best tablet for online classes

9 Best Tablet For Online Classes in Pandemic – 2023 Guide

Are you confused about which tablet to pick for your child for his/her online classes? If yes, then this article is for you. Picking the best tablet for online classes can be a challenge for parents (or students themselves) and even I have faced this problem when choosing a tablet for my child.

If you want one that’s both convenient for writing notes in an online class and streaming movies after class, you’ll need one that’s powerful enough to be useful but affordable enough for you to afford. Overall, my favorite tablet that checks nearly all the boxes is the one that multitasks easily, which has a Pen for taking quick notes, has plenty of RAM for fast performance, and features a beautiful display for procrastination ensuring that your child gets the best experience to enjoy through his/her career.

How Do You Enhance Your Child’s Learning Experience With Tablets?

Saying this with experience, when a student uses a tablet during a face-to-face lesson, an online educational game, or even a video helps them relax, which is proven to increase memory. Taking control of their own education by sitting in a comfortable place with their personal tablet gives children a sense of control. It reduces distraction, especially when using headphones, and helps them concentrate.

As I have read in the World Journal of Education, teaching methodologies have adopted new strategies to take advantage of technological advances in digital devices, especially tablets. It is the infrastructure supporting digital learning that is improving every year, such as reliable electricity, strong Internet connections, and better users.

Distance learning has long been the norm at universities, but in the last few years, it has become the norm even for school-age children and the pandemic situation has heightened the need to have a tablet for a student’s online classes.

In my opinion, tablets provide the best experience when compared to laptops or even smartphones. The small hands can manipulate them easily, and the child can sit comfortably, relax, and enjoy the lesson. The devices, which are sometimes known as mobile learning, are wireless and can be used anywhere if there is a Wi-Fi connection.

Can you guess the other advantage of having tablets in remote, rural areas, tablets? The answer is mobility. Earlier this year, the Journal for Learning for Development conducted a research project that contributed to the Sustainable Development Goals by ensuring equitable and inclusive quality education opportunities for children all over the world.

It is not necessary for the devices to be connected to the Internet. Since they are wirelessly connected to Aptus’ local server, which was designed by Commonwealth of Learning, students can access course materials without Internet access. All this new technology is resulting in an increased interest in school attendance among children in rural and urban areas alike.

At this point, you have an idea of what to and what not to consider when purchasing a tablet for a  student for his/her online classes. So without any further delays let’s look at the tablet options that are worth your precious investment:-

List of the Best Tablet For Online Classes:-

1- Best overall: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE

With the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE, Samsung does for tablets what it did for its smartphones with the Galaxy S20 FE – offer a high-quality, well-built product with excellent performance at a lower price. Students can take advantage of this strategy because it worked so well on the company’s smartphone and translated well to its tablets.

The Galaxy Tab S7 FE is equipped with a 12.4-inch high-definition display that offers excellent color reproduction thanks to Samsung’s HDR10+ technology. Therefore, no matter what you’re doing, whether you’re researching for a project or drawing with the S Pen, the screen will always be crisp and give you plenty of space to work.

samsung galaxy tab s7 fe

The Samsung Tab S7 FE is built with a Snapdragon 750G processor to ensure that there are no lags in getting things done. Thus, not only is the tablet powerful, but it’s also 5G-capable, so you can work anywhere.

Hardware Specifications of Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
Processor Snapdragon 750G
RAM 6 GB
Storage 128 GB
Display 12.4″ Inch TFT display with 2560 x 1600
Camera Rear- 8MP | Front- 5MP
Operating System Android 10
Battery Life 12 hours
Weight 1.1 lbs
PROS
  • Powerful Processor.
  • Upgraded Android.
  • Cheap.
CONS
  • Camera.
  • Bosy Type.
  • Small keys.

 

This tablet has a large 10,090mAh battery, and when it’s time to recharge, the 45W charger will get your tablet back up and running in no time. The dual-speaker setup combined with Dolby Atmos will ensure that everything sounds great when watching a video. Two cameras are available, with the front camera being excellent for video calls while the rear camera serves as a security camera.

With the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, you can choose between a 4GB, 6GB, or 8GB RAM model and a 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB storage model. Regardless of which storage option you choose, you can always expand it with a microSD card up to 1TB. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE offers multiple color options as well as features that make it easy for students to work and play.

 

2- Upgrade pick: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus

When it comes to tablets that can handle nearly any task, you won’t want to look any further than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus. The S Pen is also included with every Samsung Q7, so you don’t have to fork over extra money for additional productivity.

