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Best tablet deals of nan week
Deals are selected by nan CNET Group commerce team, and whitethorn beryllium unrelated to this article.
Headed backmost to school? A reliable tablet can thief you person a awesome semester. These slim, portable devices are awesome for staying organized and managing assignments. Today, pinch accessories for illustration tablet keyboards aliases styli, a tablet tin almost switch your laptop.
To thief you make nan champion purchase, we tested nan apical options for performance, portability, budget, and other features for illustration detachable keyboards. No matter what you're studying, these are nan champion tablets for students to commencement nan schoolhouse twelvemonth right.
What is nan champion tablet for students correct now?
Our prime for nan champion tablet for students wide is nan 10th-generation iPad acknowledgment to its affordable value and versatile use. We besides included different tablets from Samsung, Microsoft, and much for each your schoolhouse needs.
Also: Best rugged tablet successful 2025
The champion tablets for students successful 2025
This base-model iPad is nan champion action for astir students. Apple precocious reduced nan value to a much affordable $349, but it's besides disposable for moreover little done different retailers. It offers almost nan aforesaid high-end features arsenic nan much costly iPad Pro and iPad Air models, but pinch a lighter shape facet and a crisp 10.9-inch Liquid Retina, True Tone display.
Review: iPad 2022 (10th-Gen)
In his hands-on testing, ZDNET editor June Wan wished that if you're shopping connected a budget -- arsenic astir students are -- this iPad should "make nan astir sense." For a reasonable price, nan instrumentality offers a batch -- nan A14 Bionic processor, USB-C support, 5G support for on-the-go tasks, and a caller 12MP ultra-wide camera.
There's besides a Magic Keyboard Folio made specifically for this iPad. It's cleanable for turning your tablet into a laptop for studying aliases effort writing. It includes an adjustable kickstand pinch a 14-key usability statement for shortcuts.
However, 1 callout to statement that immoderate verified customers make is that this iPad doesn't support nan 2nd-gen Apple Pencil, which intends you'll person to usage a dongle to usage it. However, students tin still usage nan 1st-gen Apple Pencil aliases immoderate different compatible iPad stylus.
Apple iPad specs: Display: 10.9-inch Liquid Retina show pinch True Tone | Processor: A14 Bionic spot pinch 16-core Neural Engine | Storage: 64GB aliases 256GB | Memory: Colors: Silver, Pink, Blue, Yellow | Cameras: 12MP f/1.8 wide, 12MP Landscape f/2.4 beforehand | Weight: 1.05 pounds | Dimensions: 9.79 x 7.07 x .28 inches | Connections: USB-C, Smart Connector |
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The Wacom One 13 Touch is 1 of nan best drafting tablets for integer creation aliases schematic creation students. What stands retired successful this drafting tablet is its touchscreen. The 920 x 1080 Full HD solution show allows for 10-finger multi-touch gestures, giving creation students a caller magnitude of intuitive usage and interaction. You tin usage respective gestures for illustration scrolling, panning, and zooming during nan imaginative process while you're drafting successful a program, aliases you tin move it disconnected altogether if you'd prefer.
I went hands-on pinch this drafting tablet and was impressed by nan pen-to-paper feel, for illustration nan Wacom Intuos Pro. The pen is besides awesome and has fantabulous thenar rejection technology. Plus, Wacom says you ne'er person to complaint it.
Review: Wacom One 13 Touch
I could spot students who for illustration a surface show but still want to usage programs for illustration Adobe aliases Corel Painter uncovering nan Wacom One 13 Touch much valuable than a regular tablet for illustration nan iPad.
One verified customer called it a "great instrumentality to study integer art" and "upgrade nan illustration crippled to digital."
