Buying Guide: Top 7 Best Tablets for College Students

Buying the best tablets for college students sounds easy but it isn’t. You have to be aware of factors that make a tablet the best buy for the college students. Many good tablets are available in the market that a normal user can buy but if you are a college student, you need a tablet that not only looks better and is easily portable but also it should perform better. Learn what to consider before buying the best tablets for college students and also, find out our pick of top 7 best tablets for college students.

What one of the earliest decisions college students have to take is to find a suitable laptop for most of their college activities. This is a misstep because a tablet is regularly the unrivaled alternative to laptops. Laptops used to be the best decision for individuals who required a PC that one could utilize as a part of the library, the classroom, and the lab. In any case, circumstances are different – some of the best tablets are currently more compact and more adaptable without giving up usefulness.

If you are planning on buying a new tablet before going to college, we have the perfect list of the best tablets for college students designed for you. You don’t need to use up every last cent saved for a perfect tablet; even if the budget is limited the choices are unlimited.

What to Consider Before Buying the Best Tablets for College Students?

Aesthetic Appeal:

Carrying around a sleek and a fancy looking tablet and showing it around a bit maybe the first thing college students look for in tablets. But keep in mind that while selecting a perfect tablet for college performance is just as important, if not more, than the design and aesthetic appeal. A fancy looking tablet might not be as efficient with workload and storage as a less aesthetic one might be, so choose the best tablets wisely.

Performance and storage:

Performance and storage always go hand in hand. Tablets usually accompany 8GB or 16GB of capacity on the low end, and up to 128GB on top of the line tablets. A few tablets incorporate SD card readers that permit you to extend your gadget’s storage, go for these.

Performance is another major feature to consider while choosing the best tablets. Performance highly depends upon the tablet’s processor, RAM. Your system will eventually run slower and not perform efficiently due to memory shortage.

Battery Time

You won’t always be near a charging port in school, so a decent battery life is imperative. Additionally, information is getting enormously power hungry nowadays. Hence, you will require a good battery life. I highly recommend a tablet with the battery life of 7 hours or more.

Media

If you are true media junkie or enrolled in courses like media studies or mass communication, then you have to consider the pixels and screen resolutions as well.

Value for Money

As a student, you are always on a budget. Going out of your budget, asking your friends to chip in and buying an expensive tablet is not a wise choice but if budget is no problem buy a shining fancy one.

Our Pick of Top 7 Best Tablets for College Students

Here are our top 7 picks for the best tablets that are best suited for a college student:

1. Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Tablet with 16 GB Memory

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 is one of the best tablets for college students. This tab from Samsung is a proud member of the third generation of the Samsung Tab series.

Aesthetic Appeal:

The tablet is super light and slim which makes it easy to carry around. It is all plastic with a single home button which gives a neat and classy look. With its smooth, adjusted corners and very thoughtfully designed physical components. It wouldn’t look all that fancy in your hand, but it won’t look cheap too.

Performance and Storage:

This tablet houses a 1.5GHz processor which makes it capable of anything you ask it to do. It is super-fast, smooth and efficient in its functions. The storage capacity will just wow you. 16GB built-in storage which you can expand up to 64GB. It has a single microSD card slot. Not only this, but the package also includes Bluetooth, digital compass, and GPS.

Battery Time:

The battery life of Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 is amazing. It gives up to 9 hours of battery backup which lasts through your entire college day allowing you to study, watch a movie on a free day or listen to your favorite music playlist.

Media:

The 8-inch Tab3 screen with a 1,280×800-pixel-resolution screen. The screen’s response time is fantastic making it the best tablets for playing games, be itAsphalt-8 or Need for Speed Turbo.

The fonts and colors are clear and vibrant. The tablet’s screen is embedded with PLS (plane line switching) panel which is responsible for this crisp and sharp display.

Don’t expect too much from the cameras. It houses a 5MP rear and a 1.3MP front camera. The front camera is a bit hazy with very poor quality, but the rear camera in enough light weaves magic.

Value for Money:

The Galaxy Tab 3 costs $300, which maybe a pinch expensive but it offers all the features you would like your tablet to have to make your college life easier. Once you begin using it, you will give it thumbs up. See all features and specs.

