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• Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro is getting an update to improve its coding
• The update fixes previous issues with formatting and coherence
• The model is expected to become Gemini Pro’s first official stable release

Google's rapid rollout of new models of Gemini is continuing apace, but the latest version of Gemini 2.5 Pro has some notable improvements that the company claims will put it in play for a while as the first “long-term stable release.” The upgrade also patches up some of the issues that might currently frustrate Gemini Pro users.

For now, the model is still in beta, unlike its friskier sibling, Gemini 2.5 Flash. Gemini Pro 2.5 has reportedly taken longer and dealt with some complicated issues around regressions in conversation that made the AI model seem somewhat underpowered as a brain. Those issues have apparently been resolved, with Google bragging about the coding capabilities of the new model in particular. It's outscored rival models on the Aider Polyglot benchmark, a multi-language coding test popular for measuring AI model software composition.

The updated model also offers developers what Google calls “configurable thinking budgets.” These are essentially a way to fine-tune how much computing power Gemini uses to answer complex queries so that you don't use up all of your credits building an app in one go. It’s already available through Google AI Studio and Vertex AI, and will likely become part of Gemini as a whole in the near future.

Gemini Pro power

And it's not just a technical whiz. Gemini Pro has faced complaints of lacking the same creative and conversational flair of its fellow Gemini models, failing to impress outside of technical tasks. The writing and formatting could get sloppy, and long-form responses tended to ramble or circle back on themselves. Google says it’s fixed that issue, with correct formatting, more nuanced writing, and no trailing off mid-response.

All of those upgrades lead to why Google has declared this version of Gemini Pro to be a long-term, stable model, at least for now. For developers and enterprise users, that kind of certainty is valuable in its own right, just as much as regular upgrades.

The new model will have an impact on Gemini users outside of the office, too. The same improvements to formatting, memory, and contextual understanding will likely be incorporated into the public-facing version of Gemini just to keep things neat. And it fits with Google's strategy to embed Gemini everywhere and encourage everyone to use it for any of their AI needs. Gemini Flash is the default option for those not paying a subscription fee for Gemini. Gemini Nano handles AI for Android devices, but Gemini Pro is intended to be the flagship model, the one that impresses everyone.

Google will definitely try to live up to that vision with the new model, but the competition has hardly gone away. OpenAI, Anthropic, and even Apple are all racing to be on top of the AI model game. Gemini 2.5 Pro proves Google won't be falling behind any time soon, at least now that it's stopped regressing.

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• A huge dataset has been discovered unsecured online by researchers
• This contained roughly 4 billion records - including personal information
• The data could potentially be part of a surveillance effort targeting Chinese citizens

An open instance containing "billions upon billions” of exposed records has been discovered online by cybersecurity researchers - and millions of people could be at risk as a result.

Researcher at Cybernews worked with cybersecurity researcher and owner of cyber risk and data protection site SecurityDiscovery.com to uncover a huge database without a password, leaking 631GB of information, equating to roughly 4 billion records.

The dataset primarily consists of Chinese customers and users from a range of different sources, in what the Cybernews research teams believed is a “meticulously gathered and maintained” database designed to build “comprehensive behavioral, economic, and social profiles of nearly any Chinese citizen.”

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A surveillance effort

This could be part of a surveillance project, researchers argue, and there are plenty of ways that a threat actor could exploit this information, such as social engineering attacks, identity theft, fraud or even blackmail.

“The sheer volume and diversity of data types in this leak suggests that this was likely a centralized aggregation point, potentially maintained for surveillance, profiling, or data enrichment purposes,” the team observed.

The instance was “”quickly taken down” after it was discovered, but it’s not known how long it was open for. Unsurprisingly for suspected surveillance data, the information contains PII like full names, dates of birth, and phone numbers, as well as financial data like card numbers, debt and saving information, and spending habits.

The largest collection of records most likely came from WeChat, a Chinese alternative to WhatsApp, with over 805 million records exposed.

Close behind was a collection of residential data “with geographic identifiers” with 780 million, and a collection named “bank” of 630 million records, primarily with financial and personally identifiable information.

If this data breach is as large as it seems, it contains over a billion records more than the National Public Data breach, which was recently reported as one of the largest data breaches ever.

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The Group I leaders host Luciano Spalletti's men in Oslo.

The offer includes new Canadian customers and those who have paused or previously canceled their service.

• Lenovo quietly launches powerful Strix Halo mini PC with AI focus in China
• Ryzen AI Max+ 395 delivers 126 TOPS performance in compact size
• 128GB RAM and 4TB storage mean it will suit both creative and AI workloads

Lenovo has introduced a compact new system powered by AMD’s most powerful consumer APU to date, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 “Strix Halo.”

