Back to school deals: Student laptops, software, printers, headphones & more

Back to school equipment
(Image credit: Getty)

Back to school is here, but whether you're about to send your little ones off to school, or you're a student about to travel to college for the first time, our back to school deals hub has you covered.

We've trawled the internet to find the biggest discounts and student offers on laptops, tablets, and student software, along with other student essentials including dorm room gadgets, printers, and streaming services - student life is a balance of work and play after all.

It’s worth remembering though, that many of the biggest tech brands (including Apple, Dell, and Microsoft) offer their own student discount programs for those in education, or working in education. That means that there may be cheaper options available just by logging in with your student or employee credentials – something to consider.

We've also put together a dedicated page for student laptop deals to help college students prepare for their first semester away from home. If you're an Apple fan, we've got a full guide to the Apple student discount too.

Back to school deals - Retailers

  • Amazon - Amazon has a dedicated page to help you find all of its back to school deals, which sub-sections based on grade, and a college section too.
  • Bed Bath & Beyond - If you need to kit out your dorm room, BB&B has deals on everything from towels and bedding to coffee machines and vacuum cleaners.
  • Best Buy - Save on back to school tech including laptops, computers, headphones and kitchen gadgets - a student can't live on ramen alone.
  • Office Depot - Cover your stationary needs at Office Depot, with deals on notebooks, backpacks, student furniture and tech.
  • Staples - Back to school deals on all your stationary needs, and a dedicated college section with tech, furniture, and storage deals for your dorm room.
  • Target - Everything from classroom essentials and kids clothing to lunch boxes and kids electronics is on offer at Target. There is separate college section too.
  • Walmart - Browse back to school deals supplies by grade, with deals for school kids and college students
Dell’s Back to School deal:Free Disney bundle and 1 year of accidental damage protection at Dell

Dell’s Back to School deal: Free Disney bundle and 1 year of accidental damage protection at Dell

Dell has discounts on many of its laptops, but it’s also offering an additional sweetener that can net users an additional bundle of Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN+ for 6 months. Even better, there’s a wireless mouse and a year of accidental damage cover available free if you pick up an XPS or Alienware gaming machine.

Apple Back to School Deal:

Apple Back to School Deal: Free $150 gift card at Apple

Not known for its discounts from its own store, Apple is getting in on the back to school deals by offering a $150 gift card with iPad and Mac purchases through its education store – which already offers up to 20% off.

Student laptop deals

MacBook Pro M1 Pro: Was $2499, now $2099 at Amazon

MacBook Pro M1 Pro: Was $2499, now $2099 at Amazon

Save $400: Apple’s redesigned pro laptop is an incredibly powerful machine that comes with 16GB of unified memory, 1TB of storage, and an incredible 14-inch display.

MacBook Pro M1 Pro 16-inch:

MacBook Pro M1 Pro 16-inch: Was $2499, now $2099 at Amazon 

If you prefer a larger display, the 512GB version of the MacBook Pro 2021 is available with a 16-inch screen for $2099, too.

Apple MacBook Air M1: Was $999 now $899 at Best Buy

Apple MacBook Air M1: Was $999 now $899 at Best Buy

Apple’s latest MacBook Air with the M2 chip is out, but the M1 version has gotten a little easier on the wallet as a result. You can get the M1 MacBook Air, Apple’s most portable laptop, for under $900 – making it Apple’s cheapest laptop available today. 

MacBook Air M2:

MacBook Air M2: Was $1199, now $1099 at Amazon 

Apple’s latest, most portable laptop is $100 off already at Amazon. It offers the company’s latest M2 chip, a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, and 256GB of superfast storage. It also finally improves the MacBook camera to 1080p.

Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Laptop: Was $429.99 now $352.79 at Dell

Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Laptop: Was $429.99 now $352.79 at Dell

Dell’s 15.6-inch laptop offers a super fast M.2 SSD with 128GB of space, a full-size keyboard, and Windows 11 for an impressive price. It even has USB-A, a rarity these days, alongside an SD card reader and an HDMI port for presentations. 

HP Pavilion 15z: Was $549, now $379 at HP

HP Pavilion 15z: Was $549, now $379 at HP

Save $170 on this HP laptop with Windows 11, superfast NVMe storage, and AMD Radeon graphics card, and get a portable, powerful machine with a 15.6-inch display.

