BEST TABLETS

OnePlus’s Pad 2 offers a large display in its own taller aspect ratio which the brand claims is ideal for both work and play. The display has thin borders and has a premium feeling all-metal unibody chassis which has a unique looking rounded design with rounded sides and corners.

The software experience keeps up with the times. OnePlus adds a bunch of AI tools to its Oxygen OS skin which has been optimised for tablets in this case. Open Canvas makes it from the OnePlus Open to this tablet and it works wonderfully.

The Smart Keyboard optional accessory is well built and now consists of two parts. The keyboard is spacious and comfortable for typing and so is the trackpad. But the trackpad does have some minor issues.

Battery life is pretty good and easily lasts two work days. With the bundled charger it can also charge as fast as a smartphone.

The Realme Pad 2 is a slim and premium-looking tablet which offers budget performance but will mainly be used for media consumption. The tablet comes with no optional accessories but offers good construction quality with its metal, glass and polycarbonate construction.

The tablet is powered by a MediaTek Helio G99 SoC, which can also be found in other budget smartphones and tablets. However, this tablet also comes with cellular connectivity which makes it stand out both in terms of pricing and value.

Camera quality is what one would typically expect from a budget tablet, so smartphones at this price point will offer better capability. The front-facing camera works well for video calls and there’s a quad-speaker audio to make games and movies sound immersive as well.

Battery life is excellent and easily lasts 3 whole days on a single charge whether or not you insert a SIM card in it, which makes this tablet a proper road warrior.

The OnePlus Pad is the company’s first attempt at making its own tablet, and with that in mind it surprisingly gets a lot of things right. The tablet has a unibody metal design which is a bit heavy but is quite sturdy and feels very premium. The quality of the optional accessories is also top-notch.

Its raw performance, whether used for gaming or regular software usage, is quite good. UI interactions feel fluid and the optional keyboard and trackpad are well optimised to make the hardware experience even better.

Camera performance as expected isn’t the best but is better suited for snapping documents than capturing video. The selfie camera comes with a Limelight feature which keeps the user centred at all times during video calls.

Battery life is impressive as the tablet easily lasts two days on a single charge. It can also be used for work provided it’s limited to light work. Equally good is the charging speed which is pretty much unmatched in and above its segment.

The Redmi Pad Pro 5G tablet brings interesting features and specifications at this price point. The tablet offers a sleek design profile, which makes it easier to carry around. However, due to its large display, handling it might be a bit difficult thing. The display looks vibrant and offers sharp colours. The performance is stable, and you can play graphics-intense games with ease on this tablet. The user interface is clean and well-optimised for this device. The device also features some interesting connectivity features that make it easier to use with other Xiaomi devices. However, it is currently limited to Xiaomi 14 and 14 Civi. The cameras are usable, though this tablet's battery life is good. 

The Infinix XPad has a very practical-looking metal unibody design which has a plastic insert at the top for better radio connectivity. There’s two speakers on each side (when held horizontally) and they deliver rich sound with sufficient bass for watching video content. Despite its compact dimensions the tablet is quite heavy and does not come with any accessories.

Performance is on par with the competition and just about delivers enough power for day-to-day requirements. Image quality of the front and rear camera is passable and meets the necessary requirements for a budget tablet as well.

Battery life is again average for a device at this price point and will last users a day of continuous video viewing. While it's nice to see a charger in the box, we did find the charging speeds to be average.

The Lenovo Tab Plus brings interesting features that make it a go-to device for all your multimedia needs. The tablet offers a good display, but the audio takes centre stage. The device provides not two but four woofers and four tweeters that deliver exceptional sound output, a first in any tablet. The sound is loud enough to compete with any affordable Bluetooth speaker. This, coupled with the ability to pair a smartphone and use it as a Bluetooth speaker, makes it even more interesting. 

However, the tablet surely lags behind the competition when it comes to sheer performance. The user interface is clean and offers good features. The cameras are usable, though one should expect little from them. Overall, if you are looking for a tablet for your media consumption and can overlook the performance, you can consider this tablet.