(PCMag )
It's almost time to trade the backyard barbecues and beach days for lecture notes and laptops! The new school year is closing in fast, which means the race to check off all of those academic necessities is kicking off now.
Gone are the days when all you needed was a few pencils, colorful folders, and a composition notebook. School includes a heck of a lot more tech than it used to—you're more likely to find a classroom full of Chromebooks than traditional spiral notebooks nowadays. And don't even get me started on university lecture halls filled with students tapping away on MacBooks or note-taking tablets.
The learning landscape has changed, and you should be well-equipped for all its tech-savvy surprises! There are thousands of tech deals popping up left and right, and we're spending the dog days of summer scouring the sale pages for the best bargains on headphones, laptops, tablets, SSDs, and more worth throwing in your bookbag. It's our bread and butter here at PCMag, so make sure to check back here as we update all the best back-to-school deals worth your dollar.
And while you're at it, browse our ultimate back-to-school gear guide!
Back-to-School Laptop Deals
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i
If you're balling on a budget for the 26-27' school year, look no further than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i. Besides its 15.6-inch big-screen appeal, it rocks a capable (yet price-conscious) Intel Core i3 processor, which is plenty powerful enough for basic, everyday tasks, browsing, and even light streaming when all your homework's wrapped up.
While 128GB of storage might not be enough for gaming or heavy-duty media storage, you can always put the $162 you're saving with this deal toward an external SSD. It's a fantastic entry-level, budget laptop built for students trying to skate by with a capable daily driver that doesn't rob you of your tuition money. You can check out our full review of this affordable laptop, too!
HP OmniBook 7
HP's OmniBook 7 is the kind of laptop students buy when they're in the market for a highly capable new class companion. It sports a gorgeous 17.3-inch (diagonally) Full HD touchscreen that's spacious enough to stack all sorts of windows on, so you can check the box on multitasking. It also boasts 400 nits of brightness to keep things clear on-screen!
Under the keys, a powerful Intel Core Ultra 5 226V processor can clock up to 4.5GHz, which is perfect for school and light professional tasks. Couple that with 16GB of RAM and a roomy 512GB of storage, and you have a spectacular big-screened laptop to use inside the classroom and out (hello, streaming marathon!).
On the outside, you have your pick of ports: the OmniBook 7 boasts a Thunderbolt 4, three USB-A inputs, one USB-C port, and HDMI 2.1. For a hefty $650 discount, back-to-school laptop shopping just got 45% cheaper.
HP OmniBook 3
Want a big-screen laptop without the big-ticket price? Look no further than the HP OmniBook 3. It's a massive 16-inch laptop that sports a 2K touchscreen and enough screen real estate to give all your windows room to breathe. It's an entry-level laptop powered by an AMD Ryzen 3 30 processor that's handy for regular workloads and more than a handful of tabs, with a good 8GB of RAM to support all the happenings on-screen. It also rocks a 256GB SSD for your files and media, which is more than enough if you just need it for schoolwork.
With a 14-hour battery life and fast charging, it'll last the whole school day and leave you with extra time to stream a few shows once your homework is finished. It's 33% off on Amazon right now, saving you $220 you can put toward those absurdly expensive textbooks instead!
Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 8 Laptop
Even if you're using your computer for school, it had better mean business. The Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 8 laptop shows up ready to work, with a snappy Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, a generous 32GB of RAM, and a spacious 2TB SSD in its (figurative) briefcase. It's the group project partner you wish you had!
It also sports a spacious 16-inch, 1,200p-resolution panel that doubles as a touch screen. Creatives can check a large item off their wish list for heavy-duty photo and video editing, plus other learners will enjoy plenty of space for data analysis, coding, and other multitasking projects. This laptop can absolutely handle a ridiculous number of tabs, too!
When we reviewed the last generation of this laptop, we touted its impressive battery life and highly efficient performance, so you can only expect more with the newer model. Plus, this deal knocks 32% off the $2,198.99 list price!
And if you're looking for something different, don't worry—we've found plenty of other back-to-school laptop deals already!
Lenovo ThinkPad E16
Lenovo is among the most trusted laptop brands in the industry, and we've tested just about every notable model with rigorous benchmarks for years now. Those reviews include the first-gen Lenovo ThinkPad E16, where laptop expert Eric Grevstad pointed out that it didn't reinvent the wheel but did offer a "capable big-screen business laptop at a bargain price." It's 29% off on Amazon right now, cutting a cool $500 off the $1,799 list price.
