Headed again to highschool? A dependable tablet may also help you have got a terrific semester. These slim, portable devices are nice for staying organized and managing assignments. At the moment, with equipment like pill keyboards or styli, a pill can nearly change your laptop.
That will help you make the very best buy, we examined the highest choices for efficiency, portability, funds, and additional options like removable keyboards. It doesn’t matter what you are learning, these are the very best tablets for college students to begin the college 12 months proper.
What’s the finest pill for college students proper now?
Our choose for the very best pill for college students general is the 10th-generation iPad due to its reasonably priced worth and versatile use. We additionally included different tablets from Samsung, Microsoft, and extra for all of your college wants.
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The very best tablets for college students in 2025
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This base-model iPad is the best choice for many college students. Apple just lately diminished the value to a extra reasonably priced $349, however it’s additionally out there for even much less by way of different retailers. It affords nearly the identical high-end options because the dearer iPad Professional and iPad Air fashions, however with a lighter type issue and a crisp 10.9-inch Liquid Retina, True Tone show.
Assessment: iPad 2022 (10th-Gen)
In his hands-on testing, ZDNET editor June Wan decided that if you happen to’re shopping on a budget — as most college students are — this iPad ought to “take advantage of sense.” For an affordable worth, the system affords loads — the A14 Bionic processor, USB-C assist, 5G assist for on-the-go duties, and a brand new 12MP ultra-wide digicam.
There’s additionally a Magic Keyboard Folio made particularly for this iPad. It is excellent for turning your pill right into a laptop computer for learning or essay writing. It consists of an adjustable kickstand with a 14-key perform row for shortcuts.
Nonetheless, one callout to notice that some verified prospects make is that this iPad would not assist the 2nd-gen Apple Pencil, which suggests you will have to make use of a dongle to make use of it. Nonetheless, college students can nonetheless use the 1st-gen Apple Pencil or some other suitable iPad stylus.
Apple iPad specs: Show: 10.9-inch Liquid Retina show with True Tone | Processor: A14 Bionic chip with 16-core Neural Engine | Storage: 64GB or 256GB | Reminiscence: Colours: Silver, Pink, Blue, Yellow | Cameras: 12MP f/1.8 broad, 12MP Panorama f/2.4 entrance | Weight: 1.05 kilos | Dimensions: 9.79 x 7.07 x .28 inches | Connections: USB-C, Sensible Connector |
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The Wacom One 13 Contact is likely one of the best drawing tablets for digital artwork or graphic design college students. What stands out on this drawing pill is its touchscreen. The 920 x 1080 Full HD decision show permits for 10-finger multi-touch gestures, giving artwork college students a brand new dimension of intuitive use and interplay. You need to use a number of gestures like scrolling, panning, and zooming in the course of the artistic course of whilst you’re drawing in a program, or you’ll be able to flip it off altogether if you happen to’d desire.
I went hands-on with this drawing pill and was impressed by the pen-to-paper really feel, just like the Wacom Intuos Professional. The pen can be spectacular and has wonderful palm rejection know-how. Plus, Wacom says you by no means need to cost it.
Assessment: Wacom One 13 Touch
I might see college students preferring a display screen show however nonetheless need to use applications like Adobe or Corel Painter discovering the Wacom One 13 Contact extra priceless than an everyday pill just like the iPad.
One verified buyer known as it a “useful gizmo to study digital artwork” and “improve the illustration sport to digital.”
Wacom One 13 Contact specs: Dimensions (L x W x H): 13.2 x 8.7 x 0.1 inches | Energetic space: 11.6 x 6.5 inches | Compatibility: Home windows 10 and over, Mac OS 11 and over, Chrome OS, Android 8 and over | Stress ranges: 4,096
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Samsung’s lineup of FE tablets is decrease priced than the premium tablets however nonetheless spectacular choices. The bigger Tab S9 FE+ is offered for $600 and affords loads in a glossy bundle, together with Android 13 proper out of the field. This high-powered Android tablet comes with an S Pen and even an IP68 mud/water-proof score to make it a durable choice for college students.
It has an 8,000mAh battery, 6 or 8GB of RAM, 128 or 256GB of included storage. The system additionally helps a microSD card as much as 1TB, so you will have loads of area for paperwork. As well as, video calling for digital courses is properly supported by a entrance 12MP ultra-wide digicam, and a rear 8MP digicam is properly supported by a entrance 12MP ultra-wide digicam and a rear 8MP digicam that will help you seize paperwork.
Assessment: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+
ZDNET contributor Max Buondonno examined the Tab S9 FE+ and was impressed with its large screen, battery life, and “an array of multitasking options like split-screen, multi-window, and even DeX, which supplies you a desktop-like interface for getting work finished.”
