The 5 Best Tablets of 2026: iPad Pro M5, Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra and the Rest

2026 has been a strange year for tablets. The hardware is better than ever — and so are the prices, in the worst possible sense. On June 25, 2026, Apple raised prices across its Mac and iPad lineups; the entry-level iPad went from $349 to $449. The iPad Air jumped $150 to $749, and the iPad Pro rose $200 to $1,199.

The cause isn't tariffs or a product refresh. It's memory. AI data centers are buying up DRAM and NAND capacity at a scale that squeezes consumer electronics makers out of the supply chain. DRAM prices rose roughly 98% in Q1 2026, and Gartner forecasts no meaningful relief until late 2027. Counterpoint research director Tarun Pathak notes memory prices have risen more than fourfold since Q4 2025, and expects other PC and tablet makers to follow Apple's lead.

That changes the question. "Best tablet" is no longer about which device is fastest — it's about whether you're actually getting your money's worth. Here are the five best tablets you can buy as of July 2026, sorted by who they're actually for.

The rules for buying a tablet changed in 2026. Apple's June price increases mean iPads are no longer the automatic answer, and Android's value devices have become genuinely defensible alternatives.

The short version: iPad Pro M5 for creative professionals, iPad Air M4 for most people, Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra for the biggest screen and real productivity, OnePlus Pad 4 for best value, and Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro for tight budgets.

One final piece of advice: if you're not in a hurry, wait. The memory shortage isn't expected to ease before late 2027, so prices won't drop soon — but if your current tablet still works, this may be the worst year in recent memory to upgrade.