The OnePlus Pad already tops our list of the best Android tablets, but it sounds like the OnePlus Pad Pro could take its place in a matter of weeks.
In a new Weibo post (via WCCFTech), OnePlus describes the OnePlus Pad Pro – which we expect to be dubbed the OnePlus Pad 2 in the US – as the “most powerful Android tablet” to date. The company hasn’t yet confirmed chipset details, but previous rumors have pointed towards a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for the upcoming best tablet contender, which would indeed justify OnePlus’ bold claim.
The original OnePlus Pad packs a supremely capable MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset, while its closest Android-powered competitor, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, sports a similarly powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Almost all of the best Android phones – including the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and OnePlus 12 – are powered by the latest version of Qualcomm’s flagship silicon, so it makes sense that OnePlus would also look to fit the OnePlus Pad 2 with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, at least in the US.
Interestingly, some tests have revealed the newly released MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ to be the most powerful Android chipset on the market right now, so OnePlus may be referring to this particular chipset in its marketing, rather than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
What’s more, MediaTek chipsets are typically cheaper than Qualcomm chipsets, so opting for the Dimensity 9300+ would presumably allow OnePlus to maintain the relative affordability of the OnePlus Pad with the OnePlus Pad 2.
That said, we think it’s more likely that the company equips the OnePlus Pad 2 with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, owing to the latter’s notability in the US market.
Same but different
As for what else we’ve heard about the OnePlus Pad 2 – which is set to be unveiled on June 27 – supposedly leaked Weibo images appear to show a near-identical-looking tablet to the OnePlus Pad, though we’re expecting OnePlus to bring battery and camera improvements to the newer model.
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For reference, the OnePlus Pad sports a 9,510mAh battery and two cameras: a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP selfie snapper. Other specs include an 11.6-inch LCD display with a 144Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support, up to 256GB of storage, and up to 12GB of RAM.
With its high-resolution screen, large battery and competitive price tag, the OnePlus Pad already rivals the iPad 10.9 (2022), so here’s hoping that the OnePlus Pad 2 can dent the appeal of more of the best iPads when it launches later this month.
