Top 5 Best Tablets for Students Under $500 in 2025

Tablets, with their large screens and capable processors, are generally excellent devices for both entertainment and productivity. The good news is that it’s surprisingly easy to find high-quality slates at reasonable prices. Thegadgetex has been covering tablets since the first iPad was released 15 years ago, so you can trust that we know which ones outperform their peers. Our current Editors’ Choice winners—Apple’s 11th-Gen iPad, Amazon’s Fire HD 10, and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A9+—cover the three most popular tablet operating systems while providing excellent value. Of course, each of the models on this list has its own set of advantages, so we recommend reading our in-depth reviews of each. Scroll down past the list for more affordable tablet buying advice.

QUICK LIST

Last update on 2025-04-18 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Top 5 Best Tablets for Students Under $500 in 2025

1.Apple iPad (11th-gen, 2025)

Last update on 2025-04-18 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

Apple has kept the design language of all of its iPads virtually unchanged in recent years, and the 2025 iPad looks identical to the 2022 model. It is available in blue (pictured), pink, silver, or white, and measures 9.79 by 7.07 by 0.28 inches (HWD) and weighs 1.05 pounds. In comparison, the 11-inch iPad Air measures 9.74 by 7.02 by 0.24 inches and weighs 1.02 pounds, whereas the 11-inch iPad Pro measures 9.83 by 6.99 by 0.21 inches and weighs 0.98 pounds. Apple has more or less codified these dimensions for its 11-inch tablets.

Apple has updated half of its iPad lineup with new iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets, which come in 11- and 13-inch sizes. The main differences between them are the displays and processors. For the time being, Apple has not updated the iPad mini or the standard iPad.

The iPad Pro costs for the 11-inch model and for the 13-inch model. Unlike previous generations, the two Pro tablets have identical specifications except for battery size, screen size, and overall dimensions. The 11-inch model is 9.83 by 6.99 by 0.21 inches (HWD) and weighs 0.98 pounds. The 13-inch model is bigger, measuring 11.09 by 8.48 by 0.20 inches and weighing 1.28 pounds. In comparison, the 13-inch iPad Air (11.04 by 8.46 by 0.24 inches, 1.36 pounds) is almost identical to the 12.9-inch 2022 iPad Pro (11.04 by 8.46 by 0.25 inches, 1.50 pounds). I tried the 13-inch version.

Many people believe that thinner and lighter materials are superior. In this case, they’re correct. The thinner and lighter iPad Pro feels more comfortable to use on a daily basis. After a week of testing, the iPad Pro’s 0.22-pound weight reduction (compared to the 2022 model) was the most noticeable difference in everyday use. It doesn’t seem like much, but the 13-inch model was much more comfortable to use while sitting on the couch.

The iPad Pro has an aluminum chassis that forms the flat rear panel and side edges, with an all-glass front nestled into the frame. Apple does not specify the type of glass it uses. It is an elegant design that has been manufactured with extreme precision. Apple also makes no claims about the tablet’s durability. For reference, the Galaxy Tab S9 has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

The sides are lined with plenty of functional elements. If you hold the tablet in landscape mode, the power button is at the top of the left side, and the volume buttons are near the top edge. All three buttons provide excellent travel and feedback. The short sides also house an array of four speakers that produce stereo sound. It’s a pleasure to listen to music and watch movies on the iPad Pro. The single USB-C (Thunderbolt 3 and USB4) port is located on the right edge. Four microphones are also scattered about. Apple has discontinued the physical SIM card tray in favor of eSIM. Three copper pogo pins on the back provide power and connectivity to accessories.

2.iPad Air M3 (2025)

Last update on 2025-04-18 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

The 2025 Apple iPad Air is nearly identical to the 2024 release. It still starts at for an 11-inch model, and the only new feature is an updated M3 processor. The M3 chip gives the 2025 Air an advantage over the previous tablet in terms of speed, battery life, media playback, and camera performance. We like how it comes in two sizes, has up to 1TB of storage, and runs Apple Intelligence. Otherwise, the use cases and value proposition are the same. The iPad Air, priced between the standard iPad and the iPad Pro, strikes a compelling balance between performance and cost.