HP Spectre x360 16:

HP Spectre x360 16: Was $1649.99, now $1199.99 at HP

HP’s Spectre range is for premium laptop buyers, but you can save a huge $450 on a model with an Intel Core i7 chip and 512GB of M.2 storage. It can fold into a tablet, too.

HP 14-inch Chromebook: Was $699, now $399 at Best Buy

HP 14-inch Chromebook: Was $699, now $399 at Best Buy

Save $300 - Best Buy is offering this slimline Chromebook from Lenovo for $399, meaning users can save $300 right off the bat. Not only does it run Google’s slick OS, but it has a touchscreen, too, as well as a full HD display.

HP 11.6-inch Chromebook: Was $199.99 now $98.00 at Walmart

HP 11.6-inch Chromebook: Was $199.99 now $98.00 at Walmart

Save $101 - Looking for an affordable laptop? How about a HP Chromebook for less than $100? Chromebooks are cloud-based, meaning there’s only 32GB of onboard storage, but if you’re using Google Docs, Drive, Photos, and Meet, then you’ll struggle to find something comparable at this price.

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro: Was $999.99, now $716.79 at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro: Was $999.99, now $716.79 at Amazon

Samsung’s 13.3-inch laptop would usually cost a grand, but Amazon is selling the 256GB SSD-packing, Mystic Blue version at more than 25% off. It’s powerful, but also offers 20-hour battery life on a single charge.

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro (Renewed):

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro (Renewed): Was $1099.99, now $699.66 at Amazon

This renewed laptop deal makes the 15.6-inch version of Samsung’s premium notebook cheaper than its smaller variant, with 16GB of RAM and an Intel i7 chip, too.

Lenovo 14e Chromebook - was $299.99, now $188.49 Amazon

Lenovo 14e Chromebook - was $299.99, now $188.49 Amazon

Save $111 on this student-friendly Chromebook that comes with 4GB RAM, 32GB of storage space and weighs just 5 lbs - perfect for carrying around campus.

Student tablet deals

Apple iPad Air M1: Was $599 now $549 at Apple (Education discount)

Apple iPad Air M1: Was $599 now $549 at Apple (Education discount)

Apple’s iPad Air is now closer to the iPad Pro in terms of functionality, offering the same M1 chip found in Apple’s laptops, too. While $50 isn’t a huge discount, Apple is also offering up to $150 in a gift card when purchased – meaning you could treat yourself to some AirPods or any number of apps.

iPad: Was $329, now $299 at Amazon

iPad: Was $329, now $299 at Amazon

Save $30: Apple’s entry-level iPad is already a great deal, but you can save $30 at Amazon right now. For that, you get the A13 Bionic Chip, a 10.2-inch display, and 64GB of storage. It’s the cheapest way to experience iPadOS.

iPad Mini: Was $499, now $459.98 from Amazon

iPad Mini: Was $499, now $459.98 from Amazon

Save $40: Apple’s most recent iteration of its iPad Mini adds Apple Pencil support, and the fast A15 Bionic chip. It also packs a 12MP camera on the front and back and is an ideal note-taking device for students.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Was $779.99, now $678.85 at Amazon 

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Was $779.99, now $678.85 at Amazon 

Save $101: Samsung’s premier Android tablet experience is available at 13% off at Amazon, and includes an 11-inch screen, 256GB of internal storage, and the S-Pen stylus. It also supports Samsung DeX for PC-like multitasking when the situation calls for it.

Microsoft Surface Pro 7+: Was $929.99 now $599.99 at Best Buy

Microsoft Surface Pro 7+: Was $929.99 now $599.99 at Best Buy

Save $330 - Can’t decide between a laptop and a tablet? Have both with this Surface Pro 7+, which offers more than 12-inches of screen at QHD resolution, Windows 11, and 128GB of storage that can be expanded with an SD card. You can save over $300, too. 

Student software deals

Apple Pro Apps Bundle

Apple Pro Apps Bundle: Was $529.99, now $199.99 at Apple

Apple offers a student-only deal that bundles Final Cut Pro, its powerful video editor, with Logic Pro X, its music creation suite for $199.99 alongside additional tools for each. Considering Final Cut Pro alone is $299.99, it’s a huge saving. 

Adobe Creative Cloud: Was $54.99 per month, now $19.99 per month

Adobe Creative Cloud: Was $54.99 per month, now $19.99 per month

Adobe Creative Cloud, the company’s umbrella term for a wealth of professional-grade applications, is discounted by 60% for students. That means for just under 20 dollars a month, you can get access to Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Acrobat Pro, Illustrator, Audition, and plenty more.