Wacom One 13 Touch specs: Dimensions (L x W x H): 13.2 x 8.7 x 0.1 inches | Active area: 11.6 x 6.5 inches | Compatibility: Windows 10 and over, Mac OS 11 and over, Chrome OS, Android 8 and over | Pressure levels: 4,096
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Samsung's lineup of FE tablets is little priced than nan premium tablets but still awesome options. The larger Tab S9 FE+ is disposable for $600 and offers a batch successful a sleek package, including Android 13 correct retired of nan box. This high-powered Android tablet comes pinch an S Pen and moreover an IP68 dust/water resistant standing to make it a durable choice for students.
It has an 8,000mAh battery, 6 aliases 8GB of RAM, 128 aliases 256GB of included storage. The instrumentality besides supports a microSD paper up to 1TB, truthful you'll person plentifulness of abstraction for documents. In addition, video calling for virtual classes is good supported by a beforehand 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a rear 8MP camera is good supported by a beforehand 12MP ultra-wide camera and a rear 8MP camera to thief you seizure documents.
Review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+
ZDNET contributor Max Buondonno tested nan Tab S9 FE+ and was impressed pinch its large screen, artillery life, and "an array of multitasking features for illustration split-screen, multi-window, and moreover DeX, which gives you a desktop-like interface for getting activity done."
Overall, 98% of Best Buy customers would urge this tablet, giving it an mean standing of 4.8 retired of 5.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ tech specs: Display: 12.4-inch | Processor: Exynos 1380 (S5E8835) | Storage: 128GB aliases 256GB | Memory: 6GB, 8GB, aliases 12GB | Colors: Gray, lavender, mint | Cameras: 12MP ultra-wide camera, rear 8MP camera | 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 simply a powerful tablet packed successful a mini package. The iPad Mini was past updated successful nan autumn of 2024 pinch caller features for illustration support for latest gen Apple Pencil, a somewhat bigger surface size, and a USB-C larboard for charging and information transfer.
Review: Apple iPad Mini (Seventh-Gen)
The correct broadside of nan tablet has a spot to complaint nan Apple Pencil, making it a awesome tablet for drafting aliases penning people notes. Plus, its size and weight make it portable, truthful you tin bring it wherever you request it astir a schoolhouse campus.
ZDNET elder contributor Jason Perlow went hands-on pinch this iPad and lauded its portability. "The iPad Mini 7 gets a batch right," he wrote. "It's portable, powerful, and packed pinch features for illustration Apple Intelligence and Apple Pencil Pro support, making it a awesome instrumentality for students, professionals, and older users."
iPad Mini tech specs: Display: 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display | Processor: A17 Bionic | Storage: 64GB aliases 256GB | Colors: Space gray, pink, purple, starlight | Cameras: 8MP rear, 1080p video. 12MP FaceTime camera pinch Center Stage | Weight: 0.65 pounds | Dimensions: 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches | Connections: USB-C | Battery life: 10 hours
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Microsoft's Surface Pro devices are immoderate of nan champion 2-in-1 tablets connected nan marketplace today. The Surface Pro 9 is 1 specified illustration of a powerful tablet that tin quickly switch your laptop.
With nan Surface Pro 9, you're getting a tablet that runs Windows 11 retired of nan container alternatively of a mobile operating strategy for illustration Android aliases iPadOS. That intends you don't person to interest astir uncovering apps aliases workarounds for your workflows and tin entree programs for illustration Word and Outlook pinch ease.
Review: Microsoft Surface Pro 9
ZDNET's June Wan besides went hands-on pinch nan Surface Pro 9 and praised nan Signature Keyboard and Slim Pen 2. "I emotion really responsive and tactile nan low-travel keys are, really nan keypad -- while not arsenic ample arsenic competing ultraportables -- is conscionable arsenic clicky connected nan bottommost near area arsenic it is connected nan precocious right, and really everything conscionable snaps into spot without needing to jump done further connectivity hoops."
