16 Best Tablets for Nursing School (2026)

Tablets have become indispensable in modern education, and nursing school represents one of the toughest academic paths where the right device makes a dramatic difference.

The purpose of this article is to help you identify the best tablet for nursing students, ensuring you have a device capable of keeping pace with heavy coursework, clinical rotations, and study demands.

The central challenge is not only finding a tablet that can run apps like Epocrates, UWorld, and Microsoft Office, but also one that holds charge through long shifts and offers portability without compromise.

Here is where clarity matters. Instead of being overwhelmed by endless options, we will break down the essential features you need. The solution is to concentrate on specifications and features that directly support nursing education, both in the classroom and clinical environment. By aligning your purchase with academic needs, you secure performance, portability, and durability in one device.

The main evaluation criteria include processing power and RAM, display quality, battery endurance, storage and portability, operating system ecosystem, and accessory support. Each element comes with minimum specifications designed to prevent performance gaps and enhance your learning efficiency.

The processor and RAM guarantee smooth use of study platforms, streaming of lectures, and multitasking between note-taking and reference apps. You should expect at least 6 GB of RAM and a mid-to-flagship processor such as Apple A-series, Snapdragon 8+, or an equivalent. This mitigates lag and ensures stable performance during intensive exam prep.

The display quality affects how comfortably you can read e-textbooks or analyze medical charts. A sharp, bright screen helps you study in classrooms, libraries, or hospital settings where lighting conditions vary. The minimum recommendation is a Full HD resolution display with 400 nits brightness and anti-glare features. This reduces eye strain and supports long reading sessions.

The battery performance defines reliability in clinical rotations and back-to-back classes. A nursing student cannot afford constant charging breaks. Look for a battery delivering at least 8 to 10 hours of continuous use. This ensures coverage for an entire day, from lectures to study groups to clinical practice.

The storage capacity keeps your device ready for heavy course materials. Nursing school often involves downloading large anatomy atlases, video lectures, and case studies. A minimum of 128 GB storage, with cloud integration support, is essential. This prevents the issue of constantly deleting files to free space.

The portability factor matters because you carry your device across classes, libraries, and hospital corridors. A tablet that weighs around 1 to 1.5 pounds strikes the balance between usability and mobility. This prevents strain while keeping the device practical for note-taking at the bedside or during rounds.

The operating system ecosystem plays a central role. iPadOS delivers optimized medical and education apps, Android provides affordability and flexibility, while Windows tablets offer desktop-like productivity. You should choose an ecosystem that aligns with your study habits and app requirements. Many nursing programs rely on iPads due to app availability, while others may prefer the flexibility of Surface tablets for full desktop compatibility.

The accessory support turns a tablet from a reading device into a true study station. A responsive stylus allows you to annotate textbooks, sketch anatomical diagrams, or mark lecture notes. A detachable keyboard transforms the tablet into a laptop replacement during research writing. The minimum you should expect is stylus compatibility with pressure sensitivity and a keyboard option that supports comfortable typing.

2026 Best Tablets for Nursing School Students:

1. Best Overall Tablets for Nursing School

Apple iPad 11 inch (A16), 128 GB, WiFi
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Operating System	iPadOS 26, with software updates supported by Apple
Screen Size	11 inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 10.86 inch actual viewable diagonal
Display Resolution	2360 x 1640 pixels, 264 ppi, True Tone, 500 nits
Processor	Apple A16, 5 core CPU
GPU	Apple GPU, 4 cores; 16 core Neural Engine
RAM	6gb
Storage Space	128 GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	No microSD card slot; internal storage cannot be expanded
Main Camera	12 MP wide camera, f/1.8, autofocus with Focus Pixels, up to 5x digital zoom, 4K video at 24, 25, 30 or 60 fps
Front Selfie Camera	12 MP landscape ultra wide camera with Center Stage
Battery Capacity	28.93 Wh lithium polymer battery; up to 10 hours web or video over Wi Fi; up to 9 hours using cellular data on Cellular model
Connectivity	Wi Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, USB C with USB 2.0 data speeds up to 480 Mb/s; Wi Fi only, no cellular data; location services use Wi Fi
Pros	Affordable entry into the iPad range; capable A16 chip for study, browsing, video, office tasks and many creative apps; sharp 11 inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone; 128 GB base storage; landscape Center Stage camera; Touch ID; supports Apple Pencil USB C and first generation Apple Pencil with adapter; 10 hour rated Wi Fi battery life
Cons