Microsoft 365 Personal: Was $5.99 per month, now $2.50 per month

Microsoft 365 Personal: Was $5.99 per month, now $2.50 per month

Microsoft 365 incorporates all of the tech giant’s best productivity software, meaning it includes email through Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and plenty more. While the basic student option is free, the ‘A3’ membership allows for installation on multiple devices and lets users use Publisher or Access on PC, too.

Spotify Premium Bundle: Was $21.98 per month, now $4.99 per month at Spotify

Spotify Premium Bundle: Was $21.98 per month, now $4.99 per month at Spotify

Spotify’s latest student bundle offers the streaming giant’s premium membership, as well as streaming services Showtime and the ad-supported tier of Hulu for $4.99 per month. That’s a saving of 77%!

Printer deals

Canon PIXMA TS702a: Was $129.99 now $99.99 at Amazon

Canon PIXMA TS702a: Was $129.99 now $99.99 at Amazon

While many of us work digitally, there’s something to be said for printing our a hard copy of your work - especially if that’s how it needs to be submitted. With that in mind, this Canon PIXMA printer offers wireless printing on two sides of a page, while also supporting printing straight from your phone or tablet. 

Canon PIXMA TS6420a: Was $159.99 now $199.99 at Amazon

Canon PIXMA TS6420a: Was $159.99 now $199.99 at Amazon

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use printer, this Canon PIXMA has a clear, easy to read OLED display and works well with normal paper and photo paper. It’s also impressively compact, and works wirelessly, too. 

Student gadget deals

Google Nest Mini: Was $49.00 now $29.98 at Walmart

Google Nest Mini: Was $49.00 now $29.98 at Walmart

What’s student accommodation without some music? If you’re looking to get the party started, the Google Nest Mini smart speaker is less than $30 at Walmart (black version only). 

Beats by Dr. Dre Solo 3: Was $199.99 now $149.99 at Best Buy

Beats by Dr. Dre Solo 3: Was $199.99 now $149.99 at Best Buy

If you’re looking for a pair of powerful headphones, look no further than the Solo 3s from Beats. Not only do they offer 40 hours of battery with quick charging, but they’re comfortable and offer spatial audio support. They’re also $50 off at Best Buy, and come with up to 6 months of Apple Music and Apple News+, as well as 3 months of Apple TV+ 

Fire Stick 4K

Fire Stick 4K: Was $49.99, now $29.99 at Amazon 

Save $20: Amazon’s best Fire TV stick makes any TV a smart TV, with Netflix, Disney Plus, YouTube, Prime Video, and plenty more included. It’s available at 40% off right now, so you can add Alexa functionality to your movie nights.

Roku Premiere: Was $39.99, now $30.00 at Amazon 

Roku Premiere: Was $39.99, now $30.00 at Amazon 

Roku’s tiny streaming box is mighty enough to output 4K pictures – and is the cheapest option you’ll find for that resolution. It has built-in support for dozens of entertainment apps, too, including Netflix, and Apple TV+.

Buy a Fire TV, get a free Echo Dot (3rd Gen)

Buy a Fire TV, get a free Echo Dot (3rd Gen): Available with Fire TV purchase at Amazon 

Amazon is offering a free Echo Dot smart speaker when ordered with the Fire TV smart TV. That means you can ask questions of Alexa, stream your audio in another room, or set timers using your voice at no extra cost.

Science kits & microscopes

Earth’scode Science Kit: Was $39.99 now $25.99 at Amazon

Earth’scode Science Kit: Was $39.99 now $25.99 at Amazon

Whether it’s creating a homemade volcano or growing crystals, this science kit from Amazon is available at 35% off and is both educational and fun. 

BEBANG Microscope kit: Was $150 now $99.99 at Amazon

BEBANG Microscope kit: Was $150 now $99.99 at Amazon

This microscope kit is ideal for learning at home, with six different magnification settings that reach up to 2000x. With dual illumination and a phone adapter, too, it’s easier than ever to make science accessible. 

Lloyd Coombes

Lloyd Coombes freelance tech and fitness writer for Live Science. He's an expert in all things Apple as well as in computer and gaming tech, with previous works published on TopTenReviews, Space.com, Dexerto and TechRadar. You'll find him regularly testing the latest MacBook or iPhone, but he spends most of his time writing about video games as Editor in Chief at GGRecon.com. He also covers board games and virtual reality, just to round out the nerdy pursuits.