9 Best Tablets for School Use in 2024

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What is the best tablet for high school students?

best school tablets

The variety of tablets for school is huge. The vast majority of them have multiple functions that will satisfy most students. There is even a separate segment of tablets with best cameras.

That’s why we’ve gathered the best tablets intended for studying aims that would simplify many demanding classroom tasks.

Best Tablets from Elementary To College

  1. Apple iPad 10.2-Inch - Our choice
  2. Vankyo MatrixPad Z4 - The best laptop alternative
  3. Microsoft Surface Pro 6 - The best hybrid
  4. Apple iPad Air - The most powerful
  5. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 - Best Android tablet
  6. VANKYO MatrixPad S30 - Effective Android tablet
  7. ZTE K92 Primetime - The thinnest school tablet
  8. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 - Cheap quality
  9. Fire HD 8 - The cheapest school tablet

These school tablets can be used both as a tablet and as a laptop for college students and are called 2-in-1 tablets/laptops. They have a similar look and functionality of a tablet. You can turn such a device into a laptop by connecting the keyboard.

It is a handy option for assignments where typing is required. You will be able to enjoy the best features of two devices – the comfort of typing on a laptop and the mobility of a tablet. Moreover, using a 2-in-1 tablet, you are saving money in the meantime.

1. Apple iPad 10.2-Inch

Our Choice
best tablet for school use

Weight: 483 g | Screen size: 10.2-inch | Resolution: 2160x1620 pixels | CPU: A10 Fusion | Storage: 32/128 GB | Rear camera: 8 MP | Front camera: 1.2 MP

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⊕ Retina display
⊕ The Smart Connector
⊕ Apple Pencil support
⊖ The 32GB model is too small
⊖ Accessories cost much

Apple has recently updated its cheapest iPad and made it more compact. Along with this small update, we now have Smart Keyboard support and a more powerful iPad OS that has been separated from the base iOS.

The reduced size of a screen helps display different shades of bright colors accurately.

Also, the screen has a bright viewing angle from wherever you look. As for technical specifications, the model is fueled by the Apple A10 Fusion chipset and has six-core graphics.

The hardware is combined with 2 GB of RAM, which enables multitasking and running all the needed applications simultaneously.

iPad 10.2 definitely deserves the title of the best school tablet due to the compatible accessories, remarkable efficiency, decent screen size and battery life.

2. Vankyo MatrixPad Z4

The best laptop alternative
cheap tablet for school

Weight: 489 g | Screen size: 10.1-inch | Resolution: 1280x800 pixels | CPU: Quad-core | Storage: 32 GB | Rear camera: 2 MP | Front camera: 2 MP

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⊕ Low price
⊕ Small weight
⊕ Great usability
⊖ Below-standard battery life
⊖ Insufficient power

The Vankyo Matrixpad Z4 Tablet has a pleasant size and fits very well in a category of affordable tablets. Even though it runs on Android 9, it lacks power and the touch response is disappointing. The display quality is nothing more than just "satisfactory".

The Bluetooth connection has a lot of bugs. Once you play a video on your tablet, the sound seems to be underpowered, and the playback freezes from time to time.

This model is the cheapest tablet for school for those looking for affordable options.

3. Microsoft Surface Pro 6

The best hybrid
hybrid tablet for school

Weight: 771 g | Screen size: 12.3-inch | Resolution: 2736x1824 pixels | CPU: Intel Pentium Gold | Storage: 64/128 GB | Rear camera: 8 MP | Front camera: 5 MP

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⊕ Brilliant display
⊕ Powerful hardware
⊕ Lightweight
⊖ High price
⊖ USB port is just 3.0, not 3.1

The difference between the old 2017 model is not big. Pro 6 comes only in the new screen color scheme, which is black and attractive to touch. The tablet is as thin as only 0.33 inches and is as light as 1.7 pounds – the same as the previous model.

Surface Pro shares the same ports and wireless capabilities as a 2017 model and has the exact same Type Cover. We're happy with the latter feature essentially because the Type Cover (the way it is now) is phenomenal in its present iteration.

