The right hardware for you depends on what types of classes you plan to take, how intensive you expect your on-screen coursework to be, and which type of device you prefer. A tablet may not fit the needs of journalism, business, or law students, who must perform endless research and compose long documents, but it's perfect for chemistry or physics students who need a finger-friendly touchscreen for annotating formulas, or for medical school students who need an easy-to-balance slate as they make their rounds in a hospital.

It may be that you'll want both a laptop and a tablet. Tablets are perfect for catching up on your notes while commuting to class by carpool, train, or bus; for taking notes unobtrusively; for reading; for tapping out email missives; and for Web surfing in a café or public area. A tablet can also act as a second, independent screen that you can use to call up Web references while writing on your laptop.

But versatile as it is, a tablet has limitations. Notably, it doesn't handle multitasking among multiple open windows well, nor does it offer convenient control over full-bore office apps like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Last year, Brooklyn's Long Island University was one of many that doled out Apple iPad tablets to incoming freshmen and transfer students. The maneuver was popular among students, but it didn't free them to leave their laptops at home; instead they used the tablet as a tool to complement their laptop as they walked around campus.