Looking for a tablet that delivers premium features without the premium price tag? The TechLife Pad Plus 12″ is here to shake up the budget tablet market. With a stunning 12-inch 2K display, massive storage, long-lasting battery, and LTE connectivity—all for just ₱9,999—this device proves that you don’t need to spend big to get a big experience.
Now that it’s back-to-school season, this tablet makes an ideal tech companion for students. Whether for online classes, research, video calls, note-taking, or even after-school entertainment, the TechLife Pad Plus 12″ is built to keep up with the demands of modern learning and living.
TechLife sent me a review unit (TLPADP04, 16GB* (*8GB Expanded RAM) + 256GB variant, Storm Grey colorway) to experience its features and capabilities. Box contents include the Pad Plus 12″ unit, charging adapter, SIM ejector pin, USB-C charging cable and user manual.
Design and Display
The TechLife Pad Plus 12″ boasts a sleek and durable build, featuring a zinc alloy frame with a polycarbonate cutout on the right side where the LTE antennas are housed. It’s available in three color options in the Philippines—Storm Grey, Sky Blue, and Moonlight Silver. As mentioned, I got the Storm Grey variant, and I appreciate its understated, professional look that resists visible smudges and minor scratches over time.
On the front, the tablet showcases a 12-inch display with an 8MP front-facing camera located on the right bezel in portrait mode or at the top center in landscape orientation—an ideal setup for video calls and online meetings. It also comes with a pre-installed screen protector, providing added convenience and protection right out of the box.
Around the device, the design is clean and functional: the left side houses one of the three built-in microphones, while the right side contains the power button, volume rocker, and a hybrid SIM tray that supports either dual nano SIMs or one SIM and one microSD card. The top is fitted with two of the four quad stereo speakers, with the remaining pair and the USB Type-C port located at the bottom. On the back, there’s a simple but elegant elongated camera module that includes a 13MP rear camera and a single LED flash. Though the device lacks a 3.5mm audio jack, the stereo speakers deliver loud and satisfying sound for most needs.
At only 7.6mm thick, the tablet is slim and easy to hold. Its boxy yet rounded design offers a balanced grip, whether you’re using it for reading, watching, or multitasking with two hands.
Its expansive 12-inch 2K display that immediately grabs attention. With an 85% screen-to-body ratio, slim bezels, and its Storm Grey colorway which looks classy and elegant, I must say that the built is perfect for users who value both form and function.
The screen resolution of 1200 x 2000 delivers crisp visuals, while 450 nits brightness and a 180Hz touch sampling rate ensure a responsive and comfortable viewing experience. Whether you’re watching content, scrolling through social media, or joining an online class, the display holds up well for most indoor environments.
Performance and Storage
At its core, the TechLife Pad Plus 12″ is powered by the MediaTek Helio G91, a power-efficient 12nm octa-core processor designed for reliable everyday performance. It features two Cortex-A75 cores clocked at up to 2.0GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8GHz, paired with an Arm Mali-G52 MC2 GPU. This combination delivers responsive performance for multitasking, browsing, and entertainment, and even handles casual gaming with ease. Users can enjoy high frame rates and high graphics settings in games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and play FPS titles like Call of Duty: Mobile at medium settings—making it a capable chipset for its price range.
The TechLife Pad Plus 12″ is equipped with 8GB of physical RAM (LPDDR4X), which can be expanded with an additional 8GB of virtual RAM, bringing the total to 16GB—a standout feature in its price segment. This generous memory setup allows for smooth multitasking, letting users switch between apps without noticeable lag. Heavier applications like editing tools and mobile games also benefit from the extra RAM, with faster launch times and better performance.
The tablet comes with 256GB of internal storage (eMMC 5.1), which is ample space for apps, videos, and up to 59,000 photos or songs. For users who need even more space, storage is expandable up to 1TB via microSD, and it supports OTG storage up to 2TB, making file transfers between the tablet and external drives both easy and efficient. The hybrid SIM tray allows for either dual nano SIM cards or one SIM card and a microSD card, giving users flexible connectivity and storage options.
