ZDNET's key takeaways The OnePlus Pad 3 starts at $699 for the 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage configuration.
It's got a larger battery and display this year, as well as an updated Qualcomm chipset.
The tablet is an OLED panel, a fingerprint scanner, and a floating keyboard case away from perfect. View now at OnePlus
Unless OnePlus reconsiders launching a foldable phone this year, the new Pad 3 may arguably be the company's most ambitious product in 2025. It has a bigger screen, a bigger battery, and even a bigger speaker system this time around. There's also a bigger price tag, but $699 for the Pad 3 has felt more reasonable as each day of testing has gone by.
Also: The best Android tablets you can buy
I'm currently on week three of using the Pad 3 as a laptop replacement, and it's proven to me that $699 may be all you really need for a premium Android tablet experience.
Of course, you'll want to surround the tablet with capable accessories, which OnePlus almost gets right. The Android software experience can have its off days, but the overall experience has been just as good, if not better, than what I've gotten out of Samsung and Apple tablets that cost hundreds of dollars more.
The moment I unboxed the OnePlus Pad 3, I knew I wouldn't have a problem putting down my 13-inch MacBook Pro for it. The latest model has a 13.2-inch display (up from last year's 12.1-inch), which makes a meaningful difference for readers eyeing a tablet for work and play. Anything larger, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra's 14.6-inch display, would be overkill for a tablet.
Also: I replaced my iPad with a $100 Android tablet, and here's my verdict after two weeks
Understandably, a 13-inch tablet is still much bigger than most options on the market, and folks who prefer something more portable and easy on the wrists may want to look elsewhere.
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