Looking to plan a smart cities strategy? Look no further.June 25, 2025 — Move over, iTablet. OnePlus recently unleashed the Pad 3, a do-it-all Android tablet that intends to take on the titans at Apple and Samsung with flagship-level specs, an all-new redesign, and a price that will leave you slackjawed.
After half a year of leaks and exaggeration, the Pad 3 is finally available to pre-order, first in Europe and North America, soon to be joined by the Indian sub-continent. That’s cool, but is it anything more than a shiny display? So, let’s unpack that.
Specifications That Don’t Just Sound Good
- Showcase: A 13.2-inch 3.4K IPS LCD that’s truly immersive with an undeniable 144Hz refresh rate and 900 nits peak brightness—perfect for Netflix binges or making art using the new OnePlus Stylo 2 (now with 16K pressure sensitivity).
Power The Snapdragon 8 Elite silicon (yup, that monster) along with 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. Translation—it’ll guffaw at your 20-tab Chrome addiction and AAA gaming bender.
Battery a 12,140mAh beast that offers up to 17 hours of video playback and 67W super fast charging. OnePlus even goes so far as to say it will last two years if shut down. We want to believe, but remain doubtful. Proceed with caution.
Build quality: Thinner than your intolerance for laggy tablets
At 5.97mm thick, the Pad 3 is a hair thinner than an iPad Air, encased in a new Storm Blue aluminum chassis with a more modern, pill-shaped camera bump. It’s lugging around eight speakers (up from six last gen), so your Dolby Atmos playlists will kick ass harder than before.
Software: Android 15 (albeit with caveats)
With ColorOS 15 powering it, the Pad 3 excels at multitasking, using an AI button to pull up frequently used shortcuts. So far, reviews laud Android 14’s increased speed but reiterate that it’s not quite iPadOS yet for professional workflows. Seamless Connectivity alongside OnePlus phones (and even Macs, through remote desktop) is a banger feature.
– No OLED per-gate readout: The 3.5-inch LCD screen is smooth and beautiful. Contrast junkies will lament the lack of deep blacks.
– Software growing pains: Definitely an upgrade over what else is available, but not all the way there yet, as it’s not quite as finished as Samsung’s One UI for tablets.
Economic Incentives That Make it All Even Better
Pre-orders get $300 worth of FREE stuff (keyboard or case, or Stylo 2). Pricing begins at just $
- €599 (Europe, down from €699)
– $700 (US)
That’s pretty good value compared with the $1,200 Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra provided you can stomach being Samsung, and the OLED is a hard thing to pass up.
Early Verdict Verdict: The Real iPad Replacement?
On tech forums like X, users are hailing it as a "game-changer for Android tablets" (and a couple nose-in-the-air malcontents lamenting the LCD). If you have been looking for a large, speedy, affordable slate for productivity and entertainment, then this could be your best Android wager to date.
Pre-orders available now in US/EU—check [OnePlus’ website](https://www.oneplus.com) or harass your local best buy
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