After a little over a year, the OnePlus Pad tablet line continues with the new Pad 2. From a technology perspective, leaps from one generation are usually small enough and too rarely bold enough.

These are usually faster processors, better cameras, faster memory and longer battery life. The OnePlus Pad 2 does not deviate from this recipe and improves the first version in these aspects, but by adding a bitter spice - a higher starting price.

The OnePlus name is well known in the world of technology, but it is overshadowed by giants like Samsung, Google or Apple. Nevertheless, the OnePlus Pad 2 has reached us as well. I share with you about life with this tablet, its strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages in today's review.

Unboxing and assembly quality

We received the OnePlus Pad 2 tablet, stylus and original case for review. Without further ado, let's start with the most important part - the tablet. The box is minimalist and its contents modest. Inside you will find the tablet itself, short user instructions in various languages, and a USB charging cable, and that's it.

You will not find a charging block in the set, so you will have to complete it with the one you already have or buy a new one. Pad 2 supports 67W charging, so those who want to charge it quickly will need a sufficiently powerful charger.

The body of this tablet is made of matte aluminum, and the back part does not feel like your fingers are slipping when you hold it. The rear part boasts a large camera, but the optics themselves are relatively small. On the left side is the power button and 4 cutouts for speakers, on top are volume control buttons and a flat surface for a pen.

On the right side, the USB-C connector and additional 4 cutouts for speakers. At the bottom is the connection for the keyboard. On first impressions, the build quality of the OnePlus Pad 2 looks great. Solid buttons and a solid, pleasant-to-the-touch body.

The original OnePlus Folio Case 2 is magnetically attached. When you put it on, the Pad 2 doesn't move at all, and you can place the tablet horizontally in two different angles. Their position and retention of the tablet is ensured by magnetic strips. The case itself is thin, and the selected material is extremely pleasant to the touch.

Stylo 2 is a new pen specifically designed for the OnePlus Pad 2. The body of the pen is made of plastic, but its texture imitates leather and it works perfectly, the pen is very comfortable. Attaches to the Pad 2 magnetically on either side and charges when attached.

Performance

The operating system of this tablet is OxygenOS. I liked the fact that when you turn on the tablet, you will find only a few apps from the manufacturer ("bloatware"), and the OS itself has no drastic changes from stock Android, so it is extremely easy to use.

The Pad 2 boasts ultra-fast performance. All given tests are easy to overcome, whether they are demanding games or high-quality videos. When playing without a case, I didn't feel that the tablet got too hot, nor did the processes slow down after a long period of use.

One of the more important things for those who like high-definition media content is the Widevine L1 certification that this tablet has. This allows you to watch the content of certain programs (YouTube, Netflix, Disney +, etc.) in the highest possible definition.

Screen

From the first time it is turned on, the most prominent place in the OnePlus Pad 2 is its screen. It's a 144Hz, 12.1-inch IPS LCD display that supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. It is visible even in bright daylight, where the only enemy becomes reflections. Such problems do not arise at home or in the dark.

The advantage of tablets is a large screen. This can be exploited by using 2 (and possibly 3) application windows at the same time. "Multitasking" can be accessed by gestures when swiping through the program with your fingers from above or through the open task window. It's convenient and efficient, and I didn't experience any stuttering when using multiple apps at the same time.

Sound

One of the most pleasantly surprised features is the sound of this tablet. Of course, these are not separate speakers with a wide acoustic range, but the sound is really good. The sound comes from both sides, so when you hold the tablet vertically, you can feel a bit of surround sound. The only drawback is that at the minimum level it is difficult to find the right level for you - one unit is a bit too quiet, the other is a bit too loud.

Battery

The battery of the OnePlus Pad 2 did not disappoint - for daily use (games, YouTube and Internet browsing), a fully charged battery lasted about 9 hours. Using it for about 3 hours a day for mixed content, you can safely expect 3 days of operation.

This tablet supports 67W charging, but during testing I did not have such a charger, and with a weaker, 65W (without VOOC standard) Pad 2 managed to charge in ~ 1 hour. 30 minutes According to the manufacturer, it takes 81 minutes to fully charge the Pad 2, but gsmarena managed to charge it in 56 minutes during testing. This is a really impressive result. The original SuperVOOC charger, which charges at a higher amperage than normal fast chargers, would cost you about €30.

OnePlus Stylo 2 stylus

As I mentioned earlier, the pen is attached to the tablet magnetically. When attached, it is charged and its charge level can be seen on the screen. The OnePlus Pad 2 has its own section in the settings specifically for the stylus. Some settings can be changed in it, for example: using the pen for presentations, when a laser is simulated, or when the screen is locked, swiping from the corner with the pen will open the notepad.

The pen itself is very comfortable to use even for a long time. There is no lag when writing, and a slight vibration is felt with the notepad already installed. According to the manufacturer, it simulates writing on paper, but does not resemble it in reality. As you press the pen harder or harder, the thickness of the lines changes.

A touch-sensitive area is also built into the pen, and by touching it with a finger, it is possible to change the choice between a pencil or an eraser (the last two choices are remembered). Sorry, but vibration and touch only work with notepad installed, other apps don't work.

Although I don't use it with the existing Apple iPad pen, after about a month of use, this pen "got used" and became an integral part of the OnePlus Pad 2.

Cameras

The rear camera module of the OnePlus Pad 2 is installed in a fairly large "bump", but size is not everything. The 13-megapixel camera supports 4K 30fps video recording, and the quality of the captured photos is somewhere in the middle. The colors are realistic enough, no strange artifacts are visible, but the details are lacking.

The 8-megapixel front camera supports 1080p30fps video recording, and the English abbreviation "OK" is suitable for describing photos. Nothing spectacular, but nothing too bad either. This camera is fully sufficient for video calls.

Verdict

All in all, the OnePlus Pad 2 is a great tablet that aims to satisfy the majority of users. Do you like games? You will be able to enjoy Genshin Impact at 60fps, and the tablet will not overheat if you use it for a longer time.

Do you like movies, TV series or listen to music? The screen is bright and full of colors, and the sound emitted is definitely enough for everyone. Maybe you like sketching, drawing, or just writing your thoughts by hand? With the pen and Pad 2, it's a pleasure. It looks like the quest to grab everyone's attention has been made.

Unfortunately, not all stories end on a happy note. Considering the current market, the OnePlus Pad 2's biggest downside is its relatively high price. At this price, you can certainly find other options, tablets that have a SIM, a certain level of protection against water, or simply more diverse colors.