The conversation about whether a tablet can replace your laptop has been going on for 15 years. Ever since Apple released the first iPad in 2010, journalists like myself have been obsessed with the idea, but the fact the question is still being asked suggests that no, you can’t replace your laptop with a tablet.

That’s why I’m not going to linger too long on whether the OnePlus Pad 3, the latest excellent Android tablet on the scene, is a laptop killer. It’s a well–priced but premium tablet with flexible software and accessories that means it can suit all buyers, from the humble media streamer to the travelling businessperson using the optional keyboard attachment.

While it’s not the cheapest Android tablet going, after weeks of solid testing I believe it is one of the best. At £529, it undercuts Apple’s iPad Air range by £70 but offers a larger screen, speedy refresh rate and the best Android processor currently available in the Snapdragon 8 Elite, also found in smartphones that cost twice as much as this capable slate.

Then again, the regular iPad is £329. The OnePlus Pad 3, which goes on sale on June 19, offers a better, larger screen and more flexible software, but is that worth £200 to you?

Available in a dashing blue colour, I’ve found the Pad 3 superb for (let’s not pretend here) the main tablet use case of streaming Netflix. We can all pretend we want to edit 4K video or produce a techno album on a tablet, but really it’s all about how good the screen looks and how the speakers sound when you’re binging Below Deck.

The LCD screen has a pin-sharp 3392 x 2400 resolution and produces colours excellently, while supporting 144Hz refresh rate (the iPad Air is stuck on a lowly 60Hz), so compatible apps scroll smoothly, be it Google Docs or a triple-A game.

Despite the slim 5.97mm construction, there are eight speakers on board, with four woofers and four tweeters. Everything from YouTube to Spotify to Disney+ sounds great here. The tablet even supports Hi-Res Bluetooth output for listening to high quality music, if that’s your thing.

There are also two cameras, one front and one rear, for quick snaps or video calling. They’re nothing to write home about, but they get the jobs done.

I didn’t find the Pad 3 too cumbersome to hold while streaming the golf on the sofa, nor to chuck in a bag. It doesn’t feel ludicrously big despite the 13.2-inch size thanks to its smart 7:5 aspect ratio. It’s a little big for reading articles or emails in portrait orientation unless you grip it with two hands, but otherwise I was pleasantly surprised with its portability.

During my time with the Pad 3 I didn’t want to go back to my 9th-gen iPad, the trusty 10.2-inch tablet I’ve been carrying around for three years whose simplicity and ease of use I appreciate. The extra screen and great speakers on the OnePlus make my Apple device seem outdated.

This aspect ratio comes into its own when you dock the Pad with the optional Smart Keyboard, which costs a lofty £169. It comes in two parts, the first a magnetic board that claps onto the back of the metal device with a kickstand to hold it in landscape, while the detachable keyboard section snaps on via magnetic pogo pins. When sitting on a desk it works very well, but when closed the keyboard rubs against the screen and moves around, which is annoying.

I have enjoyed typing up this review on the Smart Keyboard, which has an excellent typing feel, with the right amount of clackiness, but it’s a shame there’s no backlight on the keys. You get a function row for media and other controls, and the track pad is just about big enough.

It’s easiest to use with one app open at a time, but OnePlus’s software is great if you do want to multitask. The screen is big enough to comfortably run two apps side by side, and the firm’s Open Canvas software trick is great, letting you put apps to one side but visibly still on the edge of the screen, bringing them back into view when needed.

Android is also more flexible than iPadOS, the system able to sign into a personal and work Google account and not only split apps between two profiles, but run them side by side, if needed. But without an easy file system it’s still far quicker to get complex things done between many apps on, you guessed it, a laptop.

But using the OnePlus Pad 3 to write has been great. Having only one app open helps me focus, the battery life keeps me doing it all day and then some. It’s a shame there’s no charger in the box, though – you can top up with OnePlus’s 80W charger but it costs an extra £39.99.

If you are a dab hand at sketching you can also buy the £99 OnePlus Stylo 2, which has haptic feedback in certain apps to make it feel a little less like you’re drawing on glass.

With Android 15 (despite a slew of AI tools that I was happy to ignore), 256GB storage, and close integration with OnePlus phones, the OnePlus Pad 3 makes a case for being the best Android tablet you can buy. I recommend it over Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 line up, which looks overpriced in comparison. The S10 Plus with a 12.4-inch screen costs £999. If Samsung you must, then the Galaxy Tab S10 FE is £499 and has seven years of software support.

OnePlus is promising six years of security updates with the Pad 3, and three Android OS updates. So, if you want a premium tablet to do tablet things on, with a keyboard if you need it, this one more than impresses and will be supported until 2031. Unless you’re locked into Apple products or covet a Samsung device, the OnePlus Pad 3 is your best bet for premium tablets this year. Maybe it’s time to retire my old iPad.

You can pre-order the OnePlus Pad 3 now from £529 before it goes on sale on June 19.