OPPO Pad SE Review: A Stylish Budget Tablet That Gets the Job Done

The OPPO Pad SE is the brand's second tablet in India, following the OPPO Pad Air, which was launched back in 2022. It's an affordable offering from OPPO, with notable upgrades, like a large 11-inch display and a 9,340mAh battery.

Priced at ₹13,999, the Pad SE stands out as a strong contender in the budget range. It may sound impressive on paper, but does it truly stand out in the competitive market, or are there better alternatives in this range? I've spent more than two weeks using it, and here's my detailed review.

PROS

• Stylish design and an impressive quad-speaker setup
• Great battery life
• Vibrant and smooth 90Hz display

CONS

• No stylus support
• No charger in the box

Design and Build Quality: Premium Feel at a Budget Price

When I first unboxed the OPPO Pad SE, it didn't feel like a budget tablet at all-at least not until I checked the price. Our review unit came in the Starlight Silver shade, though it is also available in Twilight Blue.

The sleek, dual-tone metallic back gives it a premium look. Weighing 530g and just 7.39mm thick, it easily fits into a backpack. I could comfortably hold it in one hand for a short period, and using both hands felt even more balanced. The rounded edges make it more ergonomic, so extended use, like watching movies, never strained my wrists. That said, after holding it for an hour straight, the weight does start to creep in, so you might want to rest it on a table for longer sessions.

The symmetrical bezels, centre-aligned front camera, and clean lines add to its modern design. The power button and volume rockers are easy to reach, even when the tablet is in landscape mode.

The design feels premium for the price, but the metallic finish can be a bit slippery, so there's always a risk of accidental drops. You should use a protective case, though OPPO doesn't include one in the box – you'll have to purchase it separately.

Display and Audio - Immersive Entertainment on a Budget

The OPPO Pad SE comes with a large 11-inch FHD+ (1920×1200) LCD screen, and a 16:10 aspect ratio. It supports a 90Hz refresh rate and up to 500 nits of brightness. Despite being an LCD panel, the display looks vibrant and crisp, with good viewing angles that make it comfortable to watch from different positions.

I ended up finishing the new season of Panchayat and watching the movie Crazxy within just a week. Indoors, the display stayed bright and clear, but under direct sunlight, I had to adjust my position a bit to see details more comfortably.

The quad speakers made a big difference - offering a nice punch of bass during intense scenes without overpowering the vocals. It also has multiple modes, such as Smart, Movie, Gaming, and Music. I mostly used it in the Smart Mode, which automatically applies the optimal sound profile based on the scenario.

The 90Hz refresh rate kept everything feeling smooth. While scrolling through Instagram Reels, transitions felt fluid, and I didn't encounter any stutter or lag throughout my usage.

Performance and Software

The OPPO Pad SE is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity G100 chipset, paired with up to 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage. Our review unit was the Wi-Fi-only variant with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage.

During my testing, I played casual games like Asphalt Legends and Temple Run without any lag. The processor is capable of handling normal day-to-day usage like scrolling Instagram and Facebook and other tasks with ease.

In Geekbench 6, the OPPO Pad SE managed a single-core score of 608 points and a multi-core score of 1624 points. Despite this, multitasking didn't cause any noticeable slowdown, which is impressive for a tablet in this price range.

On the software front, it ships with ColorOS 15.0.1 based on Android 15. While there are a few pre-installed apps, most of them can be uninstalled easily.

Another highlight is the dedicated Kid Space, ideal for children using the tablet for online classes or studying. Parents can control which apps are accessible, ensuring a safe environment for their kids.

Battery Life

After the design and display, the main reason I'd recommend the OPPO Pad SE is its battery life. It comes with a large 9,340mAh battery, and after a full charge, I was able to use it for more than four days with around 3 hours of daily use. Even with just 10-15% battery, it easily lasted the whole day. So, if you forget your charger while travelling, it's really not a problem.

On the weekend, when I watched movies and series continuously, I had to charge it after a full day, which is still pretty good. Moreover, the tablet supports 33W fast charging, but-like many brands now-OPPO doesn't include an adapter in the box, only a cable. You can use any compatible fast charger, and it takes about two hours to fully charge the battery.

Camera

In terms of cameras, you'll get a 5MP camera on both the front and rear. It is capable of capturing decent photos in daylight, but in low-light conditions, the image quality tends to get blurry. The camera can also record 1080p videos at 30fps, which is decent for video calls or scanning documents.

Overall, the camera setup is quite basic-nothing surprising here, as most Android tablets don't focus much on cameras. However, it does offer a few AI features like AI Eraser and Image Clarity Enhancement, which can be useful for editing pictures or documents.

Verdict

The OPPO Pad SE is one of the best entry-level tablets, boasting a sleek design, vibrant display, and long-lasting battery life. However, the Redmi Pad 2 is a strong contender in the segment, which offers quad speakers with Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio support and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It also supports a stylus, whereas the OPPO Pad SE does not. So, if pen support is important for you, that could be a drawback. The OPPO Pad SE also skips the headphone jack, which might be a deal-breaker for some.

Buy the OPPO Pad SE if:

• You want a tablet mainly for entertainment, like streaming and casual gaming.
• You're looking for a lightweight alternative to a laptop for browsing, reading, and basic work.
• You need a smooth performance for everyday use with a good display and battery.
• You don't want to spend a lot but still want a premium-looking tablet.

Don't buy the OPPO Pad SE if:

• You're a heavy gamer - you'll need to spend more for high-performance gaming. Something like the OnePlus Pad Pro and the Lenovo Legion Tab (Review), priced around ₹35,000, would be more suitable.
• You need stylus support - the OPPO Pad SE doesn't support any smart pen. If that's a must-have, consider the Redmi Pad 2, which supports a stylus (sold separately).