Quick list
1. Best overall
2. Best for drawing
3. Best on a budget
4. Best for taking notes
5. Best for engineering students
6. Best for editing students
7. Q&A
8. How we test
The best iPad for students is very different from the best one for work or to use in your spare time. Given they are small yet powerful devices, they are an excellent choice for someone who is regularly on the go and needs to do work in classes, libraries, and a dorm room. With an iPad, you tend to get the best parts of a laptop with its power and usability but incredible portability, thanks to its light and small design. Though it doesn't have a keyboard, you can pick up a nice keyboard cover to go alongside it and you can write to your heart's content with that excellent all-day battery life.
Before picking out the best iPad for you, you need to have a think about your needs, what you want in a portable device, and what your budget is. Luckily, that is where iMore comes in as we will not only go over the best iPad on a budget, nor for size, but the best for everyone.
Due to its excellent price point, great screen, good power, and a nice range of colors, the iPad 10th generation is our favorite choice for the average student. Though you can get a lot more power out of an M1 or M2 device, they are significantly more expensive, and often designed to be used for certain productivity apps that your average student likely won't need. It's a big improvement over the 9th generation, the previous model, in practically every way and comes with all the trappings of a great modern device like a nice camera and a fantastic screen.
Once you've combined your iPad with the best iPad keyboards, you will be in the perfect place to get all those assignments done before they start to pile up
However, before committing to one of the more expensive iPads, it's worth pointing out that we anticipate a new version of the iPad Air and iPad Pro to launch in the next month or so. If you're looking to buy one of the more expensive iPads out there and
Quick list
The tenth generation iPad hits the happiest medium in the whole iPad line. It's more powerful and modern than the 9th gen iPad and priced lower than the iPad Air, but looks every bit the part of the 2023 iPad lineup. It's perfect for students with all the right smart accessories that you'll need as well.
The iPad Air and its M1 chip is a potent portable touch screen device, and one that's perfect for students with its numerous attachments. It's often found at reduced prices now as well, as it comes up to the mid-point of its cycle.
The iPad 9th gen is the oldest iPad in the lineup, but that doesn't mean it's not worth buying. It's a solid tablet for $300, and its slim chassis slips effortlessly into a school bag. There's Apple pencil support and a keyboard smart connector to open up more portable possibilities as well.
Perfect for when you want something that will slip into any bag, the iPad mini is a tiny powerhouse. The best iPad for taking notes, with Apple pencil support and its small size make it the best option to take to lectures and class.
The smaller of the two iPad Pro models, the iPad Pro 11-inch is still a big-screen tablet monster. With loads of power on tap and an excellent screen, the iPad Pro is great for engineering students who need something with some extra oomph.
The iPad Pro 12.9-inch is the top of the iPad tree, featuring the most powerful internals, and the biggest, shiniest screen. Students who need to edit videos and other media will love this powerful, big-screen tablet.
Best overall
Should you upgrade or buy an iPad 10th generation now?
There is no news on when there will be new iPads, but given this is the newest model its unlikely to be replaced anytime soon.
This is the latest new iPad model, and our review makes it clear how much we love this colorful tablet. We also reckon that it's going to be the best iPad for students, with all the features you could ever need for a great price. For $150 less than the iPad Air, the only thing you’re really going to miss out on is the M1 chip and perhaps second-generation Apple pencil support. For $449, however, you’re going to get everything you need out of an iPad, wanting for nothing.
The screen is a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina piece with a healthy 2360x1640 resolution. It’ll make pretty much everything you do with it look great, and is fantastic for reading digital texts for school, taking notes during class, and watching prerecorded lectures. It features true tone too, making everything look warm and rich, and there’s a nice oleophobic coating over the top to stop fingerprints from making the surface of the screen an oily mess.
On the inside, there’s now the A14 Bionic — which may not be the M1, but is plenty powerful enough for pretty much everything a student could be doing. There’s a new Magic keyboard accessory, and you can hook up an Apple Pencil first-generation to take those handwritten notes. It charges over USB-C now, which also means you can hook in dongles to get more ports and even plug in external drives. Helpfully, the front camera has been shifted to the side of the device to make those weekly Facetime calls to home in landscape mode a lot easier to hold.
There have been some cost-cutting measures here — there’s no lamination to the screen, so it can sound a little hollow when you’re tapping around, and there’s only Touch ID instead of Face ID. No matter what, however, you’re getting an experience close to the iPad Air for a lot less money.
Best for drawing
Should you upgrade or buy an iPad Air now?
No news on a replacement yet, but this model is now getting a bit long in the tooth. If you're buying new then there's no real reason to wait, but you might want to give it a few months if you're looking to upgrade.
It’s undeniable that the iPad Air 5 is one of the best iPads of all time. It brought a new design to the line, with its bezel-less, edge-to-edge display and the M1 chip to a lower price point. It was also, for a while, the best iPad for students. Now, it has been dethroned by the new iPad 2022, but that doesn’t mean that it's still not a great option for students who might need a little extra from their tablet.
