As a student, you are contemplating buying the iPad mini for your studies or college; I will explain everything about the iPad mini and whether it is suitable for students or maybe you should go for something slightly bigger.
This brings about the topic of the day, is ipad mini worth it for students.
I will explain this topic based on my experience with both the iPad mini and the iPad Pro.
Let’s dive in.
Is ipad mini worth it for students?
The iPad mini is not necessarily worth it for students, especially when it comes to note-taking.
Now listen, the iPad mini is very good and easy to carry thanks to its portable size. However, if you’re planning to use it for your school or college which involves note taking, it might be too small for such task.
You definitely won’t feel comfortable taking notes on the iPad mini, especially if you have large hands.
I have large hands, and it feels quite uncomfortable writing on my iPad mini, especially if I’m writing a bit faster.
I’m not saying it’s difficult to write on an iPad mini, but it’s much better to take notes on a larger iPad or tablet than on the iPad mini.
Both the screen and the resolution are small, making note-taking difficult, especially with large hands.
Again, if you plan to use a keyboard with the iPad mini, the keyboard will be small, especially one the same size as the iPad mini.
As an owner of the iPad mini, I mostly use it for browsing, media consumption, and gaming due to its small size compared to other iPads.
But I don’t take notes on my iPad mini unless I have some urgent things to note down.
As a student, the main purpose or the reason to own a tablet is for note taking, by using the pencil or a keyboard. Now, because of this, I always recommend something bigger and better.
Let me tell you this;
The iPad mini costs more than the standard iPad, and its price is slightly different from the M2 iPad Air.
For example, the iPad mini 7 cost around $499, which the regular cost $349.
The 11-inch iPad Air costs $599, while the iPad mini 7 is $499, a $100 price difference.
Mind you, the 11-inch iPad Air has a powerful M2 processor, while the iPad mini 7 comes with the Apple A17 Pro chipset.
So I believe that the main reason why iPad mini is expensive is due to the size which is very portable, lightweight, and easy to carry about.
Why I’m explaining how expensive the iPad mini is compared to the regular iPad is because I prefer the regular iPad to the iPad mini because of the screen display and price.
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Now, let me list out the best ipad for a student like you.
Best ipad for student 2025
The best ipad for student is the M1 iPad air even in 2025.
Why i said it is the best right now is because of these things;
- The display size
- The processor
- The battery life
- The price
I cannot recommend the iPad mini 7 or 6 to a student; I would rather recommend the regular 10th-generation iPad.
However, my best option is the 2022 M1 iPad Air.
Insteas of buying the iPad mini 7 for college, you rather go for the regular iPad 10th Gen or the 2022 M1 iPad Air.
Let me explain why I prefer the M1 iPad Air.
1. The display size
The display size of the M1 iPad Air is 10.9 inches, which is very good for note-taking using either the Apple Pencil or a keyboard.
With the 10.9 inches display, you have no complaints at all because it means that you can easily carry the M1 iPad Air anywhere you go even with a case.
Mind you, the weight is just 461 g.
For a student, a tablet of this size is best suited compared to a larger screen display like a 12.9-inch or 13-inch iPad.
2. The processor
The M1 chipset, even in 2025, is still very powerful and going strong.
If you’re into gaming and video editing, the M1, M2, M3, and the M4 chipset are the best.
I mentioned the M3 because the new iPad Air, released in 2025, comes with the Apple M3 chipset.
If you’re into gaming, the likes of Resident Evil 2, Sniper Elite 4 only support iPads with M1 chipset and above, and bi believe this trend will continue.
More AAA games will likely feature high end chipset for iPads.
In terms of video editing, the M1 chip isn’t bad at all though not as fast as the M3 and the powerful M4 chipset on iPad Pro.
You will definitely enjoy video editing on the M1 iPad Air compared to the iPad mini 7.
3. The battery life
For battery life, this is where the iPad mini performs very poorly, even the newest iPad mini 7.
I don’t understand why the iPad mini’s battery life is poor compared to other iPads, maybe because Apple sees it as just a phone and not necessarily a tablet.
As a student, I’m sure you will prefer a tablet or iPad with a good battery life, I’m sorry you can’t get such on any of the iPad mini.
The regular iPads, iPad Air, and iPad Pro have much better battery life than the iPad mini.
4. The price
For the price, the iPad mini is more expensive compared to the 2022 M1 iPad Air and the regular iPad 10th Generation.
And because of this, I prefer the iPad Air over the iPad mini.
However, you can’t find a brand-new M1 iPad Air in any Apple store; therefore, you can check eBay or Amazon.
I recommend checking for M1 iPad Air on Amazon because there you will see renewed premium which offers a full one year warranty for the iPad.
Going back to the question being asked, is ipad mini worth it for students? I will say no. Rather I recommend the M1 iPad Air or the regular iPad 10th Gen for students.
Remember, the M1 iPad Air supports the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil, though the iPad mini 7 supports the latest Apple Pencil pro.
Which size iPad is best for students?
A 10-inch or 11-inch iPad is best for students, as it is not too heavy or bulky to carry.
My best is the 11-inch iPad, be it the iPad Pro or the iPad Air.
I have both the iPad mini and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but I usually use my 11-inch Samsung tablet for note-taking.
It’s so easy to carry around even with a case, and honestly, I prefer note-taking on a Samsung tablet more than on an iPad.
I just love the feeling and the effect.
I don’t necessarily take notes on my iPad except for a few short notes.
For students, I recommend a 10-inch or 11-inch iPad.
No so big, not so small.
