One of my classmates asked which is better, an iPad or a laptop? And a simple question became a 45-minute debate on what we thought was best.

Graphic Designer: Erin Church

Laptop:

So, which best serves a fresher when making a choice between the two?

Well, a laptop provides a level of professionalism an iPad just can’t match.

Why get an iPad just to purchase a portable keyboard to serve as a proxy of a laptop?

In the long term, detachable keyboards wear out no matter if they’re purchased from a high-end brand or not. This often means that you may have to spend extra money down the line for the same experience a laptop offers straight out of the box.

Many laptops are also built in with different ports, such as: SD card, headphone jacks, USB-C etc. These features are something an iPad just can’t offer you. This could also mean an adaptor would need to be purchased, especially for those who plan on editing videos from a camera that requires an SD card.

There seems to be a pattern of purchasing external devices to make an iPad work for you compared to the built-in specs that a laptop already has. Although purchasing an iPad is cheaper, I would argue that the price gap disappears once you include the costs of the accessories needed for an iPad.

When it comes to handling a serious workload, it could be said that a laptop serves better than an iPad. A laptop helps you manage your tabs in an efficient way that you can make work best for you, and provide the ability to resize, or overlap multiple sources of information at once. Imagine this, you’re in class and could take notes, message friends or family, have your music playing, all open for you to see on the same screen, on the same device. File management also comes easy with a laptop, for example, being able to download and organise local or external files.

While, I can agree that the course you study determines what works best for you as a student; an iPad is excellent for STEM or Art students who sketch or write out equations etc. However, nowadays it could be said that 360-degree laptops bridge the gap. As they serve as both an iPad and a laptop, you’re getting the best of both worlds without having to purchase external tech like you would an iPad.

In the end, it all comes down to preference and your course which would determine your choice, but if you’re debating on whether to purchase between a laptop or an iPad, I would suggest you go for a laptop.

iPad:

Starting university comes with a lot of things to think about: lectures, assignments, meeting new people, finding your way around campus and, of course, figuring out what technology you need. For many freshers, choosing between an iPad and a laptop can be difficult. Both devices have their advantages, but for me I think an iPad can be a better option than a laptop for freshers, especially if you want something simple, portable and useful for everyday university life.

The first reason is portability. As a fresher, you are constantly moving around. You could have a lecture in one building, a seminar somewhere completely different, and then decide to study in the library. Carrying a laptop, charger, and other things in your bag can start to feel like you are carrying your whole bedroom around with you. An iPad is much lighter, so it is easier to take lectures without feeling like your bag weighs 20kg.

Another thing I really like about an iPad is taking notes. Instead of carrying different notebooks for different modules, you can have everything in one place. With an Apple Pencil, you can write directly on your iPad, highlight important information, draw diagrams, and organize your notes however you want. It also makes it easier to search for something instead of going through pages of handwritten notes trying to remember where you wrote something.

An iPad can also be good for organization. University can get confusing very quickly when you have different deadlines, lectures and societies to keep up with. You can have your timetable, notes, calendar, emails, and university apps all on one device. Personally, I think having everything together makes university life feel a little less chaotic.

Then there is the creative side. Not every student only needs technology for essays. Some of us are creating content, editing videos, designing things, or working on social media. An iPad gives you access to apps for editing, graphic design and creativity while still being easy to carry around campus. You can literally sit somewhere on campus, open your iPad, and start working.

Another advantage of an iPad is its versatility. It can be used in different ways depending on what you need at that time. You can use it as a notebook during lectures, a screen for articles, a device for watching recorded lessons, or a creative tool for designing and editing. Adding a keyboard also makes it more suitable for typing essays and completing assignments. Rather than being limited to one main purpose, an iPad can adapt to whatever you need at the time.

However, I don’t think laptops are useless. There are university tasks where a laptop is more convenient, especially when you are writing long assignments or using software that is not available on an iPad. But for a fresher, who mainly needs something for notes, research, organization and everyday university work, I think an iPad can be more practical.

At the end of the day, it really depends on your course and what you personally need, however if you prefer typing up your notes, maybe a laptop is what you want, but if you enjoy drawing or using a touch screen perhaps you will prefer an iPad. The choice is really yours.