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The 10 Best Tablets for College Students
Purchasing a tablet to use in college is a smart idea since they’re usually more affordable than laptops and can still perform many of the same tasks you need to use them for. Nowadays, many tablets are just as fast as laptops because they use similar parts. With a tablet, you’ll be able to pull up a presentation for class, check school emails, and browse the web quickly and easily.
A tablet is also more portable and easier to carry around, which is important for college students who are always walking around campus and on the go. A lot of newer tablets even come with detachable keyboards so you can type out papers or take class notes just like you would with a laptop.
If you’re considering purchasing a high-quality tablet for all your college activities, this list of the 10 best tablets for college students is an excellent place to start looking.
Apple iPad Pro
The iPad Pro — Apple’s flagship tablet — could potentially be the best one on this list. It’s virtually a computer just in the shape of a tablet because of Apple’s super powerful M1 chip, which provides high-speed performance. Apple offers several storage options, such as 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and even a huge 2TB storage option.
Apple also offers two display sizes for their new iPad, the 11-inch Liquid Retina display size and the 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display size. It’s compatible with Apple’s Magic Keyboard, Apple Pen, and Smart Keyboard Folio. I have to mention the advanced 12MP wide and 10MP ultra wide cameras as well.
It’s wifi and cellular option now has 5G capabilities too, but is going to cost a little bit more. Overall, the insane features and accessories of the 2021 iPad Pro easily makes it one of the best tablets for college students on the market today.
Apple iPad Air 4th Gen
The newest iPad Air is a much more affordable option compared to the iPad Pro, but it does have some tradeoffs. For one, it only has 64GB and 256GB storage options. It has Apple’s A14 Bionic chip instead of the more advanced M1 chip, but you won’t notice a huge difference in performance or graphics on the iPad Air.
The M1 chip is more efficient and more powerful, but it’s really designed to be used in laptops and larger devices, which is where you’ll see the performance difference.
The iPad Air also has just one rear 12MP wide camera compared to the two rear cameras on the Pro. The Air does have a cellular option and is compatible with Apple keyboards and the Apple Pen. Despite the trade offs, Apple’s newest iPad Air is still an excellent tablet for college students and should have no problem handling any typical college task. It even has some really nice color options to choose from.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
The Galaxy Tab S7+ is one of Samsung’s top-of-the-line tablets. It features a vibrant Super AMOLEDTM 12.4-inch display, quad AKG speakers, a long-lasting battery with a fast-charging USB-C port, and a Snapdragon 865+ processor. It has dual main cameras (13MP wide and 5MP ultra wide) and a 8MP front camera. Storage options include 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.
The S7+ comes with Samsung’s redesigned S Pen, which can be used to work on papers and projects. The tablet can also be turned into a PC by using Samsung’s detachable keyboard and enabling DeX mode for more of a desktop type of experience.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
Despite the A7 not being as powerful as the S7+ and not coming with Samsung’s S Pen, it still has some really good features at a more affordable price. For storage options, you can choose between 32GB and 64GB, which doesn’t sound like much, but you can purchase a mircoSD card that can add up to 1TB of extra storage.
It has a slim and lightweight design with a 10.4-inch ultra-wide display. It comes with a Qualcomm SM6115 processor, an 8MP rear camera, and a 5MP front camera.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7
For the Surface Pro 7, Microsoft actually gives you the option to not only choose between difference storage options, but also lets you choose between different memory and processor options. The most expensive version of the Surface Pro 7 is going to have an Intel i7 processor, 16GB of memory, and 1TB of storage.
You can also personalize the tablet to your liking with the Surface Arc Mouse, Surface Pen, and Signature Type Cover, which are sold separately.
The screen display size is 12.3 inches and features crisp intel graphics. You’ll also get up to 10.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is an extremely powerful and well-built tablet that can also be transformed into a laptop — so there’s really no task a college student can’t complete with the Surface Pro 7 at their disposal
Microsoft Surface Pro X
The overall design and feel of the Surface Pro X is going to be an upgrade from the Surface Pro 7, but when it comes to performance, the Surface Pro 7 is actually superior.
The Pro X has a very modern design with its 12-inch display and thin bezels, but it uses Microsoft’s custom Qualcomm SQ1 processor and only has storage up to 512GB. The Surface Pro 7 uses Intel 10th-gen processors, which is a big upgrade from the Pro X processor and has storage up to 1TB.
Despite the Surface Pro X having a less superior processor and less storage options than the Surface Pro 7, it still offers up to 16GB of memory and is an excellent tablet for performing college type tasks. The Pro X actually has a longer battery life up to 15 hours and can also be turned into a laptop.
Lenovo Tab M10 Plus
One of Lenovo’s best tablets is the Tab M10 Plus. It’s not going to have the same performance as some of the other previous tablets, but it’s still packed full of great features and is well-priced. The all-metal design and 10.3-inch display with fairly thin bezels gives the tablet a really sleek, modern look. It comes with a Qualcomm octa-core processor and up to 4GB of memory and 128GB of storage.
The Tab M10 Plus also has excellent audio sound thanks to its Dolby Atmos tuned dual speakers. For battery life, you’ll get around seven to eight hours. The tablet has one 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. For the price, I think this is one of best tablets on the market today because of its well-built design and quality features.
Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus
The Smart Tab M10 Plus is the same at the regular Tab M10 Plus, but the major difference is the smart version comes with the Alexa built-in smart dock. The dock turns the tablet into an Alexa home assistant that can be used hands-free. The dock is also a charging station and acts as a convenient stand if you ever want to watch movies or tv shows on it.
ASUS VivoBook Flip 14
The VivoBook Flip 14 is more of a 2-in-1 hybrid laptop, but I had to include it because of its incredible features and how easily it can function as a tablet. First of all, its extremely thin and lightweight design gives it the feel of a tablet.
The body is all brushed aluminum, so it feels really very high-quality as well. It uses an AMD Ryzen mobile processor and SSD storage for fast performance and load times.
The VivoBook also has a visually stunning 14-inch display with AMD graphics. You’ll get around 10 hours of battery life, and its 360-degree metal hinges will allow you to easily flip the laptop into a tablet. In terms of performance, the VivoBook Flip 14 is definitely one of best tablet hybrids for college students. Its versatility and build-quality is just icing on the cake.
Apple iPad Mini
The iPad Mini is a solid option for any college student who likes apple products and is looking for a smaller size tablet. It has a 7.9-inch retina display and a A12 Bionic chip processor. Just like other Apple tablets, the Mini has a sleek and stylish design with a metal back.
It has a 8MP rear camera and a 7MP front camera. The Mini has a battery life up to 10 hours and is compatible with other apple accessories, like their keyboards and Apple Pencil.