Part of the LCFC AI Mini PC lineup, this machine, now on sale via JD.com in China, combines workstation-class specs with a desktop-friendly footprint that targets AI developers, content creators, and power users.

At the device's core is AMD’s new Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU, featuring 16 Zen 5 CPU cores, 32 threads, and an RDNA 3.5-based Radeon 8060S integrated GPU with 40 Compute Units. It also includes a dedicated NPU delivering up to 50 TOPS. Taken together, the CPU, GPU, and NPU provide up to 126 TOPS of AI performance, which is enough to run LLMs and other AI workloads locally.

China-only for now

Designed for AI tasks, creative workflows, and high-performance gaming, the LCFC system features 128GB of LPDDR5X-8000 memory, which is more than you'll find in many full-sized gaming rigs, and supports two M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 SSDs, each with up to 2TB capacity, for a total of 4TB of high-speed storage.

Although it’s described as a mini PC, at roughly 9.7 x 7.4 x 3.8 inches, it’s firmly in the SFF (Small Form Factor) category; compact enough for tight workspaces while still offering powerful internals.

Connectivity includes a 1GbE Ethernet port and built-in Wi-Fi, although it does not appear to support Wi-Fi 6. The I/O selection includes one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, two USB 2.0 ports, one USB Type-C, HDMI 1.4, and DisplayPort 1.4.

While the DisplayPort is useful, the HDMI 1.4 output is a drawback, as it lacks support for 4K at 120Hz, something expected in modern high-end systems.

The LCFC AI Mini PC is reportedly priced at ¥13,989 in China, which converts to approximately $1,946. That places it in the high-end category, although it's still competitively priced given its workstation-grade specs and AI abilities.

Given the rising demand for compact PCs capable of running AI models locally, there's likely to be international interest should Lenovo decide to make its new system more widely available. For now, however, it appears to be exclusive to the Chinese market.

Via TweakTown

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It's a decent start, but I wouldn't use it for daily money management.

• The New York Times is requesting that all ChatGPT conversations be retained as part of its lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft
• This would mean that a record of all your ChatGPT conversations would be kept, potentially forever
• OpenAI argues that chats with AI should be a private conversation

Back in December 2023, the New York Times launched a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement. The New York Times alleges that OpenAI had trained its ChatGPT model, which also powers Microsoft’s Copilot, by “copying and using millions” of its articles without permission.

The lawsuit is still ongoing, and as part of it the New York Times (and other plaintiffs involved in the case) have made the demand that OpenAI are made to retain consumer ChatGPT and API customer data indefinitely, much to the ire of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, who took to X.com to tweet, “We have been thinking recently about the need for something like ‘AI privilege’; this really accelerates the need to have the conversation. IMO talking to an AI should be like talking to a lawyer or a doctor. I hope society will figure this out soon.”

recently the NYT asked a court to force us to not delete any user chats. we think this was an inappropriate request that sets a bad precedent.we are appealing the decision.we will fight any demand that compromises our users' privacy; this is a core principle.June 6, 2025

OpenAI describes the New York Times lawsuit as “baseless”, and in a lengthy post on the OpenAI website titled, ‘How we’re responding to The New York Times’ data demands in order to protect user privacy’, OpenAI lays out its approach to privacy.

Brad Lightcap, COO, OpenAI, says that the demand from the NYT “fundamentally conflicts with the privacy commitments we have made to our users. It abandons long-standing privacy norms and weakens privacy protections.”

Private investigations

As more and more people share intimate details of their lives with AI chatbots, which are often taking on the role of a therapist, I can appreciate the need to be able to keep AI conversations private, however, I can also see the NYT’s point of view that if there is evidence that supports its claims against OpenAI then it needs to have access to that data without OpenAI being able to declare it all as too private to share.

At the moment, a ChatGPT chat is removed from your account immediately when you delete the conversation, and scheduled for permanent deletion from OpenAI systems within 30 days. The order would mean that even deleted ChatGPT conversations would have to be retained by OpenAI.

As a ChatGPT user myself, I’ve always appreciated the ability to be able to remove conversations entirely. If OpenAI is forced to comply with this request, then it’s going to affect pretty much everybody who uses the service, on either a free, Plus, Pro, or Teams (but not Enterprise or Edu account holders).

The order also does not impact API customers who are using Zero Data Retention endpoints under OpenAI’s ZDR amendment.

OpenAI has said it has appealed the order to the District Court Judge and will inform us when it knows more.

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The memo obtained by NPR says troops would be used in activities, including in "night operations and rural interdiction," as well as "guard duty and riot control" inside detention facilities.

(Image credit: John Moore)

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If you've ever read Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr. Spencer Johnson, you know the moral of the business parable is that change is inevitable and we should embrace it. If you're unfamiliar with it, I suggest you pick up your iPhone and phone a friend for a quick chat. Doing so might remind you how little the Phone app on iOS has changed in almost two decades. It's a comfort that, according to fresh rumors, might soon evaporate, leaving you crying out, "Who moved my cheese?!"

