If you’re an incoming college student asking “tablet or laptop?”, I’ll give you my quick answer upfront: you need a laptop first. In this video I break it down the way I wish someone had for me—based on six years of using both a tablet and a laptop consistently through undergrad and grad school. I walk through what you actually need day-to-day at university: homework (often online), note-taking, emailing, and a whole lot of projects. Then I compare which device really handles those needs. For homework and exams, the laptop wins because a lot of university platforms and proctoring tools (like LockDown-style software) simply don’t play nice with tablets. For note-taking, though, the tablet is the clear MVP—apps like Notability and GoodNotes, plus highlighting, colors, scanning, exporting, and backups can seriously level up how efficiently you learn. My recommendation is to contact your department, ask what most students use in your major, get your laptop situation settled first, and only then consider a tablet as an add-on if you want it, can afford it, and will actually use it well.