Display size resolution	7 inch; 1024×600
Pixel density	169 ppi
Weight	10.72 oz (304 g)
Processor	Dual-core, 1700 MHz, Krait 300
RAM	1.5GB
Camera	3MP rear camera and 1.3MP front camera
Operating system	Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
Storage	16 GB built-in, Up to 64GB
Price	$299
Colour options	Black, white
Battery life	Lithium ion, Up to 7 hours

Buy Here

2. iPad Pro 9.7-inch

If budget is not an issue, this is one of the best tablets you should be buying. The new iPad Pro delivers a fast processor, a bright, smooth display, and ace cameras.

Aesthetic Appeal:

No tablet can have better aesthetic appeal than iPad Pro. Holding it feels like you are holding a sheet of glass. The display is vibrant and elegant. Apple has made it incredibly thin and compact and fits perfect on the list of best tablets for college students. If you want people at your college to go in awe of your new gadget, you should be buying this right now.

Performance and storage:

The price of the iPad is directly proportional to the storage capacity; the more storage capacity iPad is, the costlier it is as compared to regular ones. This tablet can easily match the performance of a laptop.

As an Apple user you practically never run out of storage space, backup all your data on iCloud and you are ready to go. All your data is safe and is not eating up your gadgets storage memory.

Battery Time:

Under a standard load of web connectivity, surfing, and word processing, this tablet lasts for 10 hours on battery which is pretty decent among various “so-called” best tablets for college students.

Media:

Apple living up to its name has designed and produced this product to perfection, with a screen resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 with the beautiful and crisp display. The introduction of P3 color gamut makes this iPad number one on the list of all videographers and film industry people. The P3 color gamut of DCI-P3 is an RGB color space for projection of digital media.

Its cameras are way better: a 12-megapixel rear camera that supports up to 4k of videography and a 5-megapixel front camera with Retina Flash which makes it unmatchable to any other tablet available. This retina feature makes iPad Pro’s camera superior to that of an iPhone 6. Know more about its features and specifications.

Value for Money:

iPad Pro is expensive but justifies its price in all aspects. The pricing is as follows

32 GB – $599 or $18.71 per gigabyte.

128 GB – $749 or $5.85 per gigabyte.

256 GB – $899 or $3.51 per gigabyte

Display size resolution	9.7 inch ; 2,048* 1,536
Pixel density	264ppi
Weight	0.96lbs, (437g)
Processor	Apple A9X chip (64-bit) with M9 motion coprocessor
RAM	TBA
Camera	12MP and 5MP front
Operating system	iOS 9.3
Storage	32GB, 128GB, 256GB
Price	$599 (32GB); $749 (128GB); $899 (256GB);
Colour options	Gray, silver, gold and rose gold
Battery life	Up to 10 hours watching video on Wi‑Fi

Buy Here

3. Fire HD 6 Tablet by Amazon

The Amazon Fire HD 6 begins at a moderate $99. It has a little size that makes it to a great degree convenient and simple to use in one hand. Execution is smooth, and its OS highlights an assortment of family-accommodating capacities.

Aesthetic Appeal:

Another compact tablet easy to travel with. It has an angular back panel with convenient and compact size, easy to hold. The buttons on the Fire HD tablet highlight a more conventional arrangement; the square buttons project from the top edge and right corner.

Performance and Storage:

Fire HD uses MediaTek, a quad-core processor for its smooth performance. It functions on 1 GB of RAM. Fire HD tablet only offers up to 8GB or 16GB of storage space. It has no slot for an external microSD card which is a major drawback.

However, the performance is smooth and lag-free – even playing games was a bump free experience. Amazon also offers digital services which make your experience more worthwhile.

• Amazon AppStore (a Play store alternative)
• Kindle store (for book lovers, an e-book store)
• Amazon MP3 (for music listeners, iTunes alternative)
• Amazon Prime Video (for movie lovers)

Battery Time:

The battery stays up to 8 hours which is pretty decent. 8 hours last through your entire college day or even more.

Media:

Fire HD has a screen resolution of 1,280 x 800 with a display size of 6-inch covered in a protective glass sheet making it less exposed to scratches and dents. Colors are precise and on point, and the display is large enough to allow you to watch movies, play games and have a better experience than your usual phone.

If you are a book lover and need a tablet to download books and read them lazily the entire day, this might not be your pick. The combination of fonts and ultra- high resolution of words on a white background is not very comforting.

The camera is also not very impressive or fancy. It houses a 2MP rear camera and a VGA front camera for occasional awkward selfies. Know its features and specs.

Value for Money:

The Amazon Fire HD 6 is somewhat of an expansion to the budget tablet line; its colorful IPS display, long battery life, useful features like family sharing is unmatchable for a price of just $99.