When compared to the 2024 model, the 2025 iPad Air has no external changes. You get the same top-notch tablet as before because all the updates are on the inside. The iPad Air is available from Apple in two sizes: 11 inches and 13 inches (which starts at $799). The 13-inch model was sent to me for testing.

The size and weight of the Airs, both big and small, are identical to those of their predecessors. The 11-inch model weighs 1.02 pounds and measures 9.74 by 7.02 by 0.24 inches (HWD). These dimensions are almost the same as those of the standard iPad (9.79 by 7.07 by 0.28 inches, 1.05 pounds) and the 11-inch iPad Pro (9.83 by 6.99 by 0.21 inches, 0.98 pounds).

The 13-inch iPad Air has a bigger footprint at 11.04 by 8.46 by 0.24 inches and 1.36 pounds, which is close to the 13-inch iPad Pro (11.09 by 8.48 by 0.20 inches, 1.28 pounds). Like before, the 13-inch Air is the heaviest of all the current iPads.

When it comes to similar Android tablets, the closest rival is the 10.9-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE from 2023. It weighs 1.15 pounds and has dimensions of 10.01 by 6.53 by 0.26 inches. Samsung has yet to release a new midrange tablet, such as the Tab S10 FE, despite releasing a pair of high-end Galaxy Tab S10 tablets in late 2024.

It comes down to personal preference and trade-offs when deciding between the two iPad sizes. The 11-inch model has less screen real estate but is generally easier to carry around and fits into smaller bags. The 13-inch model’s extra screen real estate is very helpful when you need to finish work, but it does require a bag large enough to hold a typical laptop.

The entire front of the iPad Air is covered in a large piece of glass, while the side edges and back surface are made of aluminum. Although Apple doesn’t say what kind of glass the iPad Air uses to shield the screen, we do know that it lacks an IP rating that would protect it from water and dust. With an IP68 rating, Samsung’s Tab S9 FE can withstand complete submersion in water. We strongly advise getting a watertight case for your iPad if you plan to use it near water.

Apple keeps the power button on the left edge close to the top corner and the volume buttons on the top edge close to the left corner. These buttons have excellent travel and feedback. Since Face ID is not available, you need to rely on the fingerprint reader embedded in the power button for biometric security. It works really well, but Face ID is generally faster and more convenient in everyday use. I found it necessary to register both of my index fingers and thumbs to ensure I always had a finger near the reader.

The center of the bottom edge is where the USB-C port is located. Near the USB port on the back panel are Apple’s three Smart Connector pins. It charges on the top edge if you choose to purchase an optional Apple Pencil. When held in landscape mode, the tablet’s two speakers, which are located on its short edges, emit stereo sound.

The camera lens of the device is tucked into the upper left corner of the rear panel. Unlike the Pro model, the Air lacks a rear flash. For video chats, the selfie camera is positioned in the middle of the top long edge. Apple switched to eSIM, so if you choose a cellular model, you won’t find a SIM tray.

3.Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus

Last update on 2025-04-18 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

It’s the main selling point of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, which boasts a stunning display and strong performance for any task. However, some aspects of the design feel Too large. Although some features feel like they’re bumping into each other, large is good for a tablet that is positioned as a strong competitor to laptops and an artistic tool.

The tablet is challenging to use in portrait mode, which is how I prefer to read news articles online and take notes. Although the tablet’s back looks good, holding it in portrait mode is difficult. Whether or not the S Pen is magnetically attached, the charging section on the back feels rough against my fingers. My hand came into contact with the cameras while I was attempting to improve my grip on the other end, which led to a similar hand feeling problem.

Another problem is the pen charging on the device’s back. The tablet will not lie flat on its back when the pen is attached. Despite the pen’s ability to magnetically adhere to the display’s edge,it will not charge there – but at least it’s out of the way.

The selfie camera on the top middle of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is perfect for video calls and is designed to be used in landscape mode. This mode is very comfortable.