The 2360x1640 display is very similar to the display on the new iPad 10th-gen, with great color reproduction and stellar display angles. It is glossy, so it will suffer in direct sunlight, but it is still great for work, research, and relaxation. It also features P3 and True Tone, so everything will look vibrant and colorful, while the oleophobic coating negates finger smudges.
The biggest thing is going to be that M1 chip. It’s the same as you’ll find in the far more expensive (and now outdated) iPad Pro, and it’ll power everything more than you could ever need in a student tablet. That will mean that with the latest version of iPadOS, you’ll be able to make use of stage manager, making the iPad a little more laptop-like. You’ll also be able to use Apple Pencil 2, as well as the associated Magic Keyboard accessory that you can get separately. Opt for the 5G model, and you’ll be able to use the internet on the go — but you’ll also have to pay a fairly hefty premium.
The main differences between the Air and the new Pro are the lack of ProMotion on the display, no Face ID, and a less impressive rear camera setup. The new iPad Pros also feature M2, which is a fair bit more impressive compared to the M1 chip. These are by no means completely necessary for students, and you’ll still be getting more power than the standard iPad 2022, so it's great for students who need something a little beefier.
Best on a budget
Should you upgrade or buy an iPad 9th generation now?
This is the oldest iPad model, and while there's now the 10th generation that should replace it, this one remains on sale. Having said that, there may well be a budget offering on the horizon — worth holding off on this one for now, unless you need an iPad at a very low price.
On a tighter budget? The 9th-generation iPad is still a solid tablet option for students. That 10.2-inch screen is still excellent for reading notes and textbooks, taking lecture notes, and sketching quick diagrams. There’s support for Apple Pencil 1, and you’ll find a smart connector on the back to connect it to accessories like Apple’s smart keyboard, helping you be a little more productive.
It may not have the newest hardware inside, but the A13 Bionic chip keeps things buzzing away nicely under the hood, and the two 64GB or 256GB storage options should be plenty for most. For those who aren’t a big fan of the new home screen-less iPads, then this is a great option too - it retains the touch ID home button of old, sat below the screen. The most svelte iPad this is not, however, with its large bezels around the screen. The 12MP camera on the front is Ultra Wide, with support for Center Stage, while the rear camera remains, alas, an 8MP shooter.
Having said all that, the iPad 9th generation is the least expensive model available — and while that means it's not as powerful as its more impressive brethren, it's still a solid option if you don't want to spend loads of money on an iPad to toss in your bag and cart around School.
Best for taking notes
Should you upgrade or buy an iPad mini now?
The iPad mini is ready for an upgrade, and we might see it this year — worth holding out on this one for now.
If the rest of the iPad line is a little too big for you, then you should take a look at the iPad Mini 6. It looks an awful lot like a smaller iPad Air and shares a good few similarities and features with the new iPad 10th gen. If you need an iPad that will fit easily in any bag, then this is the one for you. It's perfect for taking notes too — you don't need a massive screen to jot down some comments while in a lecture, and it will fit in small bags for the ultimate portable companion.
The iPad Mini features an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with a body that looks like a smaller version of the iPad Air or, more recently, the iPad 10th generation. There’s no home button, instead relying on the touch screen for home screen navigation. This also means no Touch ID on the front - but worry not, for Apple has simply shifted it to the top edge on the power/lock button. There’s also a USB-C charging port on the bottom, so if you’ve got a MacBook or your phone charges through USB-C, then you’ll never have to worry about not having a cable. The data speeds offered by that port aren’t quite as speedy as those on the iPad Air, but they’ll be plenty speedy enough for most people.
The A15 Bionic in the iPad Mini 6 is a very powerful little chip, capable of some impressive performance. It's one thing to look at Apple’s claims of "40% faster than the last model" with "80% more graphics performance", but it's also important to think about what this means for students and their workloads. Whatever happens, the iPad Mini is going to smash through pretty much all but the heaviest workloads, dealing with paper writing, video watching, and even some light photo editing.
Those photos you’ll be editing could well be from the little 12MP rear camera, which is more than capable of taking some fantastic shots. The front camera is also 12MP and has a larger field of view for Center Stage, making those class meetings a little more visually appealing for everyone you’re talking to. There’s also support for Apple Pencil 2, so art students rejoice, and there are some really solid landscape speakers for when you fancy listening to some tunes or watching a spot of Severance.
The biggest issue with the iPad Mini 6 is the price - it now sits just between the iPad 10th-gen and the iPad Air, costing around $499 full price. It is frequently reduced, though, so make sure you check out the best iPad deals to find the best price for you.
Best for engineering students
Should you upgrade or buy an iPad Pro 11-inch now?
While there will be the requisite new models this year, the power on tap here means that it's not going to be outmoded too badly for years to come. If you want the newest, wait for the next model, but you shouldn't feel bad about buying this one now.
