of previous models for a more conventional pill-shaped module on the back. This shift makes it feel more aligned with rivals like Samsung's Galaxy Tabs, and honestly, it's a welcome change—it looks sleeker and less gimmicky. The aluminum unibody construction gives it a premium, sturdy feel, and at just 5.97mm thick, it's impressively slim for a tablet this size, though it's slightly thicker than the ultra-thin iPad Pro. Weighing in at 675 grams, however, it's no lightweight; holding it for extended periods can feel cumbersome, especially in portrait mode, making it better suited for desk use or with accessories rather than casual one-handed browsing.
Button placement is practical: the power button sits on the top-right edge, volume rockers on the side, and a USB-C port at the bottom for easy landscape charging. There's no SIM tray, which is a missed opportunity for true on-the-go connectivity—I'd have loved cellular support to elevate its portability. Accessories play a big role here with the folio case and the stylus to be bought separately. The OnePlus Pad 3 smart keyboard is not listed on the Indian website yet, but it should be available soon.
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Overall, the design prioritises functionality over flair, but the heft reminds you this is a big-screen device meant for serious tasks, not ultra-portable fun.
OnePlus Pad 3 display
The star of the show is the 13.2-inch LCD panel with a sharp 3.4K resolution (3392 x 2400) and a 7:5 aspect ratio that's more square-like, similar to iPads, which works wonders for multitasking and reading. Colours pop with excellent vibrancy, covering nearly 98 percent of the DCI-P3 gamut, and the panel handles everything from streaming shows to editing docs with rich, accurate hues. Viewing angles are superb, with no noticeable colour shift even at extreme tilts, making it great for sharing content or propping up for group calls.
OnePlus Pad 3 | FPJ
Brightness peaks at around 900 nits in high-brightness mode, which holds up well outdoors, though it's not quite as dazzling as OLED-equipped competitors like the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus. The adaptive 144Hz refresh rate ensures buttery-smooth scrolling and gaming, edging out the 120Hz on many rivals for that extra fluidity. However, sticking with LCD instead of upgrading to OLED means blacks aren't as deep, and contrast suffers in dark scenes—it's a cost-saving measure that keeps the price down but feels like a step behind premium alternatives. Touch response is snappy at 540Hz sampling, and the slim bezels (89.3 percent screen-to-body ratio) make the screen feel immersive without wasted space.
OnePlus Pad 3 performance
Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the first tablet to feature it, the Pad 3 delivers flagship phone-level speed in a larger form. Paired with up to 16GB of fast LPDDR5T RAM (or 12GB LPDDR5x on the base model) and UFS 4.0 storage, it handles demanding tasks like 4K video editing, heavy multitasking, and gaming with ease. Benchmarks show it outperforming the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus in GPU tests and holding its own against the iPad Air's M3 chip in multi-core scenarios, though it lags in raw video transcoding speed.
In real-world use, apps launch instantly, and games run flawlessly at high settings with minimal frame drops. Thermal management is solid, thanks to graphene vapor chambers that keep heat localised away from your hands during long sessions. For productivity, it's a champ, running multiple apps side-by-side feels effortless. That said, if you're not pushing it with intensive workflows, the power might feel overkill for basic browsing or streaming. No major stutters or lags in my experience, making it a reliable daily driver.
OnePlus Pad 3 audio
The audio on this tablet deserved a separate sub-head. OnePlus doubles down on sound with an eight-speaker setup (four woofers, four tweeters), creating a wide, immersive soundstage that's louder and more spatial than most tablets. Features like Holo Audio cleverly direct sounds, such as notifications from one side and calls from another, for better separation during multitasking. It shines in movies and music, with clear highs and mids, but bass is noticeably weak, lacking the punch you'd get from a Galaxy Tab S10.
OnePlus Pad 3 cameras
Tablets aren't photography powerhouses, and the Pad 3 sticks to basics: a 13-megapixel rear camera and 8-megapixel front-facing one. The rear shooter captures decent shots with warm tones and good detail for document scanning or quick snaps, supporting 4K video at 30fps with electronic stabilisation. It's warmer and more inviting than other tablets that are cooler, contrast-heavy alternatives, but lacks the natural accuracy for professional use.
The front camera handles video calls capably, with clear imagery for work meetings, though it's nothing groundbreaking. No major innovations here, it's functional but forgettable, which is fine for a tablet.
OnePlus Pad 3 battery and charging
With a hefty 12,140mAh battery i.e 27 percent larger than the Pad 2's battery, the Pad 3 excels in longevity. It easily lasts 13-16 hours of mixed use (browsing, video, productivity). Standby is impressive too, with claims of up to 70 days holding up in light testing thanks to efficient power sipping.
80W SUPERVOOC charging juices it up quickly: about 34 percent in 30 minutes and full in under an hour, though you'll need the charger (included inside the box). It's faster in absolute terms than rivals due to the larger cell, making it ideal for all-day warriors who hate frequent plugs.
OnePlus Pad 3 software and AI features
OxygenOS 15 on Android 15 is polished and tablet-optimised, with a handy taskbar for quick app access and two-pane views for apps like email. Open Canvas steals the show for multitasking, allowing up to three apps in flexible layouts with smart suggestions, it's more intuitive than anything on Samsung or Apple tablets right now.
OnePlus Pad 3 | FPJ
AI integrations are thoughtful: sidebar tools for summaries, translations, and text generation, plus Circle to Search and Gemini for quick queries. Cross-device features via O+ Connect even bridge to Apple ecosystems for file sharing and remote Mac control, which is a clever edge over iPads. Support is solid with three OS upgrades and six years of security patches, though it trails Samsung's seven-year promise. No bloatware issues, but the AI feels additive rather than essential.
OnePlus Pad 3 accessories
The Smart Keyboard turns the Pad 3 into a laptop rival, with spacious keys, and a responsive trackpad. It's currently unavailable in India, but it should be listed soon. The Stylo 2 (Rs. 5,499) offers haptic feedback for a natural writing feel, though the weak magnet is annoying. The Folio Case adds protection and angles. These aren't cheap, but they're must-haves for productivity fans.
OnePlus Pad 3 is just 5.97mm thick | FPJ
OnePlus Pad 3: Verdict
The OnePlus Pad 3 is a standout Android tablet that delivers exceptional value, blending top-tier performance, a massive battery, and clever software into a package that's hard to beat at Rs. 47,999. It is definitely worth the buck, and makes for a compelling iPad alternative for Android loyalists or cross-platform users. Drawbacks like the lack of fingerprint sensor (only face unlock available), heavier build, and LCD screen hold it back from perfection, but it's still a productivity powerhouse.
Launch offers sweeten the deal: Buy between September 5-7 for a free Stylo 2 and tri-fold Folio Case (worth Rs. 7,198), plus up to Rs. 5,000 bank discounts, dropping the effective price to as low as Rs. 42,999. If you need a versatile big-screen device without breaking the bank, this is it, though casual users might find cheaper options sufficient.
OnePlus Pad 3 | FPJ