Back then, we might've had a bone to pick with the display quality, but the third-generation on sale here fixes that with a dazzling 16-inch, 1200p screen with ample space for dozens of multitasking windows, which is a huge advantage if you're writing a research paper and need all your resources up on one screen. It's easy on your eyes, lets you tackle schoolwork hard, and is only $1,279 for a sweet back-to-school treat.
More Laptop Deals for Students
- Dell XPS 13 Intel 5 512GB SSD 8GB RAM 13.4" Touch Laptop — $699 With Student Discount
- HP OmniBook 5 Ryzen AI 7 256GB SSD 16GB RAM 16" OLED Laptop — $699.99 ($1,299.99) Save $600.00
- HP OmniBook X Flip Intel Ultra 7 512GB SSD 16GB RA... — $1,099.99 ($1,429.99) Save $330.00
- Dell 16 Ryzen 7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16" Laptop — $999.99 ($1,099.99) Save $100.00
- HP OmniBook 3 Ryzen 7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 17.3" Laptop — $849.99 ($1,499.99) Save $650.00
- Get the Best Prices On Laptops — Download Our Free Price Comparison Tool $0
Back-to-School Headphone and Earbuds Deals
Bose QuietComfort Headphones
Bose is an audio industry leader for a reason — it delivers in quality, comfort, and active noise cancellation in spades. The Bose QuietComfort over-ear headphones are no exception to the lineup and deliver spectacular noise cancellation for the price. Right now, they're even cheaper with this 31% off deal. Students, if you want to drown out a crowded hallway or chattering campus on the way to class, these headphones are how you do it affordably.
The QuietComfort headphones boast up to 24 hours of playtime, plenty of customizable modes, and top-tier noise cancellation. In our review, PCMag expert Tim Gideon even said that they outperformed the Apple AirPods Max in that department! At more than $110 off, they're an undeniably good pick for your next over-ear companions.
Apple AirPods Max 2
We can’t believe our eyes (or our ears): Apple’s best over-ear headphones are on sale on Amazon right now, chopping at least $100 off the $549 list price. They’re expensive for a reason—with class-leading active noise cancellation, Live Translation, and Apple’s immersive Personalized Spatial Audio, the AirPods Max 2 stand head and shoulders above competitors like Bose and Sony. Plus, they look good while doing it! But you don't have to pay full price.
When we reviewed them, our expert praised them for delivering “the most cohesive, feature-packed experience for Apple users,” which ultimately earned them our Editors’ Choice award. There are four colors on sale: black and purple are 22% off (save $120), and blue and orange are 18% off (save $100).
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Deals like this one are music to our ears. Not only did the AirPods Pro 3 receive our rare 5-out-of-5 star rating, but they also won our Editors' Choice award, making them PCMag's top pick for wireless earbuds. In our review, audio expert Eric Zeman praised them as "easily the best-sounding earphones Apple has made." And luckily, Amazon has the Apple AirPods Pro 3 on sale for 24% off at $189.99!
The AirPods Pro 3 boast new AI-powered features like hearing protection, live language translation, heart rate monitoring, and fitness tracking, which is perfect if you're constantly trekking around campus. The active noise cancellation is stellar, cutting out twice the sound their predecessors do, so you can tune out the happenings at the library or the hum of a coffee shop. And Spatial Audio improvements with Dolby Atmos ensure that whatever tunes you spin will sound top-notch.
Don't forget to browse the other back-to-school headphones deals we've found!
Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds
Stand out from a bland sea of AirPods with the Nothing Ear (a) buds. They make it clear that premium can come in a more affordable package — literally, they're transparent. The Nothing Ear (a) wireless earbuds rock the company’s iconic see-through design for a more unique, futuristic look. Once they’re in your ears, you can enjoy 45dB hybrid active noise cancellation, hi-res audio features, and play music on two phones at once thanks to dual-device connectivity. You’ll never want to take them out, and you won’t have to that often with up to 42.5 total hours of battery life.
When we reviewed the Nothing Ear (a), audio expert Tim Gideon gave them an “Excellent” rating, praising their striking design and bass-heavy sound. The noise cancellation could be better, but the trade-off is a sick-looking pair of earbuds. Right now, 25% off feels pretty premium for the student looking to make a statement on campus.
Sony WH-1000XM5
We awarded the Sony WH-1000XM5 our Editors' Choice award for audiophiles, so if you need perfect cinematic sound as you walk between classes, these headphones are for you.
That sound is powered by 30mm drivers that deliver a frequency range of 4Hz to 40kHz, and depending on how loud you jam out or how you use ANC, Sony estimates you can squeeze out a solid 30 hours of battery life. Speaking of, their ANC is top-notch and doesn’t use a noticeable—and annoying—high-frequency hiss to mask signals, unlike most noise-cancellation technology.