Samsung unexpectedly selected the Mediatek Dimensity 9300+ for the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, despite using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor for the Galaxy Tab S9 family. This is a perplexing move that further distinguishes its high-end tablets from its high-end smartphones. The tablet this year is still available for the same price as the one from last year.

I never observed poor performance. There were never any issues when assembling quick images in Canva, editing pictures in Google Photos, or cropping and dividing clips in CapCut. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor doesn’t have a significant edge when comparing performance using benchmarks. In every test, the Mediatek 9300+ chip outperformed the Snapdragon, if not outperformed it.

It’s worth noting that the Tab S10 Plus also comes with a MicroSD card slot in case you want to bump up the storage capacity or if you want to quickly transfer photos over from a camera. Additionally, during my testing over two weeks, I only charged the Tab S10 Plus a handful of times and it never felt like I needed to charge it every night. With such a big battery inside, charging speeds weren’t as quick as a smartphone, and 30 minutes was only enough to bump it up from 20% to 54%.

4.Google Pixel Tablet

Last update on 2025-04-18 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

With a twist, Tablet marks Google’s comeback to the Android tablet market: Along with the Speaker Dock that comes with it, it also targets smart displays such as the Google Nest Hub Max and the Amazon Echo Show 10. Instead of running a restricted version of Android like the Nest Hub, the new Pixel is a tablet first and a smart display second. It works well as an oversized smart display, manages multitasking with ease, and is an excellent media slate. If you’ve ever been annoyed that your smart display can’t run full apps, this is the device for you. It’s appealing if you want a single gadget that can do two things.

The Pixel Tablet resembles the Nest Hub Max when charging on the Speaker Dock, but it has a bigger screen and thinner bezels. The undocked tablet weighs about 1.09 pounds and has dimensions of 10.2 by 6.7 by 0.3 inches (HWD). It weighs slightly more than the standard iPad. The Pixel Tablet is comfortable in the hand and feels balanced no matter how you hold it. It is constructed from an aluminum shell that has been coated in a finish resembling ceramic. It has a matching dock and is available in porcelain, hazel, and rose finishes. (The porcelain color was sent to us for testing.)

The tablet is secured to the Dock by powerful magnets. It’s not so strong that you have to hold down the dock in order to remove the tablet, but it’s sticky enough to feel secure. The speaker base weighs about 0.89 pounds, has dimensions of 6.6 by 3.7 by 2.7 inches (HWD), and is covered in a stylish cloth composed of 90% recycled plastic. It has a single 43.5mm full-range speaker that can blast Metallica’s Enter Sandman at full volume with a maximum output of 97.5dB.

The tablet has a 10.95-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 2,560 by 1,600 pixels, a pixel density of 267 ppi, and a refresh rate of 60Hz. This screen’s 24-bit color support makes videos and images look great, and the touch-screen response is excellent. The display can reach 500 nits of typical brightness and is easily visible in direct sunlight. The front-facing camera is centered in the bezel above the display, along with a volume rocker and a power button/fingerprint sensor combo on the top right. The volume rocker felt a little mushy, but it does its job. The fingerprint sensor is slightly recessed, indicating when your finger is completely on it, and it worked flawlessly every time we used it.

The bottom edge features two thin rubber bumpers which help keep the bottom of the tablet from being scuffed. The short sides feature four slits for the four internal speakers. Those speakers can get loud, topping out at 90dB in testing, but the audio is pretty light on bass. There is no distortion even when the volume is maxed out on either the tablet or the speaker dock.

There is one USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 port on the left side, which means you can charge the tablet on its own apart from the Speaker Dock when necessary. The rear panel features a small 8MP camera in the top left corner, a shiny Google G logo, and four contacts to connect to the Speaker Dock’s pogo pins.

5.OnePlus Pad 2

Last update on 2025-04-18 / Affiliate links/images from Amazon.

The OnePlus Pad 2 exudes elegance. The aluminum and glass design feels high-end and sophisticated in the hand. The table is 10.58 by 7.68 by 0.26 inches (HWD) and weighs 1.29 pounds, making it slightly larger and heavier than the previous model. It is smaller and lighter than the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ (11.24 by 7.30 by 0.26 inches, 1.38 pounds), but not the Apple iPad Air (9.74 by 7.02 by 0.24 inches, 1.02 pounds).

