The 6 Best Tablets for Teachers | 2023 release
Which tablets are best suited for the everyday life of a teacher? We introduce you to the best models – from iPads to Windows tablets to ChromeOS.
You want to be a teacher. Countless days of vacation, close to the pulse of the times through constant contact with young people and generally just a job with “easy money”. Well, whoever put these hypotheses into the world – anyone who is a teacher himself or has ever spoken to one will quickly realize: This is cocolore, to use a typical teacher’s word.
Which, however, is not vague: Modern technology does not stop at everyday school life. Even if the famous slide projector is sadly still part of the standard equipment in some schools, there are also schools that provide their students and teachers with tablets. The private purchase of a tablet is also worthwhile in order to cope with the stressful school day in a modern and efficient way. Whether it’s preparing for class, correcting homework, editing documents, or checking email, tablets can prove to be handy tools for teachers.
But which devices are best suited to being prepared for the stressful everyday school life as a teacher? We introduce you to the best tablets for teachers.
What should teachers look for when buying a tablet for work?
Before buying a tablet for school use, there are a few things you should consider to ensure the device will meet your needs and be less annoying than Kevin shouting nonsense from the last seat during class. Here are some important points:
- Operating system: Make sure you choose an operating system that doesn’t drive you insane. After all, you want to work with it and not lose valuable nerves. It is best to choose one that you are already familiar with from your smartphone in a similar form.
- Size and weight: Nobody wants to enter the schoolyard like a weightlifter or bodybuilder because the tablet is so heavy. Choose something light and handy and rather invest your energy reserves in the design of creative lessons.
- Battery life: The last thing you need during class time is a tablet that deserts you and looks at you blankly. Ideally, look for a tablet with a long battery life that won’t let you down for a full day.
- Storage: You will have so many notes and teaching materials on this tablet that you will soon own the digital version of your classroom. Make sure there is enough storage space to accommodate all of your valuable resources.
- Pen or keyboard input: Choose a tablet that is comfortable to type on and has good keyboard covers and pen support. This makes correcting homework and the like twice as much fun!
- Ruggedness and protective cases: Classrooms can be tough, so you need a tablet that’s as tough as you are. And don’t forget the protective case – it’s like armor for your digital assistant!
- Performance: So that your tablet does not run out of breath when using computing-intensive apps, we recommend that you choose a device with which you can also use demanding apps. In addition, when you buy a tablet with very good performance, you ensure that the tablet will serve you well in everyday school life for several years and will not go on strike at some point due to being overwhelmed.
The best tablet for teachers overall
Apple iPad Pro M2 .The premium models from Apple are the top dogs among the tablets currently available. The devices optionally have an excellent 11 or 12.9 inch display with 120 Hz. The tablets support the Apple Pencil 2. This is ideal for marking, drawing or for handwritten notes. The additionally available keyboard covers are also ideal for productive work. The current iPad Pros have the most powerful hardware on the market. This is mainly due to the fact that they have installed the same M2 chip as in the current MacBooks. So you can only blame yourself if preparing for the next school lesson or correcting homework took longer than originally planned.
Best iPad Pro Alternative:
Apple iPad Air . The iPad Air is almost as good as the iPad Pro. It has slightly less performance than the Pro version on paper, but that doesn’t make a noticeable difference in practice. The use of demanding apps is just as quick and smooth as with the “big brother”. The iPad Air also supports the Apple Pencil 2 and an optionally available keyboard cover. The 10.86 inch screen of the iPad Air is slightly dimmer compared to the iPad Pro and only offers a refresh rate of 60Hz instead of 120Hz like the iPad Pro. However, the slim dimensions and low weight make the iPad Air an ideal companion for everyday teaching.
The best Android tablets for teachers:
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ and S8 Ultra .If you prefer Android, you should definitely take a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy S8 series. The tablets score with excellent screens, very good performance and support the great S Pen. Unlike Apple, this is even included in the purchase. This makes correcting homework just feel good. In addition, a high-quality keyboard cover is optionally available. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ offers a 12.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2800 x 1752 pixels and 120Hz. The 8 Ultra has a screen diagonal of 14.6 inches and has a resolution of 2960 x 1848 pixels, also at 120Hz. The manufacturer promises four major Android updates for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8 series and would like to provide security updates for five years.
Best Windows Tablet for Teachers:
Microsoft Surface Pro 9. The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 may look like a regular tablet, but it’s actually a proper Windows PC. This can be a decisive advantage for teachers who depend on certain programs, because the desktop versions of all Windows programs also run on the Microsoft Surface Pro 9. Compared to a normal laptop with the same equipment, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 however relatively expensive. The display, the optionally available keyboard cover and the Surface Slim Pen 2 are of high quality. In terms of pure hardware performance, however, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is inferior to the iPad Pro and Apple iPad Air.