We're just a few days away from Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2025), and the internet is abuzz with rumors about numerous changes coming to virtually every major Apple platform.

iOS is naturally chief among them and, thus far, the prevailing rumors have dealt with the look, which may lean toward floating frosted glass objects (yes, like visionOS on the Vision Pro). None of these changes gives me real pause, but Mark Gurman's (Bloomberg) latest prognostication is perhaps a bridge too far: a redesigned Phone app.

Gurman is scant on details, but he describes "a new view that combines favorites, contacts, recent calls, and voice mails" in a single view. He does not address the keypad, but I think it's safe to assume that if Apple is touching the other four Phone app elements, it's unlikely they'll leave the Keypad alone.

While iPhone call and communication functionality has seen numerous changes over the years, like call hand-off across ecosystem devices, FaceTime, Name Drop for contact sharing, and, most recently, Satellite support, the Phone App itself has barely changed at all.

This is a good thing.

No dial tone

(Image credit: Future)

Each year, no matter the scale of change for any given version of iOS, the chief complaint I get is, "Why did they change it?"

Most people I've spoken to are not thrilled with recent design and organizational updates to the Photos app or Mail. Sometimes Apple's efforts to streamline apps or make them easier to use result in hidden features or at least moved elements that no average consumer can find (at least those I know).

I'm not saying Apple will do away with the keypad, but a change in how the digits are presented, which has more to do with classic analog phones than any digital communication device, is possible. That would be the kind of change that would send iPhone users over the edge.

The rumored changes to the app, which appear to revolve around losing the distinct Contacts, Recents, Favorites, and Voicemail elements in favor of a long window of stacked elements, are unlikely to draw many cheers at WWDC and even less enthusiasm when it reaches consumers on new iPhone 17 handsets later this year.

There is some good news. Gurman claims the changes will be optional. I wonder, though, if they will be the default. If there's one thing consumers hate more than change, it's having to hunt around to figure out how to reverse it.

So, sure, Apple, spruce up iOS and maybe even give the Phone app a polish, but if you have big changes in store, just make sure they're not the default. If not, don't call me, maybe.

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• AT&T is investigating new claims of a data breach
• The data was posted on a breach forum, and includes plaintexts SSNs
• It could be new, or could be a re-release of older data

AT&T is investigating a leak of data on a cybercrime forum, but with some skepticism, as some have suggested it may just be a re-release of an earlier data breach.

The trove of data includes 88 million customer records, but 86 million of these are unique, including personal information such as dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses.

What makes this breach potentially dangerous is that the data is highly organized, and includes 44 million plaintext social security numbers that could be used to commit fraud and identity theft.

Just a re-release or something more sinister?

The HackRead research team first spotted the files on May 15, with the same collection of data appearing again on June 3 and spreading to multiple other leak sites and forums since then.

There is some debate over the origin of the data, with HackRead finding similarities between encrypted and plaintext values from the collection that could tie it to the April 2024 AT&T breach that utilized the Snowflake vulnerability.

On the other hand, it could be a re-release of a previous breach, or a combination of one of the many AT&T breaches.

For example, in 2024 AT&T confirmed that the data of 51 million customers had been stolen after previously denying that the data was stolen from AT&T systems.

The data was initially stolen in 2021. The famous Snowflake vulnerability debacle of 2024 also saw customer data stolen from AT&T, with the company then negotiating and paying $300,000 in Bitcoin to one of the hackers to delete the data.

The bottom line is that the data includes almost everything a cyber criminal would need to commit fraud or steal an identity, making identity theft protection and credit monitoring a good choice for those potentially affected by the breach.

Via The Register

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Myung-Whun Chung will be one of the first non-Italians to take the post of music director at Milan's famous opera house.

(Image credit: Loic Venance)

• FBI warns BADBOX 2.0 malware has infected over a million devices
• Cheap, Chinese-made, Android-powered devices often the victim
• Devices hijacked to become part of global botnet

Over a million devices have been infected by a dangerous malware strain which has turned them into malicious proxies, the FBI has warned.

In a new alert, the agency urged users to be on their guard against BADBOX 2.0, a malware threat which targets Android-powered devices, often made in China.

The FBI warns devices such as smart TVs, streaming boxes, projectors, tablets, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices could all be at risk or being turned into residential proxies which are then used for malicious activity.

BADBOX 2.0 malware warning

"The BADBOX 2.0 botnet consists of millions of infected devices and maintains numerous backdoors to proxy services that cyber criminal actors exploit by either selling or providing free access to compromised home networks to be used for various criminal activity," the FBI warning states.