Apple iPad Air 11 inch (M4), 256 GB
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Operating System	iPadOS 26 or later, depending on installed updates
Screen Size	11 inches
Display Resolution	2360 x 1640 pixels, Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 264 ppi, 500 nits
Processor	Apple M4, 8 core CPU
GPU	9 core Apple GPU with hardware accelerated ray tracing
RAM	12 GB
Storage Space	256 GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	No microSD card slot; storage is fixed
Main Camera	12 MP wide rear camera, up to 5x digital zoom; 4K video
Front Selfie Camera	12 MP landscape front camera with Center Stage
Battery Capacity	28.93 Wh rechargeable lithium polymer; up to 10 hours web or video use
Connectivity	Wi Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, USB C; Wi Fi and Wi Fi + Cellular versions available
Pros	Powerful M4 chip with 12 GB unified memory; lightweight and portable; good Liquid Retina display with P3 colour and True Tone; Apple Pencil Pro support; landscape Center Stage camera; Wi Fi 7; supports demanding creative apps at a lower price than iPad Pro
Cons	LCD display lacks OLED contrast and ProMotion 120 Hz; no Face ID; no LiDAR Scanner; no microSD slot; accessories cost extra; 128 GB base storage may be limiting for large projects; USB C is slower than the Pro Thunderbolt port

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite, 6GB RAM, 128GB, 2TB Expand, 10.9”
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Operating System	Android 15
Screen Size	10.9 inches
Display Resolution	1320 x 2112pixels
Processor	Exynos 1380
GPU	Mali
RAM	6 GB
Storage Space	128 GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	yes, upto 2TB
Main Camera	8 Megapixels
Front Selfie Camera	5 Megapixels
Battery Capacity	8000 mAh
Connectivity	Wifi, Bluetooth
Pros	Performance, stereo speakers
Cons	None

2. Best Tablets for Nursing Lecture Notes and Studying

These tablets are suitable for taking lecture notes, annotating slides, organising study materials, and reviewing class presentations.

Apple iPad Air 11 inch (M4), 256 GB
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Operating System	iPadOS 26 or later, depending on installed updates
Screen Size	11 inches
Display Resolution	2360 x 1640 pixels, Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 264 ppi, 500 nits
Processor	Apple M4, 8 core CPU
GPU	9 core Apple GPU with hardware accelerated ray tracing
RAM	12 GB
Storage Space	256 GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	No microSD card slot; storage is fixed
Main Camera	12 MP wide rear camera, up to 5x digital zoom; 4K video
Front Selfie Camera	12 MP landscape front camera with Center Stage
Battery Capacity	28.93 Wh rechargeable lithium polymer; up to 10 hours web or video use
Connectivity	Wi Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, USB C; Wi Fi and Wi Fi + Cellular versions available
Pros	Powerful M4 chip with 12 GB unified memory; lightweight and portable; good Liquid Retina display with P3 colour and True Tone; Apple Pencil Pro support; landscape Center Stage camera; Wi Fi 7; supports demanding creative apps at a lower price than iPad Pro
Cons	LCD display lacks OLED contrast and ProMotion 120 Hz; no Face ID; no LiDAR Scanner; no microSD slot; accessories cost extra; 128 GB base storage may be limiting for large projects; USB C is slower than the Pro Thunderbolt port

OnePlus Pad 3 256GB WiFi 2025
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Operating System	OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15
Screen Size	13.2 inches LCD (LTPS), 7:5 aspect ratio
Display Resolution	3392 × 2400, 315 ppi, adaptive refresh up to 144Hz
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
GPU	Qualcomm Adreno 830
RAM	12GB LPDDR5X
Storage Space	256GB UFS 4.0
SD Card Expansion Slot	No
Main Camera	13MP
Front Selfie Camera	8MP
Battery Capacity	12,140mAh typical; up to 80W SUPERVOOC
Connectivity	WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB C 3.2 Gen 1; WiFi model
Pros	Flagship processor; 13.2 inch 3.4K 144Hz display; 12,140mAh battery; eight speakers; 5.97mm thin metal body.
Cons	Large 675g body; no microSD slot; keyboard and stylus may be sold separately

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite, 6GB RAM, 128GB, 2TB Expand, 10.9”
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Operating System	Android 15
Screen Size	10.9 inches
Display Resolution	1320 x 2112pixels
Processor	Exynos 1380
GPU	Mali
RAM	6 GB
Storage Space	128 GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	yes, upto 2TB
Main Camera	8 Megapixels
Front Selfie Camera	5 Megapixels
Battery Capacity	8000 mAh
Connectivity	Wifi, Bluetooth
Pros	Performance, stereo speakers
Cons	None

3. Best Tablets for Reading Nursing Textbooks and Medical PDFs

A clear display and sufficient screen space can make it easier to read nursing textbooks, clinical guidelines, research papers, and lengthy PDF documents.

