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The iPad is an excellent productivity tool for students in 2023, whether you choose the Pro, Air, or basic model. I’ve been using iPad Pros since 2016, so it’s been over seven years now. I’ve always owned just one iPad at a time, using it daily for studying and evaluating productivity apps. Here’s how to find the iPad that best suits your needs.
As a student, I kept all my notes and textbooks on a single device, which meant I never lost any notes. My room and study area were cleaner and tidier, and my school bag was much lighter since I didn’t need to carry around bulky medical textbooks—all of them were stored as digital copies on my iPad Pro. I certainly didn’t miss the physical textbooks with their size and weight.
Back then, I used Notability as my note-taking app, though I’ve since switched to Noteful. Notability allowed me to audio record lectures, which I could later replay while reviewing the lecture material to create my final study notes. This was a significant improvement from my previous setup, where I recorded lectures on my phone but struggled to organize and find the recordings. With Notability, my audio recordings were synced with my handwritten and typed notes, making it easy to track and review them. This digital transformation was life-changing, and I haven’t used paper for notes since.
The iPad Pro line is a bit expensive, but as a student, you don’t need to buy the Pro model to start your digital note-taking journey. Any current iPad with at least 256GB of storage will work well for taking notes and storing digital textbooks. While 64GB is still available, it’s too small if you want the device to last through college or university, which is about five years. My first-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro with 128GB lasted me four years before I left medical school, and I only upgraded when I needed more storage for video editing. For note-taking and studying, 256GB is more than enough.
I’ve always kept my notebooks, and four years after leaving medical school, I still have all my notes and don’t plan to let them go anytime soon. During university, my iPad Pro became my notebook, and I couldn’t part with it. If my 2015 iPad Pro hadn’t been as reliable as it was, I would have upgraded without hesitation. My passion for digital note-taking means I won’t settle for a device that doesn’t work well. So, believe me when I say that any current iPad with 256GB of storage will work perfectly for taking notes. If you’re still unsure which iPad suits your needs best, explore your options to find one you’ll love!
