Tablets

This Tablet Uses AI To Convert Flat Images Into Glasses-Free 3D Content

Make anything you want into 3D.

ZTE's Nubia 3D Pad II
ZTE

We’ve come a long way since those red-and-blue 3D glasses from the movie theater. Now, you can enjoy a 3D movie on your own tablet without the need for any eyewear. At MWC2024, ZTE introduced its second-generation tablet that does glasses-free 3D content. The upcoming Nubia Pad 3D II tablet builds on its predecessor by leaning on artificial intelligence to make the 3D capabilities even better.

Glasses-free 3D still hasn’t returned to its glory days from the Nintendo 3DS, but that’s not stopping companies from experimenting with it. Earlier this year at CES 2024, we saw Samsung and Lenovo showing off their take on glasses-free 3D monitors. Even at last year’s CES, Asus revealed a laptop that could do the same. We’ve yet to see glasses-free 3D take off when it comes to tablets but this could be the start.

ZTE’s Nubia Pad 3D II leans on AI to improve all of its capabilities.

ZTE

An Even More Immersive Experience

Even if you already have the first model, the Nubia Pad 3D II presents some crucial improvements over its predecessor. ZTE says it managed to get an 80 percent increase in 3D resolution and a 100 percent increase in 3D brightness with the second-gen model. The Nubia Pad 3D II’s display sees a slight decrease in size to 12.1 inches but maintains the 2.5K resolution and gets a bump up to 144Hz refresh rate.

You still get the ability to convert your 2D content into 3D in real-time, thanks to the Neovision 3D Anytime tech, but now the Nubia Pad 3D II uses AI to better track your eyes so the 3D image is always aligned with your viewing angle. You can even capture your own 3D video with Nubia’s dual-camera setups on the front and back of the tablet.

Inside, ZTE upgraded the Nubia Pad 3D II with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, up to 512GB of storage, and a larger 10,000 mAh battery that supports 66W fast charging. The second-gen model also gets 5G compatibility for better connectivity.

The Nubia Pad 3D II uses its AI algorithms to give you an image that looks like it’s coming out of the display.

ZTE

Ditching the 3D Glasses

ZTE hasn’t mentioned anything on pricing or release dates for the Nubia Pad 3D II, but it’s expected to come to Europe, the Middle East, Japan, and China later this year. For reference, the Nubia Pad 3D predecessor is currently being sold at $1,199 on ZTE’s website but can also be bought for $599 as the Lume Pad 2 from Leia, which is only available to U.S. customers. We could see Leia come in again and provide the U.S.-only version of the Nubia Pad 3D II.

At those prices, a lot of us would be better off going with the similarly-priced iPad lineup. Still, the Nubia Pad 3D II has the distinct advantage of making your movies even more immersive without the need for additional accessories. Whether that’s a gimmick or not is up to you.

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