Best Apple products for students in 2023

From excellent Macs, to versatile iPads, and new iPhones, there are plenty of Apple products that cater to student needs. So whether you’re looking for affordable devices or the highest performing ones, you will find suitable picks. And the great thing about Apple products is that the company’s ecosystem ties them all tightly. So when you invest in more than one device, you get to utilize the seamless interoperability Apple is famous for. To help you make a smart purchase, we’ve compiled the best Apple products currently available for students.

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Our favorite Apple products for students

Apple MacBook Air (2022)

Best overall product

Light build, competitive power

The 2022 MacBook Air offers the M2 chip, a 13.6-inch display, and a redesigned chassis with MagSafe 3 support. It is powerful and can handle pretty much any kind of work.

Pros

• MagSafe 3 charging support
• Slim display bezels and overhauled design
• Upgraded 1080p webcam

Cons

• Pricier than its predecessor
• Has a notched display
• Doesn’t offer a wide port variety

$1199 at Amazon $1199 at Best Buy $1199 at Apple $1199 at Adorama

Powered by the Apple M2 chip, the latest MacBook Air has a 13.6-inch LED-backlit display, with a 2560×1664 native resolution at 224 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors. Its screen also supports True Tone, making the colors a bit warmer in certain lighting conditions.

The M2 chip has an always-on processor, an eight-core CPU with four perform­ance cores and four efficiency cores, an eight-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. This turns it into a beast when compared to similarly priced laptops. It’s so capable and power-efficient that Apple actually removed the fans from its internals. The MacBook Air M2 simply doesn’t heat up with average use.

The MacBook Air M2 includes two USB-C ports and, surprisingly, a 3.5mm headphone jack. It also reintroduces the MagSafe 3 charging port. So you will likely need to buy extra dongles or depend on cloud-based and other wireless solutions. My work is mostly internet browser-based, and I only use the MagSafe port to charge it, so this won’t be an issue for you if you use a lot of cloud storage.

This excellent notebook comes with 8GB of RAM, but it’s upgradable to 24GB. The base model has 256GB of SSD storage and can be upgraded to 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB. So these configurations should be enough to fit your student needs, unless you’re studying rocket science, of course.

The MacBook Air M2 is available in four colors: Silver, Starlight, Space Gray, and Midnight. So if you’re a fan of more vibrant colors, you will have to settle for a case or skin for your new laptop. The base model is priced at $1,199 without the student discount.

Powered by the Apple M2 Pro or M2 Max chips, the MacBook Pro (2023) offers 14.2-inch and 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR displays, with a 254ppi pixel density. Its screen also supports True Tone, making the colors a bit warmer in certain lighting conditions. Additionally, it comes 120Hz refresh rate support, which still remains unavailable on the MacBook Air.

The MacBook Pro (2023) includes three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an HDMI 2.1 port, an SD card slot, and a MagSafe 3 charging port. So you likely won’t need to buy extra dongles, as this port variety usually covers the needs of most people. That’s assuming none of your accessories still rely on a USB Type-A connection, which would then warrant the need for a dock or adapter.

This powerhouse comes with 16 GB of RAM, but it’s upgradable to 96 GB — if you require the extra memory. The base model has 512GB of SSD storage and can be upgraded to 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB. The M2 Pro chip can have up to 12 CPU cores and 19 GPU cores. Meanwhile, the M2 Max maxes out at 12 CPU cores and 38 GPU cores. This turns it into an unstoppable beast when compared to similarly priced laptops. These configurations should be enough to fit your student needs, no matter what you’re majoring in, and even surpass them.

The MacBook Pro (2023) is only available in two colors — Silver and Space Gray. So if you’re a fan of more vibrant colors, you will have to settle for a case or skin for your new laptop.

Apple Mac Mini (2023)

Best desktop

The cheapest Mac, now powered by M2

The Mac Mini (2023) packs Apple’s M2 or M2 Pro chip in a tiny form factor. It blends power with affordability, thanks to its low price tag.

Pros

• Apple M2 Pro chip support
• Wide port variety
• Tempting price tag

Cons

• No mouse or keyboard included
• Only one color option
• Stationary

$599 at Amazon $599 at Best Buy $599 at Apple

Powered by the Apple M2 or M2 Pro chip, the latest Mac Mini has no display, keyboard, mouse, or webcam. So you will separately have to buy your own accessories to set it up and properly utilize it. Similarly, when it comes to power, the Mac Mini doesn’t include a battery. It has to be plugged in at all times, which makes sense because it’s a stationary desktop computer. However, if you live in an area where power outages are frequent, you may want to consider buying a MacBook or an iPad instead.

