OnePlus might be working on a shiny new tablet, but the rumored device may turn out to be not nearly as expensive as the OnePlus Pad 2, its current high-end model. But that would likely mean lower specs on this potential new tablet compared to the OnePlus Pad 2, which we rate as the best tablet for Android users currently.
The report on OnePlus' tablet plans comes from a well-regarded leaker named Digital Chat Station on Weibo. The leaker described the new device as a "OnePlus Tablet Standard Edition," which probably won't be its final name, as we'd assume OnePlus would want to stick with the Pad branding it uses globally.
Regarding what the tablet will have for specs, GSMArena reports that it'll have an 11.6-inch display with a 2.8K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate. Compared with the OnePlus Pad 2's 12.1-inch screen, that would make the new tablet a bit smaller overall, even if there is still plenty of screen space to get stuff done.
The reports also say the affordable tablet will come with a MediaTek Dimensity 8350 SoC, a budget-friendly chip made on a 4nm process node. The chip offers 3.35GHz Cortex-A715 prime cores and four Cortex-A510 cores. This is where the alleged affordable tablet will see a significant downgrade, as the OnePlus Pad 2 features the beastly Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
OnePlus isn't known for skimping on batteries, and its rumored midrange tablet would follow that trend. The reports say it'll get a large 9,520mAh battery with 67W fast charging, the same found on the more expensive slate.
Looking at the rumored specs and the fact that Oppo and OnePlus are owned by BBK group leads us to conclude that the new OnePlus model will be a rebranded Oppo Pad 3.
More likely than not, this tablet will replace the original OnePlus Pad, which is still available. However, it's also possible that OnePlus will target a price that's even lower than $300 and keep the original OnePlus Pad as an option. Either way, if an affordable tablet from OnePlus is anywhere near as good as its flagship, I'm here for it and can't wait to see what the company pulls off.
Perhaps we'll learn more during the global launch of the OnePlus 13 next month, but seeing as that's right around the corner, it could be a little longer.
