After its smartphones, watches and headphones, the manufacturer shows its tablets

What budget to invest in a new digital tablet? While inflation imposes arbitrations, Oppo launches its Air Tab, his first digital slate. Its price: 299 euros. low-cost the Chinese manufacturer’s digital slate?

The brand, which stands out in telephony with its Find X range or in mobility with its headphones, watches and connected bracelets, is attempting an incursion into the hotly contested market of low-cost tablets this fall, a market where we also expect Honor and its future Pad 8 tablet (349 euros).

A tablet almost like the others

What distinguishes a digital tablet from another digital tablet? Its operating system? Yes. Between iOS (for iPads) and Android (for others), the choice is quickly made. The Pad Air, runs, it under Android 12.

Its screen size? Certainly: that of the new Oppo Tab Air measures 10.6 inches (in LCD; 60 Hz). From Apple’s iPad mini (8.3 inches) to Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra (14.6 inches), formats vary, but the core market is around 10 inches.

His weight ? No doubt: the Pad Air is light with its 440 grams. Its back cover which combines metal and plastic contributes to this.

His memory? In particular: its 64 GB on board (expandable up to 512 GB with microSD card) can be used here for most uses*. But the heart of the market is rather located at 128 GB.

His price ? Essentially: sold for 299 euros, the Oppo Tab Air remains relatively accessible for a 10-inch tablet.

Oppo’s Pad Air 10.6-inch screen tablet, launched in France at 299 euros in 64 GB. – OPPO

“60% of the tablets sold in France cost less than 300 euros”, specifies the manufacturer, citing figures from the Gfk institute. There is therefore a strong reason to think that Oppo preferred not to take too many risks to launch in France, where 2.1 million slates were sold last year (a sales volume down 13%) .

Perfect for streaming

On trial, the Tab Air, which is WiFi only, proves to be pleasant to use. Its lightness is indeed an asset and we appreciate its grip. Its compact size (245 x 155 x 6.94 mm) also makes it very easy to transport. Highlighted on its top by a pretty finish in the shape of dunes, the back shell offers good support. The screen (2000 x 1200 pixels), with its thin 8 mm edges, displays good visibility even if it is necessary to push its brightness a little for certain viewings. We would have preferred more contrasts. But with its LCD panel, the Tab Air cannot compete in this field with OLED screen tablets, which remain much more expensive.

Good point on the audio side. Embarking on four speakers (with Dolby Atmos compatibility), the slate defends itself very well when listening, with stereo sound as enveloping as it can be on this type of device. No headphone jack, however.

The back cover of the Oppo Pad Air combines metal and plastic.
The back cover of the Oppo Pad Air combines metal and plastic. -OPPO

Let’s move quickly on the photo which is definitely not the prerogative of digital slates. With its single 8-megapixel rear sensor and its 5-megapixel front sensor, the Tab Air can only be used for photo/video or video support. It also does not have a flash. As for its speed, its processor (Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 680, which equips entry-level smartphones, such as the Realme 9 or the Moto G42) will not allow you to go very far if you are gamer. With its 7100 mAh battery, the Tab Air boasts a fairly comfortable autonomy: up to 12 hours in video and 15 hours in video.

A family-first tablet

Still, the Oppo tablet gives us our money’s worth. Tested over several days, the slate is suitable for everyday use and is mainly family-friendly: email, Internet surfing, streaming and casual games. If it is indeed not made for hardcore gamers, it can come in handy for a bit of productivity. Oppo has also provided a “Multiscreen Connect” function that allows you to take control of your smartphone and display the content. Convenient for typing emails, accessing folders… although this function is only reserved for Oppo smartphones.

It is also possible to add a Bluetooth keyboard to it. Too bad, however, that Oppo does not offer one that is specifically dedicated to its Tab Air. No more than a stylus, which would have made its slate more versatile… Caution is therefore well advised by the manufacturer who, obviously, wants to test the hexagonal market for tablets before investing in it with more ambition. For now, his Tab Air is only sold on his websiteor at Baker.

* Oppo’s Tab Air is also available in 128 GB at an indicative price of 349 euros.

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