In terms of ports, the Mac Mini includes Ethernet, HDMI, a 3.5mm jack, two USB Type-A ports, and Thunderbolt 4 (two or four, depending on the model). So you likely won’t need to buy extra dongles or docks, as these ports are typically sufficient for most people. Though, unlike the MacBook Pro, it lacks an SD card slot, so you may need to buy an adapter for that if needed.

This powerhouse comes with a minimum of 8 GB of RAM, but it’s upgradable to 32GB — if you require the extra memory. The base model has 512GB of SSD storage and can be upgraded to 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB. The M2 chip has up to 8 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores, while the M2 Pro goes for a maximum of 12 and 19 cores, respectively. This turns it into a mighty machine in comparison to similar computers. These configurations should be more than enough to fit your student needs, no matter what you’re majoring in, and even surpass them.

The Mac Mini is available in just one color — Silver. So if you’re a fan of more vibrant colors, you’ll have to depend on skins. The base model is priced at $599 before the student discount and comes without a keyboard or mouse.

Apple iPhone 13

Best value phone

Mostly up to date

The iPhone 13 is a decent equivalent to the regular iPhone 14 if you want to save some money. It packs the same processor, has the same design, runs the same operating system, and costs less.

Pros

• Supports Face ID
• Supports 5G
• Supports MagSafe

Cons

• Released in 2021
• No Dynamic Island
• 60Hz display

$730 at Best Buy $699 at Apple

If you are looking for a phone that is relatively modern yet doesn’t leave a hole in your pocket, the iPhone 13 is what you’re looking for. It’s a balance between affordable and capable. While it’s neither the latest nor the most affordable iPhone, it still shines in places where the most affordable or the latest don’t.

The iPhone 13 has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, with a 2532×1170 resolution at 460 pixels per inch. It supports HDR content, True Tone technology, wide color (P3), and Haptic Touch. Its brightness maxes out at 800 nits with typical use and 1,200 nits for HDR.

This phone includes a dual 12MP rear camera system with wide and ultra-wide cameras. It supports up to 2x optical zoom and up to 5x digital zoom. It also includes Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control, which helps you take professional-looking shots. Other camera features include Night mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3, 4K video recording, stereo video recording, Cinematic mode, and more. Its 12MP front camera includes additional sensors that enable Face ID and help you create Animoji and Memoji.

The iPhone 13 is a great device for those who want to take advantage of slim bezels and Face ID but also don’t want to spend a lot of money. It’s available in six different finishes. If none of the colors match your taste, you might want to look into buying a case. If not for the vibrant colors, then at least buy one to protect this delicate glass slab. You can buy the base model for $699 before the student discount.

Apple iPhone SE (2022)

Best budget phone

Classic design, fresh internals

The iPhone SE 3 is an affordable phone that packs the mighty A15 Bionic chip and supports 5G, but it lacks thin bezels and Face ID.

Pros

• Affordable
• A15 Bionic chip (late 2021)
• 5G support

Cons

• Ancient exterior design
• No Face ID support
• Dated cameras

$430 at Best Buy $429 at Apple $429 at Amazon

If you are looking for a phone that is both affordable and packs Apple silicon, then the iPhone SE 3 is for you. While it’s the latest in the iPhone SE lineup, it still features some dated characteristics — including its chassis. This phone is basically an iPhone 8 with updated hardware. However, it supports 5G networks and includes the A15 Bionic chip that powers the iPhone 13 lineup.

This phone includes a dual 12MP wide rear camera. It supports up to 5x digital zoom and includes Portrait mode with advanced bokeh, six lighting effects, and Depth Control. This allows you to take professional-looking shots. Other camera features include Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 4, 4K video recording, stereo video recording, and more. Its 7MP front camera doesn’t support Face ID, but it’s capable of shooting Portrait mode selfies nonetheless.

The Apple iPhone SE 3 is a great device for those who want to take advantage of 5G and a fast mobile chip while sacrificing the design, camera, and display. It’s available in Midnight, Starlight, and Red finishes only. If none of these limited colors match your taste, you might want to look into buying a case. If not for the vibrant colors, then at least buy it for the protection of this delicate glass slab. You can buy the base model for $429 before the student discount.

