Picking your tablet these days isn’t as easy as it once was - everyone from Apple to Samsung to Xiaomi (almost the whole alphabet!) is making them, but which is best for studying in 2025?
Apple’s iPad
There are four types of iPads for your consideration, the iPad (fullstop), Air, Mini and Pro. If you’re going to study there’s a good chance this is the right choice for you - they all work with the Apple Pencil and make one killer tool for note taking and revision. They have the best apps and generally speaking they’re the easiest to use, but all that convenience comes with a price - though the £299 iPad A16 remains our pick for the best value tablet you can get today.
If you’re streaming more than note taking, get the 13 inch air for the ultimate streaming machine. It’ll feel too big for about 10 minutes then all the others will feel too small!
If you’re a power-user, and need a device that’ll last 5 years, get the iPad Pro and a magic keyboard for that ultimate “I bought all the gear so now I have to work hard” motivation!
It’s worth saying that if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, adding an iPad can be useful as it naturally joins up with your AirPods, Mac and iPhone.
Android Alternatives
Now we get to the Android ones… way better than they were when your parents decided to get you a £99 tablet instead of an iPad for your 10th birthday. Samsung’s probably the most well rounded package, although they don’t make reading the names easy; here’s the cheat sheet:
- The Tab S10 Lite is the ideal entry level android option, and starting below £300, makes this a real steal with the pen included!
- For Samsung’s version of the iPad Air, look at the recently launched Tab S11, a really strong offering that’ll be with you for years to come. It’s not cheap though, at £799 for non-students and £699 for students.
- The Tab S11 Ultra is Samsung’s version of the iPad Pro - starting at £1,199 but currently has £150 off for students. It’s a behemoth with a 14.6” screen, which means if you want a tablet that replaces your laptop, this could be for you. There’s some logic in there that you get a tablet and laptop, with a pen for under £1000 if you’re a student… sounds like a good argument to us!
As always with Samsung, keep an eye out on their deals - black friday is always strong and their student store is always full of great deals.
There’s one other player that really is worth noting - Lenovo. The largest maker of laptops in the world makes some great tablets too, and at the most affordable prices!
- Check out their £169 IdeaTab which comes with a pen and a beautiful screen which would be perfect for streaming.
- Their 12” 3K P12 Tablet is only £309 and has a viewing experience on par with the iPad Air.
At the end of the day, the "best" tablet depends on what you like, and what you'll use it for. Whichever you pick, the right tablet can make your student life, a whole lot smoother.