OnePlus Pad Lite review: A better entertainment device than a laptop 

I spent a few weeks with the new OnePlus Pad Lite, which aims to be a versatile device for users who don’t need a laptop all the time but want a go-to option that’s portable, easy to use, has a bright display, good speakers, and can run all the essential applications they use in daily life.

I am one of those people that uses a tablet almost daily, but not for anything particularly demanding. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

Here is my review of the OnePlus Pad Lite.

What: OnePlus Pad Lite | Price: Rs 13,999 onwards (my review unit costs Rs 15,999 and comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage with LTE support)

Portable and well-built 

The OnePlus Pad Lite is intended more for on-the-go use, and is less suited for use on a desk like a laptop. It’s designed to be carried in the hands and used around the home, or even away from home, depending on the use case. Ultimately, it depends on why you need a tablet. I will leave that decision to you.

For starters, the tablet has an all-aluminium build and doesn’t look like a low-end product. The two-tone Aero Blue design is very soothing to the eyes and feels much more premium. It’s relatively slim, too, and slips into your bag more easily than a laptop, especially if you don’t need the keyboard.

The battery lasts up to 16 hours on a single charge, though that can vary depending on how you use the tablet on a day-to-day basis. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

At 530 grams, the OnePlus Pad Lite is portable, though it’s not as featherlight as I would like. I think the tablet’s size contributes to its weight. To be clear, it isn’t as small as the iPad mini, nor does it come close to the 13-inch iPad Air- it falls somewhere in between. I would love to see OnePlus trim the device’s weight in the next version while keeping the 11-inch screen size.

That being said, it’s effortless to hold the Pad Lite in my hand without getting a wrist cramp. In my view, a tablet should be held at a certain distance from your eyes to appreciate its larger screen. However, devices like the Kindle and iPad mini are meant to be enjoyed close to the eyes, especially for reading, which I do a lot, which is why I always tell my readers to try a product at a store before getting it.

Bright screen and powerful speakers 

The OnePlus Pad Lite is, by default, designed as an entertainment device through and through. It features an 8-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200. The Pad Lite feels like a natural fit for watching TV shows and movies, as well as casual gaming. The 16:10 aspect ratio makes it a perfect fit for catching your favourite movie or catching the next episode of The Bad***ds of Bollywood. The screen is bright and colourful, and you won’t hear many complaints about the panel. I rarely use it in direct sunlight—brightness is okay (capped at 500 nits), though not exceptional —but it’s more than adequate for most situations.

One of the benefits of using a tablet over a laptop is that I can download shows and movies before taking a train, flight, or going on a long journey. With a tablet, it’s easy to do this through streaming service apps or YouTube, as long as downloading is supported.

The OnePlus Pad Lite has an 11-inch LCD display. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

I am not a heavy mobile gamer — maybe you are — and I can see that a 90Hz refresh rate is a good starting point. The point is, the OnePlus Pad Lite plays a very different role. It’s generally used for basic tasks rather than creative or high-end workloads, which is why it lacks an expensive OLED screen and a 120Hz refresh rate.

However, what impressed me most about the OnePlus Pad Lite is the speakers. The quad-speaker setup delivers impressive stereo separation, deep bass, and no distortion even at high volumes. Whether you are using the tablet at home or outdoors, there’s little reason to rely on external speakers or headphones for that matter, unless you want to disconnect from the world and enjoy your music in a more intimate setting.

A less distracting device 

One of the great use cases for using a tablet over a laptop in day-to-day life is that it helps you stay focused on one task at a time. To be clear, while multitasking is possible on this device, thanks to the MediaTek Helio G100 processor, backed by either 6GB or 8GB of RAM (depending on the version) and 128GB of non-expandable internal storage,  I wouldn’t say the OnePlus Pad Lite is ideal for multitasking or productivity. That said, it really depends on what you’re trying to do.

It’s certainly possible to open two apps side by side, for example, researching a subject in one window while jotting down notes in the other. OnePlus’s OxygenOS 15, based on Android 15, offers productivity features such as floating windows, screen mirroring from OnePlus phones, and quick sharing with other Android or Apple devices. But tablets are meant to be distraction-free devices. And while higher-end tablets are often designed to replace laptops, the OnePlus Pad Lite still feels very much like a tablet. Its purpose is clear.

My day-to-day workflow include common tasks like sending emails and texts, scrolling through social media, and video calls. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

That’s also why the Pad Lite is a versatile device. I can travel with it, take it on work trips, pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard to quickly write a document in Google Docs, communicate with colleagues, respond to emails, attend Zoom calls using the built-in 5-megapixel front camera, and even take pictures with the rear camera or make payments, if needed.

Laptops can do many things at once, but they are primarily designed as productivity devices. Multitasking will always be better on a Windows laptop or a Mac. After all, a laptop is often pitched as an all-in-one device, and users inherently prefer a proper computer because it handles multiple tasks more efficiently. Things like adequate window management, dragging and dropping files between apps, and using various types of programs that aren’t limited to those available on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

I don’t expect a tablet like the OnePlus Pad Lite to replace my laptop, since juggling multiple windows and tasks at once can be challenging. Some might see that as a drawback, but frankly, I have always wanted a less distracting environment, and the tablet provides exactly that, unlike smartphones and laptops, which constantly buzz with notifications, messages, and calls. So if I am catching a show and streaming it on the OnePlus Pad Lite, I am fully immersed and far less worried about some notification popping up and pulling me out of the experience. That’s where I feel tablets have an edge, because they are ideal for one environment and excel at it.

Long battery life

In my usual battery test, the OnePlus Pad Lite delivered 16 hours of battery life, putting it ahead of the iPad and other tablets I have reviewed recently. This kind of battery life is truly impressive for someone like me who travels frequently for work — your tablet essentially becomes your go-to entertainment device on long-haul flights.

You can run two apps side by side on the OnePlus Pad Lite. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

In fact, I have rarely noticed the Pad Lite running low on battery, and when it does, it recharges quickly. OnePlus includes a 15W charger in the box, though the device supports charging speeds of up to 33W. The Pad Lite uses USB-C to charge, which is the latest charging standard.

Stylus is not supported 

It would have been great if OnePlus had at least made stylus support optional on the Pad Lite. I consider the stylus a true companion for a device like a tablet; it’s especially handy for casual photo editing and taking notes. I also enjoy doodling and sketching in my free time, so its absence is definitely felt.

It’s small enough to throw into most bags or freely carry around with you. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

Should you buy the OnePlus Pad Lite?

The more I use the OnePlus Pad Lite, the more I realise that this device excels at singular experiences, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Multitasking is certainly possible on a tablet, but there are still limitations on both hardware and software. Of course, every user is different and has their own multitasking needs.

The OnePlus Pad Lite excels at specific tasks and delivers on that, while remaining portable and travel-friendly. I see the Pad Lite aimed at a diverse range of users, including senior students in primary school (Google’s Kids Mode is a great addition, offering age-appropriate apps, videos, and books along with parental controls), doctors, delivery boys, and more.