Many primary and most high schools now have programs that invite students to bring their personal devices into the classroom to create a seamless learning experience between the classroom and home. It’s a big decision when it comes to selecting the right device for your learners, so whether you have a little one starting primary or a teen preparing for their final years of school, we’ve rounded up our top school laptops and tablets for you to choose from and why they could be the right fit for your child’s age and stage.

Key Features to Consider for School Devices

Two high-school-aged students working together on a laptop in a classroom with colourful decorations and desks in the background.

Tablet, Laptop or 2-in-1?

There are a few options when it comes to selecting school computers; the most common choices include tablets, laptops and 2-in-1s, with tablets more common among primary school students and laptops the common pick for high-schoolers. 

Schools often provide guidelines on the types of devices best suited for their curriculum, so it’s a great starting point when considering what features your child will need for their classes and homework. For note-taking or art classes, a tablet with a touchscreen display might be ideal. If they’ll be running powerful programs like coding or design software, look for a laptop with a strong central processing unit (CPU). Need something more versatile? Consider a 2-in-1 device, a touchscreen laptop that can be converted for use as a tablet.

Screen Size

The size of the display is measured diagonally across from corner to corner. Check the dimensions and ensure it fits comfortably in their bag. For primary school students, a compact screen size of 10 to 12 inches is often ideal for portability and ease of use. Secondary school students may benefit from larger screens, around 13 to 15 inches, which provide more space for multitasking and detailed work without being too bulky.

Battery Life

For uninterrupted learning, seek out a device with enough juice to last the full six hours of the school day. To help kids stay powered up, encourage them to get into the habit of plugging in their laptop or tablet to charge overnight.

Weight

Portability is a key factor as these devices are being carried by kids in their backpacks to and from school five days a week. For younger students in primary school, aim for devices under 1kg to keep backpacks light and manageable. High school students are generally able to handle slightly heavier devices, but sticking to under 2kg is still ideal for comfort and convenience.

Resolution 

Their school laptop or tablet will be their gateway to a world of new discoveries, so it’s important they have a good quality screen to engage through. Quality is measured in pixel density; the more pixels, the better the quality resolution. For school devices, full high definition (1920 x 1080 pixels) is a common resolution and a great baseline, offering clear visuals for everything from assignments to creative projects.

SEE ALSO: Starting Primary School: A Practical Guide for Families

The Lenovo Idea Tab 11-inch Wi‑Fi 8/128GB tablet with pen, shown front-on with a purple screen and grey stylus, with rear casing and camera visible behind, on a teal background.

Best Tablet For Early Learners: Lenovo Idea Tab 11" WiFi 8/128GB with Pen Luna Grey

Screen size: 11 inches
Resolution: 2560 x 1600 pixels
Battery life: Up to 14 hours*
Weight: 480 grams=

You don’t have to over-invest in early learner tablets to still get great features. If you’re looking for a device that can access important educational apps, has robust parental controls, a durable design and a responsive touch screen, the Lenovo Idea Tab 11 delivers. It’s light enough for little hands and offers a large screen experience with a great resolution and all-day battery life. The solid aluminium body and IP52 weather rating protecting it against dust and water, alongside four years of promised updates, gives you comfort that it will last the distance.

The Acer Aspire Go 15.6-inch Core i5 8/512GB notebook, shown open front-on with silver casing and black keyboard, screen displaying Windows 11 interface, on a purple background.

Best Laptop For Transitioning to High School: Acer Aspire Go 15.6" Notebook 8/512GB Core i5

Screen size: 15.6 inches
Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
Battery life: Up to 6.5 hours*
Weight: 1.53 kilograms

Choosing a first high school laptop? You’ll want something that’s simple and reliable yet smart to help them hit the ground running. The Acer Aspire Go Notebook hits the sweet spot with its large 15.6-inch screen and 16:10 aspect ratio that gives students plenty of screen space to work with, and the HDMI 2.1 port means it can easily link up to a monitor when they need to plug in to a larger screen. The Intel processor makes it easy to multitask across office and educational apps, and its battery life will get them through the school day. Best of all, its innovative Windows 11 operating system will help to keep their studies on track with its Snap Layouts function for tidy side‑by‑side notes and research, its OneDrive cloud storage so work’s saved and easy to access at school or home, Focus sessions to minimise distractions, and handy voice typing and live captions. 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite Wi‑Fi 128GB tablet with white stylus, shown front-on with a pastel screen and dark grey rear casing visible behind, on a pink background.

Best Tablet For Audiovisual Learners: Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite WiFi 128GB Grey

Screen size: 10.9 inches
Resolution: 2112 × 1320 pixels
Battery life: Up to 15 hours*
Weight: 222 grams

When it comes to choosing a good tablet for audiovisual education, screen and audio quality matter most. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite has a clear, bright screen that’s smooth to scroll and Dolby Atmos capable speakers that provide rich, immersive sound, so it’s great for playing videos and viewing photos and multimedia. It also includes a digital pen that makes writing and drawing easy for younger kids, a microSD slot for easy file transfers, a full-high-definition camera with dual mics for crisp recordings, split‑screen capability and a fast‑charging, long‑lasting battery.

Lenovo 12.7-inch Idea Tab Pro 8/256GB tablet with pen, shown angled with purple screen, rear casing and camera visible, stylus resting on back, on a tan background.