If you have money to spare, then you can’t go wrong with the iPad Pro (2022). It’s available in two large sizes, in the form of an 11-inch version and the 12.9-inch option, so you can pick a size that's good for you. If you want lots and lots of power, then the 11-inch version is the option you want. If it's a full laptop replacement, then the much larger 12.9-inch is the one you wanna go with. Keep in mind that the iPad Pro 11-inch only has a Liquid Retina display, while the larger 12.9-inch variant has a Liquid Retina XDR display which will be better for HDR and is even more impressively colorful. Either way, you’re going to get a display with ProMotion, which ups the response to 120HZ, smoothening your experience even further.
The iPad Pro (2022) has also got a pretty cool feature up its sleeve - an M2 chip. That chip is super duper impressive in testing, and for students, it's mostly going to be overkill — unless you’re going to be doing loads and loads of video editing, or other strenuous tasks. There are loads of storage options, too, going all the way up to 2TB. For doing normal, everyday college or school work, this is a lot, but it's also going to last a long time, so you might not have to upgrade quite as much — spending more now may save you some money in the future.
The rear cameras remain the same as from the previous model, with wide and ultrawide options, so you can take photos of all your documents, presentations, and other school work. The camera on the front of the device features Center Stage, so you’ll always be in the picture when you’re chatting with coursemates or watching online lectures and remotely joining study groups.
The M2 chip will also let you play with one of the coolest new features of iPadOS 16 - Stage Manager. Stage manager only works on M-chip-equipped iPads, and organizes your apps and windows as tiny screenshots along the left side of the screen, becoming more like a Mac or laptop than ever.
You’re also going to want some of the best iPad Pro accessories to with it, such as the Apple Pencil 2, smart keyboard, or Magic keyboard. The biggest drawback of the iPad Pro (2022) is the price - the iPad Pro (2022) 11-inch starts at $799, and the iPad Pro (2022) 12.9-inch will cost you upwards of $1099 - that’s a lot to ask from any student.
Best for editing students
Should you upgrade or buy an iPad Pro 11-inch now?
While there will be the requisite new models this year, the power on tap here means that it's not going to be outmoded too badly for years to come. If you want the newest, wait for the next model, but you shouldn't feel bad about buying this one now.
The iPad Pro 12.9-inch is the no-holds-barred iPad. It's big, with the largest screen of the whole range, powerful, with the laptop grade M2 chip, and portable with a very slim chassis. For those looking for the best of the best, then the iPad Pro 12.9-inch is, in essence, the last word it tablet computing. Not much comes close to what many might consider a very solid laptop replacement when you equip it with a magic keyboard accessory.
The main upgrade from the previous version was the M2 chip on the inside — otherwise, the iPad Pro 12.9 from 2022 is much the same as the last version. It's also basically just an inflated 11.9-inch iPad Pro, so many of the same strengths and weaknesses apply to this iPad too.
Q&A — The best student iPad
What is the best iPad for students?
You can always trust iMore. Our team of Apple experts have years of experience testing all kinds of tech and gadgets, so you can be sure our recommendations and criticisms are accurate and helpful. Find out more about how we test.
Every single iPad has something for a student, but our pick is the iPad (2022). It’s got almost all of the best features of the line for a great price, such as the new screen and form factor, along with some great colors. It may not be the powerhouse of the iPad Pro or the iPad Air, but you’ll get everything you need.
The new design and edge-to-edge display gives you tonnes of room for reading and taking notes, and the storage options give you plenty of room for all your work. Support for Apple Pencil lets you take handwritten notes, and the smart connector will let you hook up a keyboard case. The chip may not be cutting-edge, but it is plenty for almost everyone.
The rest of the range has highlights for students too. Students looking to save some money will do well with the budget-friendly iPad 10.2 (9th gen), and space savers will find plenty to love with the iPad Mini 6. Those who want a little more power will find exactly what they want in the iPad Air, while students who need the most power will be very happy with the iPad Pro. There really is an iPad for everyone.
How we test
We test iPads with loads of different use cases in mind, taking them to task and running them through their paces to make sure that we feel good about telling you to buy one. In the case of student use cases, we look at a couple of different things to make sure we know who to recommend it to, but also how good it will be.
The simplest part is testing the power of the iPad — that can tell us what tasks it's going to be good at. We do benchmarks of iPads we test so that we can compare them with the other models in the line, as well as stack them up against the competition from outside the Apple camp. This gives us an idea of what you'll be able to do with the iPad, from taking notes and writing papers to doing more complex computational tasks like programming and media editing.
We test the screens as well, checking them in differing light levels. This tells us where you're going to be able to use the iPad with outside lighting taken into account, but also whether the screen is up to tasks that an art student might want.
We also thoroughly check the battery life of the iPad so that we know whether it's going to last you through the day. You want something that you're not going to be constantly reaching for a charger for, after all.
There are other testing criteria that we use when testing iPads, but these are the most relevant to those looking for the best iPad for students.
It may be worth waiting
With a new range of iPad Air and iPad Pro anticipated to launch soon, you could wait until they are officially unveiled to make up your mind and maybe get a deal alongside it.