Total, 98% of Greatest Purchase prospects would suggest this pill, giving it a mean score of 4.8 out of 5.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ tech specs: Show: 12.4-inch | Processor: Exynos 1380 (S5E8835) | Storage: 128GB or 256GB | Reminiscence: 6GB, 8GB, or 12GB | Colours: Grey, lavender, mint | Cameras: 12MP ultra-wide digicam, rear 8MP digicam | Weight: 1.38lb | Dimensions: 11.24 x 7.30 x 0.26 inches| Connections: USB-C 2.0 | Battery life: 10,090 mAh
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Apple’s iPad Mini is a robust pill packed in a small bundle. The iPad Mini was final up to date within the fall of 2024 with new options like assist for up to date gen Apple Pencil, a barely larger display screen measurement, and a USB-C port for charging and information switch.
Assessment: Apple iPad Mini (Seventh-Gen)
The precise facet of the pill has a spot to cost the Apple Pencil, making it a terrific pill for drawing or writing class notes. Plus, its measurement and weight make it transportable, so you’ll be able to deliver it wherever you want it round a college campus.
ZDNET senior contributor Jason Perlow went hands-on with this iPad and lauded its portability. “The iPad Mini 7 will get loads proper,” he wrote. “It is transportable, highly effective, and filled with options like Apple Intelligence and Apple Pencil Professional assist, making it a terrific system for college students, professionals, and older customers.”
iPad Mini tech specs: Show: 8.3-inch Liquid Retina show | Processor: A17 Bionic | Storage: 64GB or 256GB | Colours: Area grey, pink, purple, starlight | Cameras: 8MP rear, 1080p video. 12MP FaceTime digicam with Heart Stage | Weight: 0.65 kilos | Dimensions: 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches | Connections: USB-C | Battery life: 10 hours
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Microsoft’s Floor Professional units are among the finest 2-in-1 tablets available on the market immediately. The Floor Professional 9 is one such instance of a robust pill that may rapidly change your laptop computer.
With the Floor Professional 9, you are getting a pill that runs Home windows 11 out of the field as a substitute of a cellular working system like Android or iPadOS. Meaning you do not have to fret about discovering apps or workarounds in your workflows and may entry applications like Phrase and Outlook with ease.
Assessment: Microsoft Surface Pro 9
ZDNET’s June Wan additionally went hands-on with the Floor Professional 9 and praised the Signature Keyboard and Slim Pen 2. “I really like how responsive and tactile the low-travel keys are, how the keypad — whereas not as massive as competing ultraportables — is simply as clicky on the underside left nook as it’s on the higher proper, and the way every part simply snaps into place with no need to leap by way of additional connectivity hoops.”
Nonetheless, the Floor Professional Signature Keyboard and Slim Pen 2 are offered individually for an extra $280. Even so, verified prospects love this keyboard combo, particularly the ergonomic design and responsiveness.
Microsoft Floor Professional 9 tech specs: Show: 13-inch PixelSense Move Show | Processor: twelfth Gen Intel Core i5/i7 or Microsoft SQ3 | Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Reminiscence: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB | Colours: Sapphire, platinum, forest, graphite | Cameras: Rear: 10MP autofocus digicam with as much as 4K video Entrance: 1080p full HD video | Weight: 1.95 kilos | Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inches | Connections: 2x USB-C (4.0 on Intel mannequin, 3.2 on 5G), Floor Join and Keyboard ports, nano SIM on 5G mannequin | Battery life: As much as 15.5 hours of typical utilization
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The very best pill for many college students Is the Tenth-generation iPad, due to its versatility, compatibility, and affordability.
Pill | Worth | Show | Storage |
Apple iPad Tenth-generation | $280 | 11-inch Liquid Retina show with True Tone | 128GB |
Wacom One 13 Contact | $500 | 13.2-inch 920 x 1080 Full HD decision show | N/A |
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ | $500 | 12.4-inch TFT LCD show | 128GB or 256GB (microSD card as much as 1TB) |
Apple iPad Mini (seventh-gen) | $400 | 8.3-inch Liquid Retina show | 64GB or 256GB |
Microsoft Floor Professional 9 | $1,000 | 13-inch PixelSense Move show | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
*MSRP on the time of writing
The precise pill for you depends upon your traits as a scholar. Take into account the way you examine and take notes, whether or not you want one thing for typing or drawing, and whether or not you are in search of a laptop computer alternative.
Select this laptop computer for college students… | In order for you… |
Apple iPad (Tenth-gen) | The very best pill for many college students. It’s tremendous versatile and reasonably priced. |
Wacom One 13 Contact | A pill for graphic design college students. Its contact display screen permits for helpful gestures and a pen-to-paper-like expertise. |
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ | An Android pill for college. Its massive display screen permits for optimum multi-tasking. |
Apple iPad Mini (seventh-gen) | A conveyable and light-weight pill that may simply match right into a backpack. It is nice for notetaking, annotating, and studying for college. |
Microsoft Floor Professional 9 | A 2-in-1 pill that may change your laptop computer. It runs on Home windows 11 and may velocity by way of every day duties. |
Earlier than investing in a pill for a scholar, this is what to think about:
- Storage: Make sure you think about the quantity of storage that comes together with your chosen tablets. College students typically cope with quite a lot of recordsdata, however that is much less of a priority if it is a supplementary system to your pc or laptop computer.
