Tablets for students

Students need technological devices to complete assignments, stay in contact with peers for collaborative work, to take notes, study, or for online classes. The tablets for students They are a fantastic option to provide the student with everything they need in a compact device and that they can take to the library, to the classroom or use while they are on transport so as not to lose a second of time. There are countless tablets, which makes it more difficult to choose a good tablet for students. But with this guide you will be able to better understand the features it should have and which are the best brands and models that adapt to those student needs ...

Best Tablets for Students

All the best tablets for students that you can buy today are the following, all of them with the best features designed for the academic world:

Lenovo M10. The cheapest

Lenovo is a brand that has several tablets of great interest to students. This model has a 10,1 inch size. Inside it has a Snapdragon 652 processor, accompanied by 3 GB RAM and 32 GB of internal storage. Sound is another aspect that stands out in it, very useful if you have to listen to videos or courses in it.

Its battery is huge, 9.300 mAh, which undoubtedly gives great autonomy. Perfect to wear for hours, up to 18 hours depending on the brand. Therefore, a good option for a more intense use. Very complete.

Huawei MediaPad SE

This would be the first option. The Huawei MediaPad SE. Is light, fast, cheap and with a good screen (10,4 inches). It is a Huawei brand tablet which is synonymous with quality at a competitive price. In a short time this tablet has been placed in the position best seller in Spain full of good words from consumers. We must also bear in mind that it is much more versatile than just giving it one use for students, so we can use it outside of working hours.

You have function multi-window And you will not have much camera option even if it is improved over the previous model, but you do not need it too much if you are thinking of using it to read and write. Is sold for approximately 200 euros and you can buy the Huawei MediaPad T10 above at the best price we have found on the net.

Galaxy Tab A8

Possibly one of the most popular tablets of the Korean brand among students. It has a 10,5-inch screen in size. It comes with a 4 GB RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. What's more, stands out for a great battery, which gives a good autonomy, equipped with Android 11 and with Samsung TV Plus to watch TV anywhere.

A complete tablet, with good autonomy and a large screen. In addition, it has a lower price than we see in many Samsung models. Which makes it much more accessible to students.

Chuwi Hi10X

One of the best-known Chuwi tablets of this Chinese brand, as well as the most versatile and that make it very complete for students. It is somewhat smaller, with a 10,1-inch screen. It has a 4100-core Intel N4 processor, a 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage internal. Storage can be expanded with microSD. Its battery is 8000 mAh.

A good tablet if you want something more compact, but it has good power and allows you to carry out several tasks at the same time without too many problems. In addition to having a great price and coming equipped with Windows 10 Home instead of Android.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

Another interesting Samsung tablet, which has a screen size of 10,5 inches. We find 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, which can be easily expanded with microSD. It is a versatile model, which can be used without problems when studying with it.

It has a good battery with a capacity of 7040 mAh, which promises good autonomy. In combination with the operating system, it is one of the most balanced in this field. It is a slightly more premium model, more expensive, but for those looking for a more versatile tablet, which they can also use outside the studio.

Amazon Fire HD 10

Amazon also has a range of very interesting tablets. This model has an 10-inch screen with HD resolution. It is somewhat smaller, but very comfortable and ideal for reading. In addition to being one of the cheapest that we can find on the market. You can choose between 32 GB of storage in the same.

Its battery gives us an autonomy of up to 12 hours. If you are looking for a tablet that performs well and complies at all times, in addition to having a low price, it is one of the best to consider.

iPad Air

Possibly one of the most recommended tablets for students in many cases. It has a screen size of 10,9 inches. Inside it we find 6 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. It performs very well in terms of operation, in addition to having a great sound, which surpasses that of many tablets on the market.

Lightweight but not cheap in price and that it fulfills its purpose perfectly, especially if you simply want to read, browse a bit, run the most powerful applications and be able to consult. A good tablet for students. You also have other iPad models that are worth evaluating.

CHUWI Ubook X Pro

A tablet with Windows 10 as the operating system, for those who are not looking for one with Android. It has a screen size of 12 inches. Inside we find an Intel Gemini Lake processor, accompanied by 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. In addition to a good capacity battery.

A good option especially if you want to work more, since Windows 11 provides more productivity tools on the device. Good design, quality, light and powerful. A good tablet to consider for students, especially thanks to a good price.

Microsoft Surface Go 3

In last place we find this tablet from Microsoft. It has a screen size of 10,5 inches. Inside it we find 4 GB of RAM and an internal storage of 64 GB capacity. Its battery is one of its strengths, with a great autonomy, up to 20 hours depending on the use made of it.

Therefore, it allows you to use this tablet at all times throughout the day without having to worry. What's more, stands out for having a much lower price than many other tablets on the market on Windows.

