School is anxiety-inducing enough. Let us take one thing off your mind with this roundup of essential school tech.
Going off to college is stressful, no matter when you’re doing it—and it can be even worse when you realize that you don’t have everything you need. We want to give you one less thing to worry about! Our list touches on a lot of the most important tech you’ll need for school, and we’ve done the research for you to figure out what’s best. Grab what you need and worry over signing up for the right classes in time, instead.
Laptops
Laptops aren’t just a good idea for a college student—they’re nearly a requirement. A quality laptop will let them work and study from nearly anywhere, have a battery life that lasts all day, and is ultraportable so it’s easy to carry around.
- Operating System
-
macOS
- CPU
-
Apple M4
- GPU
-
8 or 10-core GPU
- RAM
-
16, 24, 32GB
The MacBook Air with the M4 chip is, hands down, the best laptop for students. It’s very powerful, so it can handle nearly any task a student needs for a project. On top of that, it’s lightweight, has a battery life that lasts all day, and the price is right.
- Operating System
-
Windows 11 Home
- CPU
-
AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 Processor
- GPU
-
Integrated AMD Radeon 840M
- RAM
-
16GB DDR5
- Storage
-
1TB SSD
- Battery
-
(1920 x 1200)
If you need Windows 11, you can opt for the Lenovo Yoga 7 instead. It has a 14-inch OLED touchscreen monitor in a light form factor, and the price is hard to argue against.
- Operating System
-
Chrome OS
- CPU
-
Intel Core i3-1215U
- RAM
-
8GB
- Storage
-
128GB
- Display (Size, Resolution)
-
16-in
- Brand
-
Lenovo
While this is technically a ‘gaming’ Chromebook, the price and the specs are right for most students’ workloads. It just has the advantage that you can do some light gaming, too.
Tablets
- Brand
-
Apple
- Storage
-
128GB
- CPU
-
A17 Pro
- Operating System
-
iPadOS
- Connectivity
-
Wi-Fi 6E
- Front Camera
-
12MP Ultra Wide
The latest version of the iPad mini is a fantastic choice for students on the go. It’s approximately the size of a medium paperback, making it easy to throw in a backpack, read, and take notes. Just make sure to get the Apple Pencil if you plan on using it for writing!
- Storage
-
256GB
- CPU
-
Apple Silicon M4
- Operating System
-
iPadOS 17
- Display type
-
Ultra Retina XDR
- Weight
-
1 lb
- Dimensions
-
0.20 x 8.46 x 11.08 in
If your or your student’s major requires drawing and graphic design, you’ll want to upgrade the tablet to the iPad Pro 13-inch. While expensive, you’ll get all the screen real estate you’ll need, and some powerful specs to match.
- Storage
-
128/256GB
- CPU
-
128GB
- Operating System
-
Android 15
- Display type
-
13.1-inch, LCD
- Weight
-
1.4 lbs
- Dimensions
-
11.8 x 7.6 x .23 in.
Not a fan of Apple? Samsung’s tablets are among the best for Android, and the Tab S10 FE+ strikes a good balance between performance and price. With a 13-inch screen and other features meant for creatives, it can be a good alternative to the iPad Pro.
Headphones and Earbuds
-
- Brand
-
Sony
- Battery Life
-
Up to 30 hours
- Bluetooth
-
Version 5.3
- Noise Cancellation
-
ANC
- Weight
-
8.96 Ounces
- Colors
-
Midnight Blue, Black, Platinum Silver
Sony’s active noise cancelling is bar none in the audio industry. The XM6s lets students relax and focus on their homework and studying, or get some peace on the plane ride to visit home.
- Battery Life
-
up to 60 hours (ANC off); 40 hours with ANC on
- Frequency Response
-
20Hz-20KHz
- Weight
-
286g
- Dimensions
-
6.41 x 3.51 x 7.5in
- Noise Cancellation
-
Yes
- Foldable
-
Yes
Sony out of your price range? Anker’s Soundcore series is a great semi-budget option. These headphones also offer active noise cancelling, are easy to fold up, and have a great battery life.
-
- Battery Life
-
Up to 8 hours
- Charging Case Included?
