If you pick the correct tablet , there ’s a good chance it ’ll last you all four years of college – possibly even into grad school or your first caper . However , narrowing down all the pick can be a challenge . Not only do you involve something reliable and portable , but you ’ll want it to abide all the programme you ’ll be using on a daily basis . And unless you desire to be staring at a muddled blind , it should also total with a vivacious screen and gamy - tone resolution .
Before starting your search for a tablet for college , you ’ll want to calculate out how you require to use the equipment . Will you be taking notes on it ? see classes remotely ? And what sort of computer software do you involve it to run ? Once you ’ve answer those question , you ’ll then have to set a budget , as tablets execute the gamut from affordable to ultra - expensive .
To help you on your search , we ’ve pluck together the six best tablet for college . Whether you require an iPad , Surface Pro , or something for handwritten notes like the ReMarkable 2 , there ’s tie to be something that ’ll get you through your classes . We ’ve also included product that conform to a variety of budgets , so you wo n’t have to recur to eating ramen all month to snag a bully tablet .
For more great ideas , be sure to check out thebest tablets in 2024 , which includes 11 great ware from Apple , OnePlus , Amazon , and more .
Best overall tablet for college
Apple iPad Air (M1 Chip)
The iPad Air is herculean , portable , and built to the high standards of Apple . fling in support for all of the most coarse apps need for college scholar and a sensible price tag end , and it ’s arduous to pulsate the iPad Air .
Like most modern Apple products , the iPad Air is designed with a Liquid Retina display with an impressive 2360 x 1640 firmness . That makes it soft to see every item during removed lectures and is gross if you ’re working on creative projection or presentations . It ’s a number small at 10.9 inch , but that also makes it radical - portable .
Powering the tablet is the M1 Chip . It ’s lastly start to show its age , but it ’s still plenty herculean for word processing , take note , and collaborating with class fellow . And if you ’re interested in gaming , you ’ll be glad to know it ’s enceinte for mobile gaming . You ’ll also find a cluster of additional accessories up for grabs , including the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard .
A few components on the iPad Air are customizable , allowing you to add a cellular connection for enhanced online capacity or pick up a larger 256 GB SSD . But if you ’re using swarm storage or will in the first place be working on campus , in your dorm , or in coffee tree shop class with good Wi - Fi reception , there ’s no pauperization to pick up these expensive add - ons .
Best premium tablet for college
Microsoft Surface Pro 9
seek for a tablet that nearly replicates a laptop ? Then take a closer flavour at the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 . Not only is it pack with premium hardware , but it ’s running on Windows 11 , giving you a full - fledged laptop experience in a thickset step .
Inside this variant of the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is an Intel 12th Gen i7 CPU , 16 GB RAM , and 256 GB SSD . It ’s 13 - inch screen supports a 2880 x 1920 resolution and also have a 10MP webcam for soft video conferencing . Coupled with a battery that gets over 15 hours of runtime before need a recharge , it ’s easy to see why the Surface Pro 9 is so pop .
Despite all that ironware , the entire thing weighs less than two pounds .
The Surface Pro 9 is great for all types of note takers . Whether you require to use the Surface Slim Pen for handwritten notes or Surface Pro Signature Keyboard for a more traditional typing experience , there ’s a optional add-on that ’ll correspond your preference . One of the coolest feature of speech is a built - in kickstand , allowing you to prop the tab up like an easel for a better drawing or committal to writing position . It ’s a moderately slick - looking tablet too , and when pair with the Signature Keyboard , you ’ll get an easy way to protect its screen .
One of the biggest drawbacks to the Surface Pro 9 is its price . This role model costs over $ 1,000 , and if you opt for more storage or read/write memory , that monetary value only grows larger . Still , Microsoft is know for producing dependable , long - live on hardware , so if you want a tablet that ’ll get you through all your classes , it might be a wise investment .
Best budget tablet for college
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+
While we would n’t recommend picking up an ultra - brassy tablet , you do n’t call for to expend heaps of hard cash to get a safe fellow traveler for college . The Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 + proves just that , as it ’s a keen pad that cost just over $ 200 .
To be open , this is n’t going to give you the same performance as the Surface Pro 9 or iPad Air . Its Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 is full , but it ’s no lucifer for the M1 Chip . However , it ’s an telling comprehension at this price point . And while it ’s 64 GB SSD is a bit small , you could expand its storage up to 1 TB with the included microSD poster slot .
bookman bet for a portable tablet will love its heavyset 11 - in display , as it gets you a 1920 x 1200 resolution and 90Hz refresh rate , allowing you to find out film or play game without any tearing or lag once you ’re done with your work .
The Android operating system might be a benefit or drawback , depending on your penchant . It basically makes this sense close to a smartphone than it does a laptop , though you ’ll still have access to thousand of popular apps and software system . There ’s even a cool feature called Multi - Active Windows , allowing you to lose it several apps to different part of the screenland , giving you a aerodynamic fashion to multitask .
Best Windows tablet for college
Microsoft Surface Go 3
The Surface Go 3 is a nice middle priming between the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 + and Surface Pro 9 . Clocking in at $ 350 , it ’s much more affordable than the Surface Pro 9 while offering a compact build - ingredient that ’s perfect for college .
Despite it ’s slap-up price , this pad of paper still run on Windows 11 . That should make it well-to-do to jump from work out on your pad to working in your campus ' computer laboratory . It also means you ’ll get access to software package like Microsoft Word and Excel without any fuss . All your apps should operate without any proceeds , as you’re able to equip the Surface Go 3 with up to 8 GB Aries and 10th Gen Intel Core i3 .
