The Pad Pro and Pad Ultra share much of their hardware, but the Ultra costs 1,850 yuan more for broader access to 165fps gaming. Whether that premium pays off depends on game support.
The choice between iQOO’s two 8.8-inch gaming tablets is less dramatic than the price gap suggests. On paper, the Pro and Ultra share much of the same core hardware: the same compact form factor, a 2,304 x 1,440 display, a slim 298g body and a design tuned for gaming. The real separation is not the panel or chassis, but the silicon and the frame-rate ceiling the software is allowed to unlock.
According to iQOO’s official product pages, the Pro uses a 165Hz OLED screen, but that specification should not be confused with native 165fps in every game. The company says support varies by title, and the Ultra’s page makes the same distinction even more explicit: its 2K plus 165fps super-resolution and frame interpolation mode is limited to six shooting games, while more than 100 titles can use 165fps frame interpolation. In other words, the headline refresh figure is only one part of the story; the list of supported games matters just as much.
That is why the Ultra’s premium is best understood as a broader access pass to the top frame-rate tier, rather than a wholesale leap in basic hardware. The Pro is listed with two games that can combine 2K resolution and 165fps super-resolution and frame interpolation, plus three titles at 2K plus 144fps, alongside more than 100 games with 144fps frame interpolation. By contrast, the Ultra opens up more games at the higher 165fps limit. The practical difference between 144 and 165fps is small in frame time terms, amounting to less than a millisecond per frame, so the improvement is real but subtle for most players.
Independent testing suggests that the higher ceiling can be sustained in the right titles, though results depend heavily on the game and workload. A Weibo report on supervised testing of the Pro described one-hour runs in Call of Duty Mobile and Delta Force at around 165fps under controlled conditions. A separate hands-on review of the Ultra reported stable 165fps play in Honour of Kings and an hour of Delta Force at the same target. But when the workload becomes heavier, the numbers drop back towards the limits of the game engine and thermal envelope. AnTuTu’s review of the Ultra, for example, recorded Genshin Impact at roughly 60fps on maximum graphics, underlining that many demanding games still rely on frame interpolation rather than true native 165fps rendering.
That is the central trade-off for buyers. At subsidised prices, the Pro’s 12GB plus 256GB version was listed at 3,649 yuan, while the Ultra’s equivalent configuration was 5,499 yuan, a difference of 1,850 yuan. For players whose main games already support 165fps frame interpolation, the Ultra’s advantage is real but limited. For users focused on titles that remain capped at 60fps or do not support the higher tier at all, the extra spend buys little in day-to-day gaming performance. In that case, cooling consistency, storage needs and software stability may matter more than the last 21 frames.
Both tablets also appear to be early-generation products with the usual caveats that accompany a new launch. Hands-on reports on the Pro noted restricted graphics options in certain games, while some Ultra users have reported occasional stutter after several hours of play. That makes the sensible buying question straightforward: first check whether the games you actually play support 165fps frame interpolation, then decide whether the Ultra’s higher ceiling, extra storage options and wider supported-game list justify the premium. For many buyers, they will not; for a smaller group chasing the highest supported setting in specific games, they will.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
