iQOO has launched the Pad 5c in China, adding a new Android tablet to its lineup that sits alongside the existing Pad 5 series. It comes with a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, a 12.1-inch 144Hz display, and a 10,000mAh battery, putting it in direct competition with other mid-to-premium Android tablets in the Chinese market.
The tablet is not entirely new hardware, though. The Pad 5c is essentially a rebranded version of the iQOO Pad 5e, which itself debuted as the vivo Pad 5e last year. That is a common move in the Chinese tech space, where parent companies and their sub-brands share hardware across different product lines under different names. For buyers, that means the Pad 5c is proven hardware, just with a new badge.
This launch matters because iQOO has been pushing harder into the tablet market, a space that has seen renewed interest globally as more people look for larger-screen devices for work and media. With tablets from Xiaomi, Huawei, and OnePlus all competing aggressively on specs and price, iQOO needs a strong mid-range option to stay relevant in that category. The Pad 5c is clearly that play.
On the hardware side, the Pad 5c runs on the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 paired with LPDDR5X RAM. Storage varies by configuration: the base 128GB model uses UFS 3.1, while the 256GB variants step up to the faster UFS 4.1. The display is a 12.1-inch LCD panel with a 2.8K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate. The tablet is 6.62mm thick and weighs 584g, which is slim for a device of this size.
Here is a quick look at the key specs:
- Processor: Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
- Display: 12.1-inch LCD, 2.8K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate
- Battery: 10,000mAh with 44W wired charging
- Cameras: 8MP rear, 5MP front
- Audio: Quad-speaker setup
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C
The Pad 5c runs OriginOS 6 for tablets and comes loaded with AI productivity tools. That includes an AI PPT Assistant, PC-grade WPS support, document scanning, wireless printing, and multi-screen collaboration. For gaming, it supports game super resolution and a live streaming assistant. There is also an advanced cooling system built around a large graphite heat dissipation area, which should help keep performance stable during long sessions.
iQOO is offering three configurations at launch:
- 8GB + 128GB: 2,699 yuan (around $400)
- 8GB + 256GB: 2,999 yuan (around $440)
- 12GB + 256GB: 3,499 yuan (around $515)
The tablet comes in two colors: Silver Wing and Grey Crystal. It goes on sale in China this month. There is no word yet on whether iQOO plans to bring the Pad 5c to global markets.