I replaced my iPad Air with a $350 Android tablet for a month - my verdict now

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.

Even arsenic an affordable Android tablet, the OnePlus Pad Go 2 has proven to beryllium a susceptible amusement and productivity tablet without the flagship pricing. It's 1 of the champion worth tablets I've utilized recently, and it gets adjacent amended erstwhile you adhd the autochthonal accessories, specified arsenic the OnePlus stylus and folio case.

Also: Need a rugged Android tablet for your business? I tested 1 that looks large and lasts each day

As you tin astir apt archer by its name, the OnePlus Pad Go 2 is the successor to the brand's erstwhile affordable tablet, launched past year, though it features immoderate important upgrades. The Pad Go 2 features a larger show this year, a 12.1-inch surface with a 7:5 facet ratio that works good for multitasking, streaming videos, and reading. 

The tablet looked sleek and imposing erstwhile I unboxed it, particularly aft getting utilized to the 11-inch iPad Pro for mundane work. However, the OnePlus Pad Go 2 remains compact capable to travel you to work, school, oregon travel, without weighing down your backpack oregon enarthrosis container similar a laptop would.

Also: Why I question with this $200 Android tablet much than my iPad - and don't regret it

As an amusement tablet, the Pad Go 2 performs exceptionally well, peculiarly erstwhile compared to different Android tablets successful its terms range. It tin beryllium an all-day instrumentality with a agelong artillery life, making it casual to modulation from enactment to streaming oregon gaming. 

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

I utilized the OnePlus Pad Go 2 to constitute and edit my contented for implicit 2 months arsenic it paired good with a Bluetooth keyboard, and I wasn't the slightest spot disappointed with its performance. However, I recovered it a spot dilatory for video editing, with occasional app crashes, though not many. 

You tin spot however the OnePlus Pad Go 2's benchmark scores comparison with those of likewise priced tablets successful the array above, organized by terms from lowest to highest. The OnePlus Pad Go 2 is 1 of the champion budget-friendly, everyday-use tablets, particularly for loyal Android users.

Also: I stopped utilizing a dedicated e-reader erstwhile I recovered retired my tablet could bash this instead

That said, if you chiefly enactment with messaging, email, writing, oregon editing content, it's a near-perfect on-the-go device. 

Even though Apple is renowned for its show prime and colour grading, the OnePlus Pad Go 2's 2.8K show is amazingly vibrant and sharp. It's decently bright, susceptible of reaching up to 900 nits, though it falls somewhat abbreviated successful sunny outdoor environments. 

The OnePlus Pad Go 2 has its ain stylus (sold separately for $80), the OnePlus Pad Go 2 Stylo.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

The vibrancy and strength of this tablet's realistic colors made it casual to scope for it much often than my iPad to watercourse content. The tablet's speakers are amazingly powerful, which is simply a large compliment for a tablet successful this terms range.

Aside from my Bluetooth keyboard, I got to trial the Pad Go 2 with the OnePlus Pad Go 2 Stylo and was amazingly satisfied with its performance, particularly arsenic idiosyncratic who uses styluses from antithetic brands. I person to say, I've been precise satisfied replacing the iPad Air, which was my go-to tablet for months, with the Pad Go 2 for enactment and entertainment. 

Also: How to wide your iPad cache (and hitch retired lag for good)

This OnePlus tablet has been reliable and cleanable for multitasking, which is my biggest symptom constituent with tablets. Even the $300 basal exemplary iPad doesn't multitask arsenic consistently arsenic this Android tablet, which experienced less app crashes than the Pad Go 2. 

I've tested assorted tablets, ranging from e-paper to full-color displays, successful some matte and glossy finishes, for note-taking and drawing. Since each marque tends to person its ain stylus, that means I've besides tested galore physics pencils and styluses. 

Also: 9 indispensable iPadOS 26 features that convinced maine to enactment my MacBook distant for good

The Go 2 Stylo was precise responsive and close connected the tablet and was designed to enactment with the Pad Go 2. It besides has a akin value and consciousness to the Apple Pencil Pro, truthful it's heavier than a Samsung S Pen. The added value gives you a consciousness of power erstwhile wielding a pen for drawing, which a batch of graphic artists appreciate. Unfortunately, the Go 2 Stylo doesn't enactment wireless charging and features a USB-C larboard for recharging. 

ZDNET's buying advice

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

The OnePlus Pad Go 2 is built for the Android idiosyncratic who doesn't privation to beryllium a unfortunate of Samsung's premium pricing but wants a comparable instrumentality that tin really outperform astir different tablets successful this terms range. As a professional, I've utilized it each time with easiness for enactment and entertainment, and it tin grip some arsenic agelong arsenic you are alert of its processing limitations -- don't expect to edit agelong 4K videos without hiccups. 

Also: The champion Samsung tablets of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

However, this tablet tin besides beryllium exceedingly utile for different audiences, from assemblage students who request much versatility and portability than the mean Chromebook to older users who similar a lightweight instrumentality they tin trust connected for assorted purposes. I utilized the Pad Go 2 Stylo for illustration and graphic design, and it was arsenic adjacent to the iPad Air with Apple Pencil Pro acquisition arsenic you tin get.

If you're an Apple idiosyncratic looking for a much affordable tablet, however, I'd urge the basal exemplary iPad 11, which is astatine slightest $50 cheaper.