Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ vs. OnePlus Pad 2: Big, premium, and powerful

• Premium by design

  Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+

  The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ is the epitome of an amazing Android tablet experience. With a beautiful design, amazing performance, and a stunning display, there isn’t much that this tablet can’t do. It’s too bad that Samsung has given it a four-figure price.

  Pros

  • Excellent performance
  • A stunning display
  • Seven years of software support

  Cons

  • So very expensive
  • Display doesn’t get extremely bright

• 

  Value champion

  OnePlus Pad 2

  The OnePlus Pad 2 offers a great Android tablet experience while keeping the price at an obtainable level for many. With a good-looking display, amazing battery life, and top-notch performance, there isn’t much to dislike about the Pad 2. OnePlus did cut a few corners, but not many.

  Pros

  • Good-looking display
  • Fantastic performance
  • Great battery life

  Cons

  • Limited software support
  • Lacks cellular connectivity
  • Doesn’t come with a stylus

One of the best aspects of Android as a platform is the wide variety of devices that utilize it to drive the software experience. Not only does competition drive manufacturers to innovate and deliver amazing Android tablets, but it also allows these tablets to have a wide range of prices, features, and hardware. Whether you want a cheap Android tablet for general browsing or a Google Pixel Tablet for its Nest Hub-type features, Android has you covered.

Two of the best at what they do are Samsung and OnePlus. In addition to offering some of the best Android phones, these companies have a pair of amazing tablets that target very different prices.

The recently launched Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ is a fantastic tablet that aims to do it all, albeit at a premium price. The OnePlus Pad 2 is OnePlus’s second attempt at making a tablet, and it did a remarkable job in doing so. It did have to cut a few corners to get the price as low as it is, but it may just do enough to make you think twice about the pricier Samsung offering.

Price, availability, and specs

The newest challenger of the two is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ with its October 2024 release date. The Galaxy Tab S10+ is available in several different configurations, including both Wi-Fi and cellular options. The Wi-Fi only Tab S10+ is available with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $1,000, or you can up the storage to 512GB for $1,120. The 256GB version is also available with 5G connectivity for $1,150.

Both connectivity options are available in the Moonstone Gray colorway, while the Wi-Fi version adds Platinum Silver as a color option. Being a major Samsung release means that the Tab S10+ can be found very easily; you can get one directly from Samsung, retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, or through carriers like Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and US Cellular.

Having launched in July 2024, the OnePlus Pad 2 is a couple of months older and is much less expensive at $550. OnePlus makes choosing the Pad 2 very simple as there is only one model. The Pad 2 lacks cellular connectivity, but you’re getting the same 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage as the base model Tab S10+. Finding the Pad 2 isn’t nearly as easy, but it can be purchased directly from OnePlus or Amazon in the Nimbus Gray colorway.

• 	Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+	OnePlus Pad 2
  SoC	MediaTek Dimensity 9300+	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
  Display type	120Hz, Dynamic AMOLED 2X with Anti Reflection	LCD, 144Hz
  Display dimensions	12.4″	12.1″
  Display resolution	2800 x 1752	3000 x 2120
  RAM	12GB	8 or 12GB
  Storage	Up to 512GB, microSD support up to 1.5TB	128GB or 256GB
  Battery	10,090mAh	9,510mAh
  Charging speed	45W	67W SuperVOOC
  Charge options	Wired	Wired
  Ports	USB-C	USB-C
  Operating System	One UI 6.1.1, Android 14	OxygenOS 14, Android 14
  Front Camera	12MP	8MP
  Rear Camera	13MP primary, 8MP ultrawide	13MP
  Wi-Fi connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E	Wi-Fi 7
  Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.4
  Dimensions	185.4 X 285.4 X 5.6mm	268.7 x 195.1 x 6.5mm
  Weight	571g (Wi-Fi), 576g (5G)	584g
  Colors	Moonstone Gray, Platinum Silver	Nimbus Gray
  Price	$1,000	$550

Design

Clean lines and different aspect ratios

In the copycat world that is technology, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ and the OnePlus Pad 2 are as different as you can hope for in 2024. Even though the Tab S10+ has a larger 12.4-inch screen compared to the Pad 2’s 12.1-inch display, Samsung was able to keep its dimensions very similar to the Pad 2. At 285.4 x 185.4 x 5.6mm, the Tab S10+ is a bit narrower than the Pad 2’s 268.7 x 195.1 x 6.5mm dimensions, but is about equal in length.