However, nan Surface Pro Signature Keyboard and Slim Pen 2 are sold separately for an further $280. Even so, verified customers emotion this keyboard combo, particularly nan ergonomic creation and responsiveness.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 tech specs: Display: 13-inch PixelSense Flow Display | Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core i5/i7 aliases Microsoft SQ3 | Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Memory: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB | Colors: Sapphire, platinum, forest, graphite | Cameras: Rear: 10MP autofocus camera pinch up to 4K video Front: 1080p afloat HD video | Weight: 1.95 pounds | Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inches | Connections: 2x USB-C (4.0 connected Intel model, 3.2 connected 5G), Surface Connect and Keyboard ports, nano SIM connected 5G model | Battery life: Up to 15.5 hours of emblematic usage
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The champion tablet for astir students Is nan 10th-generation iPad, acknowledgment to its versatility, compatibility, and affordability.
Tablet | Price | Display | Storage |
Apple iPad 10th-generation | $280 | 11-inch Liquid Retina show pinch True Tone | 128GB |
Wacom One 13 Touch | $500 | 13.2-inch 920 x 1080 Full HD solution show | N/A |
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ | $500 | 12.4-inch TFT LCD show | 128GB aliases 256GB (microSD paper up to 1TB) |
Apple iPad Mini (seventh-gen) | $400 | 8.3-inch Liquid Retina show | 64GB aliases 256GB |
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 | $1,000 | 13-inch PixelSense Flow show | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
*MSRP astatine nan clip of writing
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The correct tablet for you depends connected your characteristics arsenic a student. Consider really you study and return notes, whether you request thing for typing aliases drawing, and whether you're looking for a laptop replacement.
Choose this laptop for students... | If you want... |
Apple iPad (10th-gen) | The champion tablet for astir students. It is ace versatile and affordable. |
Wacom One 13 Touch | A tablet for schematic creation students. Its touch surface allows for useful gestures and a pen-to-paper-like experience. |
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ | An Android tablet for school. Its ample surface allows for optimal multi-tasking. |
Apple iPad Mini (seventh-gen) | A portable and lightweight tablet that tin easy fresh into a backpack. It's awesome for notetaking, annotating, and reference for school. |
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 | A 2-in-1 tablet that tin switch your laptop. It runs connected Windows 11 and tin velocity done regular tasks. |
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Before investing successful a tablet for a student, here's what to consider:
- Storage: Be judge to see nan magnitude of retention that comes pinch your chosen tablets. Students mostly woody pinch a batch of files, but this is little of a interest if this is simply a supplementary instrumentality to your machine aliases laptop.
- Compatibility: Consider a tablet's compatibility pinch programs and package you usage nan most, arsenic good arsenic if you tin utilize accessories for illustration keyboards aliases stylus pens.
- Size: Your preferred tablet size whitethorn alteration depending connected what you're utilizing your tablet for. Smaller tablets are awesome for reference and are portable capable to return successful your backpack. Larger tablets are easier for drawing and person a much extended workspace area for multitasking.
- Cost: Like astir tech, tablets tin beryllium expensive. However, look for brands aliases retailers that connection student discounts truthful you tin prevention connected your device.
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The ZDNET squad chose each of nan tablets included successful this database based connected their capacity when tested successful nan existent world. When we trial tablets, we typically travel nan aforesaid regular for each 1 to spot which performs best.
- Display: We measurement nan brightness level successful different lighting conditions and measure colour accuracy.
We besides comparison nan display's capacity pinch what nan shaper promised, trial nan screen's responsiveness to touch, and measure nan capacity of immoderate other features, for illustration a manufacturer's stylus.
Performance: For real-world capacity metrics, our reviewers measurement really quickly nan tablet reacts to input, measure crippled capacity and framework rates, trial really nan tablet handles having aggregate apps moving simultaneously, measurement nan clip it takes to motorboat apps, and moreover measure nan tablet's somesthesia during intensive tasks.
- Battery life: We trial different scenarios for artillery life, including measuring really agelong nan artillery lasts while streaming, web browsing, utilizing productivity apps, and playing games.