It noted the affected devices often come with the malware preloaded, but it can also be transferred after installing firmware updates and malicious Android applications which have managed to get onto Google Play and third-party app stores.

"Cyber criminals gain unauthorized access to home networks by either configuring the product with malicious software prior to the users purchase or infecting the device as it downloads required applications that contain backdoors, usually during the set-up process," explained the FBI.

"Once these compromised IoT devices are connected to home networks, the infected devices are susceptible to becoming part of the BADBOX 2.0 botnet and residential proxy services4 known to be used for malicious activity."

It added the malware is also able to load and click ads without users being aware, generating revenue for the hackers, and also access victim's accounts using stolen credentials.

The FBI has warned users to monitor their devices carefully, and make sure all their IoT devices come from a reputable source. Users are also instructed not to download apps from unauthorized app stores, and make sure their software and firmware is kept up to date.

The original BADBOX malware was detected in 2023 with a similar mode of operation, targeting cheap unbranded Android TV boxes.

The botnet was successfully disrupted by German authorities back in December 2024, but this doesn't seem to have dissuaded the hackers, who have managed to grow the network across the globe, leading to the re-classification as BADBOX 2.0.

BADBOX 2.0 was initially flagged in early 2025 by cybersecurity experts from the HUMAN's Satori Threat Intelligence team, which, together with multiple partners, removed dozens of malicious apps from the Play Store, banned their developers, and sinkholed communications for hundreds of thousands of infected devices.

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Tern Setups is one of the first portable monitors that got me interested in working with multiple displays and not just using my iPad as a secondary display when I was using my MacBook.

I've tested out plenty of the best portable monitors, although, not all of them boast the higher screen specs you'll find with this model. So, I was keen to see how the Tern Setups 16-in 4K OLED portable display measured up - and how it lives up to its eye-catching promise.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Tern Setups 16-inch 4K OLED portable monitor: Unboxing & first impressions

When I got my package from Tern, I opened it up to find the 16-inch monitor, a sleek magnetic stand, USB-C to USB-C Cables, an HDMI cable, a 30W Brick, and a sleek sleeve to carry the display in so it won't get scratched up when not in use. The packaging is super clean and minimal, fitting the entire brand for Tern beautifully.

The panel is super thin, thinner in person than I expected. There is a slightly thicker part at the bottom back of the display, but that's understandable and still would be considered thin in my book. The bezel is tiny, and the ports are easy to access, regardless of whether you are using the stand or using the monitor without the stand. I followed basic guidelines to set the panel to match my MacBook colors perfectly, giving me rich blacks, bright colors, and gorgeous contrast.

Tern Setups 16-inch 4K OLED portable monitor: Design & Build QualitySpecs

Model: 16" Portable Monitor + Stand
Panel Type: 4K OLED (3840 x 2400)
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Brightness: 400 nits
Color Range: 100% DCI-P3
Color Depth: True 10-bit
Refresh Rate: 60Hz (2.5K model offers 144Hz!)
Response Time: 1ms
Connectivity: 2x USB-C, 1x HDMI, 1x USB-A
Passthrough Power: 40W
Weight: 1.15kg (2.54 lbs)
Max Stand Height: 25cm (9.8in)

I'm in a phase of life where I am adding MagSafe to everything; I have a BenQ Laptop Light bar I can mount with Magsafe that I keep adding to places. I love mounting my iPhone to different things with MagSafe, and I'll even mount SSDs (Samsung T7s and such) via MagSafe to the back of laptops to give an easy, on-the-go solution to add storage to notebooks. So, when I saw Tern use a magnet to hold a monitor up, I thought it was genius in every way. The stand feels clever and fun, all while being super easy to use.

Another thing that I was thrilled to see is that the Tern monitor has some key ports built-in that make it super practical. They have USB-A, USB-C, and a full-size HDMI, something I have yet to see on a portable monitor. This means that even if I'm not using a laptop but want to display content, I can use a standard, easy-to-find HDMI cable to connect to most devices that output video these days.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Tern Setups 16-inch 4K OLED portable monitor: In use

I've used this monitor just about everywhere. I've had it in my possession for 139 days as of right now, and in that time, I have taken it on a few trips and many coffee shop runs. However, this has been the perfect "around the studio/house" monitor for my specific workflow. Rather than carrying around a bigger monitor, working without a second monitor, or unpacking my portable monitor in my backpack, I jump to this gorgeous monitor.

It's been the perfect companion for everything from late-night writing sessions (lit up by that BenQ Laptop light bar) to evening light gaming on my iPad or my Nintendo Switch; it's been a fantastic display to help me set up a server Mac Mini that I have and needed to work on, it was a great companion for setting up some Desktop PCs I was testing and more. It has been a portable workhorse that I have been able to rely on for just about everything. This display has become so indispensable that I leave it right where I keep my bag in my studio or other workspaces, ready to break out at any moment.

