OnePlus Pad Go review: Perfect Android tablet to have at home

Not just at home, OnePlus Pad Go is also a great entertainment companion during long journeys.

Last month, OnePlus launched the new Pad Go edition, an affordable variant of the premium OnePlus Pad in India.

The company is offering the device in three variants-- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage (Wi-Fi only), 8GB RAM + 128GB storage (Wi-Fi+ LTE) and 8GB RAM + 128GB storage (Wi-Fi + LTE) - with prices starting at Rs 19,999.

I have been using the OnePlus Pad Go for more than two weeks and here are my thoughts on the latest Android tablet.

Design, build quality, and display

The new Pad Go borrows the signature 'twin mint' dual-tone design elements of the original OnePlus Pad. At the top, the mint-green hued tablet houses the camera module and features a smooth glossy texture and the rest of the case has a matte finish. The latter does a fine job of repelling the fingerprint smudges. But, the top gets stained easily unless you get a cover case.

OnePlus Pad Go boasts 'twin mint' design language.

Though the device is made of high-quality material, a device with such a big display needs protection. Even an accidental drop from a short height can crack the tablet's display. And given the smooth exterior finish and slim and curvaceous structure, there is a high chance of OnePlus Pad Go slipping out of hands. And, repair services don't come cheap.

It is better to get a regular folio case, which ensures full protection, not just the front and the back panels, but also the rails, from getting any dents.

Also, the company has wisely incorporated quad speakers, two on each side (landscape mode) tuned by Dolby Atmos and an Omnibearing Sound Field audio system. The speakers are very powerful and can fill up any regular room and the stereo effect is good too.

Also, even with the volume put to the max, the speakers manage to deliver good listenable audio with less distortion.

And, the bezels are perfectly designed around the display panel, leaving just enough space for fingers to rest and hold the device while viewing a motion picture without any obstruction. Also, the front camera hides within the bezels ensuring uniformity on the front side.

The device features a power button, which also houses a fingerprint sensor on the top. It is ergonomically placed to the extreme right (up straight mode) so fingers can access the biometric sensor to unlock the lock screen without any hassle. By the way, it performs flawlessly in all conditions, way better than those optical in-screen fingerprint sensors.

It also comes with an optional SIM slot, a microSD card slot, and a type-C port.

On the front, the OnePlus Pad Go flaunts an amazing 11.3-inch 2.4K(2408 x 1720p) LCD display. It supports a 90Hz refresh rate, 400 nits peak brightness, 260 pixels per inch (PPI), and has 86.40 per cent screen-to-body ratio.

OnePlus Pad Go.

I had a great time binge-watching on OTT apps. The colours on the screen are rich and vibrant and one can visibly notice and appreciate, how good it is when viewing nature documentaries.

Though it does not support HDR, I still had a good time with OnePlus Pad Go. I mostly watch food and travel vlogs On YouTube and it can support maximum resolution up to 2560x1440p (2K). This was more than enough to deliver sharp and crisp content on the screen.

It also boasts low blue light technology with TÜV Rheinland certification as a Full Care Display. With 90hz refresh rate support and blue light protection, the tablet is a great visual tool to read novels on e-books for long hours without any issue of eye strain.

OnePlus Pad Go.

Performance

OnePlus Pad Go is powered by MediaTek Helio G99 octa-core processor, 8GB LPDDR4X, and 128GB/ 256GB UFS 2.2 (expandable up to 1TB).

The company says the device is built to run 22 apps in the background at any given time. As advertised, it manages to deliver lag-free smooth performance. Though it supports battle royale games, racing games, and other genres, I wouldn't recommend them; not just on OnePlus Pad Go, but other tablets with big displays. Those titles are better enjoyed on compact screens of phones and gaming console controllers with big displays.

OnePlus Pad Go can be best utilized to play chess, puzzles, and other infotainment games and apps for children at home, but ensure the usage is not more than 90 minutes a day.

For adults, besides the aforementioned games, you will have a great time with OnePlud Pad Go to binge-watch movies and TV series via OTT apps. Also, one can catch up on news of the day. The tablet offers the option to change fonts to better suit your tastes and also, as noted earlier, it has an eye comfort feature to help you complete the novel. It is so great to read, I read more chapters than before and even managed to finish the e-book within a week, which usually takes more than two weeks.

OnePlus Pad Go.

Also, OnePlus Pad Go is great tool for video chat. It has a decent 8MP front camera and supports 720p(HD) and 1080p full HD at 30 fps. The video quality is really good and also covers a wide area around the subject.

On the back, it houses an 8MP (with EIS: Electronics Image Stabilisation). It takes good photos in the daylight, but given how big the tablet is, one wouldn't carry around a tablet outdoors to snap photos. There are more portable phones for that.

However, it is better utilized for document conversion. It can capture an image of the book's page and one can convert it to PDF or any other digital format with the help of numerous document conversion apps.

On the OnePlus Pad Go, shopping on e-commerce is so much better than on the compact screen of the phone. For instance, when choosing a fashion apparel like a shirt or pants or a backpack, the fabric shown in the product catalog looks clearer and most importantly, users will be able to read finer details with respect to the terms and conditions of the bank offers.

This will save you time and avoid spending money on a bad product too.

OnePlus Pad Go is great for shopping on e-commerce apps.

It runs on Android 13-based OxygenOS 13.2 very similar to what we have OnePlus phones. The user interface is really clean. It supports Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 5(802.11ac), but only one band 2.4G.

OnePlus Pad Go houses a really big 8,000mAh battery and it can last any day-long journey you embark on. It is really well optimised to run all day. However, I mainly used it during my long commute (via bus) between home and the office. On average, I spend close to three hours a day on the road and I used to charge only once a week (five-day work).

Also, the amazing thing I noted about the Pad Go is that barely loses any battery life when not in use for a long time.

As noted above, the OnePlus Pad Go supports a SIM slot, and like on the phones, the tablet too drains a tad faster when streaming content on cellular data.

OnePlus Pad Go is really good for long reads on e-books.

Final thoughts

OnePlus Pad Go is a perfect tablet to have at home. It is also a great entertainment companion during long journeys.

For Kids, the OnePlus Pad Go is a good learning tool, and also have fun playing games (for a limited time only). And, elders can kill time playing games or reading news on the web.

If nothing interesting to do, one can just sit back, binge binge-watch favourite TV series or movies on OTT apps.

Also, shopping on e-commerce apps on the wide screen of OnePlus Pad Go is just amazing. Thanks to the big screen, the users will be able to view minute hidden terms and conditions, which can come in handy in saving money or choosing to select more reliable sellers among many retailers.

OnePlus Pad Go.

For productivity too, with several apps available on the Google Play store, one can create PPTs not just for an office meeting, but also for kids to work on a digital project or do research on science topics and other related stuff on OnePlus Pad Go.

Also, it is the best affordable Android alternative to iPads in the market.

The company is offering the device in three variants-- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage (Wi-Fi only), 8GB RAM + 128GB storage (Wi-Fi+ LTE) and 8GB RAM + 128GB storage (Wi-Fi + LTE) -- for Rs 19,999, Rs 21,999 and Rs 23,999, respectively.

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