TCL NXTPAPER 14 256GB 8GB WiFi
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Operating System	Android 14
Screen Size	14.3 inches
Display Resolution	2400 × 1600 pixels, 60Hz
Processor	MediaTek Helio G99 (MT8781), octa core, up to 2.2GHz
GPU	ARM Mali G57 MC2
RAM	8GB physical RAM, up to 8GB virtual RAM expansion
Storage Space	256GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	No
Main Camera	8MP rear camera with autofocus and LED flash
Front Selfie Camera	13MP + 5MP dual front cameras
Battery Capacity	10,000mAh, 33W USB PD fast charging
Connectivity	WiFi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type C, WiFi only
Pros	Large 14.3 inch 2.4K matte NXTPAPER 3.0 display; paper, color paper and regular viewing modes; 10,000mAh battery; quad speakers; dual front cameras; 33W charging; thin 6.95mm body.
Cons	Large and relatively heavy at about 760g; no microSD expansion

Apple iPad Air 13 inch (M4), 256 GB
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Operating System	iPadOS 26 or later, depending on installed updates
Screen Size	13 inches
Display Resolution	2732 x 2048 pixels, Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 264 ppi, 600 nits
Processor	Apple M4, 8 core CPU
GPU	9 core Apple GPU with hardware accelerated ray tracing
RAM	12 GB
Storage Space	256 GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	No microSD card slot; storage is fixed
Main Camera	12 MP wide rear camera, up to 5x digital zoom; 4K video
Front Selfie Camera	12 MP landscape front camera with Center Stage
Battery Capacity	36.59 Wh rechargeable lithium polymer; up to 10 hours web or video use
Connectivity	Wi Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, USB C; Wi Fi and Wi Fi + Cellular versions available
Pros	Large 13 inch Liquid Retina display for drawing and multitasking; strong M4 performance with 12 GB unified memory; P3 colour and True Tone; Apple Pencil Pro support; landscape Center Stage camera; Wi Fi 7; less expensive than the 13 inch iPad Pro
Cons

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, 13.1 inch
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Operating System	Android 15 (One UI 7)
Screen Size	13.1 inches
Display Resolution	2880 x 1800 pixels (WQXGA+), LCD, up to 90 Hz
Processor	Samsung Exynos 1580, octa-core
GPU	Samsung Xclipse 540
RAM	8 GB (128 GB model) or 12 GB (256 GB model)
Storage Space	128 GB or 256 GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	Yes, microSD card support up to 2 TB
Main Camera	13 Megapixels, autofocus
Front Selfie Camera	12 Megapixels, ultra-wide
Battery Capacity	10,090 mAh; supports 45 W wired charging
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3; 5G available on selected models
Pros	Large 13.1 inch 90 Hz display; high 2880 x 1800 resolution; S Pen support; microSD expansion up to 2 TB; large battery with 45 W charging; IP68 water and dust resistance; stereo speakers
Cons	LCD screen lacks the contrast of OLED

4. Best Tablets for Nursing Research and Multitasking

These tablets suit students who frequently switch between online research, lecture notes, medical references, browser tabs, and document editing applications.

OnePlus Pad 3 256GB WiFi 2025
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Operating System	OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15
Screen Size	13.2 inches LCD (LTPS), 7:5 aspect ratio
Display Resolution	3392 × 2400, 315 ppi, adaptive refresh up to 144Hz
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
GPU	Qualcomm Adreno 830
RAM	12GB LPDDR5X
Storage Space	256GB UFS 4.0
SD Card Expansion Slot	No
Main Camera	13MP
Front Selfie Camera	8MP
Battery Capacity	12,140mAh typical; up to 80W SUPERVOOC
Connectivity	WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB C 3.2 Gen 1; WiFi model
Pros	Flagship processor; 13.2 inch 3.4K 144Hz display; 12,140mAh battery; eight speakers; 5.97mm thin metal body.
Cons	Large 675g body; no microSD slot; keyboard and stylus may be sold separately

