It’s back-to-school season once more, and you’re shopping for the greatest school supplies, including the most useful gadgets. And if it’s about choosing between an iPad or a laptop, then it’s hard to decide which one to go with. Could a tablet fulfil your needs for computing? Is it possible for a laptop to be portable for increased productivity?
When comparing laptops and tablets, we consider everything. This comparison of the tablet and laptop will highlight the differences between these two attractive devices.
Should You Buy an iPad For School?
Yes, an iPad is great for college as you can take notes, and complete assignments and it’s affordable. For schools, iPads are super useful as they are very user-friendly and portable.
Because iPads are excellent for remaining organized, more and more college students are starting to get them.
Advantages of an iPad:
Note taking
The iPad is great for taking notes. On the App Store, there are note-taking apps like GoodNotes and Notability.
It’s incredibly simple to take orderly notes with the help of these apps. The iPad makes it a lot easier to take notes compared to a laptop and even on paper. On your notes, you can easily and anywhere insert pictures and images.
If you use the Apple Pencil, you can write notes as if it was on paper.
Your schoolwork is all in one location
With the iPad, all of your schoolwork will be in the same place. Your iPad can hold all of your notes, assignments, schedule, and even textbooks.
You will have more space and stay more organized if you keep everything in one location.
Portable
The iPad’s size ranges from 12.9 to 8.3 inches, making it incredibly portable. Compared to a MacBook or other laptops the iPad is much more compact and lightweight.
There will always be space for your iPad, whether you are attending class or travelling. Whether in your backpack or in your arms, the iPad is simple to transport around campus.
The iPad has so many uses that it will make your backpack significantly lighter!
Say Goodbye to School Supplies
You won’t need to buy school supplies once you have an iPad. No more notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, or pencil sharpeners you get the point!
Having everything in one spot is just so much simpler with the variety of apps that the iPad has to offer. I find it very awesome that Apple has created a device that is fundamentally altering the playing field for students.
Notes Can Be Transferred to Your iPhone
You can move your notes from your iPad to your iPhone in case your iPad breaks or if you need to study while you are out.
Enabling iCloud Drive and GoodNotes will allow your notes to be shared between your iPhone and iPad.
Scan Documents
The iPad has a very helpful capability called document scanning. If there is a worksheet that you have to do in class, you can scan it, write on it using your Apple Pencil, then connect to a printer via Bluetooth, and submit the assignment.
App Store
The App Store offers so many apps that will help you with school, and keep you entertained and organized.
Applications like Goodnotes or Notability are essentials for taking notes but there are other great apps as well to keep you organized.
Affordability
Apple devices are often quite pricey. The iPad is more expensive than other tablets.
However, it is more user-friendly and capable of far more than comparable items.
Compatible with Keyboard and Mouse
A keyboard and mouse can be used with the iPad. If you prefer to type using the Apple Pencil, there are iPad cases that can fold open with a keyboard and prop the iPad up like a laptop.
Can Be Used as a Kindle
If you need to buy a book for a class, most of the time you will find it on the Kindle App. On the Kindle App, you will be able to read your book for class, no matter where you are.
Keynote and iMovie
Presentations will be required of you in both school and college. Use the keynote app to make have any questions, there is plenty of information online.
Should You Buy a Laptop For School?
There are affordable laptops for students to use in a school or college, regardless of whether you require Windows, Chrome, or macOS.
Students are increasingly dependent on laptops, yet it’s still possible to get one if you need one.
Advantages of a Laptop:
Laptops have more power for demanding tasks
Web browsing, emailing, and working on spreadsheets are among the easier tasks that work flawlessly on both platforms.
However, when it comes to power usage, things become more challenging. When performing tasks like video editing, coding, or running demanding software, you will need a laptop.
The more recent iPads can edit photos and videos, but they still have performance and output quality limitations.
Large screens are more practical
Tablet screens are typically smaller than laptop screens. Multiple documents and media can be shown at once thanks to the expanded screen space. You can undoubtedly be more productive as a result.
It is currently not possible to view more than two or three documents at once, even on large-screen tablets.
Keyboard and built-in accessories
Most tablets only have one USB port for data transfer and charging. In addition, a keyboard is not included.
For that convenience, you have to pay more money. On the other hand, laptops have a variety of port options. There are ports for inserting an SD card, connecting an external monitor, and transferring data.
Additionally, compared to tablets, the attached keyboard is much simpler to use and provides excellent tactile feedback.
Expansion Possibilities
Compared to iPads, laptops have a lot more expansion options. This is because they have zero capacity for expansion. Desire additional RAM? Stick a new one on your laptop.
You need additional storage. Your brand-new NVMe SSD is ready. In the case of the iPad, you will need to buy a brand-new version simply to acquire expansion possibilities that are only a small portion of the tablet’s price on a laptop.
Which is More Suitable for School: a Tablet or a Laptop?
Age and grade will help to focus the choice depending on the student.
A tablet is the greatest option for elementary schools. The reason is that a tablet is simpler to use and yet allows them to access their online learning services and stay up to date on messages from their teacher or peers.
They will also be able to perform basic chores like reading and using the internet to get immediate assignment assistance.
On the other hand, a laptop is more suited to meet all of a student’s coursework needs in middle school, high school, or college.
Laptops are recommended for preparing presentations and writing papers, but they can also be used to communicate with teachers, access online learning resources, and submit homework.
They include built-in keyboards, which make it simple to type, conduct research, and take notes fast while the teacher is lecturing.
A laptop typically costs more than a tablet, but it has more capacity for keeping assignments and critical papers, and if they take care of it, it will last for many years.
Pros and Cons of a Tablet
Pros:
- Efficient battery life
- User-friendly operating system
- Lightweight and ultra-portable
- Better camera capabilities
- Support cellular connectivity
- Features include an e-book reader & stylus support
Cons:
- The touch keyboard is not as effective
- External accessories can drive up the cost
- Devices can overheat
- Can’t handle all computing tasks
Pros and Cons of a Laptop
Pros:
- A physical keyboard enables faster typing
- Larger screen
- Include cooling components like fans
- Multiple ports
Cons:
- Powerful laptops are expensive
- Hardware needs to be upgraded
- Repairs are more frequent and pricier
Final Thoughts
As you can see, one device has advantages over the other. Despite the fact that the laptop still rules the educational world, several school boards have switched to tablets. Decide which choice best suits you by weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each.