Motorola has been quietly making some of the best value phones for years. Now it’s bringing that same philosophy to tablets with the new Moto Pad 2026, and at $249 it might be the best value tablet you can buy right now.
Is this the affordable tablet students have been waiting for?
Despite its affordable price, the Moto Pad is wrapped in an all-metal design with rounded edges and feels far more premium than its price suggests.
It features an 11-inch 2.5K display with a 90Hz refresh rate, meaning scrolling should feel smooth and content should look sharp. Whether you’re reading textbooks, watching lectures, or taking notes during class, the screen should meet all your needs.
The quad speakers with Dolby Atmos support really impressed me on paper. At this price you usually see a dual speaker setup, so that’s a nice surprise. The combination of a high-resolution display and four speakers makes it a good tablet for entertainment.
The tablet also has a large 7,040mAh battery that can provide up to 12 hours of streaming on a single charge. On paper, the tablet has the basics down pat, and for its price it seems like a dream device for students and kids.
What about power and connectivity?
The Moto Pad runs on a MediaTek D6300 5G chip, so you don’t always have to rely on WiFi. If you’re a student or constantly on the move, the built-in 5G connectivity is a real advantage.
You can use 5G connectivity directly on the tablet and don’t have to be tethered to your phone to access the internet. Using your phone as a hotspot is one of the most battery draining activities. So the Moto Pad’s 5G feature not only makes online use easier, but also saves your phone’s battery.
The Moto Pad 2026 will be available on Motorola.com on April 30 through T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile for $249.99. For a 5G tablet at this price, there’s little reason to look elsewhere.