If you are looking for the highest-end phone from Apple, then the iPhone 14 Pro Max is what you’re looking for. It’s the latest, most powerful the company has released to date. Most students likely won’t justify buying it, but if you have spare cash, then you should take a look.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max comes with a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, with a 2796×1290 resolution at 460 pixels per inch, featuring an all-new Dynamic Island. It supports the always-on display, HDR content, True Tone technology, wide color (P3), Haptic Touch, and ProMotion technology at up to 120Hz. Its brightness maxes out at 1,000 nits with typical use, 1,600 nits when it comes to HDR, and 2,000 nits when outdoors.

This phone includes a Pro rear camera system, with telephoto, wide, and ultrawide cameras It supports up to 3x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, 6x optical zoom range, and up to 15x digital zoom. It also includes Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control. This allows you to take professional-looking shots. Portrait Lighting comes with six effects — Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, and High‑Key Mono. Other camera features include Night mode, Deep Fusion, Smart HDR 3, Apple ProRAW, lens correction, Macro photography, 4K video recording, stereo video recording, and more. Its 12MP front camera includes additional sensors that enable Face ID and allow you to use it for Animoji and Memoji.

The Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max is a great device for those who want to use the latest, best, and most advanced the company has to offer. It’s available in Space Black, Deep Purple, Gold, and Silver finishes. You can buy the base model for $1,099 before the student discount.

Apple AirPods 3

Best value earbuds

Seamless connectivity, minus ANC

The Apple AirPods 3 support Spatial Audio and ear detection. They’re also water and sweat resistant.

Pros

• Ear detection
• Spatial Audio support
• IPX4 rating

Cons

• No ANC support
• Relatively overpriced
• Lightning port

$170 at Best Buy $169 at Amazon $169 at Apple

The AirPods 3 introduce a fresh exterior design that looks more futuristic than that of the previous-gen models. They now look like a blend between the original AirPods and the AirPods Pro. However, it’s worth noting that these AirPods — unlike the Pro model — don’t support Active Noise Cancelation (ANC). They do bring new features to the table, though. These include support for Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. So when you are listening to or watching compatible content and moving your head, the audio will change accordingly.

When it comes to microphones and sensors, the AirPods 3 include dual beam-forming microphones, inward-facing microphones, a skin-detect sensor, a motion-detecting accelerometer, a speech-detecting accelerometer, and a force sensor. These components work together to support features like Spatial Audio, Hey Siri, ear detection, and more.

The AirPods 3 have an IPX4 water and sweat resistance, so you can use them when you hit the gym after school without worrying about the potential damage caused by sweat. Their batteries last up to 6 hours of listening time with a single charge. On a fully charged case, you can get up to 30 hours of listening time. And they only need five minutes in the case to get around one hour of listening time. To charge the case, you can either use a Lightning cable, such as the one you use to charge your iPhone, or place the case on a MagSafe or Qi wireless charging mat.

For those who aren’t fans of over-the-ear headphones and don’t need ANC, the AirPods 3 are perfect.

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Best performance earbuds

Spatial Audio, ANC, Find My, and more

$235

$249

Save $14

The AirPods Pro 2 pack in plenty of features, including active noise cancelation (ANC), Dolby Atmos content, and wireless charging, despite their compact build.

Pros

• Improved ANC
• Wired, Qi, MagSafe, and Apple Watch puck charging support
• Advanced Find My support

Cons

• No lossless audio support
• Lightning port
• Case scratches easily

$250 at Best Buy $235 at Amazon $249 at Apple

The AirPods Pro 2 are the newest earbuds from Apple. They’re superb, thanks to the ANC support, which is perfect for students who want to study and stay focused in crowded or noisy environments. While I’m no longer a student myself, the AirPods Pro 2 are a lifesaver when working from cafes. It’s unbelievable how suddenly everything around you ceases to exist, and you remain there, in front of your device, peacefully working on tasks.

The AirPods Pro 2 have an IPX4 water and sweat resistance, so you can use them when you hit the gym. Their batteries offer up to 6 hours of listening time with a single charge (up to 5.5 hours with spatial audio and head tracking enabled). With a fully charged case, you can get up to 30 hours of listening time, and they only need five minutes in the case to get around one hour of listening time. To charge the case, you can either use a Lightning cable or place the case on a MagSafe or Qi wireless charging mat. Alternatively, you can charge it using the Apple Watch charging puck.

As someone who isn’t a fan of over-the-ear headphones, the AirPods Pro 2 are perfect for me. They offer some of the best sound quality and features that in-ear true wireless earbuds can offer nowadays.

Apple iPad Air (2022)

Best tablet

Powered by M1, crippled by iPadOS

$499

$599

Save $100

The Apple iPad Air 5 is a mid-range tablet that balances between budget and power. It’s powered by the M1 chip and comes in five different colors.

