8.4iPad
Buying guide
The best iPad for students
Notes, reading and writing essays: which iPad and which accessories actually make sense on a student budget.
Students ask us two questions: which iPad, and do I need the Pencil and keyboard? The honest answer depends on how you study.
If you mostly read and watch lectures
The iPad (A16) is all you need. It is fast, has 128GB of storage and costs less than most phones. Add the USB-C Apple Pencil if you annotate PDFs.
If you take handwritten notes
Get the iPad Air 11". Its laminated display makes writing feel closer to paper, and it supports Apple Pencil Pro. A matte screen protector helps a lot.
If you write essays on it
Consider whether a MacBook Air is better. An iPad with a keyboard case costs nearly as much as a laptop and is still less flexible for long documents and citations.
The small one
The iPad mini is a wonderful reading device and fits in any bag, but it is cramped for note-taking in landscape.
Check education pricing before you buy. In many countries it takes a meaningful amount off iPads, Macs and accessories.
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