I have spent a fair amount of time with the OnePlus Pad 3, so moving to the OnePlus Pad 4 did not feel like starting from scratch. If anything, it felt like picking up something familiar and trying to figure out what has actually changed.
And that’s really where the Pad 4 sits. On the surface, it doesn’t look very different. The design, the display, and even the overall experience feel quite similar. But with a newer chip, a bigger battery, and a few refinements across the board, it clearly aims to improve on what was already working.
The more relevant question, then, is whether those changes actually add up in day-to-day use. Does the Pad 4 feel more refined in a way that matters? And more importantly, if you have used the previous generation, does it feel like a meaningful upgrade at all? Let’s find out.
Design
OnePlus hasn’t made any major changes to the design. The tablet sticks to the same clean, minimal look with a metal unibody construction that feels premium without trying too hard.
It is slightly thinner and lighter this time, which does help with portability. But because of the large 13.2-inch form factor, it still feels more comfortable when used on a desk or with a case rather than handheld for long durations.
There are a few subtle changes that affect usability. The bezels are slimmer, which improves the overall look but also makes grip a bit trickier during extended use. You’re more aware of how you’re holding the tablet, especially when using it without a case.
The repositioned pogo pins are another small but important change. They now sit on a different edge, which affects accessory compatibility and means older keyboards won’t work here.
Display and audio
The display continues to be one of the strongest parts of the experience. You get the same 13.2-inch LCD panel with a 3.4K resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. In everyday use, it remains sharp, smooth, and large enough to comfortably handle both work and entertainment.
OnePlus has stuck to the same 7:5 aspect ratio, similar to the Pad 3. While it does give you more room for browsing, reading, or multitasking, it results in black bars while watching videos. This is not exactly a downside, but it’s something to keep in mind if you are primarily looking at this as a content consumption device. That said, the viewing experience remains quite good, thanks to how vibrant and sharp the display is.
Brightness has been improved slightly, going up to around 1000 nits in high brightness mode. The difference is noticeable in brighter environments, but it’s not something that completely changes the experience.
Audio, on the other hand, continues to be a strong point. The eight-speaker setup delivers loud and balanced sound. Whether you’re watching videos or listening to music, the experience feels full, which is rare for a built-in speaker system on such a portable device.
Performance
The OnePlus Pad 4 is powered by the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, coupled with up to 12GB of RAM.
In day-to-day use, the difference isn’t immediately obvious, and that’s mainly because the previous generation was already fast enough. Apps open quickly, multitasking feels smooth, and even heavier workloads don’t push the tablet too much. However, I did notice that the tablet tends to manage thermals better than its predecessor.
In my usage, everything from running multiple apps to gaming at high frame rates felt stable. Titles like BGMI and FC Mobile run smoothly, and the tablet doesn’t struggle even under sustained load.
Software and productivity
Running OxygenOS 16, the OnePlus Pad 4 gets support for what I consider to be one of the best multitasking features on an Android tablet—Open Canvas. It allows you to run multiple apps, freely resize them, and move between them more naturally, almost like a windowing system.
To take things further, OnePlus has also improved the file management system on the Pad 4. You can now drag and drop files between folders and even create home screen shortcuts for stored files. However, there are still limitations. For example, you cannot drag and drop files directly from the My Files app into apps like Google Chat or Gmail, as the functionality is restricted to internal file movement.
There are also AI features like AI writing and summarisation, but they feel more like optional tools rather than something that fundamentally changes how you use the tablet. You also get OnePlus Mind Space, which can store, analyse, and organise screenshots while providing more context to Gemini when needed.
OnePlus has also introduced a new Stylo Pro pen accessory, which is said to offer better precision and an improved writing experience. It works well for note-taking and sketching, especially with the added tip options. However, in real-world use, I couldn’t notice a significant difference compared to the previous generation stylus.
Battery and charging
The tablet packs a slightly larger 13,380mAh battery compared to the Pad 3, and in real-world use, it comfortably lasts through a full day of mixed usage. You’re less likely to worry about charging midway through the day, which adds to the overall reliability.
Charging remains unchanged at 80W, and it still takes a little over 90 minutes to fully charge. It’s fast enough, but not a major upgrade over the previous generation.
Verdict
The OnePlus Pad 4 is a better tablet than its predecessor, but it’s not a dramatically different one. Most of the improvements here are incremental. Performance is more consistent, battery life is slightly better, and the overall experience feels more refined. But at the same time, the core experience remains largely unchanged.
That makes this a slightly tricky device to evaluate. If you’re buying a tablet fresh, the Pad 4 makes a strong case. It’s fast, reliable, and well-suited for both work and entertainment.
However, if you’re already using the previous generation, the upgrade is harder to justify. The improvements are real, but they’re not significant enough to feel like a clear step up in everyday use. What the OnePlus Pad 4 ultimately represents is a more mature version of the same device.
 "OnePlus Pad 4 review: Powerful and polished tablet, but not transformative")
