9 Best Tablets For Students in Malaysia (2024): From High-End to Budget Tablets
Tablets are great tools to supplement your learning experience. Be it for school, college, or university, a tablet will only enhance your education and boost your grades up.
However, searching for a tablet can be a tedious task. As a student, you need to account for factors such as portability, productivity features, and budget!
Fortunately, we’ve done the research for you. Here are the 9 best tablets for students in Malaysia, from high-end to budget tablets.
High End Tablets for Students
These tablets are the best of the best, offering every feature a student can dream of. They have the best processors to run even the most demanding software, and all the works to put your student life in cruise control.
They are also very expensive, so make sure to set aside enough money and plan your expenses accordingly!
Make sure to look out for student-only programs to enjoy greater discounts and payment plans!
Apple iPad Air (2022)
Price in Malaysia: min RM2,899, max RM4,399 (excluding add-ons); Get it cheaper on PriceShop
Students that have the benefit of splurging must consider the Apple iPad Air. It runs on the powerful M1 chip (the same chip on the MacBook Air) which features an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU.
Design students in particular will appreciate the iPad Air. Apple have always been reputable in the creative industry on its ability to run even the most demanding software. This is no different. Students that rely heavily on video and photo editing software will find it a breeze to work on the iPad Air.
Not only that, the 10.9″ Liquid Retina Display ensures accurate and vibrant colour tones to make your art stand out. For those long hours, True Tone will adjust the colour temperature of the screen for comfortable viewing.
The Apple iPad Air works best with add-ons such as the Apple Pencil and the Magic Keyboard. However, they are not included in the box, and you will need to fork out more if you wish to get them.
HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2″
Price in Malaysia: RM4,599 – RM4,999
If big screens are what you’re looking for, then the HUAWEI MatePad Pro might be the one for you. This tablet will give you a full 13.2″ OLED display with an immersive 2880x1920p resolution and P3 wide colour gamut. Despite its larger-than-most display, it keeps to an ultra-thin 5.5mm form factor and weighs only 580g.
The HUAWEI MatePad Pro is a multitasking machine, and you’ll find that the large 13.2″ screen is essential when using the Floating Windows feature. Floating Windows allow you to have more than one app open at the same time and on the same page, with the ability to stack, move, and zoom according to your needs.
Got a laptop or PC? Great. Take advantage of the MatePad Pro’s large display to Mirror your PC and turn the tablet into a sketchpad, or use the Extend function to use your tablet as a second screen.
Furthermore, it comes with 10100mAh battery which will last through a hectic day of class. Even when it’s time to charge, the 88W wired fast charging will get you up to speed in no time.
Pair the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2 with the HUAWEI M-Pencil (3rd Gen) and throw on a Smart Magnetic Keyboard to achieve maximum productivity.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+
Price in Malaysia: RRP RM4,599 – RM5,849
If you’re looking specifically for a tablet with a pen, then consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+. Among those we’ve mentioned so far, this is the only tablet that comes with a pen included in the box.
The Galaxy S Pen is a joy to have especially for on-the-go creatives. With the S Pen, it’s easy to jot down those random kicks of inspiration in whichever format you prefer. Just fire up the Samsung Notes app and begin to write, sketch, or doodle!
Even better still is that you get to work on the 12.4″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display of the Galaxy Tab S9+. What’s more, the tablet is powered with Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, allowing your most important apps to run smoothly and all at once, which will come in handy when you need multiple windows booted up.
What’s more, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ packs a long lasting 10090mAh battery with a 45W fast charging, making it one of the best tablets for students.
Mid-range Tablets for Students
Mid-range tablets strike the middle ground between price and function. They are affordable to most students, but it leaves behind all the frills you will get on a more expensive option.
Nevertheless, mid-range tablets does a more than sufficient job in ensuring you achieve top-of-the-class grades.
realme Pad X
Price in Malaysia: RRP RM1,699; Get it between RM1,495 – RM1,699 on PriceShop
The realme Pad X is an upper mid-range option for students. It runs on a Snapdragon 6nm processor that supports 5G connectivity, which is quite impressive for a tablet under RM2000.
It is also ultra slim at 7.1mm and weighs only 499g, making it easy to chuck into your tote bag as you shift between classes.
For the display, you’ll have a decent 10.95″ WUXGA+ screen. Additionally, the display is TUV Rheinland Certified for low blue light emissions; an important factor seeing as how prolong screen time is unavoidable as a student.
