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Time flies when you’re having fun. Somehow, the time for camp and lazy mornings watching TV is almost over, and school is right around the corner (if it hasn’t already started). We’re looking for discounts on school supplies and classroom essentials, which, these days, aren’t just backpacks and glue sticks. Everyone can benefit from these deals on headphones, tablets, and other gadgets.
Be sure to check out our guide to the best dorm room gear for additional recommendations and gift ideas, plus the best student discounts and the best teacher discounts.
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Technology offers
Our guides to the best laptops, best tablets, and best headphones can help you decide.
Photography: Brenda Stolyar
This March 2024 iteration is our favorite MacBook for most people. The newest MacBook Air (7/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t much different from previous iterations, but it’s stable and reliable when it comes to everyday tasks like doing schoolwork or catching up on books. House of the DragonIt’s not the best choice for graphics-intensive tasks, but if you’re looking for a laptop that can handle your daily to-do list, this is a solid choice at the lowest price we’ve recorded. The 15-inch version is Also with discount.
You can pair the 16-inch MacBook Pro with either the M3 Pro or M3 Max chip. This version has the M3 Max, which is overkill if you primarily use a web browser. But if you’re a content creator, our reviewer Christopher Null notes that its performance is noticeably better. Just make sure you get 32GB of unified storage—16 just isn’t enough.
This Asus ZenBook 14 (7/10, WIRED review) is an ultralight, affordable, and practical laptop that’s our favorite budget laptop. It has great performance, great battery life, and an OLED display for a very reasonable price.
Photography: Nena Farrell
The Google Pixel tablet (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is our favorite combination of tablet and smart display. The 11-inch LCD is sharp, and the operating system is fun to use. The included charging dock doubles as a speaker, turning the tablet into a smart display. The Pixel tablet also supports Chromecast, so you can stream music or shows from your device. It also supports up to eight multiple users, which can be helpful for large families or small classrooms.
The ninth-generation iPad (8/10, WIRED recommends) isn’t the newest or most powerful model, but it’s still an affordable, basic iPad. It still has a Home button with Touch ID and is compatible with some older accessories, such as the First generation Apple PencilIf you want an iPad but are on a tight budget, this is a good option.
Photography: Rain Design
The discount may not seem all that spectacular, but this price is within $4 of the best we’ve seen, and the stand typically sells for $60. This is our pick for the most portable laptop stand. It’s sturdy and lightweight, and it folds up when you’re not using it anymore.
Here’s the thing about the Sony Linkbuds (8/10, WIRED recommends): They’re always selling for $178 or $128, with very little variation. It’s a trend that’s been going on since June of last year. But right now they’re $128, so now is a better time to buy them than the next time their price swings back and forth. These are excellent wireless earbuds, in part because of the design, which lets you hear what’s going on around you.
The only one really The downside to the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is their name. They have excellent noise cancellation, 30 hours of battery life, a comfortable (if slightly drab) design, and fantastic sound and microphone quality. They’ve since been superseded by the newer, higher-quality XM5s, but the XM4s are still some of the best headphones you can buy. We’ve seen this deal a few times in the past, but headphones rarely drop much lower in price.
This little portable charger doesn’t make it into our guide to the best portable chargers, but we generally like Zendure’s products and the price is absolutely incredible. This charger is available in a ton of cool colors and its small size makes it easy to take anywhere. It has pass-through charging and can charge two devices simultaneously via its USB-A and USB-C ports. Plus, it’ll charge your gear quickly.
Backpacks and bags offers
Photography: The North Face
The North Face Jester is our favorite backpack for school. There are several colors on sale for around $20, some of which don’t drop in price very often. We like the bungee cord exterior and roomy interior, and the backpack is also made from recycled components, which is always nice. The backpack also stays well-balanced no matter how much stuff you stuff inside.
This bag is in our guide to the best backpacks and our guide to the best recycled bags. It saves 22 plastic bottles from ending up in landfills and has a removable insert to make the inside of the bag roomier or with more pockets. We’ve seen it marked down to around $10 before, but this deal is still a good one.
The Rains Backpack Mini is a great, stylish, waterproof backpack. It has a grown-up aesthetic and enough room to hold a 13-inch laptop as well as a few other essentials. The 8.5-liter capacity won’t be ideal for kids with a ton of stuff to carry, but for teachers and older students, it’s definitely worth considering.
Home Office and Bedroom Deals
Photography: Staples
The Hyken is the best budget office chair. It goes on sale often, but rarely for this low a price. It reclines, and the backrest is made of a breathable mesh fabric. It also has extra lumbar support and a headrest. If your college-bound child wants a wider seat, check out our other recommendations.
The Nest Wifi Pro (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is easy to set up and has a nice, unobtrusive design, and the Google Home app lets you customize your settings. The three-pack will cover up to 200 square feet of your kid’s frat house, but you can buy smaller packs if space isn’t that big. Read more about this in our guide to the best mesh routers.
The Deco X20 is our favorite budget mesh Wi-Fi system. It’s easy to set up and has great parental controls. Coverage speeds aren’t the best, but the system is reliable and affordable, especially thanks to this deal.
Deals on everything else
Photography: Ember
We’ve included this mug in a few winter-themed gift guides in the past. Few things are more frustrating than pouring yourself a cup of coffee, getting distracted by a work-related task, and taking a sip only to find that the brew has gone cold. Ember’s smart mug solves that problem. It’ll keep drinks hot for up to 80 minutes on a full charge, or all day if you leave the coaster plugged in. It also has an auto shut-off for added peace of mind.
Disinfecting wipes, glue sticks, dry erase markers, and a ton of other supplies are on sale thanks to this Amazon sale. If you spend $50 on eligible school supplies, you’ll automatically get $10 off at checkout. This is an especially great way to save on teacher supply lists.
Join Target Circle for free and verify your student or teacher ID to get 20 percent off a qualifying purchase. That includes everything in your cart that’s eligible. There are some excluded items, but most school supplies and classroom essentials are eligible for the discount.
This Happy Planner deal includes tons of products, including some planners for the 2024-2025 year. With planner prices around $10, it’s a great way to get the best weekly planner for much less than usual. Other discounted products include organizational tools for your desk and stickers that can make great teacher gifts.