Like many tablets, the aluminum back has a soft matte finish that makes it easy to hold and does a decent job of keeping fingerprints at bay. When held in landscape orientation, a raised, circular camera module sits in the middle of the rear panel. The module has a metallic ring around it, which elegantly matches the back’s aluminum material. The OnePlus logo sits directly below the camera and is oriented horizontally, indicating that the tablet is meant to be used primarily in this orientation. 

The thin bezel above the screen houses an 8MP selfie camera, which you’ll use to unlock the device with your face. This is the only biometric security option on the Pad 2, and it works effortlessly.The device’s left side has the power button and four speaker grilles, the top has a volume rocker and a magnetic area to store the optional Stylo, the right has a USB-C charging port and four more speaker grilles, and the bottom has a three-pin pogo connector that works with the Smart Keyboard . When the volume rocker or power button is pressed, it produces audible and satisfying clicks. The OnePlus Pad 2 lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD card slot for additional storage.

The Pad 2’s 12.1-inch LCD panel supports Dolby Vision and has a resolution of 3,000 by 2,120 pixels. It also has a variable refresh rate of up to 144Hz. This surpasses the Tab S9 FE+ (2,560 by 1,600 pixels, 90Hz) and the iPad Air (2,360 by 1,640 pixels, 60Hz). The display appears vibrant and bright, reaching 900 nits of brightness. I could see the screen clearly even in direct sunlight, though using the tablet in the sun did cause a lot of glare. Indoors, the display is ideal for watching videos and browsing the internet.

The OnePlus Pad 2, like the iPad Air, lacks an IP rating that protects it from dust and water. In contrast, the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ has an IP68 rating, which means it is dustproof and can withstand immersion in 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. The OnePlus Pad 2 is only available in Nimbus Gray. The box includes the tablet, a USB-C charging cable, and OnePlus’ 80W SuperVOOC charging brick.

The Pad 2 uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile processor and comes with either 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage or 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The 8GB/128GB model is not sold in the United States; I received the latter for testing.

When navigating the user interface, the tablet feels quick and powerful, and switching between apps is seamless. It can easily multitask, running multiple apps on the screen at once. I was able to confirm the Pad 2’s performance through benchmarking.

I ran Geekbench 6, a CPU performance benchmark, and the Pad 2 scored 1,240 on the single-core test and 4,645 on the multi-core test. The original OnePlus Pad, powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 processor, scored only 810 and 2,123 on the same test. In other words, the Pad 2 is noticeably faster than its predecessor. The Pad 2 also outperformed the Tab S9 FE+ and its Samsung Exynos 1380 processor, which scored 1,011 and 2,897, respectively. It did not, however, outperform the latest iPad Air with its M2 chip (2,581 and 9,887).

What to Look for in a Cheap Tablet

There are numerous low-cost tablets available on the market, including those from Amazon, Temu, and Wish. We do not recommend the majority of them. They are typically slow, unreliable, have dim screens, and run outdated Android versions with numerous security flaws.

When shopping, consider screen resolution. The 8-inch, 1,280-by-800-pixel display allows you to watch 720p HD video and read content comfortably. The combination of this size and resolution yields 189 pixels per inch (ppi), which is the minimum you should aim for if you want reasonably sharp images and text.

Does Amazon Make the Best Cheap Tablets?

Does Amazon Produce the Best Low-Cost Tablets?
The best tablets under $100 that we have tested are from Amazon, which frequently subsidizes its devices with lock screen advertisements and interface promotions for Amazon content. However, they are comparatively dependable and receive security updates, albeit infrequently. They also have outstanding customer service, which sets them apart from other companies in this class.

At $59.99, the Fire 7 Tablet 2022 edition is the most affordable, reasonably priced tablet available. In terms of quality control and support, other models in this price range are usually a total gamble or come with out-of-date versions of Android.