In terms of performance, the Tab S7 Plus has either 6GB or 8GB of RAM and a choice of 128GB or 256GB of expandable storage. Combined with the Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset, the 2020 flagship processor found in the Galaxy S20, this makes for a very powerful smartphone. Samsung DeX Mode, which turns your Tab S7 Plus into a desktop-like experience, is no longer cutting-edge technology, but it is still powered by the same hardware.

samsung gaalxy tab s7 plus

Hardware Specifications of Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
Processor Qualcomm SDM865+ Octa Core
RAM 6 GB
Storage 128 GB
Display 12.4″ Super AMOLED, 120Hz
Camera Rear- 13MP | Front- 8MP
Operating System Android 10
Battery Life 12 hours
Weight 1.3 lbs
PROS
  • Powerful Processor
  • DeX mode
  • Storage space
  • Updated S pen stylus.
CONS
  • Keyboard need to buy seperately
  • Small keys

 

You won’t want to leave behind the portable experience of playing around on your essentially mobile desktop of a 12.4-inch display. Furthermore, it has a battery life of up to 14 hours with media playback, so you can use it all day.

Even though you won’t have to pay more for the wonderful S Pen and those additional features, you’ll want the whole package. For those who want to stay productive during class, they will have to pay extra to procure a Samsung Keyboard Cover or another Bluetooth keyboard.

 

3- Best Apple tablet for students: iPad Air 4 (2020)

While our site focuses on Android, our laudatory review of the iPad Air 2020 demonstrates that we aren’t afraid to acknowledge when Apple is doing something great. Although it is not as large or as powerful as the recent iPad Pro 2021, the iPad Air 4 offers strong performance for demanding creativity apps at about half the price.

using whatsapp on ipad

Hardware Specifications of iPad Air 10.9
Processor A14 Bionic
RAM 4 GB
Storage 64/256 GB
Display 10.9″ Retina display with 2360 x 1640
Camera Rear- 12MP | Front- 7MP
Operating System iPad OS 14
Battery Life 9 hours
Weight 1.0 lbs
PROS
  • Elegant thin and light design.
  • Bright, colorful and sharp display.
  • Excellent webcam.
  • Magic Keyboard.
CONS
  • No face id.
  • No headphone jack.
  • Expensive accessories.

 

This device features a lightweight, thin-bezel design with metallic color options, a Touch ID integrated into the power button, and two powerful speakers. Even though its 2360×1640 LCD runs at only 60Hz (instead of 120Hz on the Tab S7+), it features an anti-reflective coating for optimal brightness, which makes it perfect for late-night Netflix sessions or for direct sunlight usage.

With its A14 Bionic chipset, also found in the excellent iPhone 12, the Tab S7+ achieves incredible performance speeds that exceed those of the Snapdragon 865 Plus. The school’s Wi-Fi network may not be as reliable as you’d like, so you can add cellular data. Also, you can use AirPlay on it.

In addition to iPadOS – which is better optimized in general than Android tablet apps – and USB-C charging, the iPad Air 2020 has virtually no downsides. Since the 64GB base variant isn’t nearly enough storage, you’ll have to shell out quite a bit for extra storage. According to our tests, it has a battery life of about eight hours straight out of the box, as is the case with many Apple products. This is still a great resource for students and non-students alike.

 

4- Best mid-range value: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

Samsung replaced the Galaxy Tab S5e which had previously been one of our favorite value tablets with the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. Samsung’s new tablet provides you with a familiar, lightweight, sleek design, as well as the solid specs you’d expect from a Samsung product.

samsung tab s6 lite

Samsung’s S6 Lite offers a 12-hour battery life, as well as a microSD card slot, making it a good tablet for storing classwork or media files. The company also introduced an updated S Pen, which features a new design, a finer tip, and improved latency over the S Pen found on the standard Galaxy Tab S6. It’s easy to say that this is a very impressive tablet, packed with a lot of features that you can use for doing almost anything you desire.

Hardware Specifications of Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite
Processor Exynos 9611
RAM 4 GB
Storage 64 GB
Display 10.4″ Inch Retina display with 2000 x 1200
Camera Rear- 8MP | Front- 5MP
Operating System Android
Battery Life 12 hours
Weight 1.02 lbs
PROS
  • Robust Design.
  • Plentiful UI Design.
  • S Pen included.
CONS
  • Issue with Pen.
  • Little sluggish.

