Give your child an educational edge with a student laptop or tablet from Vodacom.
Investing in a student laptop for your child is not the same as when you nagged your parents for a space case circa 1995. A laptop or tablet is a valuable tool for research, projects, and preparing them for an adulthood where digital skills will be essential. In fact, some schools have already made laptops or tablets compulsory for learners. Even if your child isn’t at a school with this requirement, you can still give them a digital edge.
What to look for in a student laptop
Despite what your tween may have to say on the matter, a student laptop doesn’t need the highest specs. You’re buying it for learning, not gaming. Focus on:
- Durability
- Battery life
- Compatibility – make sure the laptop or tablet is compatible with any software or hardware the school requires children to use.
- Connectivity – especially USB ports
- Performance – it should be able to handle multiple windows and tabs open at once
5 student laptop and tablet deals from Vodacom
Check out these student laptop and tablet deals up for grabs at Vodacom right now.
Budget student laptop
HP 250 G9 15.6-inch Celeron 8GB/256GB SSD
You get a lot for the price with this laptop. Plus, it comes with 15GB data top-up and a MiFi portable router. The battery can go for hours on a single charge. It has all the essential ports – including a Type-C (which takes the kind of connector you find on most modern mobile phone cables). It easily handles Microsoft Office, web browsing and emails, even with multiple tabs and windows open. The portable router creates a personal hotspot for you to connect to the internet on the go.
Convenient laptop
Acer Aspire Lite 16 Core i5 8/512GB SSD
Slim and lightweight, this laptop is easy to carry around and fits into an average-size backpack or school bag, no problem. Yet it still manages to give you a full keyboard with number pad and multiple ports of different kinds. It’s powerful enough to handle documents, browsing and light multimedia work.
Budget-friendly crossover
HUAWEI MatePad 11.5-inch Wi-Fi 256GB 2026
This tablet comes with both a detachable keyboard and Huawei M-pencil, so your child can use it for typing and drawing. It’s a good compromise if you’re not ready to commit to a student laptop just yet. Anti-glare technology in the screen makes it good for outdoor use. One thing to keep in mind with Huawei though: You may find the choice of apps limited, so check beforehand if you can access the ones your child will need.
Budget tablet
A good option if you’re on a budget, this tablet should be able to last most of a school day on a single charge with basic use. It has a good screen and excellent speakers for streaming movies and series.
Durable tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 128GB 5G
IP-rated for dust and water resistance, with a screen that’s visible even in direct sunlight, this durable tablet can hold its own outdoors. The big screen is great for watching online lessons (or series), making this a good option for boarding school or older kids who can keep using it at college or university.