-
Yes
- Brand
-
Sony
- Bluetooth
-
Version 5.3
- Driver Size
-
8.4 millimeters
- Case battery
-
24 hours
Sony’s earbuds are also a great option. These noise-cancelling earbuds are great for working out or walking around campus.
-
- Battery Life
-
Up to 6 hours per charge, 30 hours total with charging case
- Weight
-
5.3g per earbud, 50.8g with charging case
- Dimensions
-
45.2 × 60.6 × 21.7mm
- Connectivity
-
Bluetooth 5.3
- Charging type
-
MagSafe wireless charging, USB-C
Enjoy significant enhancements to the Apple AirPods Pro with this 2nd generation release, powered by Apple’s H2 processor. Delivering twice the active noise cancellation, spatial audio, USB-C charging, and more.
Flash Drives
A good thumb drive is something students might not think about needing until they really need it. Flash drives are integral if you’re planning to use library printer services or access your files on a public computer, so you don’t need to sign into something on a public device.
- Brand
-
Sandisk
- Speed
-
100 MB/s write; 150 MB/s read
- Connection
-
USB-A and USB-C
- Capacity
-
128GB
The Ultra Dual Drive Go is a perfect student companion. 256GB can fit all of your important files, and the flash drive features both a USB-C and USB-A port, so you can use it with most devices.
-
- Brand
-
Lexar
- Capacity
-
128GB
- Speed
-
300 MB/s write speed
- Connection
-
USB-A 3.2 Gen 1
If you’re carrying sensitive documents around on a flash drive, you’ll want to take a few extra precautions. The F35 Pro offers fingerprint recognition so if it gets lost, no one can access your information.
-
- Brand
-
SanDisk
- Capacity
-
1TB
- Speed
-
10, 400 Write speed
- Connection
-
USB 3.2 Gen 1
Sometimes flash drives can double as additional storage on a laptop, and the Ultra Fit Flash Drive from SanDisc is a perfect choice for that. This is a 1TB flash drive in a form factor small enough to sit relatively flush against your laptop.
Power Banks
-
- Brand
-
Anker
- Battery Capacity
-
5000 mAh
- Ports
-
2
- Weight
-
3.5 Ounces
- Battery Technology
-
Lithium Polymer
- Wireless Charging
-
No
This power bank is perfect for charging your phone up while on campus. The Anker Nano is small enough to be tucked away in a pocket or corner of a backpack, and you can still easily use your phone while connected to it.
-
- Battery Capacity
-
27,000mAh
- Ports
-
AC Outlet, 2x USB-C, 1x USB-A
- Weight
-
2.15lbs
- Dimensions
-
7.6 × 4.5 × 1.3in
- Maximum Discharge
-
140W
With 27,00 mAh of internal battery capacity,100 watts of AC, and 60 watts of USB-C fast charge, the Mophie Powerstation Pro AC packs enough juice to get your laptop up and running again in no time.
Useful Subscriptions
It’s not always about the hardware! A good subscription to a streaming service can make study time more bearable and break time more enjoyable.
Other Gadgets
Here are some other tech products that can help a student out as they head off to college.
- Brand
-
Glocusent
- Brightness Levels
-
Five available
This helpful light clips directly onto your book and offers five brightness settings, three light temperatures, and an adjustable bulb. You can even easily charge it via USB!
- Connective Technology
-
Wi-Fi
- Brand
-
Roku
Roku’s Streaming Stick Plus is the thinnest 4K streaming stick available today. It comes with a Voice Remote, and its ultra-slim design is perfect for frequent travelers as well as those who want to keep their wall-mounted TV as clean-looking as possible.
- Dimensions (exterior)
-
8.5 x 11 inches
- Colors
-
Black, Blue, Green, Navy Blue, Pink, Teal
If you like the feeling of pen and paper but also want proper note organization on a computer, Rocketbook’s smart notebooks are just the thing you need.
- Brand
-
Kasa
- Integrations
-
Alexa, Google Assistant
Plugs are a luxury in small dorm rooms. Not only does a smart power strip help, it allows you to controls lights and other devices from an app.