The Tab S10+ is also a touch lighter at 571g for the Wi-Fi version and 576g for the 5G version, while the Pad 2 weighs in at 584g. This can mostly be attributed to the 16:10 aspect ratio of the Tab S10+ compared to the 7:5 ratio of the Pad 2.

The 16:10 aspect ratio that Samsung uses is a more typical display format, and it works exceedingly well for content consumption as well as for productivity. The 7:5 aspect ratio of the Pad 2 is a lot more square, which should help with productivity tasks at the expense of content consumption.

Both tablets have a glass front with minimal bezels, an aluminum back, and an aluminum frame, making for two premium-feeling tablets. Samsung takes things a step further and has an IP68 rating against water and dust ingress, while the Pad 2 has no such rating.

Looking at the back of the device reveals a few more major differences between these two tablets. When held horizontally, the Galaxy Tab S10+ tucks its rear camera lenses in the top right corner. The Galaxy Tab comes with an S Pen and magnetically attaches to the back just under the camera lenses. The OnePlus Pad 2 doesn’t include a stylus and has a large, round camera lens placed in the upper middle of the tablet.

I still find the size of the sensor and the placement a bit odd and much prefer Samsung’s more traditional approach. You can purchase a stylus from OnePlus, dubbed the Stylo 2, but OnePlus charges an additional $100.

Display

Samsung is still the undisputed display leader

If you want the absolute best display that money can buy and aren’t willing to settle for anything less, then you should start saving your money, as Samsung is the clear leader in the display department. Its 12.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display is a thing of beauty, and with punchy colors and inky blacks, the Tab S10+ has one of the best displays on the market.

It supports HDR10+, has a smooth adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, and a 2800 x 1752 resolution for crisp and clear visuals, so everything you do on this display is going to look great. It doesn’t matter if you’re working on a document, browsing the web, watching a movie, or playing the latest game.

The only negative about the display is that it peaks at 650 nits, which is a bit disappointing considering its more expensive sibling, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, tops out at 930 nits. At least it has an anti-glare coating to help in bright conditions.

The OnePlus Pad 2 has a good-looking display, but it falls behind the Tab S10+. With a 12.1-inch IPS LCD display, the Pad 2 is going to lose the inky blacks of its AMOLED counterpart. It does have HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support as well as a very smooth 144Hz refresh rate.

In addition to the faster refresh rate, its 3000 x 2120 resolution makes the Pad 2 sharper than the Tab S10+. It also has a peak brightness of 900 nits, which should help if you plan on using the tablet in bright conditions. The Pad 2 would have greatly benefited from the inclusion of an OLED display, but OnePlus had to cut back somewhere to keep such a low price.

Software

It’s Android on a tablet

Running Android on a tablet enables a certain amount of parity between these two devices; both tablets ship with Android 14 and come with their custom skins. The Galaxy Tab S10+ comes with Samsung’s One UI 6.1, while the Pad 2 ships with OxygenOS 14.1. If you have used a Samsung or OnePlus phone in the past few years, you should have an idea of what to expect.

In addition to having access to mostly the same apps and games, they also share certain productivity features. Both tablets get a dock at the bottom of the display to quickly bounce between apps, and also take advantage of the larger screens by allowing you to run two apps side by side.

