Best back to school deals and sales from Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, Samsung and others
Over the upcoming weeks, we’ll be scouring the internet for the best back-to-school deals that major retailers and carriers are running, gathering them all in one place: here.
If you want to jump to a specific section, you can do it from the links below:
Best back-to-school deals at Target
Best back-to-school deals on Amazon
Students have always been a prime target for Apple products and discounts for MacBooks that will end up in classrooms across the country are nothing new.
This year, Apple is offering up to $200 off of its computers and further sweetens the deal with a pair of AirPods. The MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 13 inch and MacBook Pro 16 inch are the three laptops you can choose from.
But this deal isn’t only for MacBooks. You can get an iMac or an iMac Pro as well and get a pair of Apple’s super-popular AirPods.
There’s a similar deal going on with iPads but with fewer savings, since iPads don’t cost as much as Macs. Still, even the AirPods on their own are quite a nice gift, so if you were looking to get an iPad as a back-to-school gift, now’s the time to pull the trigger.
Best back-to-school deals on Amazon
Also check our Back-to-school shopping guide for further ideas and suggestions!
Best back-to-school deals on Apple products
Buy a Mac with up to $200 discount and get free AirPods on top
Students have always been a prime target for Apple products and discounts for MacBooks that will end up in classrooms across the country are nothing new.
This year, Apple is offering up to $200 off of its computers and further sweetens the deal with a pair of AirPods. The MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 13 inch and MacBook Pro 16 inch are the three laptops you can choose from.
But this deal isn’t only for MacBooks. You can get an iMac or an iMac Pro as well and get a pair of Apple’s super-popular AirPods.
Buy an iPad, save up to $100 and get free AirPods
There’s a similar deal going on with iPads but with fewer savings, since iPads don’t cost as much as Macs. Still, even the AirPods on their own are quite a nice gift, so if you were looking to get an iPad as a back-to-school gift, now’s the time to pull the trigger.
Best back-to-school deals on Bose products
Save $100 on Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Bose's flagship wireless headphones, the 700, have an elegant design that you won't mind showing off outside and offer some of the best ANC on the market. Oh, their sound is A+ too, of course. Usually they're on the pricy side but with Bose's back-to-school discount, they're only $300.
Save $70 on Bose SoundLink around-ear wireless headphones II
If you're looking for something more affordable, Bose's mid-tier headphones are also discounted and now cost $160. That's pretty good for what you're getting. A high-quality pair of headphones with satisfying sounds and a recognizable name.
Save $50 on Bose Portable Smart Speaker
Bluetooth speakers are a great addition for every dorm room, but really, they can be used practically everywhere. As the name suggest, this speaker in particular is proud of its ability to let you communicate with Google Assistant or Alexa and all the benefits that stem from it. It also supports Apple AirPlay so iOS users aren't left out. The three speakers and the respectable woofer (for a Bluetooth speaker, at least) provide great sound on all levels.
Save $30 on Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker II
$30 might not sound like much, but when you take them off of the SoundLink Color II, it drops to just below $100, a pretty good price for a brand-name Bluetooth speaker. At around 8 hours, the battery life of the SoundLink Color II is far from the best, but it should take you through a night of partying at the beach, as long as you don't mind a quiet morning. Its body is rugged and water resistant so outdoor adventures aren't a problem.
Best back-to-school deals at Best Buy
Save $125 on Samsung Galaxy A51
The Galaxy A51 is one of the best mid-range smartphones and now you can get it from Best Buy even cheaper than its already affordable $400 price tag. In order to make use of the deal, you'll have to activate a new line with a carrier. If you're a freshman in college, it might be a good time to do that anyway.
Save $300 on Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
If you're not in the Apple ecosystem and need a new laptop, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 is a great choice. Although Microsoft isn't exactly known for its hardware, the Surface laptops are of high quality and obviously work great with the Windows operating system. The battery life on this laptop is more than enough to get you through a full day of classes, so you can leave the charger at home. And $300 is not a small amount, you can buy a whole other gadget with it.
Save $15 on mophie Powerstation 10,000 mAh Portable Charger
A power bank is something everyone should have. It can charge pretty much any device and doesn't add that much weight to your backpack. Mophie is a known brand in the smartphone accessories market and now its 10,000mAh Powerstation is $15 off, so why not get one and have peace of mind when you're out and about.
Save $20 on Nanoleaf Rhythm Edition 9 Panels
We're not going to pretend that glowing triangles are a back-to-school necessity. But they look super cool and you can combine as many as you want (or can afford) to give your room a truly unique look. They're RGB and can be programmed to light up in different patterns and can be arranged in countless ways, fitting in literally any environment.
Best back-to-school deals at Walmart
Save $52 on Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1" tablet
Need a tablet to browse the internet in bed or just watch some Netflix here and there? The Galaxy Tab A will suit your needs just fine without hurting your wallet. It's well-built, has a good-looking display and enough performance for your everyday needs. A bread-and-butter tablet you won't regret getting.
