OPPO Pad SE review: a tablet without pomp, but with respect for the user

Affordable, lightweight, and thin: that’s the first thing you can say about the brand new OPPO Pad SE tablet. And then, when you start testing it, it surprises you with its battery and autonomy, but is somewhat disappointing in other ways. As always, we reveal all the details in the review below.

OPPO Pad SE specifications

Display	11-inch, 1920 by 1200 pixels, IPS, 90 Hz, 206 ppi, 500 nits
Chipset	8-core Helio G100 2.2 GHz, 6 nm, 2x 2.2 GHz – Cortex-A76, 6x 2.0 GHz – Cortex-A55
Graphics	ARM Mali-G57 MC2
RAM	4/6 GB LPDDR4X
Built-in memory	128 GB UFS 2.2
Support for memory cards	No
Ports	USB-C
Additionally	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.4
Main camera	5 megapixels + LED flash
Front camera	5 megapixels
Sound	Stereo speakers
SIM support	Yes, depending on the model
Battery	9340 mAh with fast charging up to 33W OPPO SuperVOOC
Operating system	Android 15 + ColorOS 15
Body	Metal
Protection against moisture	No
Dimensions	254.91×166.46×7.39 mm
Weight	530 grams

Packaging and equipment

OPPO Pad SE comes in a flat white box with gray stripes. The shape of the box already suggests a minimal package, which is confirmed when you open it.

Inside we find the tablet itself without a film, a USB-C cable, a manual, a warranty, and a paper clip to open the SIM card tray. Neither a power supply nor a case was included.

Design and ergonomics

OPPO Pad SE looks modern and minimalistic. It has a metal body with plastic elements, flat surfaces and rounded corners. The model’s dimensions are 254.91×166.46×7.39 mm and it weighs 530 grams.

The front panel has medium-thin bezels and a front-facing camera.

On the back there is a bulging round module with the main camera and a conditional division into two unequal parts. And that smaller part is made of plastic. We also see the OPPO inscription.

On the right side, if you hold the tablet horizontally, there are a pair of speakers, a microphone, and a USB-C port. On the left side are two more speakers, a SIM card slot, and a screen lock button. There are two volume buttons on the top edge, and nothing on the bottom.

The tablet is quite compact for a model with an 11-inch screen. The case is not marked, so there are no fingerprints on it, but dust shows up immediately.

The case is also a bit slippery, but not too much. Of course, it would be better to put a case on the tablet, but I remind you that you will have to buy it because it was not included. In fact, tablet cases are rarely included, so OPPO Pad SE is no exception. But its presence can be considered a significant bonus.

I should also note that the body of the novelty is not even protected from moisture, at least I did not find information about it anywhere. Therefore, a case is not a luxury, but a necessity.

But the screen and image quality is excellent, of course, for an IPS matrix. Colors do not fade at angles, the picture is saturated. I like it. In general, this is one of the main advantages of this model.

The refresh rate can only be 60 or 90 Hz. There is no automatic mode. In this case, I recommend setting the second option because it affects the quality of use significantly, and the built-in large battery is almost not affected.

Productivity, software, and games

The heart of the tablet is an 8-core Helio G100 2.2 GHz processor made on a 6 nm process technology. It has two Cortex-A76 2.2 GHz cores and six Cortex-A55 2.0 GHz cores. The graphics chip here is ARM Mali-G57 MC2. RAM comes in 4 or 6 GB of LPDDR4X format (you can also add up to 6 GB of virtual RAM), and the built-in storage is only 128 GB of UFS 2.2. You can’t insert a memory card, and this is where users will have fair complaints. The modules are Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 5.4, there is no NFC, as well as no modules for geolocation.

OPPO Pad SE shows good results in benchmarks, of course, for its price category. The processor is mostly cold, but it can go into light throttling.

The new product runs various popular games such as Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG Mobile, or Wild Rift on medium-high graphics settings with adequate fps without any problems. Projects like Genshin Impact can also be played, but only at minimum graphics settings and with occasional frame rate drops.

The available power is enough to run heavy applications on OPPO Pad SE. Also, Android 15 works quickly here, on top of which is the proprietary ColorOS 15 shell. In terms of capabilities and level of customization, this is a cross between «pure» Android and shells from Chinese giants. But they have only positive things here: a wide level of customization. There are also a few pre-installed applications like Netflix, but there are no tons of unnecessary programs, nor are there any ads.

