If you’re weighing the OnePlus Pad 2 against the Honor MagicPad 2, you’ve got two impressive choices in your hands. Both tablets are strong Android alternatives to an iPad without the scary price tag.
The Honor’s display brings lush visuals, while the OnePlus has a powerful processor. Here’s a comparison guide to help you choose the tablet with features that matter to you.
Specs overview: OnePlus Pad 2 v Honor Magic Pad 2
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| Component | Honor MagicPad 2 | OnePlus Pad 2 |
| Processor | Qualcomm SM8635 Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (4 nm) | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| RAM | 8 GB / 12 GB / 16 GB | 8 GB / 12 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB, no card slot | 128 GB / 256 GB, no card slot |
| Display | 12.3 inches, 1920 x 3000 pixels, OLED, 144Hz, HDR10, 1600 nits peak | 12.1 inches, 2120 x 3000 pixels, IPS LCD, 144Hz |
| Main Cameras | 13 MP, f/2.0, autofocus | 13 MP (wide) |
| Selfie Camera | 9 MP, f/2.2 | 8 MP (wide) |
| Battery | 10,050 mAh, 66W wired, 5W reverse wired | 9,510 mAh, 67W wired |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, DisplayPort | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB Type-C 3.2 |
| Price | $540 | $549.99 |
Design
The OnePlus Pad 2 is marvelous, from start to finish. It’s large and thin, with a sturdy aluminum back and frame weighing 584 grams. The front is mostly screen, with thin borders around its large 12.1-inch display and the edges are rounded, which scores it bonus points on my board. It comes in a neutral gray shade called Nimbus Gray, which is the only option you have unless you decide to customize it with a case.
The back has a soft matte finish that feels nice to touch, and it features a raised circular camera surrounded by a shiny metal ring. The camera is also centered, and sits above the OnePlus logo. It supports the stylus at the top side, where the volume button is located.
There’s a power button on the left side and four speaker grilles, while the right side carries an additional four speaker grille, making for a total of eight speakers. The bottom of the device includes a three-pin pogo connector for the Smart Keyboard, which you’ll have to buy separately.
The Honor Magic Pad 2, on the other hand, has a 12.3-inch screen and a slim body at 5.8mm thickness. It’s the lighter device at 555 grams and it also has an aluminum frame. The back is made from strong aluminum alloy, and also has a matte finish that’s great to hold. You’ll notice the rear camera is located in the top left corner and is slightly raised.
On the bottom edge, you’ll find a USB-C port and dual speakers placed on either side of it. On the top edge, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a nice touch for those who prefer wired headphones. As for color options, Honor has been generous to make the tablet available in Moonlight White, Sky Blue, and Starry Black. It provides more eye-catching options than the OnePlus tablet.
Display
The OnePlus Pad 2 has a 12.1-inch IPS LCD display. It supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, which helps with color and brightness. The screen has a resolution of 2120 x 3000 pixels, giving you about 304 pixels per inch (ppi). It can get as bright as 900 nits at its peak. However, it has thicker bezels, leading to an 84.9% screen-to-body ratio.
In contrast, the Honor MagicPad 2 has a 12.3-inch OLED display. OLED screens usually offer better contrast and deeper blacks than IPS LCDs. The display also has a resolution of 1920 x 3000 pixels, resulting in about 290 ppi. It can reach a peak brightness of 1600 nits. Plus, its screen-to-body ratio is about 89.4%, giving it thinner bezels. At this point, you probably already know which tablet wins. But if you don’t, it’s the MagicPad 2.
Here’s a scenario to explain why. If you’re watching a movie or playing a game on each tablet, you may notice that the OnePlus Pad 2 has dark scenes that look a bit washed out because of the display quality. While the presence of Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support help with brightness and color accuracy, the peak brightness of 900 nits means that under sunlight, you’ll still struggle to see the details clearly.
Now, think of the Honor MagicPad 2. The OLED creates deep blacks where there’s clear contrast — you could say it brings the visuals to life. The screen can hit up to 1600 nits of brightness, so you can enjoy your content even in direct sunlight without losing clarity.
Performance
The OnePlus Pad 2 and Honor MagicPad 2 both use chipsets from Qualcomm, an unforgettable name in the smartphone processor market. But the OnePlus Pad 2 generally performs better. It uses the main processor with an octa-core CPU, where one core runs at 3.3 GHz, three cores run at 3.2 GHz, two cores at 3.0 GHz, and two cores at 2.3 GHz.
On the other hand, the MagicPad 2 uses the underclocked version of the same processor, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset. Its octa-core CPU includes one core at 3.0 GHz, four cores at 2.8 GHz, and three cores at 2.0 GHz. It has lower speeds compared to the OnePlus Pad 2.