It's excellent in vertical and horizontal use cases, especially when I use the magnetic stand to raise the display off the desk or table. It's got a super convenient USB-C and USB-A port. However, I would not transfer large files or charge large devices through this, but having quick access for quick file transfer is excellent.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

Now, a few notes that make this a spectacular monitor, but with a little bit of room to grow. First, since the cables hang off the base of one side, this panel needs to be perfectly centered with the magnet, or it can tug one way or another, especially if at full height and with a heavier cable.

Secondly, It's a bummer that the passthrough power caps at 40W, but for most people, that won't be a huge downfall, just for those heavy power users. Thirdly, the Magnetic stand is nifty and super cool, but this may get in the way depending on your bag setup. In some of my backpacks, this fit beautifully without any issues.

In others, the way my bag was orientated, there was no good area to put this stand. So, if you are picking one of these up, ensure you have a place in your bag to safely and securely put the stand, and then you'll have no issues.

All in all, this is the most beautiful portable panel that I have tried. It's gorgeous, and since Tern has a handful of different resolutions and feature options, anyone can find what they need regarding portable displays with Tern.

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Beautiful, professional design

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Easy to utilize

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Practical for most all

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

High price, high quality

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Tern Setups 16-inch 4K OLED portable monitor: Final verdict

The Tern Setups 16-inch 4K OLED portable monitor is the best spec-for-spec, color-accurate portable monitor I have tested. It's beautifully built, high-featured, and tuned for creative and business workflows. Whether you need an easy-to-use display around your house, office, or workspace, or a display you can take on the go in a bag traversing the world, the Tern Setups 4K OLED Portable Monitor is a fantastic option.

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OnePlus Pad 3: one-minute review

As someone who has sworn by iPads and iPadOS for over a decade now, consider me pleasantly surprised to discover just how much fun it is to use the OnePlus Pad 3. For my particular use case, as someone who likes to use tablet computers for a mix of productivity during the day and catching up on YouTube and Netflix in my spare time, the Pad 3 provided me with quality of life features I didn’t even know I needed.

Smart suggestions from Open Canvas that let you split-screen apps in seconds, not to mention having up to three apps open at once with extra capacity for apps sitting in a floating window, all add up to a great experience that’s further emboldened by a bright screen and fantastic battery life.

When you factor in the additional cost of accessories, the complete OnePlus Pad 3 package can set you back a fair bit, and I still think that the entry-level iPad 10.9 is the best value option for more people where tablets are concerned. It’s also a shame that a lack of Android optimisation gets in the way of the grand ambitions of OxygenOS. If something can be done to make key Android apps function more appropriately in tablet form, then the OnePlus Pad 3 could make a fine case for arguably being the best Android tablet out there.

OnePlus Pad 3 review: price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Starts at $699 / £529 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB storage
• A 16GB RAM/512GB storage model is available in the UK, but not the US

You’d be justified for thinking that, with all the upgrades included and the current state of the world economy, that the OnePlus Pad 3 would bring about a hefty price increase over the OnePlus Pad 2, but thankfully that’s not the case.

The OnePlus Pad 3 boasts an entry level price of $699 / £529 for the 12GB RAM/256GB storage model, but that can leap up to £599 for the more robust 16GB RAM/512GB storage option.

Given that the OnePlus Pad 2 had a launch price of $549 / £499 at the checkout, seeing just a £30 uptick this time around (in the UK at least) isn’t too shabby, and I think it’s reasonable request when compared against the larger screen, faster processor, increased storage and improved speakers that you get with this newer model. Sorry, US users, but you know what you did.

What you do need to bear in mind however is that the OnePlus Pad 3 does not come bundled with any of its key accessories. In the US you get the 80W SuperVOOC charger, but in the UK you’ll only find OnePlus’ signature red USB-C cable included. This is where the cost can soar.

The OnePlus Pad 3 Stylo 2 will set you back $99 / £99, so you'll have to factor that in for digital drawing or note-taking, while the OnePlus Pad 3 Smart Keyboard and Folio Case cost $199 / £169 and $49 / £59 respectively. Of course, you can always opt for cheaper alternatives to help mitigate that cost, such as eschewing the Smart Keyboard in favor of one of the best wireless keyboards, but for the most seamless experience where everything complements one another in design language, it can add up.

• Value score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Pad review: specs

Starting price

£529

Operating system

OxygenOS 15

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite

Memory (RAM)

12GB/16GB

Storage

256GB/512GB

Display

13.2-inch 3.4k LCD, 144Hz

Weight

675g

Battery

12,140mAh

Charging

80W SUPERVOOC

Cameras

13MP main, 8MP front

Pretty much all of the key areas have seen an upgrade over the OnePlus Pad 2. There’s now the much faster Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset under the hood which OnePlus claims to provide a 45% and 40% boost in CPU and GPU performance respectively.