The cheapest tablet for students

For those students who are looking for low prices without sacrificing quality and that are complete devices, you can also opt for this other alternative that we recommend:

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite

This Samsung model has everything you can expect from a tablet, with great quality. However, its price is much lower than others of this brand. A compact model, with a 8.7 ″ screen with good resolution, 5100 mAh battery to provide several hours of autonomy, good performance and efficient processor based on ARM, Android operating system, 3 GB of RAM, and the possibility between choosing between 32 and 64 GB of internal flash storage. You can also choose between WiFi models and also models with 4G LTE connectivity, to add a SIM card with mobile data rate and be able to connect to the Internet anywhere. Of course, it includes a built-in microphone, stereo speakers, and two cameras, one front and one rear.

Types of tablets for students

Among the tablets for students, you should differentiate the different options that are presented in the market, since each of them can satisfy a different type of user, regardless of the model or brand. The types are:

  • With digital pen: Tablets that include a digital pen (or if you buy it separately), allow you to provide this device with a series of comforts and possibilities that you will not have without this gadget. For example, you can use the screen of your tablet to take notes by hand and make sketches that you can then digitize to share, store or print. It can also be great for art students, being able to draw and color as if they were doing it on a canvas.
  • For the school: There are no tablets for school as such, but there are some models that can be better adapted to the needs of children and school environments depending on the age of the child. In addition, they often include parental control systems in some cases to prevent them from accessing inappropriate content.
  • For the University: As in the previous case, there are no specific models for use in university environments, but there are tablets with features that will fit like a glove for these students. They usually have a larger screen, greater performance, with a keyboard or pencil to facilitate writing, and where a multitude of apps necessary in these centers can be installed (collaborative work, cloud storage, office automation,...).
  • To study and work: There are not a few who work and study, or families where the same tablet is shared by several members. Therefore, in these cases there should be a device that can meet the needs of all users. Both in compatibility with the favorite apps of each one of them, as well as in performance, storage capacity, etc. In these cases, opt for models such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 or the Apple iPad Air or Pro, or also the Microsoft Surface Go.
  • To study and underline: Tablets to study and underline notes in digital format should have screens of 10 inches or more, preferably 11 or 12″, since with those sizes you can see the content in a larger size and not damage your eyes as much. Also, make sure they have good resolutions and refresh rates. There are some tablets with electronic ink, or e-ink, screens to reduce eye fatigue, but they are not very common and there is less room to choose. On the other hand, think of a tablet with good autonomy so that it doesn't leave you stranded in the middle of a lesson, and with a digital pen to facilitate underlining, taking notes in the margins of the document and thus facilitating study.
  • To study and play: Many students, both school-age and college-age, will also want to have leisure time and play video games. For that, there are some highly recommended tablets for gaming, with large screens, good response times and refresh rates, and powerful hardware to move games, such as the Apple M-Series, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800-Series, or the Samsung Exynos. . Keep in mind that they also have a good battery to support that workload for hours, and a large storage space, to store all your files and also house some video games that can even occupy several gigabytes.

Laptop or tablet to study?

It is the eternal dilemma, whether to buy a laptop or a tablet is better to study. Each device has its advantages and disadvantages, so it will depend on the needs of each one. In principle, a 2-in-1 or convertible laptop, or a tablet with a keyboard, may be the best option for everyone, since you will have the best of both. Tablets are usually lighter, more compact, as well as generally being cheaper. Something that for students, especially for those of school ageit can be an advantage. Instead, larger, more professional 2-in-1 laptops, convertibles, and tablets may be the best option for college students. high school or college. For those who are studying science, architecture, engineering, computer science, design, etc., it is likely that they should better opt for a higher performance laptop and compatible with commonly used CAD software, editors, compilers, virtualization, etc. Of course, in that case, the weight and size of this equipment is increased compared to tablets, as well as its price ...

Why do I need a big screen?

If you are wondering why choose tablets of 10 inches or more, the answer is simple. And it is that with this type of screens you can read more comfortably than with a 7 or 8 inch screen. And not only that, you can also work with a larger space, use simultaneous window functions if you need it, and they will also make it easier for you to watch tutorial videos or follow classes online.

IPad for students?

The brand apple is expensive, and many times it is not well adapted to what the students of the different cycles need. However, it is true that they have good performance, quality and offer a professional and safe study tool. In addition, many times the price is not justified to use it simply to take notes, or to study documents, etc. Therefore, you should only consider buying an iPad if you have enough money to afford it (and to maintain it, since its accessories and some apps from the App Store are expensive). In any other case, you should better opt for a tablet with Windows, Android, ChromeOS, etc., where you will find more variety and more moderate prices. Also think about the compatibility of the software used in those environments, there are schools or centers that usually use their own apps in class, and not all of them are compatible with iPadOS, while it is usually easier than they are for Android, for example ...

