Back-to-school shopping guide: phones, tablets, headphones, all the tech you need
The back-to-school season is almost upon us and kids and young adults are preparing to return to their respective educational institutions. And that often requires a set of new gear to aid in the learning process or help with relaxing activities, which are equally important.
Now, obviously, we’re not here to tell you which textbooks to get and how many notebooks and pencils will get you through the year.
Smartphones
Of course, we start with a few phones! These days, a smartphone is an essential item in everyone’s pocket, even kids have one. How good of an idea that is is not our place to judge.
Apple iPhone 11
Apple iPhone SE
OnePlus 8
Samsung Galaxy A71
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
Motorola Moto G Power
If you’re looking for a phone that will get rid of your battery anxiety for good, look no further than the Moto G Power. The efficient chip and the massive battery ensure that “my battery died” is off the excuse list for not calling.
Tablets
Tablets are an awesome side-kick device. While they’ve slowly become the designated movie-watching gadget at many homes, they can be used for a lot more than that. Watching an online lesson while taking notes? Sure. Doing research for a paper? Of course. If you spend a bit more, it can replace your drawing tablet and even your laptop.
Apple iPad (2019)
Amazon Fire HD 8
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Apple iPad Pro (2020)
If you’re in the Apple ecosystem and working with a higher budget, the new iPad Pro is the way to go. Performance is off the charts, iPadOS updates are making it more useful than ever and now it even has LiDAR. The drawback is that the Apple Pencil and keyboard cover are sold separately, bumping the price of the complete package to somewhat uncomfortable levels. Still, compared to college tuition fees, it’s just a drop in the bucket.
Smartwatches and fitness trackers
Smartwatches are rapidly finding their way to more and more wrists each year. They’re becoming more useful with each generation and battery life isn’t as big of a concern as it used to be. A smartwatch can help you keep track of your busy schedule, read and reply to messages, and of course, there are a bunch of health-related features that are very handy.
Apple Watch Series 5
Samsung Galaxy Watch
Apple Watch Series 3
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Fitbit Versa 2
Fitbit Ace 2
Garmin Vivofit Jr 2
Headphones
Headphones are a vital part of every modern person’s arsenal. From enjoying your favorite tunes while out and about to keeping things quiet in the dorm room to not disturb neighbors and roommates, their usefulness is unquestionable. Wireless headphones get rid of those pesky cables we keep having to untangle and although that means charging yet another gadget, the convenience is more than worth it.
Apple AirPods Pro
The AirPods Pro are pricey but if you want to keep distractions at bay their active noise canceling is irreplaceable. Plus, if you’re an iPhone user, you get an almost instant connection when you pull them out and you can even ask Siri a thing or two if you so desire.
Samsung Galaxy Buds+
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds+ have a massive advantage of their own: the battery life. It’s almost unparalleled when it comes to true wireless earbuds. You can wear them for most of your waking hours without having to put them back in the charging case.
Anker Soundcore Life P2
If you’re looking for a pair of earbuds on a budget, the Anker Soundcore Life P2 are a great choice. They sound much better than their price-tag suggests and can last up to 7 hours on a single charge, which is more than decent.
Sony WH1000XM3
Moving to the over-the-ear category, we can’t skip Sony’s flagship wireless headphones. They set the standard for excellent active noise canceling and bring out near-perfect sound.
Sennheiser HD 4.50
Stepping down in terms of price, we get to a beloved pair of Sennheiser mid-range headphones. With a great balance between price and sound quality, these cans won’t disappoint you.
Anker Soundcore Life Q20
Surprised? You shouldn’t be! Anker is a bang-for-your-buck king and we often recommend the company’s products to those that are looking for value. At that price, the ANC won’t be as good as it is on Sony’s pair but you still have it and the battery of the Soundcore Life Q20 will last for 40 hours! What’s not to like?
Bluetooth speakers
A Bluetooth speaker is another must-have for students. They’re just so versatile! Pump up your favorite beats at home or slip it in your backpack and jam in the park or at the beach, doesn’t matter. They’re durable and their batteries last more hours than you can dance continuously. There’s no reason not to have one.
