The Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is the base model in this year’s tablet lineup, but it’s still a flagship through and through. It’s got everything you’d expect from a high-end Samsung device.
Then there’s the OnePlus Pad 2, which everyone’s calling the best tablet of the year, just like its predecessor. But with Samsung dropping its latest model, the real question is can OnePlus stay on top? Let’s find out.
Specs overview: Galaxy Tab S10+ Vs OnePlus Pad 2
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| Component | Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ | OnePlus Pad 2 |
| Processor | Mediatek Dimensity 9300+ (4 nm) | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| RAM | 12 GB | 8 GB / 12 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB / 512 GB, microSDXC | 128 GB / 256 GB, no card slot |
| Display | 12.4 inches, 1752 x 2800 pixels, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz | 12.1 inches, 2120 x 3000 pixels, IPS LCD, 144Hz |
| Main Cameras | 13 MP (wide), 8 MP (ultrawide) | 13 MP (wide) |
| Selfie Camera | 12 MP (ultrawide) | 8 MP (wide) |
| Battery | 10090 mAh, 45W wired | 9510 mAh, 67W wired |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C 3.2 | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB Type-C 3.2 |
| Price | $999.99 | $549.99 |
Design
The Galaxy Tab S10+ is impressively slim at 5.6 mm and has a solid build with its glass front and aluminum frame. Weighing in at 571g for the Wi-Fi model and 576g for 5G, it’s lightweight for its size. Also, it’s IP68-rated. Truly, there’s nothing different from this model and the previous Tab S9+. Even the cases for its predecessor will fit as they’re nearly the same size, so there’s nothing exciting to look forward to in terms of design.
The display houses a front camera at the top center. On the back, you’ll find the Samsung logo, some antenna lines, a magnetic charging spot for the S Pen, and the camera module. The power and volume buttons are on the top left, while the left side holds the SIM and microSD card slot along with two speaker grilles. The right side also has two speaker grilles and a USB-C port, and the bottom features connectors for accessories between two attachment points. You can get the tablet in either Moonstone Gray or Platinum Silver colors.
On the other hand, the OnePlus Pad 2 is slightly thicker at 6.5mm and weighs a bit more at 584g. It’s built with an aluminum frame as well, and offers stylus support. But you won’t find a fancy stylus groove in its back. Instead, it’s on the top side with the volume button.
The power button and four speaker grilles are on the left side. The right side has a USB-C port and four more speaker grilles. At the bottom, there’s a three-pin pogo connector for the Smart Keyboard, which you’ll buy separately. The soft matte finish on the back does feel nice to touch and hardly catches fingerprints.
When you hold the tablet sideways, the raised circular camera sits in the center, surrounded by a shiny metal ring that looks good with the aluminum. You’ll also see the OnePlus logo below the camera, facing the same way, which shows that it’s meant to be used mostly in that position. The tablet comes in only the Nimbus Gray color.
What I dislike most about the tablet is the absence of a SIM option and water resistance as Samsung’s tablet. It’s disappointing because the OnePlus Pad 2 was hyped as a tablet killer meant to rival top competitors, including Apple’s iPads. Without both features missing, it falls short of what you’d expect from a true flagship contender. If you rely on mobile data or need a more durable device for outdoor use, you’ll want to look at the Tab S10+ closer.
Display
The OnePlus Pad 2 comes out on top in several important areas, when discussing display. First it has a higher resolution of 2120 x 3000 pixels, giving you sharper images and clearer text compared to the 1752 x 2800 pixels on the Galaxy Tab S10+. Next, the OnePlus Pad 2 runs at 144Hz, while the Tab S10+ has a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s still good, but doesn’t feel quite as fluid.
Brightness is another win for the OnePlus Pad 2 as it can hit a peak brightness of 900 nits, so it’s easier to see in bright sunlight, while the Galaxy Tab S10+ doesn’t have the same level of brightness. It reaches 500 nits.
However, Samsung’s screen is tougher as it has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Gorilla Glass 5 is quite strong and can survive drops from heights up to 1.6 meters (about 5 feet) on hard surfaces, and it’s four times more resistant to damage compared to older versions of Gorilla Glass.
Both tablets have a great screen-to-body ratio, but the OnePlus Pad 2 edges out with about 84.9% compared to the Tab S10 Plus’s 84.3%. It means there’s less bezel and more screen.
Performance & memory
The Galaxy Tab S10+ uses the Mediatek Dimensity 9300+, which is a surprising turn from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Pad 2 has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The Snapdragon is popular for being fast and efficient, so the OnePlus tablet is off to a good start in performance.