The realme Pad X comes with 6GB of RAM, with the option to pile on another 5GB via Dynamic RAM Expansion (DRE) bringing the total up to 11GB. If you’re worried that the 128GB storage won’t last you through your academic years, you’ll be glad to know it supports up to 512GB microSD storage expansion.
For productivity, you’ll have features such as Flexible Windows and Sidebar Multitasking Mode to transition easily between apps.
Apple iPad (9th Gen)
Price in Malaysia: min RM1,599, max RM2,999 (excluding add-ons)
Apple gets the rep of being one of the most expensive tablets in the market, but opting for slightly older models like the 9th gen iPad is not a bad idea at all. In fact, it’s great for students restrained to a budget cap.
The A13 Bionic chip isn’t the latest, but still works wonders when it comes to loading up graphic editing apps like Adobe Fresco and Procreate. You’ll have a full 10.2″ Retina display for high quality visuals. Plus, the iPad (9th Gen) has features that you can even find on newer iPad models, such as True Tone, Centre Stage for video calls, and rear camera document scanning.
Similar to the higher end iPad Air, the iPad (9th Gen) works best with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, though they are both sold separately.
OPPO Pad Neo
Price in Malaysia: RRP RM1,199 – RM1,399
If slim and lightweight is what you’re gunning for, then it does not get better than the OPPO Pad Neo. At a thickness of 6.89mm and a weight of only 538g, it will hardly take up any space in your backpack.
But portability isn’t the only strength of the OPPO Pad Neo. You can count on the MediaTek Helio G99 processor to ensure productivity apps such as Efficiency Taskbar to run smoothly. In addition to that, it comes with an impressive 11.4″ display with 2.4K resolution (2408x1720p) and 90Hz refresh rates; and not to mention its array of eye protection features.
For a mid-range tablet, OPPO does a great job in incorporating Dolby Atmos into its quad speakers to bump up audio quality.
Budget Tablet for Students
Budget tablets cater more towards students that don’t rely too heavily on software, such as students majoring in Language, Business, or even Marketing. Students in these courses don’t require heavy duty software and apps and as such, will get by with simple document processing and browsing.
For a price tag less than RM1,000, you’ll still be able to get quality with these budget tablets.
HONOR Pad X8
Price in Malaysia: RRP RM898; Get it between RM815 – RM899 on PriceShop
With a 10.1″ Full HD screen and TÜV Rheinland certification for low blue light, the HONOR Pad X8 is a stellar budget option.
It’s slim at 7.5mm and relatively lightweight at 460g, making it easy to carry around. For assignments that require extensive research and notetaking, the Split Screen function will be of great use. Moreover, you can turn on E-Book Mode to mimic paper-like book display if it suits your reading style.
If you have an HONOR phone, you can easily transfer files between devices conveniently with HONOR Share.
Perhaps one drawback is the relatively small 5,000mAh battery, which unfortunately does not support fast charging.
Lenovo Tab M10 Gen 3
Price in Malaysia: RRP RM869; Get it from RM786 on PriceShop
Another budget option you can consider is the Lenovo Tab M10 Gen 3. Released in 2022, this budget tablet keeps a modest 10.1″ Full HD LCD display. It is also TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light-certified to give your eyes the protection it needs.
Despite being a budget tablet, you’ll get impressive dual speakers supported with Dolby Atmos audio, perfect if you’re frequently learning off video sources like YouTube. The Lenovo Tab M10 Gen 3 comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, with storage expandable via microSD.
Likewise with the HONOR Pad X8, this Lenovo budget tablet does not have fast charging, and its battery is only slightly larger at 5,100mAh.
realme Pad Mini
Price in Malaysia: RRP RM699 – RM799; Get it from RM674 on PriceShop
Onto a mini option that packs a punch. The realme Pad Mini is perfect for students that are not fussy with size. It is the lightest tablet on the list, weighing in at only 372g. It is also one of the slimmest at 7.6mm.
Its display is 8.7″ with 1340 x 800px, and you’ll have the option of three screen modes that will make heavy reading easier. You can choose between Eye Comfort Mode to reduce low light emissions; Reading Mode to mimic the paper-like feel to your pages; or Dark Mode, for a darkened interface without glaring harsh light.
For a budget mini tablet, it has an impressive 6,400mAh battery that even supports 18W Quick Charge.
If you are a student, make sure to check out some student-only programs to get greater discounts!