- Camera and audio: For cameras, we measure features for illustration resolution, aperture, low-light performance, autofocus accuracy, move range, colour accuracy, image quality, sharpness, and video quality. For audio, we look astatine nan sound value and wide listening experience, including audio clarity astatine different volumes, stereo separation of near and correct audio channels, maximum measurement level successful various environments, and if location is perceived distortion.
For a deeper look into our testing process, cheque retired our comprehensive tablet testing methodology.
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Latest news connected tablets
- In January, Bloomberg reported Apple will apt motorboat a caller iPad Pro pinch nan M5 spot this fall. A caller MacBook Pro sporting nan aforesaid upgraded spot is besides expected.
- Samsung besides reportedly has caller tablets successful nan useful -- nan Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 and Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. The caller devices could further fuse laptops and tablets.
It really depends connected what benignant of student you are and really you study and work. For example, if you are nan type of student who needs a tablet to shop your textbooks, browse nan web, aliases return notes, a tablet is simply a awesome option. However, if you request to entree different programs astatine erstwhile for multitasking, a laptop whitethorn suit your needs better.
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There are galore tablets cleanable for students, for illustration nan Microsoft Surface Pro aliases nan iPad Mini, but location are presently nary tablets designed specifically for students.
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All of nan tablets listed present are compatible pinch Microsoft Office. However, astir of them usage nan mobile type of Microsoft's agency suite. Of each these tablets we tested, only nan Microsoft Surface runs nan afloat type of nan software.
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Many brands connection student discounts. Here are immoderate notable ones:
- Apple offers several student discount options when you acquisition an iPad pinch a verified assemblage email address. Students tin get anyplace from $50 to $100 disconnected celebrated iPad models.
- Students tin save up to 30% connected eligible devices by registering and verifying their student status.
- At Lenovo, assemblage students get an other 5% off, and parents and students successful grades K-12 tin besides person money disconnected devices and accessories.
- Students tin people a 10% discount connected prime tech from Microsoft.
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Latest updates
- In our August 2025 update, we verified prices and readiness of our recommendations. We besides added news astir imaginable upcoming products from Apple and Samsung expected this fall.
Other student tablets we've tested
The Kindle Scribe is simply a awesome tablet if you still for illustration taking notes by manus but request a integer boost. The instrumentality lets you return handwritten notes aliases underline important quotations wrong nan book you're reading.
ZDNET's Kyle Kucharski said nan Scribe's pen feels for illustration a regular pencil. It besides attaches to nan tablet pinch a magnet.
"Note-takers who don't person nan astir elegant penmanship tin easy construe their handwriting into matter and past edit nan font and size further. This is simply a awesome measurement to cleanable up and shape hastily taken notes that you tin prevention for further reference, peculiarly if your penning leaves thing to beryllium desired," Kucharski said successful his review.
It besides comes pinch preset templates to thief you create notebooks, journals, and lists. You tin besides create sticky notes successful Microsoft Word and different compatible Word documents.
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This tablet evidently isn't 1 you'd battalion for a assemblage course. However, it mightiness liking parents looking for a tablet for their school-age kids not yet fresh for an "grown up" device.
The instrumentality comes pinch an Amazon Kids+ subscription that gets you entree to thousands of kid-friendly ad-free books, arsenic good arsenic movies, games, and different acquisition contented your kid will love.
ZDNET's Maria Diaz tested nan tablet retired connected her ain kids pinch affirmative results.
"If you're trying to take betwixt an iPad aliases a Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet, overmuch will dangle connected your kid's property and really they will usage it. Amazon has refined nan Amazon Kids level into a kid-friendly personification acquisition that doesn't consciousness childish for older kids but that younger kids tin still navigate," Diaz said successful her review.
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For more, cheque retired our round-up of parent-recommended tablets, our favourite Amazon tablets, and best Android tablets.
Tablets Reviewed & Compared
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