JBL Flip 5
JBL has established itself as one of the best Bluetooth speaker manufacturers and with good reason. The Flip 5 looks cool, has respectable bass for its size and can take a dive in a pool like it’s no big deal.
Ultimate Ears Boom 3
The UE Boom 3 is another durable Bluetooth speaker with sound that will satisfy the needs of every improvised party. And if any of your friends have one too, you can pair them all together and take it to the next level.
Marshall Acton II
This one you wouldn’t want to roll around in the sand. Marshall Acton II oozes character and will add a pinch of class to your living space. Needless to say, it sounds amazing as well. With the Acton II, you’re buying a Bluetooth speaker and getting a conversation starter as a bonus.
Bose Soundlink II
If the other suggestions don’t fit you, maybe the Soundlink II will. We find the design a bit boring, but if that’s not important to you then some of its other qualities might convince you to buy it.
Anker SoundCore Pro+
Getting to the lower prices we again reach an Anker product. The SoundCore Pro+ has everything that counts: powerful sound, battery life, durability. No one will be amazed by it but it will do its job and it costs significantly less than the rest, so why not give it a try?
Laptops
Image by Lalmch from Pixabay
Laptops are a vital part of any study efforts these days, so why are they so low on our list? Well, chances are you already have one that you’re happy with. But if that’s not the case, we have a few models that will be great companions both at home and in the classroom.
Apple MacBook Air
Apple’s thin and light MacBook Air is the preferred choice of many students for its.. well thinness and lightness. Its performance is not top-notch and the SSD can fill up quickly, but if you’re not studying anything that requires the use of heavy software, it should suit you just fine. Of course, if you already have a few Apple products, the MacBook Air will fit even better.
Dell XPS 13 9380
Dell’s XPS 13 is packing a lot more punch while managing to keep its profile relatively slim. An Intel i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 4K display are signs that this machine means business. If you want to separate yourself from the Mac crowd, this Dell is the right way to do it.
HP Envy X360
The HP Envy X360 bets on AMD’s mobile processors and that’s a breath of fresh air. Team Red’s chips enjoy better power efficiency without sacrificing performance. This means better battery life and less heat on your lap. The Envy’s hinge allows the display to go all the way around, so you can also use it as a tablet. Pretty nifty!
Accessories
Time to go through a few sidekicks for your sidekicks. These accessories will make your life easier, especially if you like to have one of each device from the list above.
3-in-1 wireless charger for iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods
Plenty of people reading this probably have the iPhone-Apple-Watch-AirPods combo either on them or around them right now. Well, with this charger you can spare your desk from a bunch of cables and have all three neatly organized and charging while you’re doing something on your computer, for example.
Anker wireless charger
5-port USB charging station
Aukey 2-port USB car charger
Anker PowerCore Slim 10000 power bank
Entertainment
Photo by Mollie Sivaram on Unsplash
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Who doesn’t have a Kindle these days? But do you have the latest waterproof Kindle Paperwhite? Probably not. So give your old one to a younger(or older) relative and treat yourself to a nice new e-reader. There’s no need to tell you what to do with it after that.
Fire TV Stick
Roku Streaming Stick+
Asus Wi-Fi 6 Dual-Band router
Spending that much on a router might seem like an unnecessary expense, but think about it. Pretty much all of your devices rely on Wi-Fi, so why not treat yourself with a capable router that will provide a faster and more reliable connection?l—-
Nintendo Switch
Miscellaneous
Time for the final set of products that will aid you in your upcoming schooling adventures. They’re not gadgets per se, but they’re things you can’t go without unless you’re going for some unorthodox learning methods.
TaoTronics Metal LED Desk Lamp
Peak Design Everyday Backpack
Sofa Sack Memory Foam Beanless Bag chair
Nouhaus Ergo3D ergonomic office chair
Sooner or later, you’ll have to get some serious school work done and that means spending hours at your desk. So, do yourself a favor and get a chair that’s comfortable and ergonomic. The Nouhaus Ergo3D is just that and will give your body the support it needs. Additionally, it comes with roller-blade-style wheels which are great for carpeted rooms and are smooth and quiet on hardwood floors as well.
SHW Electric Height adjustable computer desk
Source: Phonearena
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