Realme brings back Pad lineup with Realme Pad 3 launch in India, Buds Air 8 also unveiled
Realme has added two more products to its India portfolio with the launch of the Realme Pad 3 and Realme Buds Air 8, making the brand’s January 6th event a packed day. The company, which also launched the new number series phones, the Realme 16 Pro and Realme 16 Pro+, is back with a new tablet after a hiatus of more than a year. The last tablet launched by the brand was the Realme Pad 2 Lite in September 2024.
The Realme Pad 3 is a successor to the Pad 2 that was launched in 2023, a tablet that received positive reviews for its sharp display and long, lasting battery at a low price point. With the new model, Realme has not attempted to do something radically different, but has focused on enhancing the features of the predecessor that made the most difference.
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The upgrade is most noticeable in the display. The Pad 3 is equipped with a larger 11.6-inch LCD screen with a higher 2.8K resolution. The brightness has also been increased to 500 nits. It is unlikely that it will solve the visibility issue in bright sunlight, but for indoor use, watching videos, reading, or browsing, the screen should feel a step up from before. Battery life has also been significantly improved. Realme has upgraded the capacity from 8,360mAh on the Pad 2 to 12,200mAh on the Pad 3. Simply put, this should mean a longer duration of usage without the need to charge the device. To keep the charging time short despite the increase in battery capacity, the charging speeds have also been upgraded, going from 33W to 45W. It will be clearer how far this goes to meet everyday use when reviews are out.
The tablet is equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Max processor and besides the Wifi-only variant, comes with 5G cellular connectivity too. Despite the new ‘Max’ label, this is a chip that, in different variants, has been found in several cheap smartphones this year. Performance has been sufficiently smooth for daily routines, light games, and multitasking, so the main emphasis will be on stability rather than speed. The way it manages split, screen apps and extended gaming sessions on a larger screen will be interesting to see. The Realme Pad 3 has a minimal camera setup with an 8MP lens front and rear. This is basically for video calling, online classes, and document scanning, not photography.
At the same event, Realme unveiled the Buds Air 8 as well. The earbuds, designed in partnership with Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa, have a clean, minimal appearance, focussing on comfort for the user throughout the day. They will be offered in Gold, Dark Grey, and Purple, the Gold variant being standout due to its matte case and shiny interior.
The Realme Buds Air 8 features a dual-driver setup with 11mm and 6mm drivers to deliver balanced sound with clear vocals and decent bass. Active noise cancellation is also supported, with Realme claiming noise reduction of up to 55dB to block out everyday background noise. Hi-Res Audio Wireless and LHDC codec support are there for compatible phones, and Realme says AI is used to adjust sound and noise cancellation depending on whether you are listening to music or on a call.
Pricing for the Realme Pad 3 starts at Rs 26,999 for the Wi-Fi only 8GB +12GB option. The 8GB +128GB 5G variant is priced at Rs 29,999 while the 256GB one costs Rs 31,999. The colour options are Champagne Gold and Space Grey. There is a Rs 2,000 bank offer on each of the variants and sale starts on January 16th on Flipkart, the Realme website and other offline channels. The Realme Buds Air 8 are priced at Rs 3,799 with a Rs 200 first sale offer.
In this range, the Pad 3 will compete with mid-range tablets like Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+, Lenovo Idea Tab Pro, OnePlus Pad Go 2 and others. The Buds Air 8 go up against ANC earbuds the CMF Buds 2 Plus, OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro and more. For buyers, the Realme Pad 3 makes the most sense if your priorities are a large, sharp display and long battery life for everyday use like streaming, online classes, or light work. That said, those looking for a more powerful processor or a premium OLED display may still find better options in higher-priced tablets from Samsung or OnePlus. As for the Realme Buds Air 8, they are best suited for users who want active noise cancellation and clean sound at an affordable price without stepping into premium territory. If comfort and ANC matter more than brand or design, they are worth considering, though competition from CMF and OnePlus remains strong.