In general, OPPO Pad SE works quickly and without problems. No microfriezes or anything like that were noticed during several weeks of testing. Of course, I recommend using a tablet with a 90 Hz screen. Everyday classic use with games, social networks and multimedia viewing is great. This is exactly what the tablet is designed for.

Sound and camera

OPPO Pad SE has four speakers, which means it has full stereo sound. The sound is loud, rich and three-dimensional. There is even some bass, as far as possible, but the upper frequencies are not as detailed as we would like. But the overall sound is of high quality and the user will definitely like it. You can watch YouTube videos or movies on MEGOGO on the tablet without any problems, and your ears will be pleased, nothing will buzz or wheeze.

The tablet supports the most popular codecs: CBS, AAC, LDAC, aptX, aptX HD, etc. The main thing here is that your headphones also support them, and then you will have good sound when connected via Bluetooth 5.4.

In the settings, there are various sound profiles (Intelligent, Games, Movie, Music) that can be activated both on the speakers and when connected to headphones. And while in the latter case the difference is at least somewhat noticeable, I didn’t hear any changes on the speakers.

Both cameras of the tablet have 5 megapixel sensors and can shoot 1080p video at 30 frames per second. Of course, these modules are not for taking photos on social media, as is always the case with such tablets. But it’s more than enough to take a picture of documents, something important, or to call up colleagues or classmates.

OPPO Pad SE battery life

OPPO Pad SE has a 9340 mAh battery. It supports 33W OPPO SuperVOOC fast charging. However, do not forget that there is no corresponding power supply in the package, so the charging speed will depend on the power supply you have. In my case, I had a powerful power supply and the tablet charged for a little over two hours.

Autonomy is the superpower of this model. With a relatively compact size and thickness of 7.39 mm, the tablet has such a large battery. Plus the IPS screen, plus the not-so-powerful processor, plus the serious optimization that has definitely taken place, and the device easily holds a charge for two days. I’m talking about standard use with a 90 Hz screen, auto-brightness, mobile games, social media, and multimedia viewing. There are no restrictions. If your consumption is lower, then expect a longer battery life.

Unfortunately, the PC Mark tests crashed several times, and neither reinstalling nor restarting helped. Therefore, our measurements will not be available. However, I have seen tests in this application for 17-18 hours of operation. This is an excellent figure, which corresponds to the serious autonomy of the model.

The manufacturer even claims that in the most severe power saving mode, the tablet can work for up to 800 days. Of course, I couldn’t test it for that long, but I can say that OPPO Pad SE holds a charge perfectly well while standing by in normal mode. If you don’t touch it, it takes about 5% of the charge in a day. That is, if you leave the tablet on for a week, it will definitely work when you need it. This is a good indicator.

Experience of use

OPPO Pad SE attracts attention with its minimalist design. I liked the size of the tablet — it’s not too small, but not too big either. 11 inches seems to be the classic «golden mean» here.

The good thing is that most of the body is metal, the bad thing is that the package is very limited, so you have to buy a film and a case yourself. I advise you to buy both because the tablet doesn’t even have moisture protection.

I liked the screen, it’s bright and the colors are rich. The power of the chip is sufficient for any everyday tasks, and, of course, it impresses with its battery life. We also have loud, high-quality sound from four speakers.

The tablet will definitely be expensive for the minimum amount of built-in memory, which cannot be expanded. But at least there is a regular Wi-Fi version and an LTE version, which we tested, so at least here we have a choice.

Price and competitors

OPPO Pad SE is sold at a price of 8899 hryvnias. This is more or less normal money for the available features, although some people will definitely not have enough memory, and I understand them. The model also has serious competitors in this segment, and it will be difficult for the new tablet to compete with them.

The main ones areRedmi Pad Pro. For a price tag of 8899 UAH, it has almost all the best features, including RAM, battery, camera modules, etc. Also pay attention toPoco Pad (price from UAH 9799), Lenovo Tab P11 2nd Gen (price from UAH 8499), Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus with a price tag of UAH 7999 andAcer Iconia Tab P11-11 (price from UAH 9300). We reviewed the latter.