Since its debut in 2018, realme has launched only two tablet devices so far. Realme Pad 2 is the brand’s second tablet and it comes with some performance and design-related improvements compared to the previous model. It also adds cellular connectivity, making it unique among sub-Rs. The 20,000-unit tablet segment, mostly made up of budget-friendly tablets that lack this feature. There’s also faster charging and a fast 120Hz refresh rate display. What’s more, the base version also comes with 6GB of RAM, and its software is also optimized for the widescreen experience. But has Realme cut corners in launching a tablet at such a competitive price? Can it really beat the recently launched Redmi Pad in terms of value? Let’s take a look.
Realme Pad 2 price in India
The base variant of the Realme Pad 2 is priced at Rs. Priced at 19,999 in India, it gets you 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The high-end variant offers 8GB RAM and 256GB storage and is priced at Rs. 22,999. Both models come with LTE connectivity as standard, so the higher price over the older model is certainly justified, especially when you consider the other upgrades it offers.
Realme Pad 2 design
The tablet is available in two finishes: Imagination Gray and Inspiration Green. It can be seen that both of Realme’s products are aimed at young people and the vibrant green device we received did look refreshing, although I did find it comparable to Oppo’s Pad in terms of construction and materials used Air is somewhat similar.
The cutouts for the speaker grille appear discreet and minimalist
The Realme Pad 2 has a metal frame with flat sides and a chassis with a polycarbonate insert that takes up about a quarter of the rear surface. A plastic strap sits on the top half of the device (when held horizontally) and runs from edge to edge (including the frame), with the large camera module placed at one end. The insert conveniently hides all the antennas needed for radio communication underneath it. The camera bump, while protruding, doesn’t protrude too much and doesn’t cause the tablet to wobble when it’s placed on a flat surface.
Thanks to this minimalist approach to design, there are no connector or antenna gaps, so it feels premium and is also surprisingly slim (7.2mm). I also like the perforations for the four speaker grilles, which also look minimal and discreet. There’s a large 11.5-inch LCD display surrounded by thin bezels and rounded corner cutouts that blend in nicely with Realme’s software interface.
Realme Pad 2’s design features a mix of metal, glass and polycarbonate
Like the previous model, the Realme Pad 2 also doesn’t come with any optional accessories. It’s unclear why the Pad isn’t even selling a basic kickstand folio case, but it does suggest that the brand doesn’t want its tablet to be used for anything other than a media consumption device. The absence of an optional case or stand meant I had to hold the tablet up or at an angle at all times while viewing content or navigating its interface. At 518 grams, holding this tablet at the desired angle can be really tiring, especially when watching a movie or show.
Realme Pad 2 specifications and software
The Realme Pad 2 is powered by the 6nm MediaTek Helio G99 SoC and has been in many affordable devices for some time. This list of devices also includes the Redmi Pad, which is the main competitor of this device. Communication standards include Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.2, support for multiple LTE bands, and the usual satellite GPS.
For those who want to plug in, there’s no headphone jack. But you do get a SIM card tray, which can hold a SIM card and a microSD card, and supports up to 1TB of storage space. The tablet packs an 8,360mAh battery that can be charged with the 33W charger included in the box.
For a less than Rs. 20,000 tablets I’m also a bit surprised to see no secure biometric authentication of any kind. Like the previous model, the Realme Pad 2 also lacks a fingerprint reader, and the only way to unlock the device without entering a passcode is to use 2D face unlock. While this isn’t a secure way to unlock any personal devices, it does well in most lighting conditions except pitch black.
Realme Pad 2 can display up to three apps at a time
Its software interface has been improved compared to the older Realme Pad. It’s not a “lite” or stripped-down version of the regular Realme UI interface, which is found on some entry-level devices, including previous models. The new Realme Pad 2 fully enjoys all the personalization features you’d expect from a smartphone, and more. This includes a bottom dock that shows pinned apps active in the background and recently launched apps. However, the dock’s usefulness is limited to the home screen, as it’s not available, nor can it be called up anywhere else in the interface or pulled out by third-party apps.
