OnePlus has always loved a good underdog story, and with the launch of the OnePlus Pad 3, it’s clear they’re gunning for the big leagues. Yes, that means Apple’s iPad Air. OnePlus already has a pretty solid option in the budget segment, the OnePlus Pad SE.
On paper, the Pad 3 is bringing some serious muscle, and if the price lands under ₹55,000, we might just have a real iPad challenger for the first time in ages.
Unboxing: Premium Vibes, Apple-Esque Experience
The unboxing experience of the Pad 3 was genuinely impressive. OnePlus isn’t just phoning it in; they’ve clearly obsessed over every detail. The box is actually two-tiered: the top layer reveals the smart keyboard case, while the tablet itself sits underneath, wrapped in a slick protective film.
And while the exterior of the box might look a bit minimalist, the feel is all premium—honestly, it’s about as close to Apple’s presentation as you’ll get without an Apple-shaped logo.
Cracking open the box, the first thing that grabs your eye is the Pad 3 in this deep Storm Blue shade—totally premium, totally on-brand for OnePlus.
Beneath the tablet, you’ll spot the iconic red-and-white charging cable that OnePlus fans basically worship. And no kidding, the cable is thick and feels more expensive than half the accessories you get with most tablets.
You also get a chunky 80W charging brick (rare to see a proper fast charger still included these days). Documentation lives in a classic OnePlus red envelope.
What’s missing from the box is a stylus, though. OnePlus is selling it separately, so if you’re into digital sketching or note-taking, keep that in mind.
The smart keyboard case, on the other hand is, simple, solid, and super functional
The keyboard case is the next highlight—nothing too flashy, but the build feels solid. Our review unit came in a matching blue, so the whole setup looks super cohesive.
The case itself comes in two parts: the main tray has the keyboard and a massive trackpad, and a magnetic rear cover that snaps onto the back of the Pad 3.
Setup is dead simple; just slap them together with magnets and pogo pins, and you’re good to go.
The keys are pretty tactile and the trackpad is pretty huge. There's even NFC support built-in for extra features especially if you’re in the OnePlus ecosystem.
Hardware: Loaded Specs
OnePlus hasn’t cut corners on specs here. The Pad 3 rocks a 13.2-inch 3.4K LCD display with Dolby Vision, a blinding 900 nits of peak brightness, and a crazy-smooth 144Hz refresh rate. That’s flagship territory, no question.
Under the hood, you get a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, up to 16GB of RAM, and as much as 512GB of storage. All of this is plenty of power for multitasking, gaming, or streaming.
The whole thing runs on an Android 15-based ColorOS 15 build, tuned for global markets. There’s also a massive 34,857 sq mm cooling system inside, so heat shouldn’t be an issue even during heavy use.
The camera setup covers basics: a 13MP rear shooter and an 8MP selfie cam, which should handle video calls and quick snaps just fine. Rounding things out is a monster 12,140mAh battery with that 80W charging to keep you powered all day and then some.
Could This Be the iPad Air Killer?
The first two OnePlus Pads already proved that OnePlus can deliver solid value, but the Pad 3 genuinely feels like it’s swinging for the fences. If the pricing’s right and those stylus are backward compatible (so you don’t need to buy a whole new set), this could seriously shake up the premium tablet game in India. On paper, it’s the most exciting Android tab we’ve seen in a while. Now, it’s all about the real-world test. Stay tuned!