The flyspeck 10.5 - in display swash a 1920 x 1280 resoluteness and is built from Gorilla Glass 3 for added durability . It comes with a built - in kickstand like the agiotage Surface Pro 9 , and it crop with add-on like the Surface Pen and Surface Go Type Cover .
The small display might be too thickset for some shoppers , but if you love its portability and require a reliable tablet that does n’t break off the bank , the Surface Go 3 is a great pick .
Best Chrome tablet for college
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5
opt ChromeOS over Windows 11 or iPadOS ? Then retard out the Lenovo Ideapad Duet 5 . Not only does it carry a capital Mary Leontyne Price ticket under $ 500 , but it comes with with child specs and even feature an included ( detachable ) keyboard .
The included keyboard is a great merchandising point , as most other intersection on this list require you to purchase one – further billow their price tag . But with the Duet 5 , it ’s ready to work as either a 2 - in-1 laptop or tablet . It ’s power by Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 , which is bang-up for classwork and daily tasks but descend a bit brusk for when used for anything demanding like gaming for video redaction . All of this is pack into a slim soma that weigh four pound and is less than half an inch heavyset .
Other illustrious feature include a 13.3 - in OLED display with 1920 x 1080 solution , rearward and front - facing cameras , and up to 15 minute of stamp battery life . ChromeOS is recognize for being an nonrational and sleek operating system , and if you ’re already using Google Docs , Gmail , and Drive , there ’s a lot to be say for peck up a Chromebook .
Best tablet for taking handwritten notes in college
ReMarkable 2
The ReMarkable 2 is wildly different from anything else on this list . Instead of giving you access to hundreds of apps , the ReMarkable 2 target to make the process of taking digital notes better than ever . So if you ’re looking for a way to replace all your spiral notebooks , it ’s a lozenge deserving considering .
Along with the 10.3 - in pad of paper , you ’ll get the Marker Plus – a style with a built - in eraser designed specifically for the ReMarkable 2 . Using the style is about as close to writing on paper as you’re able to get , as the ReMarkable 2 display features a textured surface to help assume traditional paper .
apart from simulating a " normal " writing experience , it gets you cool digital tricks like the option to exchange your handwritten notes to typed notes , take note directly on PDFs , and the power to quickly import file from Microsoft Office . Better yet , you could quick undo your last action , copy and paste content , resize and move capacity , and set up layer for enhance banker’s bill pickings .
The biggest drawback to the ReMarkable 2 is that it does n’t have a market place where you could download other apps or software package . That means it wo n’t be exchange a dedicated laptop computer , but it will serve as a distraction free substitute for your notebooks and pencils .
How we chose the best tablets for college
There are lot of great lozenge usable in 2024 , but not all of them are great for college students . From portability and pricing to available accessories and support computer software , here ’s a look at how we narrowed down all the option to just the six best .
Portable and durable
Since you ’ll likely be bringing your tablet with you to all your lecture , group meeting , and study sessions , it needs to be portable . Most tablets are portable by pattern , be we specifically looked for ones that are indestructible and from reputable companies – ensuring you do n’t have to worry about it getting damage during your commute . And even if you ’re read online grade , you ’ll still desire to get out to the program library or coffee store to bust up your 24-hour interval , making this important for all type of students .
Premium display
Whether you ’re reading through notes , watch a public lecture , or putting the finish pinch on a display , you ’re going to be staring at your screen a mint . Because of this , you wo n’t want something with a miserable resolution . Not only are bad screens frustrative , but they can lead to headaches and center striving during prolonged employment . gratefully , there ’s no dearth of pill with superb display . We also look for for a diverseness of sizes , so if you want a large display or something radical - portable , you ’ll find a tablet for you on this leaning .
Plenty of optional accessories
People use tab in all sorts of way . Some like to use a style to take notes directly on the screen , others wish to use a keyboard to typecast their notes , while many prefer a combination of the two . But in monastic order to do all that , you ’ll need accessories . Most tablets listed above can be fit with a stylus or keyboard to ameliorate your experience , though note these typically are n’t bundle up in with the pad and occur as an summate expense . Still , let the choice to customize your tablet is never a regretful thing , and when it comes to accessories , it ’s better to have more options than not enough .
Access to important software
Not all class use the same software . If you ’re an accounting or skill major , you might be diving into Excel . But if you ’re an artwork major , you might demand memory access to a variety of originative software package with demanding computer hardware requirements . Whatever the case may be , you ’ll require to ensure your pill ’s operating scheme supports the software you ’ll be using for your classes . Windows , iPadOS , and ChromeOS are all good options , with the bulk of popular software uncommitted across all three platforms . If you ’re worried about a certain app or program , be sure to checker for backup before make a purchase .
Reliable hardware
You belike wo n’t want the most premium hardware on the market , but it ’s always a practiced idea to get enough processing power to get you through the day without any slowdown . wait for program to dilute or see retardation in the middle of work is incredibly thwarting , so having a decent C.P.U. , a good amount of RAM , and plenty of storage space are all good . And if you ’ll be attending class virtually or meeting with classmates remotely , a webcam is a necessity .
Pricing
College is disbursal – and it ’s only getting pricier as the years go by . With that in judgement , we attempt to discover mathematical product that fit a variety of budgets . Some be just a few hundred dollars , while others zoom above $ 1,000 . you could typically find a great tablet for college for around $ 400 , but if you desire something fancy ( or can forego a few rightness ) , there ’s a lot of wriggle elbow room with pricing .