Gideon compared the Sony WH-1000XM5 to the Bose QuietComfort 45 and Apple AirPods Max in our in-depth review, and even with that stiff competition, concluded that “the 1000XM5 over-ear headphones offer comparable noise cancellation and arguably the best sound quality of the bunch.”
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2
The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are the perfect compromise for the student who gets active and wants a pair of wireless earbuds that can withstand both their exercise and casual walks to class. They stand out from the crowd with their flexible ear-hooks—and boy, do they stay in place during the most vigorous workouts. You can even go upside down in a yoga pose without worrying about them hitting the deck. They come with stellar active noise cancellation that tunes out the commotion in the gym or chatter in the dining hall. Plus, they deliver rich, bass-heavy audio right to your ears, giving that workout a booming soundtrack.
Our expert gave them an "Excellent" rating in our review, touting the fitness-forward buds' active noise cancellation, wireless charging, and excellent heart rate monitoring that make them the best pair of earbuds for the gym. They’re 20% off right now, so snag them before school starts and the price jumps back to normal!
More Earbuds Deals
- Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wi... — $199.00 ($249.00) Save $50.00
- Beats Studio Buds+ True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds — $99.95 ($169.95) Save $70.00
- Beats Solo Buds Wireless Earbuds (Matte Black) — $69.95 ($79.99) Save $10.04
- Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Earbuds — $199.99 ($329.99) Save $130.00
- Nothing Ear (3) ANC Wireless Earbuds (Black) — $109.00 ($149.00) Save $40.00
- Get the Best Prices On Earbuds — Download Our Free Price Comparison Tool $0
Back-to-School Monitor Deals
Samsung 32-Inch Flat Computer Monitor
A quiz to study for today, a test tomorrow, and a paper due next week—such is the life of a student. It often feels like your teachers and professors somehow coordinate when to overload you with coursework, doesn't it? While a monitor doesn't guarantee an easy A, it can sure help you multitask with some extra screen real estate. This 32-inch Samsung monitor is basic and affordable, but it also checks all the right boxes for your display needs.
This monitor has a borderless display on three sides to prevent distractions, and it's equipped with a zippy 75Hz refresh rate so all your operations glide easily across the screen. And if you're pulling an all-nighter or staring at it all day, it has built-in eye protection to reduce blue-light emissions, eliminate screen flickering, and minimize eyestrain. If you want to use this monitor for gaming, it even boasts a dedicated Gaming Mode to help reveal enemies in the dark.
Right now, Amazon has this monitor for $50 off, bringing the list price down to an even more affordable $149.99!
Lenovo ThinkVision 14-inch Portable Monitor
Sometimes the best way to crank through that essay or thesis is to change up the scenery. If you want to take your work to the library, coffee shop, or simply anywhere that isn't your dorm or desk, you'll want to bring an extra screen with you—and a portable monitor is how you make that happen. This Lenovo ThinkVision 14-inch Portable Monitor won our Editors’ Choice award, earning a rare “Outstanding” rating in our in-depth review. PCMag expert Tony Hoffman praised it for taking “some of the best features from other portable monitors in the M14 line and meld[ing] them into a killer secondary display with a high-quality, touch-enabled screen.”
It has a gorgeous IPS display with a 1500:1 contrast ratio and 100% sRGB color coverage, so don’t scratch your head and wonder if the hues are slightly off on those slides you're studying. The capacitive screen is highly sensitive and TÜV Rheinland Eyesafe-certified, so you can stare at it for hours (and even burn the midnight oil) without worrying about eyestrain. Snagging this portable monitor is a no-brainer—especially with this delightful 35% discount!
Even More Monitor Deals
- Alienware AW2725QF 27" 4K 180Hz IPS Gaming Monitor — $399.99 ($499.99) Save $100.00
- LG UltraGear 27G640A-B 27" 1440p 300Hz IPS Gaming Monitor — $288.00 ($449.99) Save $161.99
- LG UltraGear 27GS93QE 27" 1440p 240Hz OLED Monitor — $572.30 ($899.99) Save $327.69
- Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 27" 1440p 240Hz QD-OLED Monitor — $399.99 ($599.99) Save $200.00
- Asus ROG Strix XG27ACDNG 27" 1440p 360Hz QD-OLED Monitor — $549.00 ($759.00) Save $210.00
- Get the Best Prices On Monitors — Download Our Free Price Comparison Tool $0
Back-to-School Tablet Deals
TCL Tab A1 Plus Nxtpaper
Not a fan of taking notes on a laptop, but still don't want to go back to the old school composition notebook? A tablet is calling your name—specifically, the TCL Tab A1 Plus Nxtpaper tablet. Its 12.2-inch 2.4K display is brilliant and bright, reaching up to 550 nits of brightness and using Nxtvision visual enhancement tech to deepen all the colors on-screen. It also rocks an ultra-smooth 120-hertz refresh rate, which even pushes this tablet into solid gaming territory.
