The OnePlus Pad 3 has arrived on the global stage, launched alongside the OnePlus 13s. This time, OnePlus has gone all-in on power and portability. Under the hood, it features Qualcomm’s most advanced Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, paired with a massive 12,140mAh battery—clearly built for those who demand top-tier performance on the go. What’s equally impressive is its design. At under 6mm thickness, the Pad 3 rivals even the slimmest smartphones out there, edging just above the Galaxy S25 Edge in profile.
I’ve been testing the device for a while now—and it’s already showing signs of being a serious productivity and entertainment machine. Here are my initial impressions.
Design and Display
OnePlus is back with a fresh take on tablets, and the Pad 3 makes that loud and clear right from the first glance. It arrives in two distinct colours—Storm Blue and Frosted Silver. Compared to the more vibrant tones of the Pad and Pad 2, these finishes feel more towards a subtle and muted look. I’ve been using the Storm Blue variant, and it instantly gave me MacBook Air M2’s Midnight Blue vibes. It’s sleek, stands out without being flashy, and looks premium in hand.
What’s even more noticeable is the design overhaul. OnePlus has finally moved away from the central camera layout seen in its earlier tablets. This time, the rear camera module has been shifted to the top-right corner, mirroring what we’ve seen on smartphones. Interestingly, the new camera island gives off a vibe similar to the early renders we’ve seen of the upcoming Nord 5.
Fingerprint smudges on the back panel are a bit of a letdown, though. They’re visible under most lighting conditions and tend to dull the finish. Still, the colour makes up for it—I’d pick this shade over the silver one any day.
The tablet is super slim at just 5.97mm thick—barely thicker than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, currently the thinnest phone in the premium space. And at 675 grams, it strikes a decent balance between being lightweight and feeling solid. That said, the footprint has definitely grown compared to the previous models.
On the front, you get a 13.2-inch LCD display, which brings it quite close to my MacBook Air M2’s screen size. The 144Hz adaptive refresh rate offers fluidity and responsiveness that make daily tasks a breeze.
Brightness indoors is solid, and I’m yet to test it under direct sunlight. But from what I’ve seen so far, the OnePlus Pad 3 is shaping up to be a compelling option, especially if you’re after a multimedia experience and portability without compromising on looks. Stay tuned for our full review for deeper insights.
Hardware and Software
OnePlus has gone all out with the Pad 3, arming it with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset—the same powerhouse that fuels top-tier devices like the OnePlus 13 series, Xiaomi 15 series, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 lineup. Clearly, performance isn’t where corners were cut. And, this has been a pattern with OnePlus’s tablets, so its good to see the consistency here as well.
During daily use, the Pad 3 felt snappy and fluid. Whether it was switching between apps, scrolling endlessly through social media, or streaming videos on YouTube, the experience remained consistently smooth.
I’ll be pushing it further with intensive gaming and multitasking in the coming days, and will share more insights in the full review.
Out of the box, the Pad 3 runs on OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15. You get access to a full suite of AI tools—like AI Translate, Summary, and Gemini-powered features—that aren’t just gimmicks. If you’re someone who juggles between study, work, and creative tasks, these tools are designed to actually lighten your load.
The battery is pretty impressive too. OnePlus managed to cram in a 12,140mAh unit into this incredibly slim chassis—just under 6mm thick. That’s a sizeable upgrade over its predecessor, and it’s paired with 80W fast charging. On paper, it sounds like an endurance beast.
Of course, numbers only tell part of the story—we’ll know more once we’ve put the Pad 3 through our full battery cycle.
Cameras
Cameras on tablets are rarely the star of the show, and that holds true for the OnePlus Pad 3 as well. It comes equipped with a 13-megapixel rear sensor and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera—identical to what we saw on the Pad 2.
While the main camera is good enough for scanning documents or quick snaps in good lighting, it’s the front camera that feels more relevant in day-to-day use. Whether it’s attending Zoom calls, online classes, or casual video chats, the selfie shooter gets the job done without fuss.
That said, if you were hoping for a camera upgrade this year, there’s not much new here. A bit of refinement would’ve been appreciated. But again, tablet cameras aren’t meant to blow your mind—they’re here for convenience.
My Final Thoughts
The OnePlus Pad 3 brings a noticeable shift in both look and feel. It’s sleeker, lighter, and far more refined than its predecessor—something that instantly stands out when you hold it. The ultra-slim profile not only boosts portability but also gives it a premium appeal that makes using it on the go surprisingly effortless.
However, not everything feels upgraded. The camera setup and the LCD panel remain unchanged, which feels like a missed opportunity—especially considering how much effort has gone into the rest of the hardware.
As of now, OnePlus is keeping the pricing under wraps. But with the Pad 2 launching at around Rs 45,000, and considering the upgraded internals this time around—especially that powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and the massive battery—a slight price jump wouldn’t be surprising. Still, if OnePlus manages to hit the sweet spot, the Pad 3 could very well be the most competitively priced Snapdragon 8 Elite device yet. Fingers crossed. Keep an eye on MySmartPrice for the full review soon.