Best Mid-Range Tablet for Teachers:
Apple iPad 10. The entry-level iPad offers very good performance for its price and beats most Android tablets in terms of sheer hardware power. The optionally available keyboard cover and the Apple Pencil are also great. It’s a pity that the iPad 10 doesn’t have a laminated display. This sometimes creates the feeling that you are not touching the display directly when using the Apple Pencil. In everyday life, however, this is not so wild and after a while you hardly notice it.
Inexpensive alternative for teachers:
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook . First things first: The keyboard cover is already included with this tablet. The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook is available for around 350 euros. It has a good 11 inch display with a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels and 60Hz. It is useful for teachers that the desktop version of Chrome is available on this tablet. The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook will be updated until 2030. It is a pity that the tablet only comes with Android 9. The performance of the device does not uproot any trees either.
The best tablets for teachers: all the details
Now let’s look at the tablets in detail.
Apple iPad Pro: Best tablet for teachers overall
The iPad Pro is a solid choice for teachers on a bigger budget who want the best of the best.
It supports the top-of-the-line Apple Pencil 2, which retails for $149 and is ideal for drawing and note-taking. The keyboard cover, which is available as an option and is called “Magic Keyboard” by Apple, is of high quality and offers a comfortable typing experience. However, the keyboard is not exactly a bargain. The price of the Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is 429 euros from Apple, while the keyboard for the 11-inch iPad Pro costs 369 euros.
The 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro has a large, high-quality mini-LED display. It offers a resolution of 2732 x 2048 pixels, 264 pixels per inch and 120 Hz. Thanks to the mini-LED technology, the tablet achieves excellent contrast values, vivid colors and deep black values. It is comparable to OLED displays in terms of the quality of contrasts and black levels. The display plays SDR content at a peak brightness of 600 nits. Thanks to the mini-LED technology, a brightness of up to 1,600 nits can be achieved with HDR content. The screen is fully laminated.
It is important to consider before buying that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro uses modern mini-LED technology, while the 11-inch iPad Pro only has a traditional LCD screen, which is not particularly bright and doesn’t deliver such impressive contrast and black levels as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. But the display of the 11-inch version is also excellent.
The four loudspeakers of the Apple iPad Pro deliver a very good sound.
The iPad Pro had a runtime of 6 hours in our battery test. For the test, we played an HD YouTube video in a continuous loop with maximum brightness.
The devices have WiWi 6E and can optionally be purchased in a 5G version.
The Apple iPad Pro is the most powerful tablet on the market and features the M2 chip, which is also used in the latest Apple MacBook Pros. In this way, even the most demanding apps can be used and you are well prepared for everyday life as a teacher for years to come.
In addition, the iPad Pro offers excellent workmanship, Face ID facial recognition, very good cameras with LIDAR sensors and an overall excellent package.
Teachers who are looking for a high-quality tablet with an excellent display and the best processing power on the market have made a great choice with the Apple iPad Pro.
Apple iPad Air: Best iPad Pro Alternative
Teachers on a budget who love the iPad Pro should check out the iPad Air. Supporting the top-of-the-line Apple Pencil 2 with two high-quality keyboard options, the tablet is extremely powerful.
The iPad Air has the powerful M1 chip and is slightly cheaper than the iPad Pro. This makes it faster than any other Android tablet currently on the market.
The iPad Air has an attractive design, good cameras and a stylish 60 Hz LCD display, as well as up-to-date software.
It’s annoying that the iPad Air only offers 64GB of storage in its base version. This might not be enough for teachers who want to use many large apps on their tablet.
Overall, the iPad Air is a great choice for a teacher’s day-to-day life because of its excellent performance, sleek display, and excellent keyboard and pen support.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ and Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra: Best Android tablets for teachers
For teachers who prefer Android, we recommend the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series. The Samsung tablets are among the best Android tablets on the market thanks to excellent displays, strong hardware and stable software.
The excellent S Pen is already included in the scope of delivery. Samsung also provides optional high-quality keyboard covers that are fun to work with.
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a large 14.6-inch screen, while the Galaxy Tab S8+ has a 12.4-inch display. Both tablets have a Super AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, which results in first-class contrasts, colors and a deep black level. While the Galaxy Tab S8+ has a resolution of 2960 x 1440 pixels, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a resolution of 2960 x 1848 pixels. Both screens are fully laminated. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra probably have the best displays on the market.
The four stereo speakers are also of high quality.
