Sure, most college students need a laptop these days, but having a tablet on hand can give a student an extra edge -- a more portable option that can easily be taken to classes, used while lying in bed, or just serve as a lighter-weight tool when a full-featured laptop or Chromebook isn't required.

• Best entry-level iPad for most students: Apple iPad (10th generation)
• Best iPad for remote learning: Apple iPad Air (5th generation)
• Best iPad for using as an e-reader or note taking: Apple iPad Mini (6th generation)
• Best iPad for running productivity apps: Apple 11-inch iPad Pro (4th generation)
• Best iPad for creatives and power users: Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (6th generation)

Since iPads can automatically sync with the iCloud, iPhones and MacBooks, all important information is always available when and where it's needed. When a college student combines the capabilities of an iPad with an optional keyboard and Apple Pencil stylus, it becomes an even more versatile and powerful tool. And best of all, we've found iPads under $450.

Once you choose an iPad model, you'll need to decide how much internal storage the tablet will have and whether it'll have a cellular data connection. Keep in mind, an iPad's internal storage can't be upgraded after purchase, and each iPad model comes in a different selection of colors.

Choose the perfect iPad for college

Our in-house team of tech experts are extremely knowledgable about all of Apple's tablets and can help you decide which option is perfect. 

All iPad models run the same version of the iPadOS operating system, come with the same collection of preinstalled apps, and all are compatible with all of Apple's services (including iCloud, Apple Music, Apple News, Apple Arcade, AppleTV+ and Apple Fitness+). The main differences between each iPad model are the touchscreen display size and type, storage capacity options, the speed of the tablet's processor, the overall size of the unit itself and the price. 

Best entry-level iPad for most students: Apple iPad (10th generation)

The iPad (10th generation) is the entry-level and budget friendly option. It takes advantage of a 10.9 inch Liquid Retina display and runs using Apple's older A14 Bionic processor. The tablet supports the 1st generation Apple Pencil ($95) or Apple Pencil USB-C ($69), along with the Magic Keyboard Folio ($239).

This version of the iPad comes in four colors -- blue, pink, yellow or silver. It works with a wide range of note taking, personal productivity and time management apps. Built into the tablet are stereo speakers, along with microphones and a 12MP front- and 8MP rear-facing camera, which together make it easy to participate in video calls.

For wireless connectivity, the iPad (10th generation) supports Wi-Fi 6. Beyond just using it for school work, the tablet can also be used for playing games, streaming TV shows and movies, and much more. Along with the apps that come preinstalled, several million more are available from the App Store, so a user can truly customize their tablet.

As an entry-level iPad, this model comes with just two internal storage capacity options -- 64GB or 256GB. For many college students, 64GB won't allow the tablet to hold enough content, so the 256GB version ($597) may be a more viable option. As with all iPad models, for slightly more money, a WI-Fi + Cellular version is also available, but since most college campuses, libraries and dorms have good Wi-Fi coverage, the cellular option shouldn't be needed.

Best iPad for remote learning: Apple iPad Air (5th generation)

The iPad Air is a bit thinner and lighter than the iPad Pro models (and also less expensive). This version of the tablet is equipped with a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display and comes in five casing color options.

Just like the iPad (10th generation), this version of the tablet is only offered with 64GB or 256GB of internal storage. For college students, you may want to consider the 256GB version ($650).

One thing that sets the iPad Air apart from the iPad 10th generation is that this model supports the 2nd generation Apple Pencil stylus ($115) and the Apple Magic Keyboard ($265) or Smart Keyboard Folio ($189). It also runs using the more powerful M1 processor, which gives the tablet faster performance.

The iPad Air measures 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches and weighs about one pound. We selected this tablet as the best for remote learning because it's lightweight and comfortable to hold for extended periods when you're engaged in a video call, virtual study session, or while participating in online classes. It can also be propped up on a table during a video call. Using the iPad's Center Stage feature, the tablet's front-facing camera will then keep the user centered in the frame as they move around during a video call.

Best iPad for using as an e-reader or note taking: Apple iPad Mini (6th generation)

As its name suggests, the iPad Mini does everything that one of the larger iPads does, but comes in a more compact size that features an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display. This version of the iPad comes in your choice of four casing colors. And like the iPad (10th generation) and iPad Air (5th generation), you can only choose between a version with 64GB or 256GB of internal storage.