Battery Life
TechLife Pad Plus 12″ has 8000mAh battery which ensures that it stays powered through long hours of use. Here’s what you can expect:
- Up to 30.1 hours of calls
- 12.7 hours of music playback
- Around 3 hours of video at max brightness and volume
- Over 500 hours of standby time
Topping up is convenient with 18W Type-C fast charging, and the tablet even offers 5W reverse charging—handy for powering up other small devices in a pinch.
Entertainment and Connectivity
Entertainment is front and center with quad stereo speakers that deliver surprisingly clear and powerful sound for this price segment. Whether you’re on a video call, watching a movie, or listening to music, the sound experience is solid and immersive.
The tablet also supports dual LTE SIMs, VoLTE, and can act as a mobile hotspot for up to 10 devices. It’s a great option for students who need on-the-go access to the internet for research or collaboration.
Android 15 with Google Gemini AI Support
Running on the latest Android 15, the TechLife Pad Plus 12” provides a modern software experience with up-to-date features and security. It also supports Google Gemini AI, which enhances productivity with smart assistant tools for writing, searching, planning, and more (Gemini requires a separate download).
Camera
The 13MP rear camera on the TechLife Pad Plus 12″ features an f/2.0 aperture, a wide 81° field of view, and a 25.3mm focal length with a 5P lens configuration. With a resolution of 4224 x 3136 and a CMOS sensor, the camera offers decent image quality and light intake for its class—making it suitable for capturing documents, schoolwork, and everyday scenes with ease. While it’s not aimed at photography enthusiasts, it’s more than capable for practical tasks like scanning notes or snapping quick references.
The 8MP front-facing camera is conveniently positioned on the right side when held vertically, or at the top center in landscape mode—ideal for video calls, online classes, and virtual meetings. While it offers a standard 8MP sensor, it delivers clear and sufficient image quality for everyday communication and face-to-face interactions, whether for school or work-related use.
TechLife Pad Plus 12″ Specs
- Display: 12-inch TFT (IPS) screen w/ 180Hz touch sampling rate, WUXGA+ 2000 x 1200 resolution at 194 ppi
- CPU: 2.0GHz 12nm MediaTek Helio G91 octa-core processor
- GPU: Mali-G52 MC2
- RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X
- ROM: 256GB eMMC 5.1 expandable via microSD card slot up to 1TB
- Back Camera: 13MP f/2.0 w/ AF
- Selfie Camera: 8MP
- Battery: 8,000mAh w/ 18W fast charging, 5W reverse charging
- OS: Android 15 w/ TechLife Pad UI
- Connectivity: WiFi 802.11/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), 4G LTE, Bluetooth, single SIM
- Sensors: Accelerometer, light, orientation, proximity, gyroscope, sound, magnetic
- Others: 4x speakers, USB-C, Colors: Storm Grey, Sky Blue, Moonlight Silver
- Price: PHP 9,999
Final Verdict
At just ₱9,999, the TechLife Pad Plus 12″ stands out in the crowded entry-level tablet space. It delivers on what matters most: a great display, large memory, solid battery life, and reliable connectivity.
As the new school year begins, this tablet makes for an excellent back-to-school gift. It empowers students to study smarter, stay organized, and enjoy their downtime—without putting a dent in your budget.
PROs:
✔ Large and sharp 12” 2K display
✔ 16GB RAM and 256GB storage with 1TB expandability
✔ Long battery life with fast charging
✔ LTE connectivity and quad speakers
✔ Android 15 with Google Gemini AI integration
CONs:
✘ TFT panel lacks OLED contrast
✘ Average camera performance
✘ Limited visibility under direct sunlight
The TechLife Pad Plus 12″ is a feature-rich tablet that’s practical, powerful, and surprisingly affordable. For students and everyday users alike, it’s one of the best tech buys under ₱10K—ready to meet both academic and entertainment needs.