Samsung lets you run three apps at the same time, too, in addition to having a floating window for a fourth app, which gives it a productivity edge. I can’t bring up productivity without mentioning that Samsung has equipped the Tab S10+ with DeX, which allows you to connect an external display, keyboard, and mouse to mimic a traditional desktop environment.

Thanks to the inclusion of the S Pen, Samsung has tailored its software to take advantage of the built-in stylus. You can use the S Pen just about everywhere for annotations, note-taking, or you can use it as a camera shutter button.

Much like every other company lately, Samsung and OnePlus have even included a suite of obligatory AI features in their software. Samsung has features like Note Assist, Chat Assist, Draw Assist, and an Interpreter, among others. OnePlus includes items like AI Speak, AI Summary, and AI Writer.

When it comes to software support, Samsung has been an industry leader for quite some time. The Galaxy Tab 10 series has now reached parity with their smartphones, coming with seven years of Android and security updates. OnePlus, on the other hand, leaves a lot to be desired, only promising three years of Android updates and four years of security updates.

Performance

Nice and speedy

Samsung changed things this year and opted to go with a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ processor. Paired with 12GB of RAM, the Galaxy Tab S10+ is plenty fast and should have no issues handling basic browsing and navigation. It’s also prepared for more demanding scenarios, like playing the latest games, video editing, or even running four apps at the same time.

Meanwhile, the OnePlus Pad 2 went with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 12GB of RAM, which guarantees a trouble-free experience. Like the Dimensity 9300+, it’s powerful and will give you no issues no matter what you are asking it to do.

Without drilling down into benchmarks because it doesn’t tell the entire story, just know that both processors offer near identical benchmark scores. More importantly, they offer exceptional performance that can keep up with your needs for years to come.

Battery life

No problems keeping up

Battery life on tablets, especially in the flagship category, has reached a point where it shouldn’t be too much of a concern. This is partially because of the efficiency of modern processors and partly because their bigger footprint allows them to have larger batteries.

Samsung equipped the Galaxy Tab S10+ with a 10,090mAh battery that can be charged up to 45W via USB-C. OnePlus uses a 9,510mAh battery that can be charged up to 67W via USB-C. Neither device allows for wireless charging or reverse wireless charging.

In our reviews, we found that both tablets should give you no issues getting through multiple days of use and plenty more if they are on standby. The Tab S10+ takes a little less than two hours to fully charge, while the Pad 2 takes a little less than an hour and a half.

Camera

Usable in a pinch

Tablet cameras don’t come close to the best camera phones, but these are usable in a pinch. The Galaxy Tab S10+ comes with a 13MP f/2.0 primary camera, an 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide camera, and also a 12MP f/2.4 front-facing camera. Both the rear and front cameras can record 4K or 1080P video at up to 30fps.

The OnePlus Pad 2 comes with a single rear 13MP f/2.2 primary lens and an 8MP f/2.4 front-facing camera, and can also record 4K or 1080P video at up to 30fps.

I wouldn’t rely on these tablets as your primary shooter as they are big, bulky, and whatever you have in your pocket is likely to be better. If, for some reason, you have no other choice, they can take decent images with the right lighting. They also do well with scanning documents or having the occasional video call.

Which is right for you?

Both tablets offer a ton of features and amazing performance, but here’s a point where the law of diminishing returns becomes readily apparent. The $550 OnePlus Pad 2 sits in the sweet spot; you’re getting amazing performance, a good-looking display, plenty of battery life, and a decent software experience. It doesn’t have the same lengthy software support as the Galaxy Tab S10+, but at half the price, you can just pick up another one when its support ends.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ is an amazing tablet in its own right. It has a gorgeous display, the same great performance and battery life, comes with an S Pen, and can come with cellular connectivity. If you are an artist or need the best productivity features to get real work done, then the Galaxy Tab S10+ may be worth its asking price.

For most people, however, it’s simply too expensive to justify its $1,000 price and doesn’t offer the same value as the Pad 2.