The Oppo Pad SE might seem like an underpowered machine in comparison to tablets that now offer flagship chipsets, extensive feature lists, and advanced cameras, but over the course of my review, I found out how its the quintessential example of what tablets were supposed to be.
The Pad SE starts at Rs 13,999, and at that price I found it to be a balanced performer. Our device was the 4GB/128GB version. It would be fair to point out that the tech world has now reached a point where it has appliances for all kinds of users. We have flagship iPad Pros with the M5 chip that can handle editing and intensive gaming, and at the other end of the spectrum, we have products like the Pad SE. Its specs are not heroic, but that does not mean it’s a slacker. The cascading vistas of superior flagship models often lead to high expectations; the SE will never disappoint if you wish to watch YouTube, work on Docs and Word, make PowerPoint presentations, indulge in light gaming, or appear for work meetings and online classes.
Display and Design
Oppo has equipped the device with seamless panels and flat sides that leave little to be desired. The camera sits on a matte ribbon that runs along the length of the rear panel. At 7.4 mm thick and 500 g, the Pad SE is sleek and slender, though slightly bulky for single-hand usage.
The Twilight Blue colour we had offers an understated appeal—no attention-grabbing shiny edges or accents. The bezels do stand out to remind you of the humble price the tablet is available at, but upon ignoring their protruding nature you will witness a 90 Hz refresh rate display that feels smooth between applications and helps users read through long documents and PDFs. At 500 nits, outdoor visibility is good, though not exceptional. The LCD panel produces vivid colours, but don’t expect the sharpness and colour-accurate performance of AMOLED displays.
Light multitasking and split-screen mode work fine, but under the stress of several running apps the tablet does skip a beat and reloads applications. The OS is clean and responsive—Android 15 paired with ColorOS 15.0.1 feels smooth and uncluttered. Oppo has kept bloatware to a minimum; the tablet features floating windows and useful multitasking tools.
For the Keen AI Users
The Pad SE has Google Gemini integration and handles basic tasks like setting reminders and quick searches efficiently. It has a slew of AI tools such as Clarity Enhancer and Google Lens ancillaries that will surely ease your everyday hassles.
Speakers
The tablet has quad speakers with omni-bearing sound field technology. During our tests, we found that the speakers are placed where hands generally rest during usage, and hence the sound may get muffled, though it’s not a major issue. The tablet also supports both Hi-Res and Hi-Res Wireless Audio.
Battery and Usage
The 9,340 mAh battery is impressive. Our usual usage included reading PDFs, watching YouTube, proofreading, video calls, and streaming, and throughout all that the tablet was able to last a whole day with ease. The 33W charging support means the tablet can get fully charged within 1.5 hours. Oppo’s smart power-saving mode works well and minimises battery drain effectively.
Camera
The tablet has 5 MP cameras on both the front and back. They work well in well-lit environments, but in dimmer conditions, they lack clarity. The rear camera works well for document scanning, producing legible results for text documents.
At Rs 13,999, the Pad SE is adequate for students, workers, casual users, and elders who mostly read, stream, or watch YouTube. Do not expect it to replace your laptop. The combination of decent battery life, clean software, and affordable pricing further makes this tablet a considerable choice—if you seek a device that delivers well for all your basic digital needs and covers all the basic needs of what users should expect of a tablet, the Pad SE is an above-average choice.
Also Read: Oppo Find X9 and X9 Pro to launch tomorrow: here’s what we know so far — prices and specs