Best Tablet For Note-Takers: Lenovo 12.7" Idea Tab Pro 8/256GB Luna Grey

Screen size: 12.7 inches
Resolution: 2944 x 1840 pixels
Battery life: Up to 11 hours*
Weight: 615 grams

Successful digital note-taking starts with a pen that feels natural, like writing on paper. You’ll also want a clear, responsive screen and compatibility with your favourite note-taking and drawing apps. The Lenovo Idea Tab Pro gives you a big, sharp display with extra‑smooth movement, so handwriting and sketches look spot‑on. It includes the Lenovo Tab Pen Plus, which responds to light and heavy strokes for better control. Together, they’re ideal for budding artists and avid note-takers. You also get rich, immersive sound, an all‑day battery and plenty of ways to connect and share, so it’s flexible for study, work and play.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Wi‑Fi 128GB tablet with white stylus, shown front-on with a blue‑green screen and dark grey rear casing visible behind, on a yellow background.

Best Tablet For Senior School Learners: Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE WiFi 128GB Grey

Screen size: 10.9 inches
Resolution: 2304 x 1440 pixels
Battery life: Up to 15 hours*
Weight: 222 grams

For older students, a tablet must deliver more than education; it needs to be flexible for hobbies like watching, creating and gaming, and it should look the part at high school. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE has a sharp, bright screen with head-turning resolution, as well as immersive Dolby Atmos sound and a wide range of connectivity options. The included S Pen makes writing and sketching feel natural, the tall 16:10 screen gives you extra room and multitasking is made easy with split‑screen capability. The long-lasting battery will keep senior school learners powered through classes and study sessions, while built-in AI tools can help them plan their study schedule, so they stay organised and on track. 

Acer Nitro V 15 15.6-inch gaming laptop, Ryzen 5, 16/512GB, RTX 3050; shown open at an angle with black casing and keyboard, screen showing Fortnite, on a teal background.

Best Laptop For Durability: Acer 15.6 Nitro V 15 Gaming Laptop Ryzen 5 16/512GB RTX3050

Screen size: 15.6 inches
Resolution: 1920 x 1200 pixels
Battery life: Up to 7.5 hours*
Weight: 2.1kg

In need of something with extra protection against knocks and bumps? The Acer 15.6 Nitro V 15 will do the trick. The thick plastic shell and reinforced lid protect it from bumps, while the dual fan cooling stops overheating. It also packs a punch on the inside too, with a powerful Ryzen processor that ensures it’s not just capable of everyday multitasking, but can handle gaming and higher-end software. It runs Windows 11 for a smooth, secure experience, with automatic updates that help keep it safe and reliable over time. You get all-day battery life, a comfortable typing experience and modern ports, too. For extra durability, the ports are reinforced to prevent wear, and the memory and hard drive can be changed or upgraded if needed.

HP 14-inch Pavilion x360 2‑in‑1 Core i5 8/512GB laptop, shown in tent mode with silver casing and screen displaying the Windows interface, on a yellow background.

Best 2-in-1 For Creative Learners: HP 14” Pavilion x360 Core i5 8/512GB 2-in-1 Laptop  

Screen size: 14 inches
Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
Battery life: Up to 9.5 hours*
Weight: 1.51g

Let them explore, create and learn their way with The HP Pavilion x360 Core 2-in-1, which pairs flexible modes and a sturdy 360‑degree hinge with Windows 11’s AI-powered Copilot tools to boost creativity. No matter their passion or learning style, Windows 11 will give them a leg up in creating and getting things done: it can help to brainstorm ideas, draft outlines and refine wording for aspiring writers, remove backgrounds, tidy up and enhance snaps for budding photographers and add auto‑captions and create quick video cuts with smart edits for lovers of film. It’s compatible with the HP Pen, a stylus allowing for creative experiences across a range of apps, and the Bang & Olufsen speakers provide crisp sound. The port selection is excellent for creatives, too: the DisplayPort and HDMI 2.1 let you plug into monitors, projectors or TVs for a bigger canvas or create a dual‑screen setup, while the microSD card reader makes it simple to move photos and videos from a camera or phone straight onto the laptop.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 2‑in‑1 Copilot+ PC, Snapdragon X Plus 24/1TB; open at an angle with silver casing, backlit keyboard, and a colourful abstract screen, on a purple background.

Best 2-in-1 For Senior School Learners: Lenovo Ideapad 5 2-in-1 Copilot+ PC Snapdragon X Plus 24/1TB

Screen size: 14 inches
Resolution: 1920 x 1200 pixels
Battery life: Up to 21.5 hours*
Weight: 1.49 kilograms

In the final years of high school, senior students are looking for true flexibility: power, connectivity, long battery life and a lightweight design. The Lenovo Ideapad 5 fits the bill with true 2-in-1 adaptability. It’s packed with powerful hardware, while using the mighty AI capabilities of the Snapdragon processor to not only easily run educational software, but also creative and gaming apps. There’s also the Copilot+ AI assistant, which can help to streamline their studies, from research and assignment planning to exam prep and much more. The vibrant OLED touchscreen is good on the eyes and for multimedia experiences, which they can enjoy all day thanks to the long battery life.

School Tech Accessories

Sleeves and Cases

Teach your kids the importance of keeping their tech safe with a case to protect their devices from any accidental bumps or tumbles. 

What to Try 

Screen Protectors

Especially important for touchscreens, screen protectors will help save their display from scuffs and scratches, keeping it clearer for longer.

What to Try

Headphones

Ideal for video learning, headphones that offer parent control settings and customisable volume limits will protect little ears.

What to Try 

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*Battery life/runtime may vary and is dependent on various factors including loaded applications, configuration, features, usage, network and settings. Battery run times quoted are typically results of benchmark testing by brands.

This article was originally published in December 2024 and has been updated.