According to Counterpoint Research data, shipments of tablets with screens of 13 inches or larger saw a tremendous growth of about 338% on an annual basis in January-March 2026, i.e., Q1.
(Why the demand for large screen tablets is increasing)
Amidst rising laptop prices, the demand for tablets is also rapidly increasing. People are now preferring to buy tablets over expensive laptops. In fact, due to the shortage of memory chips, the prices of smartphones and laptops are constantly increasing. In light of this, people are now increasingly choosing tablets over laptops.
Tablets are no longer just for watching videos, online classes, or entertainment. With features like larger displays, more RAM, better processors, and keyboard support, tablets are gradually cementing their place as everyday computing devices.
There is a huge surge in demand for large-screen tablets.
According to data from Counterpoint Research, shipments of tablets with screens of 13 inches or larger saw a massive 338% year-on-year increase in January-March 2026 (Q1). Sales of 12- to 12.9-inch tablets increased by 76%, and 11- to 11.9-inch models increased by 29%.
In contrast, sales of 10- to 10.9-inch tablets declined by 76%, and those of models measuring 9.9 inches or smaller declined by 52%. This clearly indicates that consumers are now preferring larger screen devices over smaller tablets.
Expensive laptops became the reason
It's worth noting that rising memory and component costs are considered a major reason behind the increase in laptop prices. According to reports, average tablet sales are expected to increase in the first half of 2026.
For those who don't need an expensive laptop for everyday tasks, a tablet with a large screen can be a better option. Especially, tasks like online study, viewing content, office work, and internet browsing can be easily accomplished on a tablet.
Expensive and high RAM tablets are also preferred.
Indian consumers are no longer focused solely on purchasing inexpensive tablets. In fact, according to CMR data, tablets priced above ₹20,000 accounted for 86% of shipments, with this segment experiencing 92% growth.
In terms of specifications, shipments of tablets with 6GB of RAM grew 284% year-over-year, while those with 12GB of RAM reached 835%. This indicates that consumers are increasingly looking for more powerful tablets for better multitasking and longer usage.
Will the tablet replace the laptop?
For your information, people are choosing large-screen tablets over laptops, but the two devices are completely different. Therefore, they cannot be substitutes for each other. Laptops and desktops are still widely used for professional video editing, programming, and graphics-heavy tasks. Meanwhile, tablets are considered a better option for studying, online meetings, reading e-books, entertainment, social media, web browsing, and other productivity tasks.
