OnePlus Pad 3 vs OnePlus Pad 2: All the differences explained

While the Pad 2 positioned itself as an affordable yet powerful alternative to big-brand tablets, the Pad 3 looks set to push even further on that agenda with a larger screen, bigger battery, and the latest Qualcomm chip.But as exciting as that sounds, this is still a pre-release comparison. Most of the Pad 3’s details are based on official teasers and leaked information, so take everything with a grain of salt until the official announcement on June 5.

The OnePlus Pad 2 launched in 2024 with a $550 starting price, while The Pad 3 is expected to start around $599–$649. There will be pre-orders for early buyers who want to score free accessories like the keyboard and stylus.

OnePlus Pad 3 vs OnePlus Pad 2 expected differences explained:

The power button, volume rocker, and stylus charging strip on the Pad 2 are all positioned for landscape-first use, with pogo pins for the keyboard connector on the bottom edge.

The Pad 3 is expected to take this same design and scale it up. According to leaks, it will feature an even thinner 6.0 mm chassis, while still retaining the aluminum build. That means it could be heavier.

Unfortunately, we still don’t know anything about water resistance or durability certification.In terms of screen quality, the Pad 2 impressed us with its 144Hz LCD panel, decent brightness (786 nits in our tests), and smooth scrolling. Colors weren’t the most accurate, but contrast and sharpness were perfectly acceptable for regular media content and casual work.

The Pad 2 supports a Smart Keyboard accessory that magnetically attaches via pogo pins and charges through the tablet itself. It’s well-built, with spacious keys, a large trackpad, and gesture support. Sold separately for $150, it’s a must-have for productivity.

The Stylo 2, OnePlus’ smart stylus, comes with 16,000 pressure levels, Bluetooth connectivity, and magnetic charging. It costs $99 and supports remote gestures like scrolling or advancing slides.

Both accessories magnetically snap onto the frame, though there’s still no dedicated silo for the stylus.The Pad 3 will most likely support the same accessories or updated versions of them—and this time, early buyers in the U.S. can get both the keyboard and stylus for free with pre-orders. That makes the Pad 3 bundle especially attractive out of the gate.

However, synthetic benchmarks told a different story, with unexpectedly low single-core scores (~931 in Geekbench 6), likely due to thermal throttling or software tuning.Still, gaming and multitasking were handled well, and the Pad 2 was generally smooth in everyday use.

The Pad 3 is expected to upgrade to the much more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite, Qualcomm’s top-tier mobile chip, in 2025. Hopefully, the new model doesn’t suffer from the same throttling issues we saw in the Pad 2 and the new chip can be utilized to its maximum potential. For reference, this is the same silicon that the Galaxy S25 Ultra uses.

Rumors suggest 12 GB of RAM again, which should still offer ample memory for demanding apps and multitasking. Storage configurations are unconfirmed, but microSD expansion is not expected, just like on the Pad 2.

Software

It’s lightweight, fast, and well suited for productivity.

Haptic feedback wasn’t a highlight on the Pad 2, and there’s no reason to expect major changes here.

Camera

About what you would expect

 

Summary