Recommended by Our Editors
At just over a pound, it's easy to toss in your book bag for use before, during, and after class. It was already a relatively affordable tablet, but it's on Amazon's sale rack right now. With this 32% discount, you save $90!
11-inch Lenovo Idea Tab
This Idea Tab was practically made for college and grad students. It sports a large 11-inch 2.5K IPS touch-screen that's both vibrant and highly responsive, making it perfect for marking up presentations, PDFs, and any other note-taking habits you might have (thanks to the included Tab Pen, too). Plus, it has a 90Hz refresh rate that puts it a step above Apple's entry-level A16 iPad—talk about smooth screenplay.
The tablet is built to enter the AI era with a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor that handles everything from everyday tasks to light gaming when you're done with them. And with 12 hours of video-streaming battery life, you're in for a full day of studying and entertainment before you have to find a charging cord.
Right now, the Lenovo Idea Tab is 27% off, saving you more than $70 on this back-to-school tablet!
More Tablet Deals
- Samsung — Get $200 Off Buds or Watch When You Buy a Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra
- Apple iPad 11" 128GB Wi-Fi Retina Tablet (Blue, 20... — $399.99 ($449.00) Save $49.01
- Lenovo Idea Tab Pro Gen 2 128GB 13" Tablet With Pe... — $399.99 ($549.99) Save $150.00
- TCL Tab 10 Gen 4 128GB 10.1" Tablet (Dark Blue/Gray) — $169.99 ($199.99) Save $30.00
- TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus 256GB 11.5" Tablet With Pen a... — $279.99 ($369.99) Save $90.00
- Get the Best Prices On Tablets — Download Our Free Price Comparison Tool $0
Back-to-School Desktop PC Deals
Lenovo IdeaCentre Tower
Desktop computers aren't the typical ultraportables that students often sport, but they can be a game changer for long nights spent writing the papers you'll surely procrastinate. Plus, they pack an extra punch for other work, streaming, and gaming! This desktop PC has a slim profile, bringing that power to your desk without taking up much space.
The Lenovo IdeaCentre Tower PC rocks an Intel Core Ultra 7 265 processor, a generous 16GB of memory, and a roomy 1TB SSD. That's enough to be a smooth operator with almost all your tasks, especially with schoolwork. And if ports are a priority, this tower is stacked with seven USB ports and an HDMI 2.1 output (perfect for whatever monitor you choose to connect). It's a solid PC that puts you a couple of steps up from a small laptop screen, and for well over $500 off, it's an economical pick, too!
Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q Desktop
If you’re crammed in a dorm the size of a shoebox, you need a pint-sized PC—but don’t sacrifice power! The ThinkCentre Neo 50q runs on an Intel Core i5-13420H processor that's designed to keep up with a busy day of multitasking, virtual classes, and productivity tasks without lag. We reviewed a Snapdragon X-equipped configuration and observed that it operated with impressive silence, low energy draw, and solid security features, according to expert Mark Coppock. You can rock up to two displays at once with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 if you need extra screen space, and 16GB DDR5 RAM and a 512GB NVMe SSD make sure all your operations run smoothly, and files are accessible lickety-split in case you’re meeting a midnight essay deadline!
If you have minimal desk space but need more power, the ThinkCentre Neo 50q is $230 off on Amazon right now. Don't let this deal slide between your fingertips, and check out the other back-to-school deals on desktops we've spotted!