Ugh, I can't spend that much money ...

There are very cheap tablets too. Some for less than € 200 and even for less than € 100. It is true that these tablets may be somewhat more limited, although there are some cheap models, such as Chinese brands that provide a lot for very low value. In addition, they are more than enough to write and read documents or navigate, which is what a student will do the most.

How to choose the best tablet for students

tablet to study Students generally do not have an income, and those who have jobs tend to be part-time jobs or during the holidays that do not pay much money. Therefore, budgets Those available to purchase one of these devices can be somewhat tight, and that greatly limits the ability to choose. However, there are some key features to prioritize in order to get the best for the lowest possible price. For example, the screen is one of the most important aspects, since you are going to spend hours reading during the studies, underlining, or taking notes. That is why it is preferable that it have a larger size and that the resolution and the panel are the best possible, such as IPS and even an AMOLED. For the rest, the truth is that most tablets include everything an average student should need. Unless you have very specific interests, any tablet with a large screen might be good. But if you want to know what kind of technical specifications are more important, here you have them:

Autonomy

Classes usually last about 6 hours on average, so they should have a minimum autonomy that exceeds that time and that does not leave you without a battery in the middle of the day. In addition, having some extra ones would not hurt, since many students take advantage while traveling by bus or subway to review or finish certain projects, or need to have a margin for homework once they leave school or university. You should think about tablets with at least 6000mAh, And the bigger the screen and the more powerful the hardware, the bigger it should be to support all those hours. Some of the tablets reviewed above fully comply with this feature, so they are fantastic.

Connectivity

Most include connectivity WiFi and Bluetooth, to be able to connect to the network of the study center or that of your home, library, etc., as well as to connect external keyboards, digital pens, wireless headphones, etc. They also usually include other ports such as USB-C/microUSB for charging and data transfer, or the 3.5mm jack for wired headphones or external speakers. But if you want a tablet that you can connect to the Internet anywhere, like your smartphone, you should think about buying one with LTE to be able to connect to 4G or 5G. You only need to add a SIM card with a data rate to enjoy connection wherever you are.

Ability to connect keyboards or a pencil to take notes

tablet for school The external keyboards They generally connect via Bluetooth, although there are some exceptions in some 2-in-1s where they have another type of physical connection. Thinking about buying a tablet with a keyboard, a 2-in-1, or buying a separate keyboard to add to your tablet is a great idea. Thanks to this keyboard you will be able to handle your apps in a better way, and write long texts more quickly without having to use the on-screen keyboard and pressing letter by letter with your finger... The same happens with the digital pencils, which are also connected by BT and allow you to take notes by hand by writing directly on the tablet screen, or drawing, coloring, etc. A huge help for students of all kinds, especially those of creativity.

PC mode

Many Android tablets have a mode called PC Function, or PC Mode, or also Desktop Mode. This can be useful for when you plug in an external keyboard it transforms into a 'laptop', switching from one mode to another quickly.

Display panel and resolution

As I mentioned at the beginning, the screen is one of the most relevant things in student tablets. It is always preferable to choose sizes 10 ″ or more, to be able to read and work comfortably with them without straining your eyes too much on a minimal screen. But not only the size matters here, but also the type of panel. It better is an IPS LED, which have very balanced benefits in all aspects. OLED screens can also be a good choice, with purer black colors, and lower power consumption, although they are at a disadvantage with IPS in some respects. The panel, whatever the type, that has a high resolution, such as FullHD or higher, and so you can see the sharper images and you will have a higher pixel density.

Processor

tablets for students For the uses that a student usually gives it, it is not necessary choose the most powerful SoCs that exist, although if you are going to use them for something else, such as video games, you probably want a more powerful device. Both the Apple A-Series chips, as the M-Series, as well as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, 700 and 800-Series are among the most powerful. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, the Samsung Exynos 9000-Series, the HiSilicon Kirin, or the Mediatek Helio and Dimensity would also be fantastic options. Of all of them, for gaming, perhaps the best is the Snapdragon 800, since it has a very promising Adreno GPU.

Minimum RAM

To accompany the SoC processing units, there should be enough memory to power these processors and that the software runs quickly and smoothly. Bet on tablets with 3 or 4 GB minimum Is the best option. If they have more than that, so much the better.