Helping to power that chipset is an increase in the default amount of RAM, with the entry-level option now boasting 12GB instead of 8GB, and that’s also paired with a higher starting storage of 256GB as opposed to 128GB. In the UK there is an upgrade option with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but that model isn't being sold in the US.

What’s sure to turn heads for those who use their tablets as all-day devices is the leap to a massive 12,140mAh battery which absolutely towers above the 9,510mAh cell found within the OnePlus Pad 2. There’s even an increase in charging speeds, now up to 80W, to help you fill up that larger battery even faster. In the US that faster charger comes in the box, but UK users will need to splurge on the faster plug.

OnePlus Pad 3 review: display

(Image credit: Future)

• Gorgeous 13.2-inch 3.2K LCD panel
• 7:5 ratio is helpful for multitasking
• Great depiction of colour

Because I’d become so used to using the much smaller iPad 10.9, which has been my go-to tablet for everything over the last few years, I was somewhat gobsmacked by the display that the OnePlus Pad 3 brings to the table. Sure, it’s not quite the 14.6-inch beast that you’ll find on the far pricier Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, but the Pad 3’s 13.2-inch 3.2K LCD display is an eye-catcher for a handful of reasons.

At the surface level, it just looks great. Whether you’re simply admiring the collection of landscape photography that OnePlus offers up for potential wallpapers, or streaming one of the best Disney Plus shows, it all leaps out of the screen with a level of vibrancy that really makes the OnePlus Pad 3 a joy to use. Whenever I had to go back to using my Windows laptop, I always found myself irritated at the immediate downgrade in screen quality.

When I was diving into a bit of Call of Duty Mobile to test out the performance of the device, I ended up playing for quite a bit longer than I usually do just because of how great the game looks on the OnePlus Pad 3. Particle effects really pop thanks to the larger than average sizing, and your eyes are drawn to character models which are given their due thanks to the detailed 3.2K resolution.

The high density of pixels also means that fans of animation will love using this thing for entertainment. Diving into Disney Pixar’s Elemental, the opening scenes in Element City are an absolute feast for the eyes, with your attention drawn equally to what’s happening in the foreground and all the smaller moments of background action.

Because of the unique 7:5 aspect ratio, the OnePlus Pad 3 has just the right amount of height in its display to have multiple windows open at one time, all without any of them feeling too cramped to the point where you’re forced to zoom in. In the time that I’ve been using the tablet, I’ve probably come to value this feature the most as it means I can really maximise its capabilities as a productivity device. I never like to bring a laptop with me on holiday, but for something like this that works so well for both watching content and responding to emails, the OnePlus Pad 3 is exactly the type of device I’d pack in my suitcase.

• Display score: 5 / 5

OnePlus Pad 3 review: designImage 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

• Barely thicker than the USB-C port at the bottom
• Fairly mundane colour options

When you lay your hands on the OnePlus Pad 3, you’ll no doubt notice, before anything else, just how slim this thing is. As soon as I took it out of the box, I became far more cautious in my handling of the Pad 3 until I was able to encase it in the Smart Keyboard accessory that OnePlus sent along with it.

The OnePlus Pad 3 is just 5.97mm thick, which isn’t too far off the 5.1mm thickness of the iPad Pro 2024. Despite its larger than average display, the Pad 3 doesn’t weigh all that much in the hand either, coming in at only 675g. Thankfully, all of this means that, even with the Smart Keyboard in tow, the OnePlus Pad 3 feels wonderfully lightweight in your bag, and it’s very easy to carry around one-handed.

Unfortunately, there isn’t really anything here in the way of visual flare to elevate the OnePlus 3 from competing tablets. There are two colors available in the UK, Storm Blue (the same as the review unit) and Frosted Silver. The silver model won't be sold in the US.

While I can’t speak for the latter, the Storm Blue looks anything but blue to my eyes, striking more as a darker grey. I know that this isn’t uncommon with tablets around this price range, but I would love to see more vibrant options like what you’ll find with the entry-level iPad 10.9.

(Image credit: Future)

It also doesn’t help that the ‘all metal unibody’ of the tablet loves to pick up the occasional smudge, which is never a good look. I also think that the design of the Smart Keyboard accessory could use a bit of an overhaul.

The keyboard itself is fine once you get used to it, but it would be nice if the keys were less mushy and a bit more clicky, similar to what you’ll find on Apple’s Magic Keyboard. The material underneath the keyboard also doesn’t have much grip to it either, and when working at a standard office desk, I found it would slip and slide all over the place with just a slight nudge, which forced me to be a bit more considerate in my typing. This wasn’t the case everywhere that I took the Pad 3, but it’s something that I would like to see fixed in a successor.

