OnePlus Pad Go
Prakhar Khanna
When I reviewed the OnePlus Pad earlier this year, I called it a media consumption device that wanted to be more, but Google held back due to the confusion caused by the integration of touch and the trackpad into Android apps. At 45,000 Indian Rupees (INR) for the tablet and internal keyboard case combined, it is expected to do basic productivity tasks without friction between the user and the operating system. This is where the OnePlus Pad fell short.
However, at INR 20,000, no such expectation hangs over the OnePlus Pad Go. Furthermore, by dropping support for a dedicated keyboard case and the OnePlus Stylo, the company isn’t positioning it as a productivity machine either. At this price, all you need is a big screen with good speakers. And he succeeds, for the most part.
OnePlus Pad Go
Prakhar Khanna
The OnePlus Pad Go shares a similar design language with the OnePlus Pad, which means the camera module is on the right side when you hold the tablet vertically. It gives the device personality and sets it apart from the competition. However, I often found myself adjusting my grip to avoid smudging the cameras. It’s a minor complaint, and you can dirty up a tablet’s camera module with almost no consequence because you don’t use the camera often. But my brain tells me to move my finger and adjust the grip every time I try to read on the Pad Go.
At 532 grams, it doesn’t feel heavy when holding with both hands. And the smooth feel with a dual-tone finish on the polycarbonate back is solid. If you want to stream your favorite shows for hours, I suggest you to get the OnePlus Pad Go Folio Case which costs INR 1,399. It will allow you to keep the tablet on a flat surface, eliminating the need to hold it while playing videos. You have the volume buttons on the right edge, with the power button on the top right and the USB-C port on the bottom. If you choose the LTE variant, there is a SIM card slot on the top. The buttons offer good tactile feedback.
OnePlus Pad Go screen
Prakhar Khanna
On the front is an 11.3-inch IPS display with a 2.5K resolution that supports a 90Hz refresh rate. It is bright enough for indoors but not in direct sunlight. Considering it will mostly be used indoors, this shouldn’t be much of a concern. Blacks are really black for an LCD and the display delivers vivid colors. I enjoyed watching YouTube and Netflix content on it. And combined with a quad-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos support, it’s a joy to watch. The sound is clear and loud enough to be heard in less background noise.
However, it’s not as smooth an experience as it should be for a OnePlus device. For example, Chrome refreshes a tab every time I unlock the device – even though I’m not switching between apps. Dual-window multitasking takes a second or two to load with choppy animations, which isn’t ideal when you want to research a topic in Chrome while taking notes in Google Keep. There were no stutters in the UI, but this slowing down of animations and reloading tabs on every unlock bothered me during my testing process.
The Pad Go ships with OxygenOS 13.2 based on Android 13. OnePlus promises two years of OS updates with Android 14 and 15. The software is similar to the more expensive OnePlus Pad, but the experience is diminished due to the aforementioned issues. I had no connectivity issues over 5GHz WiFi.
OnePlus Pad Go screen.
Prakhar Khanna
In terms of specifications, the OnePlus Pad Go is powered by the MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, which is the same as the more affordable Redmi Pad. It is paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage. It comes equipped with two 8MP cameras – one at the front and one at the back. Both good enough for video calls and document scanning, respectively.
The OnePlus Pad Go packs an 8,000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. It lasted up to two days for me with moderate daily use, which included watching a movie and switching between Twitter (oops, X) and Chrome. Standby power consumption is minimal and can last you a few days without needing a charge if you use it periodically. Like the OnePlus Pad, you get a charger in the box and it can charge the Pad Go from 5% to 35% in 30 minutes.
How does the OnePlus Pad Go fare against the competition?
OnePlus Pad Go
Prakhar Khanna
If you only need a tablet for reading and browsing, the Redmi Pad is a better value for money proposition at INR 15,000. It comes with the same processor, large screen and smooth user interface. But you can’t multitask on the base version with 4GB RAM. For this, you will have to get the 6GB RAM version which costs INR 16,500.
I still recommend it over the OnePlus Pad Go if your use case is limited to browsing and reading with media consumption as an afterthought. The Lenovo Tab M10 5G is another good option, but it costs INR 5,000 more than the OnePlus tablet.
If you’re spending around INR 25,000 and want a productivity tablet that lets you get some work done on the go while also doubling up as a media consumption device, I highly recommend you up the ante and go with the Xiaomi Pad 6 (INR 26,999) in combination with its keyboard case (INR 4,999), which will cost you Rs 32,000 (or Rs 30,000 during sales).
That said, the budget OnePlus tablet offers a great media streaming experience, albeit with limited performance. And it’s comfortable to hold too. If you want a tablet that specializes in multimedia consumption with a good display and great speaker setup for the price, the OnePlus Pad Go is the best way to go under INR 20,000.
Advantages of OnePlus Pad:
- Good show
- Loud and clear speakers
- Stable battery life