Once again, for a college student, it never hurts to go for more storage with the 256GB/Wi-Fi only version ($617). All of the iPad models offer up to a 10-hour battery life and have a front- and rear-facing camera, built in microphones and internal speakers. The iPad Mini runs using the older Apple A15 Bionic processor.

Optional add-ons include the 2nd generation Apple Pencil stylus ($115), which transforms the tablet into a powerful and easy to hold portable notepad (when a third-party note taking app is used). Some of the note taking apps we recommend and that are available from the App Store include Notability, Goodnotes 6, Evernote and Microsoft OneNote.

Many college students who plan to rely on their iPad as an e-reader also prefer this smaller size because it's easier to hold during extended reading sessions. It measures 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches and weighs just 0.65 pounds.

Best iPad for running productivity apps: Apple 11-inch iPad Pro (4th generation)

The most powerful iPad models -- with the most detailed, highest resolution and most vibrant touchscreens, that offer a variety of internal storage options, and that run using Apple's M2 processor -- are the iPad Pro tablets.

The iPad Pros come in two screen sizes -- 11 inches or 12.9 inches. You can also choose between 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB of internal storage and between two casing colors (space gray or silver). For a college student, we recommend at least 256GB.

This 11-inch iPad Pro works with the optional 2nd generation Apple Pencil ($129) and Apple Magic Keyboard ($299). 

This iPad measures 9.75 x 7.02 x 0.23 inches and weighs 16.44 ounces. Unlike other iPad models, this one includes four internal speakers, five microphones and support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

Thanks for the iPad's M2 processor, this tablet does a great job with multitasking and running apps college students can use to get their work done -- like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple Pages, Apple Number, Apple Keynote, or any of the Google Workspace apps. It can also run educational apps that require that extra boost of processing power to run smoothly.

Best iPad for creatives and power users: Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (6th generation)

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is currently Apple's top-of-the-line and most powerful tablet. It takes advantage of a Liquid Retina XDR display that uses mini-LED technology. The display offers a 2,732 x 2,048 pixel resolution and a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits. This makes it the brightest iPad currently available.

It runs using the Apple M2 processor (that relies on an 8-core CPU with four performance cores and four efficiency cores), a 10-core GPU and a 16-core neural engine. The versions of the tablet with 128GB, 256GB and 512GB of internal storage come with 8GB of RAM, while the versions with 1TB or 2TB of internal storage come with 16GB of RAM.

The camera system, speaker system, microphones and wireless connectivity options are all more advanced than other iPad models. As a result, it's the 12.9 inch iPad Pro that's best suited for applications that require a ton of processing power, like video and photo editing, graphic design or gaming. And the iPad Pro does a great job running Microsoft 365 apps, like Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as all popular Google Workspace apps. This means you can use the tablet for word processing, number crunching, note taking, presentations and more -- plus you can multitask with ease, since this iPad offers a larger screen.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro works with the optional 2nd generation Apple Pencil ($129) and Apple Magic Keyboard ($349) that's designed specifically for this larger size tablet. While this version of the iPad makes a great companion to an iPhone and MacBook, when you combine it with the optional keyboard and stylus, for some college students. it can replace the need for a laptop altogether.

AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) are a must-have accessory for any iPad

All of the Apple iPads work seamlessly with the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) wireless earbuds ($200) and Apple AirPods Max headphones ($500). The benefit to using these devices with an iPad is that they take advantage of noise cancellation, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking and automatically pair with whichever Apple device you're using. 

So, if you switch from using the earbuds or headphones with your iPhone or Apple Watch to the iPad, your AirPods will switch without you having to change any settings. And if you lose your AirPods, you can locate them using the Find My app.

We highly recommend the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) or AirPods Max to all Apple users. They make hands-free calls sound crystal clear and they do a marvelous job generating robust sound when streaming music, watching TV shows or movies, or playing audio from popular games.

Does any Bluetooth keyboard work with an iPad?

Yes. While Apple offers a custom-designed keyboard for each of its iPad models, these tablets will work with any Bluetooth keyboard, including the keyboard you may already use with your iMac. On Amazon, there are also dozens of companies that sell inexpensive Bluetooth keyboards -- in a wide range of shapes, colors and sizes.

For help deciding between an iPad Pro or Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, be sure to read our in-depth comparison between these two popular tablets. And for more help deciding which Apple iPad is perfect for you, check out our complete and up-to-date 2024 iPad buyer's guide.