DT Next Tech | The ASUS Pad T3201 offers one of the best tablet displays

CHENNAI: At a time when quite a few tablets when are a pitched as laptop alternatives, ASUS seems to have taken a more pragmatic approach with its 2026 flagship tablet. The ASUS Pad T3201 marks a comeback of sorts for ASUS in the tablet segment: it’s been almost a decade since the brand launched its last tablet (The ZenPad series) in India. It’s an interesting time given an overall slowdown in the tablet segment; Omdia is predicting an 8.3% decline in year-on-year global shipments for 2026. The headline feature of the ASUS Pad T3201 is it’s immersive display.

The Pad T3201 looks every inch premium thanks to its magnesium alloy construction and fiberglass back panel. ASUS has done an excellent job with weight distribution and ergonomics; you rarely feel the 523 gm heft of this tablet. There’s a foldable origami style carrying case that is an interesting design touch.

ASUS has kitted this tablet with a 12.2-inch Tandem OLED Screen. This advanced display tech stacks two light-emitting organic layers instead of one. It solves OLED limits on brightness and efficiency. Tandem OLED displays typically achieve a higher brightness with improved power efficiency. If there’s one reason we’d recommend this tablet, it’s the 12.2inch, 2.8K OLED display (2800 x 1840 pixels) with a 144Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2000 nits that puts this display in a league of its own. The quad-speaker set up is tuned for Dolby Atmos 360-degree sound adding to the entertainment creds of this tablet.

The ASUS Pad is powered by a MediaTek MT8792Z (D8300) processor. You get a choice of two storage variants: 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB. ASUS offers an external storage option (up to 1TB). The tablet did a good job in our tests and is ready for most gaming scenarios. Camera duties (your tablet is unlikely to be your primary cam except for video calls and document scanning) are handled by a 13MP rear cam and 5MP front cam.

Battery life is quite dependable, actual performance could vary depending on your usecase scenarios and brightness levels. We’ll put this down as a one-day battery for average users. The 9000 mAh battery is backed by an in-box 45W charger that takes this device from 1% to 50 % in about half an hour. Other hardware highlights include support of the ASUS Pen 2.0 (optional accessory not included in the box). But most of all it’s the sheer joy of using a vibrant Tandem OLED display that makes the ASUS Pad T3201 a great Content consumption screen. (Rs 45,999 onwards)

(Ashwin Rajagopalan is a lifestyle writer and consumer technology expert. Catch the latest digital and tech updates in this weekly column.)