Unlike most other Realme devices and tablets in the same price range, the Realme Pad 2 comes loaded with no bloatware and only comes preloaded with one third-party app (Facebook) that can be uninstalled.
Despite not having any officially supported accessories, this tablet-optimized version of Realme UI does have full touchpad support (under “Other Settings”) and fully supports gestures performed on regular trackpads. There are also regular features, such as the ability to run two apps in split screen, and an additional app that can be launched in a popup so that three apps can be displayed at the same time.
Realme Pad 2 performance
Multitasking can be done properly on this tablet. I can keep five Chrome tabs open while the YouTube app scrolls side-by-side in split-screen mode. It’s also possible to have a floating window open while doing all of this, which the system seems to handle pretty well, but there’s some lag when drawing long web pages.
While the tablet’s software performance is decent for a budget tablet, I do like the wide display’s aspect ratio. It’s great for consuming content, and it’s wide enough to run split-screen apps side-by-side. Thankfully, Realme supports Widevine L1, allowing me to stream and enjoy full HD video content on this tablet. Outdoor visibility is good, but the display loses contrast when viewed from an angle. At the same time, the display isn’t the sharpest around (given its resolution and size), and its MEMC high refresh rate system can sometimes get pretty choppy when scrolling or transitioning between videos and apps .
As for benchmarks, the tablet performed as expected, managing scores on par with budget smartphones in this price range. The Realme Pad 2 scored 4,29,907 points on AnTuTu and 726 points and 1,975 points in Geekbench’s single-core and multi-core tests. Graphics-wise, the tablet managed 25fps, 55fps, and 15fps on GFXBench’s Manhattan 3.1, T-Rex, and Car Chase test suites, respectively.
The Realme Pad 2’s display is the biggest among rivals, but not the sharpest
The MediaTek Helio G99 isn’t very powerful, but it’s good enough for everyday tasks. Despite having a 120Hz refresh rate display, this makes this tablet more suitable for casual gaming than graphics-intensive ones. I did try Asphalt 9: Racing Legends, and it worked fine with default settings, but there were some frame skips and slight stutters.
What I like about the gaming and video viewing experience is the sound, which is an improvement over the simpler dual-speaker setup on the previous model. The sound is definitely louder and more immersive than the previous model. The tablet also comes with Dolby Atmos support.
The Realme Pad 2 has a 5-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera. As expected, the main shooter delivers basic image quality with below-average detail, but closer to natural color. Even in broad daylight, texture is mostly flat, so you’re really best off shooting with any smartphone camera at this price point.
Selfies from the front camera show less detail and flat textures. The camera is better for video calls as it does a good job of handling background exposure when shooting video, which is very useful when making video calls.
Realme Pad 2 to feature a 5-megapixel main camera
Battery life is pretty solid for a budget tablet. In our standard battery loop video test, the Realme Pad 2 lasted an impressive 26 hours and 13 minutes. Regardless of the built-in SIM card, it can easily last for about 2 days in heavy use and about 3 days in casual use, which is not bad for a thin and light tablet. The addition of LTE connectivity also means it’s a solid road warrior that can provide non-stop entertainment (for OTT apps) or connectivity (video calling, etc.) while on the move. Its larger battery also means it will last significantly longer than any smartphone in your pocket.
In terms of charging, the 33W charger can charge the tablet to 33% in 30 minutes, 62% in 1 hour, and complete charging in 1 hour and 36 minutes, which is not bad for a tablet.
judgment
From a broader perspective, the Realme Pad 2 remains unchanged from the previous model in terms of form and function. It’s best used as a media consumption device and nothing more. Realme missed the opportunity to use the tablet as a light productivity device by not launching a keyboard accessory. It also can’t be used for doodling, as it doesn’t offer stylus support either.
However, the Realme Pad 2 makes up for the weaknesses of its predecessor and manages to be an all-rounder by adding a high refresh rate display, a newer processor, and cellular connectivity to its feature set. in Rs. In 1999, it was difficult to buy such a thing on the market. Its closest competitors include the Redmi Pad (review) and Oppo Pad Air (review), which may be slightly less expensive but lack cellular connectivity and have smaller displays and batteries.
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