OnePlus Pad Go Review: OnePlus has launched a more budget-friendly version of its tablet, the OnePlus Pad Go. It costs about 10K less than the original OnePlus Pad but comes with some compromises in performance and display quality. Here’s a straightforward review after using it for a week.
OnePlus Pad Go Review with Detailed Specifications
OnePlus Pad Go Design:
The OnePlus Pad Go has a good design and doesn’t feel cheap. It’s a bit smaller than the original OnePlus Pad, with an 11.35-inch screen and weighs just over half a kilogram. The bezels around the screen are a good size—not too thick, but still easy to hold. However, it’s not small enough to hold with one hand unless you have very large hands.
Most of the frame is made of metal, but the OnePlus Pad Go has a two-tone design with a glossy plastic strip at the top. This plastic part easily attracts smudges, dust, and dirt, so you’ll need to clean it often. On the other hand, the frosted metal part of the frame doesn’t show fingerprints or grime as much. Like the original OnePlus Pad, the Go model comes in a single color called Twin Mint.
OnePlus Pad Go Display & Audio:
The OnePlus Pad Go has an 11.35-inch LCD screen, slightly smaller than the regular OnePlus Pad. The resolution is 2480 by 1720 pixels, or 260 pixels per inch. This is still good for editing photos and watching movies, the aspect ratio is square, which can lead to thick black bars when watching movies.
The display has decent contrast but no HDR support for streaming services like Netflix. The screen tends to look warm, often appearing as if the eye comfort mode is on even when it’s not. Adjusting the color settings can help reduce the warm tint.
The brightness maxes out at around 400 nits, which can be an issue in bright environments or outdoors. The refresh rate is reduced from 144 Hz to 90 Hz, but the screen remains smooth during regular use.
Additionally, the tablet has a quad-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos, providing loud and clear audio even in noisy environments. For wireless streaming, it supports Apex and LDAC. However, there is no headphone jack, so you’ll need to use a USB-C dongle or Bluetooth headphones for private listening.
OnePlus Pad Go Features & OxygenOS:
The OnePlus Pad Go comes with OxygenOS 13.2 on top of Android 13. It doesn’t have the latest Android 14, and Android 15 is already in beta, which is a bit disappointing. OnePlus promises a couple of years of OS and Android updates, but the timing is uncertain.
There’s no fingerprint sensor on the display or power button, so you rely on Face Unlock, which is quick and reliable. You can set it to require your eyes to be open for added security, though it’s still not as secure as a fingerprint sensor.
The software experience on the OnePlus Pad Go is the same as on the regular OnePlus Pad. It includes all the best features of OxygenOS, like the Shelf, which isn’t optimized for tablet displays but is packed with useful widgets to keep your desktops uncluttered. There’s also the sidebar for quick access to apps.
The device features 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and storage options up to 256GB with UFS 2.2. However, you can use a microSD card of up to 1 TB for extra storage using the slot at the top.
OnePlus Pad Go Multitasking:
Multitasking works the same way on the OnePlus Pad Go as on other OnePlus devices. There’s a dock at the bottom of the screen with your most recently used apps on the right side for quick access. You can customize the rest of the dock by dragging and dropping your favorite apps.
While using an app, you can bring up the dock by long pressing at the bottom edge of the screen. To use split screen, drag another app into the screen, and you can easily resize the windows. You can also switch between apps with a quick tap on a bar at the top.
For more multitasking, you can have a floating window by dragging an app to the middle of the screen. If you have a OnePlus smartphone, you can seamlessly share files and apps between your devices.
However, the OnePlus Pad Go doesn’t support the keyboard or stylus from the original OnePlus Pad, which is disappointing. The keyboard was especially useful for turning the tablet into a mini laptop for quick work or emails.
OnePlus Pad Go Performance:
The OnePlus Pad Go runs on MediaTek’s Helio G99 chipset, which is a few years old. It’s not known for being super powerful or fast.
In everyday use, performance is generally fine, but you might notice some occasional lag when opening apps or using split-screen mode. It’s fine for basic gaming like PUBG or Call of Duty at lower settings, but don’t expect it to handle high-end games smoothly.
OxygenOS includes a gaming mode that can help by boosting performance, blocking notifications, and adjusting screen sensitivity. Given its smaller size compared to the original OnePlus Pad, it’s a more compact option.
OnePlus Pad Go Cameras:
The OnePlus Pad Go features an 8-megapixel front-facing selfie camera, positioned centrally for landscape mode. It’s great for video chats, capturing in Full HD 1080p at up to 30 frames per second. The image quality is decent and suitable for video calls. There’s basic stabilization to keep videos steady, but you need to hold the tablet still.
The built-in microphones work well for picking up your voice, but you need to stay close to the tablet for clear sound. If you move away, the microphone performance may suffer.
There’s also a 8MP rear camera on the OnePlus Pad Go, although its utility for taking photos or videos with a tablet is limited.
OnePlus Pad Go Battery Life:
The OnePlus Pad Go has a slightly smaller battery capacity of 8,000 milliamp-hours, but it still offers decent performance. Thanks to the energy-efficient MediaTek Helio chipset inside, the battery life is actually a bit better compared to other tablets.
For streaming videos, you can expect around 13 to 14 hours of playback on a full charge, which is great for long trips or keeping entertained on flights. A full charge easily lasts a whole day for normal use. However, it lacks fast charging like the regular OnePlus Pad, so it takes over an hour to fully charge with its 33W charging, requiring you to plug it in for a while.
Quick Overview of OnePlus Pad Go
| Features | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Display | A 11.35” LCD display with 2408 x 1720 pixel resolution, 260PPI pixel density, 90Hz refresh rate and 400 nits brightness |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G99 |
| OS | OxygenOS 13.2 |
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR4X |
| ROM | Up to 256GB UFS 2.2 |
| Camera | Rear Camera: 8MP Selfie Camera: 8MP |
| Battery | 8000 mAh battery with 33W SUPERVOOC charging |
OnePlus Pad Go Price:
The base model is available on Flipkart for 20,999 rupees, but with a bank offer, you can get it for just 15,649 rupees.
In short, here’s what I think of the OnePlus Pad Go after using it for over a week. While the pad’s low price is attractive, but its performance isn’t as good as the original OnePlus Pad. The display isn’t as impressive, and it doesn’t support the keyboard and stylus, which is disappointing.