The 3 Best Pro Tablets of 2026 | Reviews by Wirecutter
The M5 silicon lands in the 11-inch iPad Pro as Wirecutter's June 2026 roundup places it at the top of the pro tablet tier. Reported throughput on specific video editing workloads runs up to 30% higher than the prior M4 generation.
Glenn Harwood·updated June 30, 2026
Specs, Pricing, and Workload Fit
iPad Pro 11-inch (M5). The M5 replaces the M4 in the same chassis. iPadOS updates deliver improved multitasking behavior over the prior generation. Accessories: Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard. Full kit totals approximately $1,700. 2026 price increase: $200.
Surface Pro 13-inch (ARM). Recommended path for users requiring full desktop application support rather than iPadOS app variants, which can carry limited features versus their desktop counterparts. Detachable wireless keyboard and stylus are part of the recommendation logic. 2026 price increase: $500—the steepest in the roundup.
iPad Air 11-inch (M4). Sits $450 below the comparable Pro configuration. Trade-offs per Wirecutter: no Face ID, 60Hz LCD versus 120Hz OLED. 2026 price increase: $150.
| Model | 2026 Price Increase |
|---|---|
| iPad Pro 11-inch (M5) | $200 |
| iPad Air 11-inch (M4) | $150 |
| Surface Pro 13-inch (ARM) | $500 |
Wirecutter explicitly flags 2026 as an expensive purchase window for pro tablets. The data shows the entire category absorbed a chip-shortage-driven markup.
Buy/Skip Verdict
Buy the M5 iPad Pro if your workflow demands the measured performance gain, the iPadOS app ecosystem, and Apple accessory compatibility. Buy the Surface Pro 13-inch if full desktop Windows in a tablet form factor is non-negotiable for coding, document work, or deployment tasks. Buy the iPad Air M4 if Face ID and 120Hz OLED are not on your requirements list and you want the cost-down path. Skip across the board if a discounted 2025 device covers your baseline—the chip shortage premium is applied uniformly, and later 2026 supply normalization may recover some delta.
What to Track
Monitor chip supply stabilization and pricing trajectory through the second half of 2026 before committing. Verify accessory pricing on Magic Keyboard and Pencil Pro at the point of purchase, since these materially affect the $1,700 total. Watch iPadOS app parity for professional tools—this remains the deciding variable between iPad Pro and Surface Pro for users who need full-featured applications rather than mobile variants.