HP marks its return to the tablet market with the new OmniPad 12

The HP OmniPad 12 marks the company's return to the tablet category after more than a decade, priced at Rs 48,999. Designed for students and working people on the move, the 2-in-1 device weighs about 600 grams and measures 7.3mm in thickness. It is available in blue denim and meteor silver colours, and comes with a one-year limited warranty for parts and labour.

Design and Performance

The tablet features a 12-inch LCD touchscreen with 2K resolution and 100 percent sRGB coverage, paired with a quad-speaker setup. It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor with 8GB of RAM and offers up to 256GB of storage, which is expandable up to 1TB using a microSD card. While everyday tasks run smoothly, switching constantly between apps makes the device feel sluggish. The built-in Android 16 software includes a dedicated Gemini key for AI tasks and a Night Light option.

Battery and Drawbacks

HP claims the battery lasts up to 18 hours with fast charging support, though actual workday use often required a midday recharge. The included 33W wired charging takes longer than expected to refuel the battery. While the physical keyboard offers comfortable typing, the touchpad requires a hard press to register clicks, and the stand mechanism can feel unstable on a bed or lap.

Context

Tablets bridge the gap between smartphones and laptops by offering larger screens than phones while remaining lighter and more portable than traditional laptops. Major electronics makers often target students and mobile workers with these devices for everyday writing, browsing, and media streaming.