Pros

• Slim display bezels
• Supports Apple Pencil 2
• Apple M1 chip

Cons

• No Face ID support
• 60Hz display
• Narrow Touch ID sensor

$600 at Best Buy $499 at Amazon $599 at Adorama $599 at Apple

If you like the concept of an iPad replacing your laptop, but the affordable iPad 9 doesn’t offer enough power for you and the iPad Pro M2 is too expensive for your budget, then you may want to look into the Apple iPad Air 5. It’s a significant upgrade when compared to the affordable iPad 9, and it is powered by the same M1 chip included in some recent Macs. So it’s one of the most powerful mid-range tablets you can get for this price tag.

The Apple iPad Air 5 comes with a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina LED-backlit Multi-Touch display with a 2360×1640 pixel resolution at 264 pixels per inch. It supports True Tone display — which makes colors a bit warmer in certain lighting conditions — and the Apple Pencil 2. If you’re studying an art major, this might be a great pick for you.

This iPad is powered by the Apple M1 chip. When it comes to memory and storage, the iPad Air has 8GB of RAM and 64GB or 256GB of SSD. While there aren’t a lot of configurations here, it’s still more than enough for an average student looking for a mid-range device.

The Apple iPad Air 5 10.9-inch is available for $599 for the base model and comes in five colorful finishes — Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple, and Blue. Apple Pencil 2, keyboard cases, and other optional accessories are sold separately.

Apple iPad (2021)

Best budget tablet

Great for note taking and media streaming

$269

$329

Save $60

The iPad 9 is the 2021 affordable iPad from Apple. It is powered by the A13 Bionic chip and supports the Apple Pencil 1.

Pros

• Affordable
• Apple Pencil 1 support
• 12MP Ultra-wide front camera with 122º FoV

Cons

• Dated exterior design with thick bezels
• No 5G support
• No Face ID support

$269 at Amazon $329 at Apple

If you are looking for a product that costs around a third of the Apple MacBook Air and are willing to sacrifice the privileges of a real computer, then the Apple iPad 9 is what you’re looking for. While it’s nowhere as powerful as the popular notebook, it still packs enough power for a lot of students. If your studies don’t require advanced PC software that isn’t supported on iPadOS, and you only need to do some reading, writing, presenting, and/or doodling, then this iPad is the right device for you.

The affordable Apple iPad 9 comes with a 10.2-inch LED-backlit Multi-Touch Retina display, with a 2160×1620 pixel resolution at 264 pixels per inch. It supports the Apple Pencil 1, taking notes and illustrating to the next level. While the Apple Pencil is sold separately, it’s a good investment for those majoring in relevant fields. If you’re looking to turn the iPad into a laptop replacement, then we advise you to buy a keyboard case to make typing an easier task.

What makes the iPad stand out — when compared to the Mac — is cellular support. Apart from the multi-touch display that supports Apple Pencil 1, LTE distinguishes the iPad. You can attend online classes and study on the go, without having to worry about finding a Wi-Fi network. Do you want to study in the middle of a deserted forest? You’ve got this!

The Apple iPad 9 is a great device for light use. If you’re a student who’s looking for a lightweight, portable, and affordable tablet for your note-taking, then this device is what you’re looking for. It’s available in Silver and Space Gray finishes, so you might want to look into buying a case. If not for the vibrant colors, then at least buy it for the protection of this delicate glass slab.

If you like the concept of an iPad replacing your laptop, but the affordable iPad 9 isn’t powerful enough, then you may want to look into the Apple iPad Pro M2. It’s powered by the M2 chip, which was originally designed for the Mac, so it’s the most powerful tablet you can get for its, or any, price tag.

First up, the tablet has a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED backlit display with a 2732×2048 pixel resolution at 264 pixels per inch. It supports ProMotion technology, Apple Pencil hover, True Tone display, and the Apple Pencil 2. If you’re studying art or like to do creative tasks, this might be the perfect device for you.

The M2 chip has an always-on processor, an eight-core CPU with four perform­ance cores and four efficiency cores, a 10-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Regarding memory, the iPad Pro M2 has 8 GB of RAM on models with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage and 16GB RAM on models with 1TB or 2TB of storage. So there are configurations that match most needs.

When it comes to photography, this iPad Pro doesn’t fall short. It has a Pro camera system on the back that includes wide and ultra-wide cameras. It also has a LiDAR Scanner, which allows users to 3D map environments around them. The front camera has a 12 MP lens with a 122-degree field of view. And thanks to the TrueDepth camera, you can unlock your iPad Pro with Face ID, in both portrait and landscape orientations.