Display size resolution	6 inch; 1280 x 800
Pixel density	252pi
Weight	0.639lbs(290g)
Processor	Quad-Core
RAM	1 GHz
Camera	2MP, VGA
Operating system	Fire OS 4.0 (Sangria)
Storage	8 GB, 16GB
Price	$99
Colour options	Black
Battery life	8 hours

Buy Here

4. Samsung Galaxy Tab 4

Aesthetic Appeal:

This tablet, in particular, has not much of an aesthetic appeal to itself. It is slim but at the same time has a very solid built. The design is to the point having no weak spots, not aligned elements. In short, it is a well-built tablet.

Performance and Storage:

Galaxy Tab 4 has a quad-core processor with a 1.5GB RAM. It offers 8GB internal storage, but it has an option for external microSD slot for up to 64GB which is a significant relief.

The tablet might get slow or even hang when playing a heavy game or loading a heavy website but you can easily fix this with wiser game options and if you are cautious with the background apps running.

Battery Time:

The Tab 4’s 4,000mAh battery rated at 10 hours, is more than enough to last a college day. However, the battery time highly depends upon the kind of usage. Activities like browsing and reading allow longer battery times than watching videos and playing games.

Media:

With an HD screen resolution of 1280 x 800, the display is vibrant and bright. The user interface is excellent as we expect from Samsung. The panel’s glass might be a little over reflective on a bright sunny day.

Samsung Galaxy tab holds a 3MP rear camera and a 1.3MP front camera. The rear camera, surprisingly for the only 3MP is excellent, and the front camera is suitable for video chats now and then but obviously the quality will be compromised. Check out its features and specs.

Value for Money:

The tablet is available for an amazingly modest price of $180. It might not be the best option but keeping in mind the budget it is a fair deal.

Display size resolution	7 inch; 1280 x 800
Pixel density	215pi
Weight	0.60lbs(276g)
Processor	1.2 GHz Quad-Core
RAM	1.5 GB
Camera	3MP back and 1.3MP front
Operating system	Android 4.4 (KitKat)
Storage	8 GB
Price	$180
Colour options	Black, white
Battery life	Lithium Ion, 10 hour(s)

Buy here

5. Google Nexus 7 (32-GB Tablet)

Google Nexus 7 is one of the best tablets you can buy which cater all college tasks blissfully and even curbs your pangs of gaming in between, or during the lectures.

Aesthetic Appeal:

Nexus 7 has a very straightforward and elegant design, but in some ways, it may be lacking. The matte black smooth finish gives it a very comfortable feel. The new tablet’s corners aren’t as enjoyable adjusted as the last model, but the tablet is durably built.

Performance and storage:

Nexus 7 packs a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 1.5GB RAM with storage of 16 or 32GB but it does not support a microSD card which is a big disappointment for such a well-designed gadget.

The Google Nexus 7 also has also apps installed for you like Google Play, Music, Books, etc. Storage might be an issue with this tablet but this is another big YES for the gaming freaks out there, games like GTA vice city, Asphalt run smoothly without any hiccups.

Battery Time:

The Nexus 7’s battery kept going for the duration of the day while downloading applications, surfing the Web, and accepting a lot of notifications. According to some officials tests run on this tablet, it secured 11.5 hours which is second best, the best being the iPad mini, the champion of the best tablets.

Media:

The incredible Nexus has the screen resolution of 1920 x 1200 with the perfect color display. A plus point is an auto adjust brightness feature; it adjusts the screen brightness according to the environment.

It has a rear camera of 5MP which does not support flash, and the picture quality is also good. Color accuracy is also on the money. Photosphere and Panorama shots are an excellent addition to the Nexus camera. The 1.2mp front camera is satisfactory. Read more about its features and specifications.

Value for Money:

This tablet houses amazing features and considering its features the price is also affordable. Nexus is also the most highly valued best tablet available on the market.

Display size resolution	7inch; 1920 x 1200
Pixel density	323ppi
Weight	0.64lbs(290g)
Processor	1.5GHz Quad-core
RAM	1.5 GB
Camera	1.2 MP front, 5 MP rear
Operating system	Android 5.0 (Lollipop)
Storage	16GB or 32GB
Price	$230 (for 16GB); $270 (for 32GB);
Colour options	Black
Battery life	11.5 hours

Buy here

6. ASUS Memo Pad 8 (8-inch Tablet)

Aesthetic Appeal:

ASUS memo pad is sleek and slim, designed to look stylish and modern. Rounded on the edges, this tablet just melts in your hands. The back material of the tablet is textured plastic making it very easy to hold and carry.