Internal storage

As for the internal storage, it is also important that it is of at least 64 GB minimum, or more if possible, since this way you can download and store all the files you need and install a multitude of apps and updates without running out of space and having to start cleaning or start uploading to the cloud... 99% of tablets are memories flash type or eMMC, but there are some, such as the 2-in-1, which include SSD hard drives, and that is already big words, with very fast access (read and write) to gain performance. On the other hand, you should also distinguish between:

  • Tablets with memory card slot: In this case, the internal memory is not so relevant, since you can always use a microSD card to expand the capacity, some models accept capacities of 1 TB or more.
  • Tablets without slot: in this case it is vital that you opt for the greater capacity that the model you have chosen allows, or you will regret it in the long run when you see that you do not have enough space.

Benefits of using a tablet to study

study with tablet Addition characteristics of themselves Of the tablets, with very thin thicknesses, compact sizes that can be easily carried in a folder or backpack, and ease of use, versatility, price, autonomy, etc., other interesting features can also be highlighted. For example, the huge variety of apps that is available for these mobile devices is immense, with possibilities for almost everything, from streaming, office automation, reading ebooks, agendas, video calls and communication, navigation, languages, and much more. There are even a multitude of special apps for education and for all ages, as well as apps for gamification of learning, that is, to learn while playing.

Disadvantages of using a tablet to study

Among the disadvantages of using a tablet, especially if you have a small screen, is that it is not so comfortable to study or work with it, since it will end up tiring or you will have to constantly expand the screen to see well. On the other hand, they also have lower performance than desktop or laptop PCs, so they will be more limited. Another negative point to highlight is that they are very uncomfortable to write with the touchscreen keyboard, but adding a stylus or external keyboard can change and match the convenience of a conventional computer.

Students who use a tablet the most to study

The students who most often use tablets to study are those of high school or those of university, since they are very practical for doing class work, taking notes, recording classes to review at home, for online classes, etc. In addition, they can also double as a digital book reader, so you can have your entire library in a light and compact device to read and learn wherever you need. Some professions such as technical careers, or science such as doctors, can also take advantage of the cameras of some tablets to learn in a more graphic way thanks to the augmented reality. They will also be able to use virtual assistants to consult specific data through voice commands. However, it is increasingly common for many centers of primary They are also introducing tablets in schools, as well as other educational centers. In these cases, the centers themselves provide children with apps and study material, sometimes apps developed by or for the center itself and that can allow direct student-teacher contact, share work, and more.

The 10 best apps for students with tablets

girl studying with tablet If you are going to buy a tablet to study or if you already have one, you should know some apps that can be the most practical for the student's day-to-day:

  1. Timetable: this Android app will allow you to organize classes and schedules in a simple way. So you can know what touches you at every moment and day. It also allows you to set reminders for exams, tasks that you must do, etc.
  2. Squid: This other app allows you to take notes very comfortably and can also be great for filling out digital forms. .
  3. WolframAlpha: allows you to search for information of any type very quickly, for calculations, measurements, graphs, functions, etc. That is why it can be a great companion for science students.
  4. EasyBib: When you do work, especially at the university, you will have to cite the sources from which you got the information. A good way to do it, to make your work easier, is to use this app that allows you to generate bibliographic citations. You will only have to scan the code of a book or enter it manually.
  5. Google Drive: of course the cloud storage could not be absent, to share documents with other colleagues or teachers, and to save all the documents that you never want to lose, even if your tablet breaks down. There they will be accessible from any other device, which is very practical.
  6. Fintonic: to control the economy of the students, something critical in many cases in which it depends on the parental contribution, you can use this app to control your expenses.
  7. Google translate: If you are studying languages, or if you have no idea about them, you will need this practical app to translate documents and texts, and websites quickly. In addition, it allows you to read and listen to the pronunciation in a multitude of languages, which also helps. You also have endless apps to learn languages ​​such as Duolingo, ABA English, Babble, EWA, and a long etc.
  8. Coursera: if you want to take extra courses online to expand your knowledge of any subject, MOOC platforms like this have their own app to facilitate access to content. It is easy to use and allows you to have your themes organized.
  9. Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock: Another thing that most worries students is stress from exams, work they have to do, etc. To avoid getting sick, you can use very practical apps to analyze sleep cycles, reduce stress and organize yourself better, like this app so that your sleep is the best it can be.
  10. RAE Dictionary: many races will need a good dictionary to consult terms, and what better than the official app of the RAE (Royal Spanish Academy). It will allow you to have all the definitions at your fingertips.

Conclusion and opinion

In conclusion, the best tablet for students is the one that you can afford and that best suits your needs. There is no one device that is right for everyone, although the ones recommended here are the best options for most users. If you want a more specific recommendation, then there are two good options that stand out above the rest due to their characteristics. One of them is the Huawei MediaPad T5, which for very little has a very powerful hardware, and a fantastic quality. However, if you're looking for something a bit more affordable, you can play it safe with a Samsung Galaxy Tab A7. With the latter you will not have unpleasant surprises as would happen with some unknown cheap brands ...