The Apple iPad Pro M2 12.9-inch is available for $1,099 for the base model. It’s offered in two finishes only — Space Gray and Silver. Apple Pencil 2, keyboard cases, and other optional accessories are sold separately.

Apple Magic Keyboard

Best tablet keyboard

A universal keyboard for your Apple products

The Apple Magic Keyboard is fully integrated into Apple’s operating systems and lasts for around a month on a single charge.

Pros

• Lasts for months on a single charge
• Touch ID sensor
• Works with other Apple products, such as Macs

Cons

• Lightning port
• Relatively expensive
• No numpad

$99 at Amazon

The Magic Keyboard is one of the best options for iPad users who are deeply tied into Apple’s ecosystem. You can use it with both your iPad and Mac, and it’s fully integrated into iPadOS and macOS. That’s not to mention that it works with newer iOS versions, too. This keyboard features a minimalistic, simple design that matches the rest of the Apple products, in addition to a Touch ID sensor. Notably, you can utilize Touch ID on the Mac Studio, iMac, and Mac Mini only through this keyboard. This gives you an advantage over third-party options that lack built-in biometric authentication support.

When it comes to battery life, this keyboard will last you for around a month on a single charge. It comes with a USB-C to Lightning woven cable, so you can plug it into your Mac or a charging brick when it runs out of juice.

If you tend to work with numbers a lot, you will be delighted to hear that Apple also sells a numpad variant of this keyboard, allowing you to take advantage of Touch ID and the tight system integrations, while having the full set of keys.

Apple AirTag

Best tracker

Tracking made simple

Apple’s AirTag offers a low-cost, reliable solution when you need to track an object. It integrates into the Find My network, which allows it to be detected by millions of other Apple devices.

Pros

• Find My network support
• Year-long battery life
• IP67 resistance

Cons

• No family sharing
• No built-in attachment
• Shows scratches easily

$29 at Amazon $29 at Apple

Have you ever misplaced your backpack at school? That should be a thing of the past at this point. Apple introduced the AirTag back in 2021 as a Find My-enabled tracking device. AirTags are great for students because they’re affordable, can notify them when they leave something behind at school, and can help them locate the exact whereabouts of whatever tagged items they lose.

AirTags are water and dust resistant with a rating of IP67 — meaning they can survive up to one-meter immersion for no longer than 30 minutes. So if you drop your AirTag in a puddle, it should be fine. However, it’s worth mentioning that water resistance decreases over time, so don’t expect it to remain as resistant down the road.

AirTags have an advantage over Tile and other rivals because it supports the Find My network. So almost every single active Apple device can be used to help find your lost item, through the expanding network. As long as an area is inhabited and has Apple users walking around, you should be able to locate an AirTag.

An AirTag has a built-in speaker, so it can beep to help you or others find it. It also has privacy-focused features to make sure it’s not abused. If an AirTag detects that it’s following a person around that isn’t its owner for a certain period of time, it’ll scream for help. This is a very welcome anti-stalking measure from Apple.

AirTags are sold in either a pack of one or a (discounted) pack of four. They’re available only in white but Apple and other retailers sell plenty of colorful accessories if you want to make it more vibrant. One AirTag costs $29 in the U.S., while a pack of four costs $99. So if you buy a pack of four, you would be saving $17, compared to buying four AirTags individually.

Our favorite Apple products for students: The bottom line

As you can see, there are plenty of Apple products that cater to different student needs and budgets. Though, if you’re looking to buy a single product, we confidently recommend the MacBook Air M2 (2022). Not only is it light, portable, and capable, but it’s also reasonably priced. Thus, students can easily carry it around and make the most out of it on the go. Here at XDA, many of us depend on the MacBook Air M2 to deliver the content you read. So even after you graduate, this Apple computer will likely serve you well.

Apple MacBook Air (2022)

Best overall product

The 2022 MacBook Air offers the M2 chip, a 13.6-inch display, and a redesigned chassis with MagSafe 3 support. It is powerful and can handle pretty much any kind of work.

$1199 at Amazon $1199 at Best Buy $1199 at Apple $1199 at Adorama

But if you want to be even more integrated into the Apple ecosystem, you can do so with products like the iPhone 13, the AirPods Pro 2, and even an Apple AirTag. Best of all, Apple offers plenty of discounts to students, so you can save even more money on the way to class.