 

It has a 10.4-inch screen and just 4 GB of memory, making it a more compact model that works well for scratching out notes and streaming Netflix but isn’t designed for laptop-level performance. As it costs less than half as much as the S7+, it’s a much better choice for students who intend to use their laptops most often. There is no point in overpaying for features that most students will not utilize.

With the Tab S6 Lite oriented toward the value market, there have to be some compromises made. To help consumers enjoy media, Samsung included two speakers tuned by AKG instead of the four found in its sibling, the Tab S6. Moreover, microSD cards can only be used up to 512GB, while other tablets support cards with up to 1TB of capacity.

 

5- Best Chromebook for students: Lenovo Chromebook Duet

Two-in-one Chromebooks, like the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, work well for parents or students looking for a tablet with a detachable keyboard that can be used as a laptop once they’re back at home. With its outstanding battery life, included productivity accessories, bright display, and attractive price, the Duet is the best Chromebook tablet for students by far.

best tablet for online classes

Hardware Specifications of Lenovo Chromebook Duet
Processor MediaTek Helio P60T
RAM 4 GB
Storage 128 GB
Display 10.1-inch display with 1900 x 1200
Camera Rear- 8 MP
Operating System Chrome OS
Battery Life 10 hours
Weight 2.64 lbs
PROS
  • Cheaper device.
  • Display.
  • Look.
CONS
  • Weight may be an issue.

 

A 10.1-inch display on the Chromebook Duet from Lenovo boasts 400 nits of bright light, which means the screen will remain visible in direct sunlight. This phone has a 7000mAh battery that can last you several days if it’s used casually or about 10-12 hours if it’s used continuously. While it might not have the most power with its 4GB of RAM or MediaTek Helio P60T processor, Chromebooks like the Duet are designed to run most Chrome OS apps without consuming much power.

The attachable keyboard lets you type notes while in class, then pull it off and enjoy your favorite media apps while relaxing. Chrome OS was designed to work well on both touchscreens and laptops, so it can be applied to either environment. In comparison with our other picks, it does not have a microSD card slot, so you’ll be limited to 64GB-128GB of storage; it should be plenty for your notes, homework, and creative projects if you store them in the cloud.

 

6- Best cheap tablet for students: Samsung Galaxy Tab A7

Students love the Galaxy Tab A7 for the same reasons we chose it as our best cheap Android tablet pick. The battery on this device is a hefty 7,040mAh, so you’ll never run out of juice in class. It can also be charged via USB-C, so you can always have full power in the classroom. You’ll have a blast watching movies with these speakers and your roommate will be so jealous.

samsung galaxy tab a7

It weighs just about a pound (476g) with a 10-inch display, which makes it lightweight enough to hold comfortably while taking notes. Furthermore, it is compatible with the S Pen; you’ll need to purchase that separately, but previous Tab A models weren’t.

Hardware Specifications of Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
Processor Exynos 9611
RAM 3 GB
Storage 32/64 GB
Display 10.4″ Inch Retina display with 2000 x 1200
Camera Rear- 8MP
Operating System Android Q
Battery Life 15 hours
Weight 1.04 lbs
PROS
  • Vibrant, colorful display.
  • Great-sounding speakers.
  • Reliable battery life.
  • Build quality.
CONS
  • Limited RAM.
  • Camera quality.

 

Our team is a huge fan of the design. The Galaxy Tab A7 looks more attractive than most budget tablets, thanks in part to its aluminum finish. Its bezels are less thick and uneven in comparison to the Fire HD 10 and the base iPad. Ahead of the USB-C port, we think students will appreciate the headphone jack, as well as the microSD card slot with 1TB of storage.

With its Snapdragon 662 chipset and 3GB of RAM, it is not particularly powerful but is certainly respectable considering its price range. Some students might miss the fingerprint scanner on the Tab S7+, but at least there is facial recognition for unlocking quickly. Although its 2000×1200 display isn’t as vivid as the S7+ AMOLED, it offers some improvements over the 1080p display.

Actually, the only reason to wait on the Galaxy Tab A7 is that the Tab A7 Lite will be available soon and may offer some features that the older model lacks.

 

7- Amazon Fire HD 10 Plus

To make the new 2021 tablets more “productive,” Amazon offered a Productivity bundle that included a Bluetooth keyboard, a Microsoft 365 subscription, and 1TB of cloud storage along with the new Fire HD 10 Plus. As an alternative to cheap Chromebooks and 2-in-1 tablets, our reviewer was impressed with the new tablet.