Performance and Storage:

The Memo Pad 8 houses an impressive 1.33GHz quad-core processor along with a 1GB of RAM. The internal storage of the device is 16GB, but to your relief, you also get up to 64GB due to the additional microSD card option. It also features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth options.

In addition to this, it also has a pre-loaded ASUS cloud storage for you which gives you the additional space for you to store away things and that too for free. This device is a yes for people who need tons of space to store away their pictures, memories or important notes and documents.

For a low priced tablet the gaming performance is also fair.

Battery Time:

Standard battery life for this tablet on an average is 9 hours which is acceptable for not a very pricey tablet.

Media Consumption:

ASUS Memo Pad having resolution of1280 x 800 and a pixel density of 189ppi, the picture quality is not very high, and under some conditions, pixels can be seen divided on the screen. Though the colors seem bright and dynamic.

It has a five-megapixel rear camera while the front camera is only 2MP, and though the photo quality isn’t very impressive. The camera tends to work better in daylight or even on a sunny day. Check out its specs and features.

Value for Money:

The ASUS tablet offers the wide range of functionalities and is light in your pocket too, at an affordable price of $180. For all the college students looking for a fancy as well as an affordable tablet, this is one of the best tablets for you.

Display size resolution	8inch;1280 x 800
Pixel density	189ppi
Weight	0.69lbs(317g)
Processor	Quad-core
RAM	1 GB
Camera	5MP rear, 2MP front
Operating system	Android 4.4 (KitKat)
Storage	16 GB eMMC
Price	$179.99
Colour options	White ,Black
Battery life	11.5 hours

Buy Here

7. Amazon Kindle Fire 7-inches Tablet

The Kindle Fire HD has a greatest looking 7-inch tablet screen, its speakers convey executioner sound, and its clean interface is the best entryway to Amazon content.

Aesthetic Appeal:

The tablet is dim dark and looks genuinely plain, with a tablet-wide dark strip on the back as the primary genuine recognizing tasteful attribute. It is slim, lighter, a lot faster and better than its predecessors. The back is smooth and not grippy.

Performance and storage:

The kindle fire houses 1.2GHz dual-processor accompanied by 1GB RAM. It has a 16 GB integrated internal storage with an additional microSD card.

In addition to this, the user also gets 5GB of Amazon Cloud drive to back-up all the important stuff.

Apps and games are as smooth as butter as they run on the device, they pop open the second the user clicks on them taking no time. The touch is also perfect, screen swipe like fluid.

Battery Time:

Fire HD gives you a battery time of around 8 hours depending upon the kind of use which is acceptable.

Media:

A 7inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution, the colors are well presented, and sharpness is also fine though it might not be perfect, images may sometimes appear grainy and unadjusted. Another feature introduced by Kindle is the new dynamic contrast screen. The light, the pixels tone down themselves according to the ambient light in the surrounding allowing you to relax and read your e-book outdoors.

The cameras might not impress you. The rear camera is just 2MP while the front is VGA. The picture quality is very poor, and the pictures look grainy, but you can only use in case of an emergency like scanning the important document, etc. you can use the front camera for video chatting, and that’s about it. Read more about its features and specs.

Value for Money:

Looking for the best and economical way to consume movies, TV shows, music, books, and magazines, the Kindle Fire HD is tops and all this in just $200.

Display size resolution	7inch; 1280 x 800
Pixel density	189ppi
Weight	0.87lbs(394g)
Processor	1.2 GHz; Dual-Core
RAM	1 GB
Camera	2MP rear, VGA
Operating system	Amazon Android
Storage	16 GB integrated
Price	$199 for 16GB; $249 for 32GB;
Colour options	Black
Battery life	Up-to 8 hours

Buy Here

Also Read: Top 7 Best Laptops for Music Production

The Pro Review from TechReviewPro

When purchasing a new gadget always keep in mind the reason to buy the gear. If it is only for entertainment, then many things will not matter. But if you are looking for performance, look deeper into specifications. Every tablet offers a different combination of specs and prices, with enough options to let you close in on at least one perfect match for your needs.

All in all, we have detailed quite a few choices that can help you take care of that daunting assignment on the go and also be your loyal companion to let you stream the latest Game of Thrones episodes in all their might.

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