The devices offer a widevine level of L1. Therefore, it is possible to watch Netflix and other streaming services in 1080p on the tablets. Furthermore, the tablets can play HDR 10.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series has Wi-Fi 6E. The tablets are also available with 5G.
In our battery test, the Galaxy Tab S8+ and the S8 Ultra each had a runtime of 9 hours. For the test, we played an HD YouTube video in an endless loop with maximum brightness.
The fingerprint scanner, the excellent cameras, the first-class workmanship and the powerful hardware are further advantages of the premium tablets from Samsung. These are the fastest Android tablets currently available on the market.
Android 13 is now also running on the Galaxy Tab S8+ and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. According to Samsung, it is planned that the devices will receive four major Android upgrades and five years of security updates.
The Galaxy Tab S8+ and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are excellent choices for teachers who prefer Android over iPadOS or Windows and want to enjoy premium quality thanks to their premium hardware and great pen and keyboard support.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9: Best Windows Tablet for Teachers
The best Windows tablet on the market is the Microsoft Surface Pro 9.
The tablet has an elegant design and a useful kickstand. In addition, the optional Surface Pro Signature Keyboard from Microsoft is available for around 180 euros and offers excellent writing quality. The Surface Slim Pen 2, which is also available, has a price of 130 euros.
The device offers a high-quality display with 120 Hz and has sufficient computing power to fulfill the vast majority of application scenarios in a teacher’s everyday life.
The tablet has a good camera that can be used wonderfully for video calls with colleagues and students. The display has a resolution of 2880 x 1920 pixels and a 3:2 aspect ratio. The screen has excellent contrast, as well as good saturation and brightness.
Windows offers the advantage that you can access all Windows programs that you know from the desktop PC without restrictions.
However, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is comparatively expensive compared to a conventional laptop with similar equipment.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is available in the basic configuration with a 128 GB SSD for 1299 euros. What’s cool is that the SSD is replaceable.
However, the iPad Air and iPad Pro have significantly better hardware performance than the Microsoft Surface Pro 9.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is a good choice for teachers who want to be sure that all relevant apps will work on their tablet and enjoy full Windows compatibility.
iPad 10: Best mid-range tablet for teachers
If your main focus is on the performance of the tablet, we recommend the iPad 10. Because you get a lot of computing power for comparatively little money.
The iPad 10 supports a keyboard cover and the Apple Pencil 1. The cover and the stylus are very good.
However, having to use an adapter for the iPad 10 is annoying since the tablet has a USB-C port while the Apple Pencil 1 only has a Lightning connector. It would have been more stylish if the iPad 10 was directly compatible with the Apple Pencil 2. However, the Apple Pencil 2 only works with the current iPad mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro. Aside from the adapter, this isn’t a huge issue, however, as both models are equally good at detecting pressure levels and inclines. With the Apple Pencil 1, however, you have to do without the tip function and induction charging.
According to the Geekbench 5 test results, the iPad 10 has even better performance than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series. Teachers get great value for money with iPad 10.
However, you have to make compromises in terms of design and display. The screen is not laminated. When working with the Apple Pencil, you can sometimes have the impression that you are not directly touching the screen. However, in practice this is not so bad if you don’t want to draw with the tablet every day, for example.
In addition, the iPad 10 has excellent workmanship and excellent cameras.
Apple sells the iPad 10 in 64GB and 256GB versions.
If you want to use many apps for your everyday teaching, we recommend that you purchase the version with 256 GB.
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook: Affordable alternative for a teacher’s everyday life
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook is available with a keyboard for less than 400 euros, making it the perfect device for price-conscious teachers.
As the name of the tablet suggests, the desktop version of Chrome is pre-installed on the tablet. It is also great that it should be provided with updates by 2030.
The Chrome browser allows installing the same extensions as on a traditional PC.
Originally, Chrome was a pure desktop operating system. This means that you can also work on the tablet with the mouse and keyboard without any problems. Furthermore, Android apps can be installed on the device as there is also the Google Play Store on the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook.
However, it should be noted that the tablet does not support most Microsoft Office applications. However, Chrome offers excellent alternatives.
With this tablet you have to make compromises in terms of performance. It is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 processor and either 4GB or 8GB RAM and 64GB, 128GB or 256GB internal memory.
You have to compromise on performance. The device’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 processor and a choice of 4GB or 8GB of RAM and 64GB, 128GB or 256GB of internal storage are available.
The 10.1-inch display is also only of average quality. It has a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels and cannot play Netflix and other streaming services in HD. This only works in the Chrome browser.
The battery life of 5.5 to 6 hours is not good either. For our test, we played an HD YouTube video in an endless loop with the brightness turned up to full.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook is a good choice for teachers who want to use their tablet primarily for writing and on a budget.