Fire HD 10+

For $30 more, you can upgrade to the Fire HD 10 or the Fire HD 10 Plus, which comes with 4GB of RAM instead of 3GB and supports wireless charging. Given the affordability of the tablet, choosing the Plus adds a bit more smoothness and responsiveness to scrolling and typing. It is now possible to split-screen apps so you can be productive while streaming your video app of choice, and you will have that extra memory at your disposal. Even if you prefer having a smart display, it can double as an Echo Show.

Hardware Specifications of Fire HD 10
Processor Octa-Core Processor
RAM 3 GB
Storage 64 GB
Display 10.1″ Inch
Camera Rear- 5MP | Front- 2MP
Operating System Fire OS
Battery Life 12 hours
Weight 1.1 lbs
PROS
  • Bigger screen.
  • Multitasking.
  • Build quality.
  • Eye-friendly screen.
CONS
  • Some time size may be an issue.
  • RAM is just 3GB.

 

The Fire HD 10 Plus, on the other hand, isn’t much different from its 2019 predecessor. The display is still 1080p, so it gets very bright but is not particularly attractive. While this is true, it runs a version of Android 9 that does not incorporate the new advances and improvements in Android since then; you cannot even access Play Store apps without sideloading; this means that your app choices are limited compared with a traditional Android tablet. Students may simply enjoy it for its cheap streaming apps, despite the new productivity branding.

Additionally, if you’re shopping for children or pre-teens, Amazon has a Kids Pro edition with great parental controls and kid-friendly apps.

 

8- Best for college: iPad Pro 12.9

Every time you see an Ipad, a question arises in your mind – Should I get it? Then here we have an answer.

The iPad Pro 2021 is the undisputed best tablet for students who are planning to transition later to becoming creative business users for their first jobs if the price is no object. Prices are an issue for most students, and its power may be overkill for students who need only a browser and word processor. In particular, this device is recommended for students who regularly use creative software or for those who plan to use their tablet as a laptop as well.

Apple-iPad-Pro-2020

Hardware Specifications of Apple iPad Pro 11″
Processor Octa-core 4×2.5 GHz Vortex
RAM 4 GB
Storage 256 GB
Display 11-inch Retina display with 1668 x 2388 Resolution
Camera Rear- 12+10 MP | Front- 7 MP
Operating System iOS 12
Battery Life 10 hours
Weight 1.04 lbs
PROS
  • Trackpad Support.
  • Gorgeous Display.
  • Faster Chipset.
  • Better Cameras.
  • LiDAR Scanner.
CONS
  • Costly.
  • Processor Is Not A Major Upgrade.

You can also read our review on Apple iPad Pro 11″.

The mini-LED screen’s 12.9-inch display has 2,500 local dimming zones, offering impressive color fidelity, plus 600 nits of brightness that rises to 1000 for HDR content. It has a fantastic selection of creative iPadOS apps like Adobe CC which run without hiccups or delays on the M1 chipset. With the new 12MP ultrawide selfie camera, you can track and zoom in on your face when making video calls with friends or family.

You will always be able to connect to Wi-Fi no matter where you go with the optional 5G connectivity. Moreover, thanks to the 120Hz TrueMotion panel and the four powerful speakers, it is an excellent choice for students who enjoy video games and media during their leisure time.

With the Magic Keyboard for productivity or Apple Pencil for taking notes and sketches, you can work on your tablet in a seamless manner. The problem is that the iPad Pro 2021 is already very expensive at its base model; buy the 12.9-inch model and add these essential accessories, storage upgrades, and 5G support, and you’ll end up spending between $1,500 and $2,000 for the whole package. This is a significant investment, but the iPad Pro lives up to its name for students looking for a “professional” tablet.

 

9- Best for young students: Amazon Fire HD 8

In the same vein as the Fire HD 10, the Fire HD 8 is not designed to be a powerhouse tablet. If you’re looking for something small and convenient to read content on the go, don’t want to waste too much space in your bag, and want to save more money than the already cheap 10-inch model, then this is for you.

fire hd 8 plus

Hardware Specifications of Fire HD 8
Processor 2.0 GHz quad-core processor
RAM 2 GB
Storage 64 GB
Display 8″ Inch HD Display
Camera Rear- 2MP | Front- 2MP
Operating System Fire OS
Battery Life 12 hours
Weight 0.8 lbs
PROS
  • Cheap and best.
  • Light weight.
  • Eye-friendly screen.
CONS
  • Build quality.
  • RAM may be insufficient.

