⚡ iPad Pro M4 vs. OnePlus Pad 3: The ULTIMATE Tablet Power Face-Off! Which One Reigns Supreme?

OnePlus Pad 3 vs. iPad Pro M4: A Detailed Performance Comparison

The OnePlus Pad 3, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, is the first tablet to feature this cutting-edge chip. In this article, we compare its performance against the iPad Pro with the M4 chip, diving into benchmarks, real-world tasks, and key differences in hardware and software optimization. The results reveal a nuanced competition where each tablet shines in specific areas.

Benchmark Performance: A Misleading Starting Point

While benchmarks often provide a snapshot of raw power, they can be misleading when assessing real-world performance. In standard benchmarks like Geekbench 6, the iPad Pro M4 outperforms the OnePlus Pad 3, scoring nearly 7,000 points compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s 6,000. In GPU tests like JackBench 6, the M4 shows slight to significant advantages, sometimes delivering up to three times the power. However, stress tests tell a different story. The Snapdragon 8 Elite maintains 72.6% stability under prolonged workloads, while the M4 drops to 45.3%. This suggests that while the M4 achieves higher peak performance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite sustains its power more consistently.

Temperature is a critical factor here. The iPad Pro M4 gets warm but never uncomfortably hot, whereas the OnePlus Pad 3 can become hot enough to feel like it “burns” during intensive tasks. This trade-off in thermal management makes the Snapdragon 8 Elite a compelling choice for sustained tasks like gaming, but users should be mindful of the heat.

Gaming: Snapdragon 8 Elite Takes the Lead

In gaming scenarios, the Snapdragon 8 Elite often outperforms the M4 for sustained performance. In KX Street, the M4 maintains a steady 60 FPS, while the OnePlus Pad 3 fluctuates between 45 and 50 FPS. However, the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s superior stability makes it a better choice for prolonged gaming sessions. Android also has an edge in emulation, with tools that allow direct emulation of Steam games like Monster Hunter World at 1280×720 resolution and a playable 30 FPS on the OnePlus Pad 3. Apple, on the other hand, excels at bringing high-quality native titles to its platform, but Android’s emulation capabilities give it a distinct advantage for gamers seeking versatility.

Creative Workloads: M4’s Peak Power Shines

For creative professionals, the iPad Pro M4 demonstrates clear advantages in GPU-intensive tasks. In Mat School, a 3D modeling app, rendering a project took just 16 seconds on the M4 compared to 40 seconds on the Snapdragon 8 Elite—a significant gap. Similarly, in Clip Studio Paint, the iPad Pro effortlessly handled a massive 12,000×6,000-pixel project with over 90 layers, while the OnePlus Pad 3 (despite its 16 GB of RAM) failed to open the file, crashing or freezing across multiple apps. For smaller projects, both tablets perform well, but the iPad Pro’s ability to handle large, complex workflows makes it the go-to choice for artists and designers.

The M4 also excels in demanding tasks like using the oil brush in Clip Studio Paint. The iPad Pro manages brushes up to 1,500 pixels without lag, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite struggles beyond 800 pixels. This highlights the M4’s superior optimization for creative software, where fluidity and responsiveness are critical.

Photo and Video Editing: iPad’s Software Advantage

In photo editing, Lightroom performs similarly on both tablets for editing tasks, but the iPad Pro is significantly faster at importing and exporting photos. Exporting a batch of 222 photos took 1 minute 50 seconds on the iPad, compared to 9 minutes 5 seconds on the OnePlus Pad 3—a fivefold difference. The iPad’s ecosystem also offers a broader range of professional apps, making it a better choice for photographers.

Video editing further underscores the iPad’s strengths. In VN Editor, the iPad Pro imported files instantly and rendered them quickly, while the OnePlus Pad 3 struggled with imports and failed to complete the task. However, in controlled rendering tests with shorter videos, the Snapdragon 8 Elite edged out the M4, rendering a clip in 11 seconds compared to the iPad’s 12 seconds. In LumaFusion, a more robust editing app, the Snapdragon 8 Elite rendered a 4K, 5-minute-26-second video in 1 minute 19 seconds, nearly twice as fast as the M4’s 2 minutes 5 seconds. This result was replicated in a comparison between LumaFusion on Android and DaVinci Resolve on the iPad, where the Snapdragon again rendered faster (1 minute 23 seconds vs. 2 minutes 34 seconds). Despite these rendering wins, the iPad’s smoother timeline navigation and broader feature set in professional apps make it the preferred choice for video editors.

Battery Life and Efficiency

Both tablets were tested with 50% screen brightness for approximately one hour, starting at 100% battery. The iPad Pro ended at 85%, while the OnePlus Pad 3 retained 90%. This translates to roughly 7 hours of screen time for the iPad and 9–10 hours for the OnePlus Pad 3. However, when accounting for battery capacity differences, the energy efficiency of the M4 and Snapdragon 8 Elite is nearly identical. The OnePlus Pad 3’s advantage is notable given its larger 13-inch IPS display, which consumes more power than the iPad’s 11-inch OLED. This makes the OnePlus Pad 3 a standout for battery life in demanding tasks.

Software Optimization: iPad’s Ecosystem Dominates

The iPad Pro consistently delivers smoother, more optimized app experiences. Apps like Clip Studio Paint, Lightroom, and LumaFusion run more fluidly on the iPad, with better interfaces and faster response times. The availability of professional-grade apps like DaVinci Resolve further sets the iPad apart, as Android lacks comparable options. This software gap is a significant drawback for the OnePlus Pad 3, despite its impressive hardware.

Conclusion: A Tale of Two Tablets

The OnePlus Pad 3 with the Snapdragon 8 Elite excels in sustained performance, making it a strong contender for gaming and tasks requiring consistent power, such as video rendering. Its battery efficiency and larger display are additional advantages, though its thermal management needs improvement. Conversely, the iPad Pro M4 dominates in peak performance, software optimization, and professional workflows, particularly for artists, photographers, and video editors. The iPad’s ecosystem, with its vast array of optimized apps, remains unmatched.

Ultimately, the choice depends on your priorities. For gaming and emulation, the OnePlus Pad 3 is the better pick. For creative professionals needing robust apps and peak performance, the iPad Pro M4 is the clear winner. While Qualcomm and OnePlus have delivered exceptional hardware, Android’s software ecosystem lags behind, highlighting the need for Google to invest in tablet-optimized apps to fully leverage the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s potential.