Engadget’s best of 2026 roundup highlights tablets, laptops, wearables

The best of 2026 awards are decided entirely by review scores. The highest-rated product in each category takes the prize, so there is no separate judging panel or popularity vote.

Not every category is settled yet. The first round of winners is already out, but some categories were held back because Apple events and other big fall launches were still to come. The reviewers were also waiting on Apple’s long-rumored smart display, Amazon’s newest tablets and a new Microsoft Surface laptop, so expect the list to change before the year ends.

That also means the four products below are the latest reviews in the roundup, not a confirmed list of category winners.

The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is about as expensive as Android tablets from big brands get, and reviewers found it hard to get their heads around. Its 14.6-inch AMOLED screen is enormous, and the reviewer’s verdict was that the only thing larger than the display is the price.

That price is the problem. The Tab S12 Ultra starts at $1,400 in the US for 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, a $200 jump over what the Tab S11 Ultra cost at launch. In return you get a modest chip upgrade to the MediaTek Dimensity 9500, which Samsung says gives 19 percent more CPU performance and 17 percent more graphics power, plus a new cooling system and four-channel spatial audio from its four speakers.

Much else is unchanged: the same 11,600mAh battery, the same 45W charging, the same thin 5.1mm body and the same IP68 water and dust resistance. If you own a Tab S10 Ultra or S11 Ultra, there is little reason to upgrade. Owners of older S8 or S9 Ultra models will notice a bigger jump.

The Dell XPS 13 shows why the cheapest version of a laptop is not always the best deal. When the entry-level model was reviewed earlier this year, its 8GB of RAM (the short-term memory a computer uses to run apps) clearly was not enough for Windows 11.

A second test with a midrange version and 16GB of RAM found a much happier machine. The reviewer went as far as saying that if a laptop runs that much better with 16GB, perhaps the 8GB model should not exist at all, while conceding it at least gives people on tight budgets an option.

The practical lesson applies well beyond Dell. If you are buying a Windows laptop this year, treat 16GB of RAM as the real minimum, even if it costs a bit more.

The Qalo SL-1 is a screenless fitness band from a company better known for silicone rings, and it takes aim at Whoop. It tracks sleep, heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen, stress, skin temperature and menstrual cycles with no subscription, and it shares one health profile with Qalo’s SR-2 smart ring so you can switch between them. Each costs $200.

The verdict was lukewarm. The reviewer said a cheaper SL-1 would be an easy pick as a starter Whoop, but at this price there are better options, even after counting subscription fees.

The Una watch got a much warmer welcome. It is a basic GPS sports watch, but the owner can replace the back cover, display and battery with the included Torx screwdriver. The reviewer praised it as affordable, modular and comically easy to repair, and said it made the giants of wearables look bad.

Other testers agree on the repair side. Replacement parts in the US cost $40 for a battery and $50 for a display. In the UK, the watch sells for £179, with a display at £30 and a battery at £20. Battery life is rated at seven to 10 days. The trade-offs: there is no sleep tracking, the screen is a dated memory-in-pixel type that is best in sunlight, and it is only splash resistant, so no swimming.

Three patterns stand out. Premium devices are getting pricier without getting much better, so last year’s model on sale may be the smarter buy. Base models are often stripped too far, so check the memory before you check out. And repairable gadgets are finally getting good reviews, which matters if you are tired of replacing a watch because its battery died.

If you want a big Android tablet, consider a discounted Tab S11 Ultra. If you want a fitness tracker without a monthly fee, compare the Qalo against cheaper rivals first. And if you care about a watch lasting years, the Una is worth a look, as long as you do not need sleep data.