For graphics, the OnePlus Pad 2 has the Adreno 750 GPU, while the MagicPad 2 uses the Adreno 735. You can tell from the numbers that the Adreno 750 is a higher version, meaning better performance graphically.
Memory & battery
The MagicPad 2 can accommodate more storage and RAM configurations. It’s the better choice if you plan to run demanding apps, store large files, or multitask extensively. It provides 256GB with 8GB RAM, 256GB with 12GB RAM, 512GB with 16GB RAM, and 1TB with 16GB RAM.
The OnePlus Pad 2 has only two internal storage and RAM choices; 128GB with 8GB RAM and 256GB with 12GB RAM. But sometimes less is more, and the tablet exemplifies this idea. Its memory is more efficient because it uses UFS 3.1 storage technology.
The Universal Flash Storage (UFS) technology improves data transfer speeds compared to previous versions like UFS 3.0 and 2.0. Thanks to it, the OnePlus tablet can read data at speeds up to 2100 MB/s and write data at speeds up to 1200 MB/s. So, your apps open faster and you can move files around your tablet quickly.
As for battery, the OnePlus Pad 2 has a 9510 mAh battery, while the MagicPad 2’s battery is slightly larger at 10050 mAh. A larger capacity often means your device can last longer between charges, especially during heavy use. Although 540 mAh difference is nothing big to brag about, it does help to squeeze out extra battery life when you need it.
Both tablets use lithium-polymer (Li-Po) technology and the batteries are non-removable. The OnePlus Pad 2 supports 67W wired charging, which allows it to charge up to 64% in just 30 minutes and reach a full charge in about 81 minutes.
Meanwhile, the MagicPad 2 offers 66W wired charging but has the added feature of 5W reverse wired charging for charging your accessories. The difference between 67W and 66W is very small and won’t really affect how fast the batteries charge.
Cameras
Never have I heard of anyone who wanted to buy a tablet for the camera’s sake, and for good reason. Tablets generally do not have the best cameras compared to smartphones. They’re great for basic photography and video calls at best, but not recommendable for taking professional pictures.
These two tablets offer just that, basic-level camera quality. Their specifications are almost identical. Both cameras carry a single 13MP main camera and can record 4K resolution videos at 30 fps. But the MagicPad 2 has a wider aperture of f/2.0, which lets in more light and allows for more detailed shots.
Additionally, the MagicPad 2 uses autofocus, while the OnePlus Pad 2 doesn’t. Autofocus helps you to capture sharper images, particularly in scenes with moving subjects. The tablet even supports the High Dynamic Range (HDR) feature that improves photo quality in both bright and dark areas.
OnePlus’ tablet may not have these features. But it does have Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS), which helps to reduce shaky video footage, especially if you have trembling hands. The tablet also has an 8MP selfie camera that captures 1080p video at 30 fps. On the other hand, the MagicPad 2’s selfie camera is 9MP.
Software & features
OxygenOS 14 is OnePlus’s customized operating system based on Android. Out of the box, the OnePlus Pad 2 runs version 14.1 and it emphasizes personalization over version 13. The software now uses an Aquamorphic design that takes inspiration from elements found in nature, including water and air.
One key aspect is the smooth animations. When you open an app or scroll through menus, the transitions are gentle and flowing, which creates a calming effect. The colors are also dynamic and change based on how you’re using the device.
OnePlus has also added nature-inspired ringtones and made other adjustments. One area I’m particularly fond of is Always-On Display (AOD). OnePlus added a Carbon Footprint reader that provides real-time information of how your actions affect carbon emissions. Walking thousands of steps can cut emissions by kilograms, and you’ll see it all right on your lock screen.
Meanwhile, MagicOS 8 is the latest software interface Honor developed for its smartphones and tablets, including the MagicPad 2. The OS is built on the foundation of the Emotional User Interface (EMUI) that Huawei originally made.
The update introduced several changes, including a new AI suggestion panel that offers helpful shortcuts based on your habits. Also, notifications now work like stock Android, allowing for Smart Replies and direct links to open apps. While you can’t tap and hold notifications to snooze or access app settings directly, you can still respond quickly to messages and emails using Smart Replies.
Which tablet speaks to you?
Many tech experts and users crowned the OnePlus Pad 2 as the best Android tablet ever made, just like its predecessor. There were mixed feelings once the Galaxy Tab 10 series stepped into the scene, though it’s obvious that Samsung’s tablet is comparably the best. The Korean company designed the tablets to be premium and shut down every competition, including Apple’s iPads
In comparison with the MagicPad 2, OnePlus’ tablet fights for its rightful spot and loses its grip again. It’s a great tablet, but Honor’s product outshines it in display, more versatile memory configurations, and better camera features. That said, the winning tablet is ultimately subjective to your needs as a buyer.
