OnePlus Pad Go 2 The OnePlus Pad Go 2 understands a lot of what makes the vanilla iPad so popular, and it follows in its well-trodden footsteps to deliver a competent Android alternative. It lacks a little on raw power and its accessory ecosystem, but the software support is excellent, and its balanced aspect ratio and quad speakers make it a versatile choice for any media on the go.
Apple’s base iPad lives in a special space. Somehow, it has become the go-to tablet against which all others are compared, and its name has become synonymous with the large-screen experience — on par with Kleenex and Xerox in terms of recognition. It’s dispatched would-be rivals over and over again, seemingly proving that Cupertino has the secret sauce when it comes to simple, straightforward tablets.
And yet, I’ve never really loved the base iPad. It’s always felt too much like a jack of all trades but a master of none, so I’ve been waiting patiently for an Android alternative to beat Apple at its own game here in the US.
Now, I might have my option. After the original Pad Go skipped these shores, OnePlus has decided to fill out its Pad lineup in the US with a mid-range option, and it’s checked all of my boxes so far. Here’s why I think the OnePlus Pad Go 2 might be Android’s best answer to the entry-level iPad, even if it’s not a perfect challenger.
Just the right shape, just the right size
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Perhaps the number one thing that the iPad has going for it, at least these days, is recognition. No matter who you are or what tech you take with you daily, you can almost certainly draw an iPad from memory. Why? Well, there’s only one design. Every iPad looks the same, with even bezels, a Touch ID-enabled power button, and — usually — a single camera in the top left corner. The iPad Pro is the dual-camera exception, but even then, the flat sides and familiar buttons make it undeniably an iPad.
So, for OnePlus to cook up its best take on the iPad, it seems like it had to draw some design inspiration. This is nothing new, of course, as the truly excellent OnePlus Pad 3 heavily cribbed from the iPad Air series and came out with one of the best overall Android tablet designs we’ve seen in years. And honestly, I’m all about treating imitation as the sincerest form of flattery. When you try this hard to walk the Apple walk, it often works out.
It walks like an iPad and talks like an iPad, but it's much better... the OnePlus Pad Go 2 is all Android.
For the OnePlus Pad Go 2, this means flat side rails, even bezels around the 12.1-inch LCD, and comfortable buttons that sit nestled around a single rear camera housed in a circular ring. Perhaps the most significant difference between the two is that Apple’s entry-level iPad offers a smaller 11-inch Liquid Retina display, but even then, you might not notice too much if you’ve been out of the tablet game for a while. Well, there’s also the fact that the Pad Go 2 only comes in Shadow Black and Lavender Drift finishes, which is the opposite of the iPad’s vivid pink, blue, and yellow hues.
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