Apple iPad Air 11 inch (M4), 256 GB
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Operating System	iPadOS 26 or later, depending on installed updates
Screen Size	11 inches
Display Resolution	2360 x 1640 pixels, Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 264 ppi, 500 nits
Processor	Apple M4, 8 core CPU
GPU	9 core Apple GPU with hardware accelerated ray tracing
RAM	12 GB
Storage Space	256 GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	No microSD card slot; storage is fixed
Main Camera	12 MP wide rear camera, up to 5x digital zoom; 4K video
Front Selfie Camera	12 MP landscape front camera with Center Stage
Battery Capacity	28.93 Wh rechargeable lithium polymer; up to 10 hours web or video use
Connectivity	Wi Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, USB C; Wi Fi and Wi Fi + Cellular versions available
Pros	Powerful M4 chip with 12 GB unified memory; lightweight and portable; good Liquid Retina display with P3 colour and True Tone; Apple Pencil Pro support; landscape Center Stage camera; Wi Fi 7; supports demanding creative apps at a lower price than iPad Pro
Cons	LCD display lacks OLED contrast and ProMotion 120 Hz; no Face ID; no LiDAR Scanner; no microSD slot; accessories cost extra; 128 GB base storage may be limiting for large projects; USB C is slower than the Pro Thunderbolt port

Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch 2025 16GB 256GB
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Operating System	Windows 11 Home
Screen Size	12 inches
Display Resolution	2880 × 1920, PixelSense LCD, 90Hz
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus, 8 core
GPU	Qualcomm Adreno GPU
RAM	16GB LPDDR5x
Storage Space	256GB UFS
SD Card Expansion Slot	No
Main Camera	10MP rear camera
Front Selfie Camera	Front facing Full HD camera
Battery Capacity	up to 16 hours local video playback
Connectivity	WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 2 × USB C / USB 3.2; WiFi model
Pros	Lightweight 686g tablet; sharp 3:2 touchscreen; Snapdragon X Plus with 45 TOPS NPU; WiFi 7; detachable keyboard and pen support.
Cons	Keyboard and pen often sold separately

5. Best Budget Tablets for Nursing Students

These options are worth considering for students who need a tablet for digital notes, online classes, reading materials, and everyday academic tasks without paying for premium hardware.

REDMI Pad 2 9.7, 128 GB, WiFi
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Operating System	Xiaomi HyperOS 3
Screen Size	9.7 inches LCD, 120 Hz
Display Resolution	2048 x 1280 pixels, 500 nits typical brightness, up to 600 nits outdoor mode
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2, octa core, 6 nm
GPU	Qualcomm Adreno 610
RAM	4 GB
Storage Space	128 GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	microSD expansion supported; maximum capacity may vary by regional model
Main Camera	8 MP rear camera, f/2.0, 1080p video at 30 fps
Front Selfie Camera	5 MP front camera, f/2.2, 1080p video at 30 fps
Battery Capacity	7,600 mAh typical; 18 W fast charging
Connectivity	Wi Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type C 2.0; WiFi only, no cellular network or GPS
Pros	Compact and light 401 g body; 9.7 inch 120 Hz 2K display; 7,600 mAh battery; 3.5 mm headphone jack; microSD card expansion supported where offered; affordable entry level tablet for reading, browsing and video
Cons	Entry level processor is not ideal for demanding games or heavy creative work

Lenovo Idea Tab 128GB WiFi
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Operating System	Android 15 or later
Screen Size	11 inches
Display Resolution	2560 × 1600 pixels, 90Hz IPS
Processor	MediaTek Dimensity 6300, octa core
GPU	Arm Mali G57 MC2
RAM	4GB or 8GB depending on regional configuration
Storage Space	128GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	Yes, microSD expansion supported
Main Camera	8MP
Front Selfie Camera	5MP
Battery Capacity	7,040mAh
Connectivity	WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, USB C 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack; WiFi model
Pros	Sharp 2.5K 90Hz display; optional paper like anti glare screen; quad speakers; microSD expansion; pen support; relatively light metal body.
Cons	Entry level Dimensity 6300 processor; WiFi 5 rather than newer WiFi standards;

Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 WiFi, 8.7 inch
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Operating System	Android 15 (One UI 7)
Screen Size	8.7 inches
Display Resolution	1340 x 800 pixels (WXGA+), TFT LCD, up to 90 Hz
Processor	MediaTek Helio G99 (MT8781), octa-core, up to 2.2 GHz
GPU	ARM Mali-G57 MC2
RAM	4 GB or 8 GB, depending on configuration
Storage Space	64 GB or 128 GB, depending on configuration
SD Card Expansion Slot	Yes, microSD card support up to 2 TB
Main Camera	8 Megapixels, autofocus; no flash
Front Selfie Camera	5 Megapixels
Battery Capacity	5,100 mAh; USB-C charging
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.3; Wi-Fi model has no cellular data
Pros	Compact and lightweight at about 335 g; smooth 90 Hz display; microSD expansion up to 2 TB; 3.5 mm headphone jack; dual speakers; suitable for browsing, video streaming, reading and video calls
Cons	Low 1340 x 800 screen resolution; TFT LCD has limited contrast compared with OLED; entry level processor is not ideal for demanding games or heavy multitasking, particularly the 4 GB model; modest 5,100 mAh battery; no cellular connectivity on WiFi model

6. Best Portable Tablets for Nursing School and Clinical Placements

Portable tablets are convenient for travelling between lectures, libraries, accommodation, and clinical placements, where students may need quick access to study materials.

Teclast T60 Mini 128GB 8GB RAM
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Operating System	Android 17 with TeclastOS 3.0 (as listed on official product page)
Screen Size	8.8 inches
Display Resolution	2560 × 1600 pixels, 2.5K, 90Hz
Processor	Unisoc T7300, octa core, 6nm
GPU	ARM Mali G57 MC2
RAM	8GB physical RAM, advertised up to 48GB with virtual expansion
Storage Space	128GB UFS
SD Card Expansion Slot	Yes, TF / microSD expansion up to 2TB
Main Camera	13MP rear camera with flash
Front Selfie Camera	5MP
Battery Capacity	6,000mAh; 18W PD fast charging
Connectivity	Dual SIM 4G LTE, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.4 with LDAC, USB C, GPS / GLONASS / BDS / Galileo
Pros	Compact 8.8 inch 2.5K 90Hz display; UFS storage; 4G LTE; WiFi 6; microSD expansion up to 2TB; light 324g body; Android 17.
Cons	6,000mAh battery is smaller than larger tablets; 8.8 inch display may be small for productivity; physical RAM is 8GB, with virtual expansion not equivalent to physical RAM.

Apple iPad 11 inch (A16), 128 GB, Cellular
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Operating System	iPadOS 26, with software updates supported by Apple
Screen Size	11 inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 10.86 inch actual viewable diagonal
Display Resolution	2360 x 1640 pixels, 264 ppi, True Tone, 500 nits
Processor	Apple A16, 5 core CPU
GPU	Apple GPU, 4 cores; 16 core Neural Engine
RAM	6gb
Storage Space	128 GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	No microSD card slot; internal storage cannot be expanded
Main Camera	12 MP wide camera, f/1.8, autofocus with Focus Pixels, up to 5x digital zoom, 4K video at 24, 25, 30 or 60 fps
Front Selfie Camera	12 MP landscape ultra wide camera with Center Stage
Battery Capacity	28.93 Wh lithium polymer battery; up to 10 hours web or video over Wi Fi; up to 9 hours using cellular data on Cellular model
Connectivity	Wi Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G and Gigabit LTE cellular data, eSIM only, USB C with USB 2.0 data speeds up to 480 Mb/s; GPS/GNSS included; cellular data plan required
Pros	Includes 5G and LTE mobile data for use away from Wi Fi; GPS/GNSS for location services; A16 chip handles everyday productivity, study and media well; sharp 11 inch Liquid Retina display; 128 GB base storage; landscape Center Stage camera; Touch ID; supports Apple Pencil USB C and first generation Apple Pencil with adapter
Cons

Lenovo Idea Tab 128GB LTE
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Operating System	Android 15 or later
Screen Size	11 inches
Display Resolution	2560 × 1600 pixels, 90Hz IPS
Processor	MediaTek Dimensity 6300, octa core
GPU	Arm Mali G57 MC2
RAM	4GB or 8GB depending on regional configuration
Storage Space	128GB
SD Card Expansion Slot	Yes, microSD expansion supported; cellular model uses nano SIM plus microSD
Main Camera	8MP
Front Selfie Camera	5MP
Battery Capacity	7,040mAh
Connectivity	WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, 4G LTE cellular on supported regional WWAN models, USB C 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack
Pros	Mobile data option on LTE configuration; 2.5K 90Hz screen; quad speakers; microSD expansion; pen and keyboard support.
Cons	LTE availability depends on model number and market; entry level processor; WiFi 5; no 5G.

 

You can also take a look at the Best Tablets for College Students in addition to the Best Tablets for Medical School.

 

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