Save $80 on Acer Spin 1, 11.6" laptop
This laptop is far from a top performer, but if your kid is going back to school in a virtual classroom it's best if it has its own laptop. The discounted $250 price tag of the Acer Spin 1 comes as a blessing in that scenario. It has a touch-sensitive display which makes it even better for youngsters that love to draw with their fingers.
Save $30 on Samsung Chromebook 4 11.6"
Chromebooks are becoming a popular choice for younger students due to their lower price and ease of use. The specs sheet will make any tech enthusiast cringe but as long as your internet is stable, it will serve your kid well enough to participate in online lessons and complete its homework.
Save $50 on ASUS VivoBook 15.6" laptop
Although there are still some corners cut to keep the price down to just $300, this VivoBook is packing a bit more muscle thanks to the Ryzen 3 processor. The design is quite nice, with slim bezels around the display and a sleek-looking body that would fit a much more expensive device. If you don't need to use any heavy software (including games), the VivoBook will be suit you well.
Save $22 on Samsung Galaxy Buds true wireless earbuds
Although somewhat overshadowed by the Galaxy Buds+, the original Buds are still a great pair of wireless headphones. They provide good sound, have respectable battery life and don't look like AirPods clones, what else could you want? If you're considering these, chances are you have a Samsung smartphone already, which makes the Galaxy Buds a perfect fit.
Save $50 on Bose SoundSport Free true wireless earbuds
Bose's premium TWE are also discounted and a great choice if you don't want to sacrifice sound quality just because you decided to get rid of the wires of your earbuds. The small hook ensures they stay in your ears no matter how vigorously you move, making them perfect for running or working out. The IPX4 water resistance is a nice addition for those use-cases as well.
Best back-to-school deals at Target
Save $20 on Texas Instruments 84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator
Yes, even though it's 2020, graphing calculators are alive and well and if you're starting an engineering degree, chances are you'll need one. They're not cheap either, so why not save a few bucks by taking advantage of this deal on Target?
Save $80 on HP 14" Chromebook X360
Chromebooks are a great choice for kids or students that don't want to carry around an expensive laptop. At $300, the HP X360 is cheaper than most phones but can help you complete most of your school work just fine. Its 360-degree hinge and touch screen allow it to double as a tablet when you're just looking to relax for a while.
Save $13 on Anker 5-Port PowerDrive 50W Car Charger
Road trips are often when we rely on our devices for entertainment the most and while newer cars have USB ports for charging, they're usually few and slow. With this Anker 5-port charger, you and your friends can all enjoy charging that can outrun the rate at which your battery is being drained during use.
Save $80 on Samsung SR650 Series 24" Computer Monitor
Even if you're using a laptop, this monitor will be a great addition to your home setup. You can have your online lessons or conference calls on one screen while doing work on the other. You can also use it with your console, if there's no TV in your room. There's always use for another monitor, so why not pick this one up while it's discounted?
Best back-to-school deals on Amazon
Fire 7 Tablet
The Fire 7 tablet might be discounted by mere $15 but considering its low starting price, that's quite a low. As far as tablets go it's pretty bare-bones, but hey, you're not like you're looking for luxury at that price. It will run streaming services just fine and let you browse your favorite websites, maybe even play a game or two, what's more to ask?
Kindle Kids Edition
Kids these days have a pretty good grasp of gadgets. But they often spend too much time playing games or watching videos on the tablet they have at their disposal. With the Kids Edition Kindle, that's not an issue. Reading is all it's for. It comes with 2 years of worry-free guarantee, meaning that if your kid throws it down the stairs, Amazon will replace it, no questions asked.
Acer Swift 3 14" Thin & Light laptop
The Acer Swift 3 offers an awesome balance between performance and size. At 14 inches, it's easy to carry around and light-weight, but at the same time, it's packing AMD's Ryzen 7 mobile processor, which can handle a lot with its 8 cores. It looks good too, no shame in pulling that laptop out of your backpack. Classes are bound to return to classrooms at some point, right?
Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 Convertible laptop
Lenovo also bets on AMD for the processor of the Flex 14 but goes for the slightly weaker Ryzen 5. That's still a very decent chip, but it's not what this laptop is all about. The Flex has a 360-degree hinge that allows you to use it in tablet mode. What's even better is that it comes with a pen that you can use to write notes, draw or do all sorts of other things. It's a useful feature for students and teachers alike.
Skullcandy Indy true wireless earbuds
Your kid wants to follow the trends and rock a pair of true wireless earbuds but you don't feel like spending $100+ for them? The Skullcandy Indy are trendy enough to satisfy your child's vanity and affordable enough so that you don't feel bad when one of the earbuds inevitably gets lost.
