OnePlus Pad 4
| Photo Credit:
ashwin rajagopalan
The OnePlus Pad 3 that debuted in 2025 was an ambitious upgrade for OnePlus. A clear statement that OnePlus intends to be a brand of choice in the premium tablet segment. It’s why OnePlus’ 2026 flagship tablet has it’s task cut out. In a category where replacement cycles are longer than smartphones, the OnePlus Pad 4 aims to make a strong case for an Android flagship tablet. One that can flit from work to play effortlessly, it’s a device that might allow you leave your laptop behind during a one-day business trip or a short holiday. We think it does enough to justify that pitch.DesignIncredibly thin. That’s the first thought that struck me as I unboxed the OnePlus Pad 4. It’s a hair thinner than its predecessor; at 5.94 mm, this is one of the slimmest large-screen tablets out there. In terms of heft (the Pad 4 weighs 672 gm), it’s about the same as the OnePlus Pad 3 but there’s one big difference — the battery under the hood. I didn’t use the folio case to carry this tablet around opting instead to slip into a tablet sleeve during short work trips. It feels great in your hand; OnePlus has done a commendable job with the weight distribution.We checked out the Dune Glow colour way that looks elegant with its dark grey hue combined with a bronze tint. The tablet also comes in a Sage Mist colour option. The Pad 4 has a predilection for fingerprints and smudges, that’s only a problem if you’re going to use your tablet without a keyboard cover or folio case. There’s no fingerprint scanner which I believe is a must have at this price point; you have to lean on Face Unlock each time.DisplayOn paper the Pad 4 shares the same display specs as last year’s Pad 3 except for one significant enhancement. You get the same 13.2-inch, 3.4K ‘Tru Color Display’ (3392 x 2400 pixels) with a 144 Hz refresh rate. It’s not an OLED panel with those deep blacks though. The big, ‘visible’ change is the peak brightness that is now at 1000 nits. This enhances the overall viewing experience even outdoors where the display does catch the occasional glare. I watched Sentimental Value on MUBI during a domestic flight and the minimal bezels and vibrant colours added to the cinematic appeal of this critically acclaimed film. The OnePlus Pad 4 misses out on Widevine L1 certification; you don’t get HD resolution on Netflix which is a miss for a tablet at this price point. We do hope a future software update will address this. One of the key reasons consumers invest in premium tablets is for high quality video playback.The 7:5 aspect ratio works well if productivity is your primary purchase driver for a tablet. I found that this ratio works better while scrolling through documents or editing spreadsheets on the fly. But it doesn’t work as well for 16:9 videos. Overall, this is still one of the best displays on an Android tablet.PerformanceYou’ll struggle to find an Android tablet that rivals the OnePlus Pad 4 purely on its performance creds. The device aced our Geekbench tests consistently clocking above 9700 (multi-core) in our benchmark tests. We tested the top-end, 12GB/512GB storage variant. The tab also comes in an 8GB/256GB option. I’d recommend paying the ₹5,000 premium for the top-end variant especially if you’re likely to multi-task frequently. At the heart of the Pad 4’s firepower is the best of breed Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. It also makes the Pad 4 a future-proof investment, given that most of us hold on to our tablets for a few years. The spec sheet is only half of the performance story.Oxygen OS 16 adds to the Pad 4’s productivity pitch with effortless multi-tasking. I rarely toggle between more than two windows on a split screen and the Pad 4 worked really well. The user interface is easy on the eye with minimal bloatware. You will need OnePlus’ keyboard to truly unleash the potential of the Pad 4 as a serious productivity machine. OnePlus didn’t ship the keyboard along with the Pad 4 for our review, we did check out the all-new One Stylus Pro that was fun to use. I noticed better gesture controls and more responsiveness than its predecessors, making this a great productivity accessory especially if you like to take notes or doodle at a meeting. You won’t be able to use an older generation OnePlus stylus on the Pad 4 though.You’re unlikely to use a large tablet as your primary cam. The 13MP rear cam and 5MP front cam are good for the primary tasks we use our tabs for — video calls and scanning documents.BatteryThe 13,380 mAh battery is one of the most significant upgrades over the Pad 3 and delivers an impressive battery performance. I managed about 10-11 hours of video playback on full brightness which should work for most users. There’s an 80W SUPERVOOC fast charger in the box that powers this device in about two hours.VerdictThe OnePlus Pad 4 comes with some thoughtful enhancements over the Pad 3. It’s certainly not an overhaul, you don’t need to upgrade if you already own the Pad 3. There are some misses that include the lack of a 5G connectivity option and yet this is a tablet that delivers great value for its price tag. You get a premium Android tablet experience with a large display backed with an immersive 8-speaker audio set up (4 woofers and 4 tweeters) and a battery that won’t let you down.SnapshotPrice: ₹59,999 onwardsPros: Design, battery life, User interface and multi-tasking abilities.Cons: No fingerprint scanner, No HD playback on Netflix, lack of a 5G option.Published on May 20, 2026
