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Head-to-head · Best Android Tablets

OnePlus Pad 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

OnePlus Pad 3 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.3). OnePlus Pad 3 is best for: Buyers who want flagship speed and a large multitasking screen from an Android tablet and do not need an OLED panel or a bundled stylus. Read the strengths below before deciding.

OnePlus Pad 3
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Android Tablets
OnePlus Pad 3
3 sources$700as of Oct 19

The OnePlus Pad 3 is a 13.2-inch, 144Hz Android tablet built around the Snapdragon 8 Elite, with 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a 12,140mAh battery, priced at $699.99 from OnePlus. TechRadar, Android Central and Trusted Reviews each rated it 4.5 out of 5. All three praise the performance, the screen and the Open Canvas split-screen software; their complaints are the LCD panel where rivals use OLED, the lack of a microSD slot and fingerprint reader, and a keyboard and stylus that cost extra.

Strengths
  • — Snapdragon 8 Elite performance: TechRadar ran Docs, a PDF, Chrome tabs, a WhatsApp overlay and a video at once with no slowdown
  • — 13.2-inch 144Hz display that TechRadar scored 5/5
  • — 80W charger included in the US box, per TechRadar
Watch-outs
  • — IPS LCD rather than OLED, listed as a con by Android Central and Trusted Reviews
  • — No microSD card slot and no fingerprint scanner, per Android Central
  • — Stylus ($99) and Smart Keyboard ($199) are sold separately, which TechRadar says makes the full setup pricey
$700 · Buy at oneplus.comFull review →
Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra
Ranked #2 in Best Android Tablets
Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra
2 sources$1,400as of Oct 19

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is a 14.6-inch Android tablet with a 2,960 x 1,848 AMOLED screen, a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chip, 12GB of RAM and an S Pen in the box. PCMag gave it 4.5/5 and its Editors' Choice, measuring 12 hours 44 minutes of battery life and praising the bright, glare-resistant display and smooth S Pen drawing. Trusted Reviews scored it 4/5, calling the screen phenomenal and DeX a laptop-like experience, but found it nearly identical to the Tab S11 Ultra at a higher price, with a chip that already trails newer flagships. It suits creators and big-screen multitaskers who want the largest Samsung tablet; Tab S11 Ultra owners and anyone who wants something portable should look elsewhere.

Strengths
  • — PCMag measured 12 hours 44 minutes in its video battery test
  • — 14.6-inch AMOLED screen stays clear even in bright sunlight
  • — S Pen stylus included, and it never needs charging
Watch-outs
  • — Design, display and battery are nearly unchanged from the Tab S11 Ultra
  • — Year-old Dimensity 9500 chip trails newer flagship processors
  • — Very large: it needs two hands to use comfortably
$1,400 · Buy at samsung.comFull review →

How they stack up

OnePlus Pad 3

Trusted Reviews tested it against the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus and found the OnePlus significantly faster, with a higher refresh rate and better battery life; it uses a Snapdragon 8 Elite and a 12,140mAh battery where the Samsung has an Exynos 1580 and 10,090mAh. The Samsung includes its S Pen, has IP68 water resistance and takes microSD cards, none of which the OnePlus offers. It costs several times as much as the COLORROOM tablet on this page.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra

The Tab S12 Ultra's 14.6-inch screen makes it a much larger tablet than the compact Samsung Galaxy Tab S11, and PCMag puts its starting price at $1,399.99. Trusted Reviews notes that the smaller OnePlus Pad 3 carries a larger 12,140mAh battery than the Ultra's 11,600mAh cell, though the Ultra adds IP68 dust and water resistance.

Specs side-by-side

SpecOnePlus Pad 3Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra
Display Size13.2-inch IPS LCD, 144Hz—
ProcessorSnapdragon 8 Elite—
RAM12GB—
Storage256GB (no microSD)256GB, 512GB or 1TB, plus microSD
Battery12,140mAh, 80W charging11,600mAh, 45W wired charging
Operating SystemAndroid with OxygenOS 15—
Weight675 g692g (1.53 lb)
Thickness5.97 mm5.1mm
Screen—14.6-inch AMOLED, 2,960 x 1,848, 120Hz
Chipset—MediaTek Dimensity 9500
Memory—12GB RAM (16GB with 1TB)
Durability—IP68
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