 

Alexa is built-in and offers a little bit of everything a smart assistant offers in terms of voice assistants and more. There is also Alexa Skills, which can be installed during study sessions to assist you with finding the right answers. The device is also lightweight and portable, and it comes with a built-in Kindle app so you can keep up with your reading without needing to carry heavy books around.

However, the Fire HD 8 could present a problem for multitasking due to its 2GB of RAM. Furthermore, the phone only comes with 32GB or 64GB of storage, so you will have to use a microSD card for storage needs. As well as Android, you’ll be using Fire OS, which is similar to Android but not identical. With it, you get quick access to Amazon’s services and streaming apps while choosing the Amazon App Store over the Google Play Store.

 

What Should You Look For When Buying A Tablet?

I feel that this is a question that comes to everyone’s mind when buying not only tablets but any product. Students should have a good reading set up for just about every class they take online, from chemistry to English literature. Specifically designed for downloading books, magazines, and newspapers, E-readers are inexpensive and easy to use.

Some have buttons for turning pages, but most have touchscreens. It is possible to change font size and even look up definitions in a dictionary. E-ink screens are more comfortable for your eyes than LCD screens on Amazon Kindles.

The tablet will serve all of the above purposes as well as provide access to the Internet, so that you can look up information and check your social media accounts.

Before you recommend a tablet to a student who has hours of online reading to do, I am pointing out these important points that you should keep in mind before buying a tablet:

1. Display

Tablets with E-ink features are better if they are to be used only for reading.Tablets with E-ink features are better if they are to be used only for reading. Electronic paper, which replicates the appearance of ink on paper almost exactly, is occasionally marketed as such. This type of paper is expensive and rarely available with colored ink.

Having a wealth of colorful graphics is also essential for young students who are learning to read. A tablet is an ideal device for them.

2. Battery Life

Power consumption is also a benefit of E-Ink screens compared to LCD screens. Due to this, e-readers only need to turn pages, while tablets also need to run games, store photos, and display graphics. Most e-readers can last up to eight weeks on a single charge. The battery life of a tablet is around 10 hours. Students usually don’t need more, since they can charge at night or connect to a power source during class.

3. Weight And Size

Weight is an important factor for lightweight e-readers. E-readers are usually held by the hands for a prolonged period. Tablets are often equipped with stands that allow them to be viewed or read at an angle that is comfortable. E-readers should have a minimum size of six inches. In addition to having shorter battery life, tablets also need larger screens.

4. Speakers And Microphones

A high-quality microphone and speaker are essential for online classes. It is necessary for the teacher to wear headphones as well as the students to disrupt ambient noise and focus on the lesson. It is necessary for students to have microphones so that they can communicate with the teacher and other class members.

Although some tablets have built-in speakers and mics, external speakers can be purchased if the built-in speakers don’t produce enough sound. Be sure that the tablet you choose has an external speaker port or a headset jack.

5. Storage

A tablet with an SD slot can store an entire year’s worth of lessons, but if that is not possible, buy a tablet with an SD slot for extra storage. In addition to storing photos and videos, you can also use a USB pen drive to store reading assignments.

6. Camera

Having a close connection with your students is made possible by the camera. Both you and your students can see each other’s expressions. Many tablets have this feature and it is typically of good quality. A webcam with HD or other features can be purchased. Whether it’s close-up images of leaves, insects, or any other pictures you want to show, you can do this.

7. Pen And Keyboard Inclusion

There are not all tablets with pens or keyboards attached. These tablets often have a port that can accommodate an external keyboard. Almost all iPads come with a pen, but some have different levels of technology, so make sure the pen you get will work with the tablet you choose.

In this case, the Apple iPad 10.2 is not compatible with the Apple Pencil second generation. You need to buy the Apple pencil separately, as it doesn’t come included with the iPad. It only works with the first-generation Apple pencil.

 

Conclusion

Congratulations if you are still reading this. We have finally reached the conclusion. You have a lot of options when it comes to Android tablets, especially if you’re a student. While every tablet is different for different purposes, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE for almost every application is my favorite.

The Galaxy Note 8 has plenty of power to handle multitasking and get some work done, and Samsung even includes an S Pen in the box, so you can take notes wherever you are along with taking advantage of the S Pen’s features.

When you pick up a Keyboard Cover for your preferred tablet, you can enjoy a more desktop-like experience. The tablet can take advantage of the fastest network speeds if the processor is 5G-ready. Not having to rely on sporadic Wi-Fi while moving from class to class can really change your experience.

Although online learning for elementary-age children has been challenging this past year, it has also had its highlights, which is why it is here to stay. Schools will still provide certain elements of learning online even when they reopen.

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