Even More Desktop PC Deals
- HP OmniDesk Ryzen 7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Desktop — $1,249.99 ($1,499.99) Save $250.00
- Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50s Intel Ultra 5 256GB SSD... — $929.00 ($1,169.00) Save $240.00
- Dell Tower Intel Ultra 7 2TB SSD 32GB RAM Desktop — $1,799.99 ($2,249.99) Save $450.00
- Lenovo LOQ Ryzen 7 RTX 5060 Ti 1TB SSD 32GB RAM Desktop — $1,699.99 ($2,486.99) Save $787.00
- HyperX Omen 35L Intel Ultra 7 RTX 5080 1TB SSD 16G... — $3,149.99 ($4,399.99) Save $1,250.00
- Get the Best Prices On Desktops — Download Our Free Price Comparison Tool $0
Back-to-School Printer Deals
Canon MegaTank G3270 Wireless Printer
Every house or apartment needs a printer, and this Canon MegaTank G3270 is a great pick for you and your roommates—especially since it's 36% off right now, slashing $90 off the $248.99 list price. It checks all the basic boxes you'd expect (wireless printing, copying, and scanning) and includes an ink supply that could last up to two years, saving you money on the infamous cost of ink (and potentially get you through over half your degree). With that supply, it can print up to 6,000 black-and-white pages or 7,700 color pages using just one set of inks.
In our 2023 review, PCMag expert M. David Stone gave it an "Excellent" rating, declaring it one notch above an entry-level printer "thanks to its support for printing from mobile devices." While the 100-sheet maximum capacity leaves a bit to be desired, the low $159 sale price right now makes up for it in spades.
More Printer Deals
- HP DeskJet 2923 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer — $44.99 ($89.99) Save $45.00
- Canon Pixma TS4320 All-in-One Wireless Color Inkjet Printer — $59.99 ($107.99) Save $48.00
- HP Envy 6155 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer — $89.99 ($159.99) Save $70.00
- Canon Pixma G3270 Wireless All-in-One Inkjet MegaT... — $199.99 ($248.99) Save $49.00
- Canon Color imageCLASS MF662Cdw Wireless All-in-On... — $324.99 ($429.99) Save $105.00
- Get the Best Prices On Printers — Download Our Free Price Comparison Tool $0
Back-to-School SSD Deals
Samsung 870 EVO 1TB SSD
Unfortunately, not even students are spared from the RAM crisis in the age of AI innovation. But just because memory and storage prices are sky-high right now doesn't mean there aren't some diamond-in-the-rough deals to help you upgrade your laptop or PC. Here—we spotted one: the Samsung 870 EVO 1TB SSD is a massive 43% off right now!
It's a 2.5-inch internal 1TB SSD that connects through the ol' reliable SATA interface. It maximizes read and write speeds to 560 and 530 Mbps, respectively, and generally quickens load times, streamlines file-heavy tasks, and makes your setup feel more responsive overall. We gave it an ultra-rare 4.5/5 rating in our in-depth review, and PCMag expert Chris Stobing praised it for offering "the peak of Serial ATA SSD performance." This effectively sealed the deal for winning our Editors' Choice award for performance seekers married to the idea of SATA.
But if you're looking for something different, check out our experts' list of the best internal SSDs for 2026!
Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe Internal SSD
If you're pulling together parts for a new PC and dreading the horribly high SSD sticker prices, we have good news: Samsung has yet another SSD deal to save you hundreds—a rare thing in the RAMpocalypse, indeed! This internal hard drive is quick on its digital feet, has 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption, and much better power efficiency than the competition. We gave it an "Excellent" rating in our detailed review, and PCMag expert Tony Hoffman praised it for being "a big step forward from the SSD 980 Pro, with considerably faster sequential read and write speeds and a much higher PCMark 10 Overall score." Talk about a considerable upgrade.
It also includes Samsung's Magician data management software, which is particularly useful for anyone with substantial storage requirements. It's a great pick for anyone who needs a little extra oomph in their PC—whether you're a gamer, creator, student, or casual user. And for 39% off, you save $250 on a roomy 2TB SSD! Pretty hard to beat in the current memory crisis.
More SSD Deals
- Samsung 9100 Pro 1TB M.2 NVMe Gen5 Solid-State Drive — $249.99 ($339.99) Save $90.00
- Samsung 9100 Pro 2TB M.2 NVMe Gen5 Solid-State Drive — $399.95 ($679.97) Save $280.02
- WD Black SN7100 500GB M.2 NVMe Gen4 Solid-State Drive — $159.99 ($185.99) Save $26.00
- Samsung 990 Pro 2TB M.2 NVMe Gen4 Solid-State Drive — $389.99 ($639.99) Save $250.00
- Samsung 990 1TB M.2 NVMe Gen4 Solid-State Drive — $189.99 ($229.99) Save $40.00
- Get the Best Prices On Storage — Download Our Free Price Comparison Tool $0
Crunchy leaves and essay assignments will be here before you know it, so make sure to check back here as we find and add new deals that will surely help you or your kiddo bring home a ridiculously good report card!
Want even more back-to-school savings? Check out PCMag's Ultimate Gear Guide for School!
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