With summer almost over and the first semester of school starting, it’s high time to shop for your back to school supplies if you haven’t already. In addition to the standard fare of pens and paper, we'd like to recommend some of our favorite tablets. These devices are some of the most highly reviewed tablets available and many are what we would consider among the best tablets for students heading back to school.
Budget-Friendly: Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
Getting your hands on a quality tablet doesn’t have to be costly. Take the 8.7" Galaxy Tab A7 Lite from Samsung, for example. Not only is this sub-pound tablet remarkably lightweight, but it’s relatively light on your wallet, as well. Don’t worry, though. Despite weighing about as much as your average cup of coffee, the Tab A7 Lite delivers powerful performance, thanks to its MediaTek MT8768T chipset, which features a pair of quad-core processors that consistently deliver fast, reliable performance.
The Tab A7 Lite comes with a pre-installed Android operating system, along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. This amount of memory should be able to handle most of your multitasking demands. If you require more space for your files, the Tab A7 Lite supports up to 1TB of memory via its microSDXC card slot.
In terms of display: The Tab A7 Lite features an 8.7" LCD screen with 1340 x 800 resolution that should deliver consistently clear images. The 179 ppi pixel density is a little on the low side, so the picture isn’t as sharp as some other tablets in the same size class. The standard Galaxy Tab A7, for example, has a higher overall pixel density of 224 ppi, so, generally, its images are sharper. However, that difference is marginal, and we would argue the Tab A7 Lite makes up for the minor disparity with its great overall performance and unbeatable value.
The Homework Helper: Surface Go 2
When we reviewed the Microsoft Surface Go 2, we said it was good for many, great for some. Included in that group of users for whom the Surface Go 2 is a great match, are students, who will benefit from the Go 2’s long list of “homework-helpful” features.
Among the Surface Go 2’s most beneficial features is the fact that it gives you the full Windows 10 (or the upcoming Windows 11) experience on a tablet. This is great for students because, for one, it eliminates that extra step of having to transfer files to a laptop or PC when you need to use Windows 10 OS, and two, it provides an operating system that is familiar, clean, and easy to operate, so students can focus on the class or assignment at hand.
In addition to running native Windows OS, the Surface Go 2 also includes an exhaustive list of features that can benefit students in countless ways. For starters, any of its many chipset and memory configurations will provide enough power and storage to allow students to multitask several applications at the same time while connected to the Internet through their choice of Wi-Fi 6 or LTE connectivity. Its battery life lasts for up to 10 hours—more than enough time to make it through a full day of classes—and it fully supports both the Microsoft Go Keyboard and Surface Pen (sold separately), which effectively turn the Go 2 into a fully functioning laptop.
Feel free to check out that full review of the Surface Go 2 for a complete breakdown of its awesome, student-friendly features.
The Entertainer: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
For those who are looking for stellar performance in and outside of the classroom, look no further than the Samsung 11" Galaxy Tab S7. Featuring a 3.09 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus processor, 128GB of storage, and 6GB of RAM, the Galaxy Tab S7 is one of the best-performing Android tablets you can buy. Those specs, combined with a wealth of connectivity options that include USB Type-C, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and both S Pen and Samsung DeX support, allow the Galaxy Tab S7 to tackle just about any assignment or task.
Not only is the Galaxy Tab S7 great for education purposes, but it can also handle all your entertainment needs, as well. That’s owed in part to the Tab S7’s objectively gorgeous 11" 2K (2560 x 1600) touchscreen display that boasts an insane screen refresh rate of 120 Hz. This truly stunning screen should satisfy gamers, movie watchers, and social-media enthusiasts alike—basically anyone who prizes a bright, vibrant display above all. The incredible screen is supported nicely by solid AKG-tuned speakers that offer Dolby Atmos surround sound and, best of all, a massive 15-hour battery that has enough juice for studies and your shows.
For Creativity: Apple iPad Pro
Students who live to create can take their art to new dimensions with the Apple 12.9" iPad Pro. Why is the iPad Pro a top pick for digital artists? Well, for starters, its new and incredibly powerful M1 chip allows it to handle even the most demanding workflows, including taxing applications like augmented reality design and modeling.
The iPad Pro’s most conspicuous feature is its 12.9" Liquid Retina XDR display, which produces crisp 2732 x 2048 resolution with 264 ppi—making it an optimal canvas for design. Furthermore, the iPad Pro’s IPS LCD screen outputs 600 nits for crystal-clear viewing and works in concert with the pressure-sensitive Apple Pencil for detailed, lifelike digital drawings.
When you’re not in the classroom, snap pictures or Facetime friends using the iPad Pro’s dual rear-camera setup or its front-facing camera. The iPad Pro also includes four integrated speakers, five microphones, up to 10 hours of battery life, and optional 4G LTE wireless connectivity, which should allow you to fulfill all your entertainment needs.
The All-Around 2-in-1: HP Elite Dragonfly G2
OK, so this one is probably less a “heading back to school” tablet and more of a “graduating with a job already lined up at a hedge fund” type of device, but we decided to include it anyway because its reviews have thus far been spectacular and it truly is one of the best tablet-like devices on the market.
HP’s lauded Elite Dragonfly G2 is a 2-in-1 laptop-tablet that is as sleek a device as you’re going to find and packs power and performance for days. We’re talking an 11th Gen Intel® Core™ chip, integrated Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of LPDDR RAM, a 512GB NVMe solid-state drive, and so much more—all housed inside a 13" ultra-portable blue magnesium shell that somehow weighs a hair above 2 pounds.
Everything about the Elite Dragonfly G2 lives up to its moniker, from its support of critical platforms and applications like Cortana, Windows 10, Windows Continuum, and Xbox One, to its use of the latest connectivity technologies, including Thunderbolt™ 4, Wi-Fi 6, and more.
Now, you’re probably thinking: Boy, that sounds really great, but also kind of expensive. Well, you’re right! It is pretty expensive. But guess what else? It’s worth every single penny—assuming you actually need this much power and that you would prefer it come in one of the best looking unibodies around.
Have a question about tablets or need help finding the device that’s best for you? Drop us a question, down below, and we’ll answer best we can!
0 Comments