New laptop or tablet for school, or both?

I'm starting an LPN program in January and I don't think my current laptop will be able to hack it. It crashes often, can't go more than an 1 1/2 hours off the charger, is kinda slow and weighs 5.5lbs. It is just a low end acer I bought 4 years ago.

There is so much available now it seems impossible to choose, especially after reading a whole bunch of conflicting reviews. My budget isn't very big so I was considering an Acer chromebook maybe, or just a Samsung tablet with a bluetooth keyboard? Or if I go for mid range models I could get one of each? What would be the best set up for college? I like the idea of hand writing notes and getting etextbooks on a tablet but am worried I'd need a laptop for some things as well, such as typing out papers, using programs the teacher might suggest and connecting to my printer.

What would be my best option if I want lightweight (under 3.5lbs), decent battery life and productivity? (The microsoft surface seems really nice but with the added on keyboard it's like $700+ which is a bit too much for me…)

Read more: New laptop or tablet for school, or both?