In light of this, iPads are becoming ever more popular as a go to tool for students by virtue of their lightweight portability and versatility along with their ease of use. Laptops have historically been the preferred solution for academics, but so powerful are tablets, including the iPad Air and iPad Pro, that iPads are a strong alternative. An iPad can be a great investment to take you through the educational journey whether you’re taking notes in class, designing sketches or working on creative projects.
Which iPad is Best for School?
If you are in search of a good device that achieves the ideal balance between portability and performance and students need one, iPads are a good option. Thanks to their high end performance, excellent displays, and compatibility with accessories such as keyboards, cases and those useful wireless connection items, the iPad Air and iPad Pro are particularly popular. The made perfect addition to the iPad by adding a stylus like the Apple Pencil for digital note-taking, sketching, or even professional level creative work. Along with being able to turn an iPad into a functional laptop replacement, you can add a keyboard attachment too.
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The iPad OS does a great job of being as smooth and intuitive an experience as possible, and iPads have the capacity to handle the majority of what a student may need. The iPad offers top notch versatility by using apps such as Microsoft 365, Adobe Creative Cloud, Canvas LMS, or notability to note taking, or Google Workspace to organize research. It is worth saying, though, that among the Windows-type tablets like the Microsoft Surface, iPads simply are not portable computers that will run full desktop software. And cloud storage and app compatibility make up for this limitation for most students.
Best iPads for School
There are several models among Apple’s iPad lineup that are great for students. Here’s a breakdown of the top choices:
iPad Pro (2024) – This, of course, is for anyone who is a design student or someone who is using the iPad Pro for 3D computer rendering or video editing. The 13-inch display is the most stunning display, not to mention top tier color accuracy and refresh rates. Additionally, it is the first iPad to use Apple’s M4 processor, so it is able to handle even the most demanding creative applications. It is a powerhouse for real multitasking, paired and with 8GB or 16GB RAM. If you need that level of power, its expensive performance is justified.
iPad Air (2024) – The iPad Air, with its high performance capability for students that do not require the full abilities of the Pro, is a stellar choice. While the Pro is slightly dimmer and slower, the draw experience and high quality display it still delivers is very good. Note-taking, reading, and research are all suited for this kind of device, so it is a solid pick for all students in all disciplines.
iPad Mini – If you want something more compact, and you’re a student in particular, going mobile, the iPad Mini is a good option. This is smaller, therefore it is more portable and fits nicely into a bag when running from classes or from round to round at the hospital. Though fairly large, it still has enough power for note taking, reading, and a bit of light creative work.
iPad 10.9 (2022) – For those who have a flat pocket, the iPad 10.9 is a fine entry level device for everyday academic tasks. The 10.9-inch display is great for reading textbooks, attending online lectures and doing school work. It is fast enough for most tasks, powered by the A14 Bionic chip, but heavier creative software might tax its power. But things like the price and color options are appetizing, especially for college students who do not need top notch performance.
Apple Student Discount: A Great Deal?
Now, Apple is also offering exclusive discounts to students, which makes their iPads even cheaper. If you qualify as a student, you get a discount on iPads and typically save $100 off an iPad Pro purchase. In addition, when Apple sells a student purchase, it sometimes includes bonuses such as a limited Apple TV+ subscription. While Apple’s student discounts are tempting, it is always a good idea to compare those against deals from third party retailers as you might be surprised that those third party retailers can offer even better value at sale prices.
How to Choose the Right iPad for School
Before you go and purchase an iPad for school, take a look at what is available and what you need to look for in deciding the best iPad for school. Of course, size is important, but only if the portability is as important as it needs to me. If you are always jumping classes, and in need of a device that fits into your bag with ease, you are going to want the iPad Mini, or just a standard iPad. But if you are studying something in fields that require a lot of space, like design or engineering without a touch, you should definitely choose a larger 13 inch iPad Pro iPad Air.
Also, think about how much storage you will need. 64GB is good enough for note taking, running apps and basic files for the base models. Though, if you are working on bigger projects or if you need to store creative software locally, it may be time to move to models with more storage, or optimize the space with cloud services.
iPad for School: A Student’s Best Friend
The all in one functionality, portability, and performance of iPads make them an ideal solution for students. Increasingly, they are becoming a fixture in students’ backpacks, this is because they are able to run essential apps for education. From a medical student needing a pocketable device like the iPad Mini, to a design student who needs the power of the iPad Pro, or to an all rounder using the iPad Air, there is an iPad for your needs. With Apple’s student discount offering these devices at a much more reasonable price, it has never been a better time to upgrade.