- Compatibility: Take into account a pill’s compatibility with applications and software program you utilize probably the most, in addition to if you happen to can make the most of equipment like keyboards or stylus pens.
- Dimension: Your most well-liked pill measurement might differ relying on what you are utilizing your pill for. Smaller tablets are nice for studying and are transportable sufficient to soak up your backpack. Bigger tablets are simpler for drawing and have a extra in depth workspace space for multitasking.
- Price: Like most tech, tablets could be costly. Nonetheless, search for manufacturers or retailers that provide scholar reductions so it can save you in your system.
The ZDNET group selected the entire tablets included on this listing primarily based on their efficiency when tested in the real world. After we take a look at tablets, we usually observe the identical routine for every one to see which performs finest.
- Show: We measure the brightness degree in several lighting situations and assess coloration accuracy.
We additionally examine the show’s efficiency with what the producer promised, take a look at the display screen’s responsiveness to the touch, and assess the efficiency of any further options, like a producer’s stylus.
Efficiency: For real-world efficiency metrics, our reviewers measure how rapidly the pill reacts to enter, assess sport efficiency and body charges, take a look at how the pill handles having a number of apps working concurrently, measure the time it takes to launch apps, and even assess the pill’s temperature throughout intensive duties.
- Battery life: We take a look at completely different eventualities for battery life, together with measuring how lengthy the battery lasts whereas streaming, net looking, utilizing productiveness apps, and enjoying video games.
- Digital camera and audio: For cameras, we consider options like decision, aperture, low-light efficiency, autofocus accuracy, dynamic vary, coloration accuracy, picture high quality, sharpness, and video high quality. For audio, we have a look at the sound high quality and general listening expertise, together with audio readability at completely different volumes, stereo separation of left and proper audio channels, most quantity degree in varied environments, and if there’s perceived distortion.
For a deeper look into our testing course of, take a look at our complete tablet testing methodology.
Newest information on tablets
- In January, Bloomberg reported Apple will seemingly launch a brand new iPad Professional with the M5 chip this fall. A brand new MacBook Professional sporting the identical upgraded chip can be anticipated.
- Samsung additionally reportedly has new tablets within the works — the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 and Galaxy Tab S11 Extremely. The brand new units might additional fuse laptops and tablets.
It actually depends upon what sort of scholar you’re and the way you examine and work. For instance, if you’re the kind of scholar who wants a pill to retailer your textbooks, browse the net, or take notes, a pill is a good possibility. Nonetheless, if you must entry completely different applications without delay for multitasking, a laptop computer might fit your wants higher.
There are numerous tablets excellent for college students, just like the Microsoft Floor Professional or the iPad Mini, however there are at present no tablets designed particularly for college students.
The entire tablets listed below are suitable with Microsoft Workplace. Nonetheless, most of them use the cellular model of Microsoft’s workplace suite. Of all these tablets we examined, solely the Microsoft Floor runs the total model of the software program.
Many manufacturers supply scholar reductions. Listed below are some notable ones:
Newest updates
- In our August 2025 replace, we verified costs and availability of our suggestions. We additionally added information about potential upcoming merchandise from Apple and Samsung anticipated this fall.
Different scholar tablets we have examined
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The Kindle Scribe is a good pill if you happen to nonetheless like taking notes by hand however want a digital increase. The system helps you to take handwritten notes or underline essential quotations inside the e-book you are studying.
ZDNET’s Kyle Kucharski stated the Scribe’s pen looks like an everyday pencil. It additionally attaches to the pill with a magnet.
“Be aware-takers who haven’t got probably the most elegant penmanship can simply translate their handwriting into textual content after which edit the font and measurement additional. It is a nice solution to clear up and manage swiftly taken notes that you may save for additional reference, significantly in case your writing leaves one thing to be desired,” Kucharski stated in his review.
It additionally comes with preset templates that will help you create notebooks, journals, and lists. It’s also possible to create sticky notes in Microsoft Phrase and different suitable Phrase paperwork.
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This pill clearly is not one you’d pack for a university course. Nonetheless, it would curiosity dad and mom in search of a pill for his or her school-age youngsters not but prepared for an “grown up” system.
The system comes with an Amazon Children+ subscription that will get you entry to 1000’s of kid-friendly ad-free books, in addition to films, video games, and different academic content material your youngster will love.
ZDNET’s Maria Diaz examined the pill out on her personal youngsters with constructive outcomes.
“If you happen to’re making an attempt to decide on between an iPad or a Fireplace HD 10 Children Professional pill, a lot will rely in your child’s age and the way they’ll use it. Amazon has refined the Amazon Children platform right into a kid-friendly person expertise that does not really feel infantile for older youngsters however that youthful youngsters can nonetheless navigate,” Diaz stated in her review.
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For extra, take a look at our round-up of parent-recommended tablets, our favourite Amazon tablets, and finest Android tablets.
Tablets Reviewed & In contrast