• Design score: 4/5

OnePlus Pad 3 review: softwareImage 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

• Open Canvas is now better than ever
• Android still needs better optimisation on tablets

Software has long been the Achilles heel for almost all Android tablets when weighed up against the seamlessness of Apple’s iPadOS, but to give OnePlus its due, the company has done its best to close the gap with OxygenOS 15.

Compared to some of the more cumbersome Android interface options out there, OxygenOS is clean in its aesthetic and easy to understand in its UI so that, even if you’re someone who’s knee-deep in Apple’s ecosystem and considering picking up an Android tablet for the first time, you’ll get on just fine here.

OnePlus made the excellent decision last year to bring the impressive Open Canvas software (originally found on the OnePlus Open) over to the OnePlus Pad 2. This ingenious bit of tech means that you can easily have up to three apps open at the same time, which has been incredibly helpful whilst writing this review as it means I’ve been able to cross reference my own notes with OnePlus’ official press release without having to constantly minimize and reopen windows.

Open Canvas was already great, but it’s just been given a handy upgrade that now makes launching it even easier than before. If the Pad 3 notices that you’ve quickly jumped from one app to another, it will ask if you want to split-screen these apps so that they sit side by side. The moment you tap this notification, both apps appear instantly – it’s that simple.

(Image credit: Future)

It’s such a small addition to the software but one that ended up saving me a decent chunk of time, and anything that helps to keep your flowstate going when you're in the middle of a tough deadline is fine by me. Apple should take note and bring this to iPadOS in the future.

As great as Open Canvas is, the OnePlus Pad 3 doesn’t completely avoid the optimization problems that plague Android on tablets. Regardless of which device I’m using, I frequently rely on Google Docs and Notion, both of which had issues when trying to run on the Pad 3.

Initially, Notion wouldn’t let me type anything until I was forced to delete the app and then reinstall it, while Google Docs would just flat out refuse to recognize the scrolling gesture on the Smart Keyboard trackpad, so I’ve been forced to use the touchscreen whenever I’ve needed to move through a document.

What I will say is that for a lot of these web-based apps, they do work rather well when you run them in the Chrome browser, similar to how you would with one of the best Chromebooks, but it’s hardly ideal given that it’s never an issue I’ve had to deal with when using iPadOS.

(Image credit: Future)

Unlike a lot of companies right now, OnePlus hasn’t gone so far into AI that it’s taken up the bulk of the upgrades, but there are some helpful AI features now baked into the ‘AI toolkit’ which appears when you’re browsing the web. This allows you to quickly summarise an article if you’re in a rush, or have an AI voice read out its contents for you, even as you dive into other apps. It’s unobtrusive yet well executed, so well done to OnePlus on this front.

• Software score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Pad 3 review: performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Flagship performance thanks to the latest Snapdragon chip
• This is a tablet designed for multitasking

If you’ve already read the specs for the OnePlus Pad 3 then you may have raised an eye-brow at the inclusion of the super-powered Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset under the hood. Not only is this the same processor you’ll find in the best smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Honor Magic 7 Pro, but it also represents a major leap in speed from what we've seen before.

As previously mentioned, the claim is that the 8 Elite can provide a 45% boost in performance to the CPU, and 40% for the GPU. That all sounds great on paper, but what difference does it make to the day to day experience? Plenty, as it turns out.

Just for context, this entire review has been written with the OnePlus Pad 3, and I’ve had Google Docs open alongside a PDF press release, and a Chrome window with several tabs. Occasionally I’ve had a WhatsApp overlay in the corner to quickly respond to messages, and at one point I had Disney Plus playing Avengers: Endgame on top of all these apps, and it didn’t break a sweat. Sure, it did look like some kind of pop-up-filled nightmare, but I was impressed to see no signs of slowdown. Simply put, if you're after a productivity tablet that you can really push to the limits, you’ll get on well here.

The same can be said for gaming. Taking a quick break to enjoy a few rounds of Call of Duty Mobile with an Xbox controller connected via Bluetooth, the OnePlus Pad 3 kept up with every fast-paced moment and all the chaos that a typical match brings with it.

As a final point, I want to draw particular attention to the improved speakers on the OnePlus Pad 3. There are now eight speakers instead of four, and they collectively offer up the best sound I’ve ever come across on a tablet. Layers feel separated so that they each have noticeable depth, and vocals are elevated to make watching shows and films a really enjoyable experience.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

OnePlus Pad 3 review: battery

(Image credit: Future)

• Charging speeds and battery capacity have been upgraded
• No charging brick included

While there have been plenty of upgrades elsewhere, OnePlus has still made sure not to forget about the battery and charging experience. The headline upgrade here is the change to a much larger 12,140mAh battery which OnePlus claims can play triple-A games for six hours, or endure video playback for more than 17-hours. That’s definitely impressive, but I think that the proof is in how it can handle a bit of everything over the course of a day.

