The OnePlus Pad Lite could be the perfect parental pick for their kid’s first Android tablet

Having only just unleashed what is now comfortably one of the best tablets running Android, OnePlus is wasting no time in following it up with something a little kinder to your wallet. The OnePlus Pad Lite is also bringing a bespoke kid mode that could make it a top choice for tech-minded families.

The 11in slate is a fair bit smaller than the OnePlus Pad 3, but doesn’t skimp too much on screen specs in order to keep costs in check. You’re still getting a 2K resolution stretched over a productivity-friendly 16:10 aspect ratio, along with a 90Hz refresh rate and 10-bit colour support.

Underneath, power comes from a MediaTek Helio G100 – a hint that this is very much a mid-tier tab rather than a flagship model – paired to as much as 8GB of RAM and 256GB of on-board storage.

OnePlus is talking a big game in terms of battery life, with a 9340mAh cell apparently able to manage a huge 54 days of standby time between charges. That translates to a more realistic 11 hours of video playback. 30W wired charging is on hand for relatively speedy top-ups.

The firm has carried over its Open Canvas multitasking from its foldable phones, which is a big win for side-by-side working on several apps at once. It’s still, for my money, the best of its kind on Android. The new kids mode will let parents restrict access to apps and set usage limits – and no, turning it off and on again won’t exit back into the regular mode. Your “I’m so clever” sprogs will still need you to put in a password.

The OnePlus Pad Lite is up for pre-order right now, with prices starting from £199 in the UK and €229 in Europe. The LTE version will set you back £229/€259. Tablets should start shipping to early birds and go on general sale from the 15th of July. There was no confirmation of a US launch at the time of writing.

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Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor

About

A tech addict from about the age of three (seriously, he's got the VHS tapes to prove it), Tom's been writing about gadgets, games and everything in between for the past decade, with a slight diversion into the world of automotive in between. As Deputy Editor, Tom keeps the website ticking along, jam-packed with the hottest gadget news and reviews.  When he's not on the road attending launch events, you can usually find him scouring the web for the latest news, to feed Stuff readers' insatiable appetite for tech.

Areas of expertise

Smartphones/tablets/computing, cameras, home cinema, automotive, virtual reality, gaming