 "OnePlus Pad Go review")
Chinese electronics manufacturer OnePlus has recently introduced the Pad Go, a tablet targeted at the Indian market. Priced starting at Rs 19,999, the OnePlus Pad Go offers a large display, Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity, and audio powered by Dolby Atmos. On the surface, this tablet appears to be a practical Android device for those on a budget. Is it? Let us find out:
Design
The OnePlus Pad Go showcases a sleek design, resembling its premium counterpart, the OnePlus Pad. Its front features a flat screen that dominates the entire profile, albeit with noticeable bezels on all sides. The rear is constructed from metal, with a thin plastic strip running across the top for a dual-texture finish, providing a touch of novelty to the overall design. However, it is less successful at concealing fingerprints. The placement of the rear camera in landscape mode may disrupt your grip when using the tablet in portrait mode. Nevertheless, the tablet's rounded edges and lightweight build make it comfortable to hold and carry.
Display and Audio
The OnePlus Pad Go boasts an 11.35-inch display with symmetrical bezels on all sides, offering a comfortable surface for your palm and fingers to rest while holding the device, thereby preventing unintended touches on the screen. The display features a 2.4K resolution, delivering sharp visuals despite being an LCD panel. With a 90Hz refresh rate, the overall display experience is smooth and responsive.
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Regarding audio, the OnePlus Pad Go incorporates a quad-speaker setup, with dual speaker grills on each side when held in landscape orientation. OnePlus refers to this as Omni-bearing Sound Field technology, which provides multi-directional sound support. While the speakers produce loud audio, they may sound distorted and grainy at maximum volume levels. The tablet lacks a dedicated headphone/microphone jack, but the in-built microphones offer satisfactory voice reception.
Camera
In terms of camera performance, the OnePlus Pad Go delivers reasonably good results for a budget tablet. The 8-megapixel rear camera is suitable for occasional photography and document scanning. The 8MP front camera performs well for video calls and conferences. It also serves as a biometric unit for facial recognition, although it exhibits inaccuracy and slowness, especially since the tablet lacks a fingerprint sensor.
Performance and Battery
Powering the OnePlus Pad Go is the MediaTek Helio G99 processor, which capably handles everyday tasks such as web browsing and video playback. However, it struggles when handling demanding tasks, like having multiple tabs open in your browser. While the chip is not designed for gaming, the tablet manages to run graphics-intensive games on low and moderate settings without noticeable lag or thermal issues.
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The tablet has an 8,000 mAh battery, which provides approximately two days of battery life with general everyday use. The battery standby time is commendable, with minimal discharge. The OnePlus Pad Go supports 33W fast wired charging, taking 90 minutes to fully charge from zero per cent.
Verdict
The OnePlus Pad Go excels in terms of its display and audio capabilities within its budget segment. It is a suitable choice for those seeking a secondary display or a portable entertainment device on a budget. OnePlus offers multiple variants with varying storage and connectivity options, allowing consumers to select the most suitable option for their needs.
