Initial verdict: Aside from being the most affordable tablet from OPPO, the Pad SE also comes with an anti-reflective matte display, giving you deeper blacks and better viewability while using the tablet outdoors.

Pros

• Matte display on a budget tablet
• ColorOS UI well-optimized for tablets
• Huge battery for its size

Cons

• Only 4GB RAM
• No LTE connectivity

OPPO is focusing on the budget category, and surprised everyone with the Pad SE. Aside from being affordable, the Pad SE boasts an anti-reflective matte display that’s rare to find on a budget tablet. We got our hands on this affordable tablet, and here’s our first impressions:

OPPO Pad SE First Impressions: Design

Just like the Pad Neo, OPPO gives a unique design to its tablets with the camera placed at the center. Some may find it weird, but placing the camera in the middle gives the Pad SE a symmetrical look. It also makes sense when you’re holding the tablet in landscape mode, as it avoids the instances of accidentally smudging the camera module. You also have the same dual-tone finish with the upper part of the Pad SE being plastic and the bottom using aluminum. We don’t know why OPPO didn’t go for a full unibody design–the Pad SE does not have any slots for a MicroSD card or a SIM card.

For the button and port layout, the Pad SE has the same power button and volume control placements as the Pad Neo, along with stereo speakers and a USB-C port.

OPPO Pad SE First Impressions: Display and speakers

While the Pad SE’s 11-inch 90hz display may sound like your usual panel, what makes it different is its anti-reflective matte coating that’s a rare sight to find on a budget tablet. Aside from significantly reducing reflections compared to glossy panels, a matte display gives you better visibility when using the Pad SE outdoors, and also gives users less eye strain. These benefits users with binge-watching videos comfortably for hours.

The Pad SE can stream YouTube videos at up to 1440p, and it has Widevine L1 for streaming Netflix shows in Full HD. The Pad SE’s stereo speakers are decent for a budget tablet even if it only uses a 2-speaker system.

OPPO Pad SE First Impressions: Camera, Internals

The Pad SE’s unique camera module placement houses a 5-megapixel shooter, while the selfie camera is also 5-megapixels, which should be enough for your videocall needs. For the internals, the Pad SE is powered by a Helio G100 processor that’s paired with 4GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB UFS 2.2 storage. There may be concerns about its RAM, but ColorOS’ excellent optimization made the Pad SE feel smooth while we were using it. The Helio G100 processor is almost similar to the Helio G99 used on the Pad Neo, and we’re impressed at how the Pad SE is significantly more affordable.

You have ColorOS 15 out of the box, and we got an update immediately upon setting up the Pad SE, which shows that OPPO is commited in giving even its budget tablet consistent software updates.

What’s also interesting with the Pad SE is its 9340mAh battery that’s bigger than what the Pad Neo has while having roughly the same display size. We have yet tested the Pad SE with PCMark’s battery benchmark, but we’re confident that it will be a battery champ. The Pad SE supports 33w charging, but you will need to buy the charger separately as OPPO does not include one in the box.

OPPO Pad SE First Impressions: Wrap-up and Initial Conclusions

The Pad SE is, in our opinion, one of OPPO’s best budget offerings for 2025. It’s their first tablet that’s priced at under Php 10,000, and OPPO made it more interesting with its matte display. While some corners were cut to make it as affordable, the Pad SE is a good choice for those who want a matte display on their tablet without spending much.

OPPO Pad SE First Impressions: Price

The Pad SE is priced at Php 9,999 for the regular version and Php 10,999 for the matte edition.