We'll say that it may be the best tablet for school of its sort that we've tested at any point. Microsoft's Surface Pro 6 is quicker, with extended battery life. Its design is presented in a smooth, new dark shell. It’s undoubtedly better than a 2017 model.

4. Apple iPad Air

The most powerful
powerful tablet for shool use

Weight: 456 g | Screen size: 10.5-inch | Resolution: 2224x1668 pixels | CPU: A12 Bionic | Storage: 64/256 GB | Rear camera: 8 MP | Front camera: 7 MP

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⊕ Good battery life
⊕ Convenient
⊕ Incredible processor
⊖ Supports the old Apple Pencil
⊖ Limited customization

This iPad Air is the first model with a quick charging option. The model can be charged to 17% only in 15 minutes and until 32% just in half an hour using a Lighting-to-USB-C cable.

It takes only 2 and a half hours total to charge it completely, which is a good result for such a powerful device. It seems that iPad Air is an incredible tablet for school use since it lets access any program that a student may need.

iPad Air falls into the niche between the base iPad and the advanced iPad Pro. It has a nice, thin and relatively light body, high-quality display, good performance and autonomy.

5. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6

Best Android tablet
best android school tablet

Weight: 417 g | Screen size: 10.5-inch | Resolution: 2560x1600 pixels | CPU: Qualcomm | Storage: 128/256 GB | Rear camera: 12 MP | Front camera: 10 MP

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⊕ Thinnest and with great ergonomics
⊕ Long-lasting battery
⊕ Great sound due to high-quality speakers
⊖ Absence of an earphone jack
⊖ Overpriced

Almost the entire front panel of Galaxy Tab S6 is occupied by a 10.5-inch display, which is slightly rounded at the corners.

The frames around its screen have become thinner. But at the same time, they are enough to hold the device with one hand and not to make accidental taps. The Galaxy Tab S6 shows a more extensive 16:10 angle proportion that offers a bit of both.

According to the results of the test, there were a few noticeable drawbacks. These are primarily average camera modules that do not correspond to the cost of the Galaxy Tab S6.

The price of the tablet itself turned out to be quite high, due to the presence of an LTE module, as well as the lack of Wi-Fi-only versions. Nevertheless, Galaxy Tab S6 may be called the best tablet for school use and those who can afford it.

6. VANKYO MatrixPad S30

Effective Android tablet
best tablet for education

Weight: 1179 g | Screen size: 10-inch | Resolution: 1920 x 1200 pixels | CPU: Octa-Core | Storage: 32 GB | Rear camera: 13 MP | Front camera: 8 MP

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⊕ Speedy chipset
⊕ Great cameras
⊕ Long-lasting battery
⊖ Insufficient storage
⊖ Heavyweight

The screen of this tablet for school use is incredibly bright and clear. The touchpad system is on point, being quite quick and receptive to each touch.

This model is compelling and not worse than a PC or a laptop. It gives the fundamental capabilities and lets users download any application quickly.

According to the user reviews on Amazon, it is the best option among the cheapest models on the market. MatrixPad S30 may not be very popular, especially compared to different Android tablets for education.

The main issue is its weight that is more than 1kg. It is cumbersome to keep it with books and other items in a school bag.

7. ZTE K92 Primetime

The thinnest school tablet
good school tablet

Weight: 535 g | Screen size: 10-inch | Resolution: 1920x1080 pixels | CPU: Qualcomm | Storage: 32 GB | Rear camera: 5 MP | Front camera: 5 MP

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⊕ Very cheap
⊕ Thin
⊕ Long-lasting and stable battery
⊖ Screen quality
⊖ Small amount of memory

ZTE K92 Premiere might be the choice that you didn’t expect to see on this list. We discovered some negative reviews of this tablet – however, they are false. Generally, what makes this tablet a great choice is a Qualcomm processor.

Besides, it has every essential feature for a tablet for school, which comes down to making presentations, editing text, quick connection, etc. Its battery lets use the device during the entire day without charging.

The fundamental issue is small memory capacity. To enjoy the features of this tablet to the fullest, you need to purchase an SD card or use cloud storage.

8. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0

Cheap quality
best school tablets

Weight: 557 g | Screen size: 8-inch | Resolution: 1920x1200 pixels | CPU: Octa-Core | Storage: 32 GB | Rear camera: 8 MP | Front camera: 5 MP

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⊕ Amazing screen with good color rendering
⊕ Highly functional
⊕ Remarkable design
⊖ Disappointing selfie camera
⊖ Fingerprint function works with bugs

Samsung’s UI has been significantly improved over the years, which gives you amazing user experience. However, it still has some unnecessary Samsung apps like Mail, Notes, and Samsung Internet. They are barely used and can’t be deleted.

Tab A has a stable and long battery life. You could watch a video using Wi-Fi at the brightest screen settings, and the battery would last as much as 6 and a half hours. This time is enough for a long school day.

You can use the function of Samsung Flow, transferring photos and documents between your Samsung devices. Also, Samsung created the Secure Folder which allows you to hide your files which you would like to keep private.

Parents will definitely appreciate the presence of Kids mode, which helps create a safe Internet environment for your child.

A solid look and an extensive feature-set are what we like about the new Galaxy tablet. The operating time is decent, and the stereo speakers are impressive.

9. Fire HD 8

The cheapest school tablet
alternative tablet for school

Weight: 363 g | Screen size: 8-inch | Resolution: 1280 x 800 pixels | CPU: Quad-core | Storage: 16/32 GB | Rear camera: 2 MP | Front camera: 2 MP

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⊕ Low price
⊕ Long-lasting battery
⊖ Bad camera
⊖ Quiet speakers

With such minor changes implemented on the hardware front, it was quite clear what our verdict on the Fire HD 8 by Amazon would be. What has changed then?

Firstly, now Fire HD 8 provides access to Alexa all the time, and not just when the display is on. It’s definitely the best school tablet under 100 dollars.

Secondly, the resolution of the front camera has increased – from 0.3 to 2.0 megapixels. The maximum autonomy of the new model is even slightly lower: it was 12 hours, now it became 10. Still, Fire HD 8 is one of the cheapest 8-inch tablets for school.

Image Name Features  
best-apple-tablet-for-school
Apple iPad 10.2-Inch
Stable
  • OS - iOS
  • Weight - 483g
  • Battery Time - Up to 12h
  • Camera 8 MP
CHECK PRICE
good-graphic-tablet-for-school
Vankyo MatrixPad Z4
Cheapest
  • OS - Android
  • Weight - 489g
  • Battery Time - Up to 10h
  • Camera 2MP
CHECK PRICE
hybrid-tablet-for-education
Microsoft Surface Pro 6
Hybrid
  • OS - Windows 10.1
  • Weight - 771
  • Battery Time - Up to 10h
  • Camera 8MP
CHECK PRICE

How To Choose a Tablet for School?

tablet for school

Weight

Mind that the tablet is an item which pupils carry in their school bag all day long. Thus, a lightweight tablet would be ideal, because carrying the excessive weight might negatively influence the student's posture and, therefore, health. We advise you to look at ""mini"" tablets, which have a small screen, and as a result, a light weight.

Price

In general, most of the parents choose a cheap tablet for school because children are quite careless about their belongings and break them pretty often. Sometimes parents have to buy several such gadgets during school years. Purchasing a cheap tablet, you will save money in case the kid damages it.

Battery Life

Students use the tablet during the whole day performing different school tasks, so it is practically never locked. That's why a good battery is crucial as there is no possibility of charging it during the day.

school tablet

FAQ

  • Why are tablets for school so necessary nowadays?

The use of technology speeds up the studying process, making it comfortable and easy.

  • Why choose a tablet over a smartphone?

There is no doubt that modern smartphones are as powerful as tablets, but their screens are too small for school purposes. Nowadays, you can find a good 10-inch tablet as an alternative to mobile phones.

  • How to choose good tablets for school?

Go for the cheapest options, as children are likely to break them.

  • How to keep the school tablets safe and sound?

Buy glass for a screen in case it falls or buy a case with a screen protector. Download files only from secure sources to avoid viruses.

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