Beginning my test at 9:30am, I used the OnePlus Pad 3 as my main work device for typing documents and responding to emails, but over the course of six hours of screen-on time, downloading apps, watching 30-mins of Disney Plus and similarly playing games for 30-minutes, I was able to make it to 5:30pm with about 35% battery left in the tank. Of course, the average work day (for myself at least) doesn't tend to have quite so much time set aside for entertainment, but to still have 35% remaining leaves me with plenty of confidence for the days when I want to hunker down with work.

Charging is a bit of a different story. The OnePlus Pad 3 now support fast charging up to 80W, up from 67W on the OnePlus Pad 2, but you’ll need to buy a compatible charger separately in order to hit those speeds.

For my charging test, I had a 65W charger to hand (which is still faster than most), and managed to get the Pad 3 from 5% battery to 100% in 121 minutes. It took about an hour to reach 56% so if you are strapped for time, that should give you enough power to get through a day with the power saver mode switched on.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the OnePlus Pad 3?OnePlus Pad 3 report card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

For all the upgrades the OnePlus Pad 3 packs, its small price increase is easily justified.

4 / 5

Display

The increased size and unique aspect ratio make the display ideal for work and entertainment

5 / 5

Design

The Pad 3 is incredibly thin and light to the touch, but its overall design isn't too inspiring

4 / 5

Software

OxygenOS is brilliantly intuitive, but Android still needs some work for tablets

4 / 5

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset makes short work of multitasking and gaming

5 / 5

Battery

Plenty of longevity but charging can be slow if you don’t buy an appropriate fast charger

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You need a multitasking tablet for work

If you’re constantly juggling emails, documents and notes then the OnePlus Pad is perfect for jumping between them quickly.

You want one of the best Android tablets out there

Between OxygenOS and the improved battery life, the Pad 3 will leave you wanting for very little within the Android space.

You’re tempted to make the jump from iPad

As a long-time iPad user, I can safely say that I’ll be using the Pad 3 predominantly as my main productivity tablet going forward.

Don’t buy it if…

You aren’t prepared to pay for the accessories

The OnePlus Pad 3 is a great tablet, but it’s made infinitely better by buying at least one of its available accessories which should be factored into the overall cost.

You want the best value tablet

Compared to the iPad Air 2024, the Pad 3 is a bargain, but it’s still more expensive than great value offerings like the Galaxy Tab S10 FE which bundles in the S Pen for free.

You’re knee deep in the Apple ecosystem

Because of the seamless communication between Apple devices, those toting an iPhone or Apple Watch will still find a better overall experience with one of the best iPads.

Also consider

Not convinced by all the OnePlus Pad 3 has to offer? Here are some alternatives worth checking out:

OnePlus Pad 3

Apple iPad 10.9 (2022)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra

Price

£529

$349 / £329

$1,199.99 / £1,199 (now regularly discounted)

Base storage

256GB

64GB

256GB

Screen size

13.2-inch 3.4k LCD, 144Hz

10.9-inch LCD, 60Hz

14.6-inch AMOLED, 120Hz

Chipset

Snapdragon 8 Elite

Apple A14 Bionic

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

Battery

12,140mAh

7,606mAh

11,200mAh

Charging

80W

28.6W

45W

Cameras

13MP main, 8MP front

12MP main, 12MP front

13MP main, 8MP ultra wide, plus 12MP wide and 12MP ultra wide front sensors

OS

OxygenOS w/ Android 15

iPadOS 18

One UI with Android 15

Apple iPad 10.9 (2022)

Apple’s entry-level iPad still manages to defy expectations by offering plenty in the way of productivity and entertainment prowess, and since its successor hit the scene, it can now be found cheaper than ever.

Read our full Apple iPad 10.9 (2022) review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra

If you know where to look, Samsung’s ultra-premium tablet of yesteryear can be picked up for a significantly reduced price, and it comes with the S Pen stylus included.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra review

How I tested the OnePlus Pad 3

I used the OnePlus Pad 3 over a nine-day testing period, using it in my home office, connected to my home Wi-Fi, and also at a local cafe whilst using my OnePlus Open as a hotspot.

Testing the full speed of its 80W fast charging wasn’t possible due to only having a 65W adapter available over the course of this review, which should be taken into consideration when analysing the battery results.

When testing out the gaming performance of the OnePlus Pad 3, I played Call of Duty Mobile, GTA: San Andreas The Definitive Edition, and Dead Cells: Netflix Edition, all with a wirelessly connected Xbox controller.

First reviewed June 2025

Do you have trouble remembering names or where you put your keys? Neurologist Charan Ranganath, author of Why We Remember, talks about the science of memory. Originally broadcast Feb. 24, 2024.