The Galaxy Tab S10+ has a mix of Cortex-X4 and Cortex-A720 cores, with its fastest core running at 3.25 GHz. The OnePlus Pad 2 has a similar setup but with a slightly faster core at 3.3 GHz, making it better at handling demanding tasks. For graphics, Samsung’s tablet went with the Immortalis-G720 MC12 GPU, while the OnePlus Pad 2 features the Adreno 750.
In memory, Samsung has a flawless win as it offers expandable storage with a microSDXC card slot. So, if you ever need more space, you can easily add it. Also, you can choose between 256GB with 12GB of RAM or a larger 512GB storage option, both using fast Universal Flash Storage (UFS) technology.
The OnePlus Pad 2 is a bit more limited. It doesn’t have a card slot, which means you’re stuck with its internal options: 128GB with 8GB of RAM or 256GB with 12GB of RAM. While it does use UFS 3.1, the lack of expandable storage is a downside if you hope to store many files on the device.
Battery
The battery capacity is an important factor to consider before you make that buying decision. A larger battery capacity means you can use your device for a longer time without recharging, and also adds convenience. You won’t have to constantly search for your charger at quick intervals, and that’s what the OnePlus Pad 2 offers.
It does have the larger battery at 10,090 mAh. But the catch is that it charges at 45W, so it takes longer to fill up. Meanwhile, the Tab S10+ has a smaller battery at 9,510 mAh, but it charges much faster at 67W. It can reach 64% in just 30 minutes and fully charge in about 81 minutes. If we had to choose a winner here based on these features, the OnePlus Pad 2 is better for battery size, but the Galaxy Tab S10+ wins for faster charging.
Cameras
The S10+ tablet’s main camera is a 13MP wide lens. There’s also an 8MP ultrawide lens capable of shooting group photos or taking wide coverage without you needing to step too far back. For video, the tablet supports 4K recording at 30fps, delivering sharp footage. Then there’s the Pad 2 with a single 13MP wide lens, which is comparable to the S10+ in standard photo quality but lacks the versatility of an ultrawide option.
So, while it takes decent regular photos, it does struggle with wide-angle scenes. On the bright side, the tablet comes with a gyro-EIS, which stabilizes videos, especially when you’re filming handheld. You can record videos while walking or moving with smoother results.
For selfies, the S10+ tablet comes with a 12MP ultrawide front camera, and records selfie videos in 4K. The OnePlus Pad 2 has an 8MP selfie camera that doesn’t capture as much detail or as wide an area. Its video resolution is also limited to 1080p. In real-world usage, the S10 Plus tablet has the higher quality in both photography and videography.
Software & features
The Galaxy Tab S10+ and OnePlus Pad 2 share the same Android 14 software. The difference is in the customisations. Both devices have overlaid a custom version over Google’s stock Android, with Samsung using One UI and OnePlus using OxygenOS.
OxygenOS and One UI are two of the most popular Android skins. Oxygen OS used to be closer to the original Android, but in recent years, it’s taken on more features, especially after merging with OPPO’s ColorOS. On the other hand, Samsung’s One UI is designed to give you a feature-packed experience. You could call it overwhelming if you’re used to something simpler.
On OxygenOS, you can tweak accent colors, fonts, and icon shapes. One notable feature is Zen Mode, which locks your phone for a set time, so that you can take breaks from the screen. The OS even has the Shelf, a space where you can easily access apps, widgets, and some tools like weather or recent apps. The animations are also fast.
On the other hand, One UI focuses on one-handed use. Samsung positioned interactive elements towards the bottom of the screen, which is useful considering that most of their phones are large. Take the Galaxy S24 Ultra for example. The Edge Panel is another handy feature that lets you quickly access favorite apps, contacts, or tools.
Samsung DeX stands out by allowing your phone to transform into a desktop-like device when you connect it to monitor or TV. One UI’s customizations also come through Good Lock, an app suite that lets you personalize everything from the task switcher to your lock screen.
For foldable devices, Flex Mode makes multitasking smoother, splitting your screen when the phone is partially folded, so you can watch videos on one half and control settings on the other.
The verdict
To wrap things up, the OnePlus Pad 2 has an undoubtedly stunning display and a big battery. It’s a tablet killer, and even outperforms Google’s tablet by far. But the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ is the better all-around choice. It has expandable storage, faster charging, and more versatile camera options.
But it’s left to you to make the buying choice. So, if your focus is getting good display quality and battery life, the OnePlus Pad 2 might suit you better. But if you want a tablet that does a bit of everything well, the Galaxy Tab S10+ is your best bet.
