With back to school 2022 inching ever closer, it's time to start thinking about the next semester for schools and colleges. The rush will soon be on for students to get the tech they need for their work next year, and whether you're continuing a current course or starting something new, it's worth thinking about what you might need as early as possible.
Luckily for you, back to school 2022 discounts have begun, and we've found all the best deals on the equipment you need. Looking for laptops, tablets, printers, headphones or other tech essentials? We've got them all here, and with all the freshest discounts from the biggest retailers across the US and the UK, this is your chance to save some serious cash on brand-new tech.
We've split the deals up by category and country to make this post easy to navigate; you can use the quick links to jump straight to the category that's relevant to you. If you want more options, we also have a round-up of the best Apple back to school 2022 deals, and a guide to how to get an Adobe student discount for those who are on the hunt for creative software.
Back to school laptop deals
A laptop is pretty much vital for students heading back to school these days, no matter what you're studying. Almost every course requires some form of written work, and you'll also need to browse the internet to do research, and perhaps even to attend online classes. Check out the back to school laptop deals below, or see our guides to the best laptops for teachers and best student laptops for more recommendations.
Inspiron 15 3000 Laptop: $599.99 $470.39 at Dell Save $129.60: This is a good value laptop from a reliable brand. The 15.6-inch Dell Inspiron 15 comes with 8GB of RAM and 512GB storage. It also includes 6 months of The Disney Bundle. There is a range of laptops on offer at Dell, just explore here.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3: $499.99 $349.99 at BestBuy
Save $150: This solid choice is ideal for students who just need a device for writing, browsing and media consumption. Featuring a 15-inch multi-touchscreen, the IdeaPad 3 is an entry-level laptop with an HD display. This model has 8GB RAM and 256GB memory. The specs won't suit demanding creative software but for general study and writing, this is a great value option.
MacBook Air + Apple gift card: $899 at Apple Get an education discount + a gift card: Apple doesn't often do discounts, but its back-to-school offers are an exception. You can grab a $100 discount and a gift card worth up to $150 with several products, including the 13in MacBook Air (both the 2020 M1 model and the brand new 2022 M2 device) if you qualify. It's a welcome saving on our favourite laptop for students.
HP 11.6in Chromebook: $259.00 $89.99 at Best Buy Save $169: If you don't need anything fancy and just want a laptop to write up essays or take notes, a Chromebook should do you just fine, while offering great battery life at the fraction of the price of a regular laptop. Best Buy has a massive 65% off this budget option, which does the job for daily computing tasks.
The best back to school laptop deals: UK
Inspiron 15: £799 £589 at Dell
Save £210: Dell has a massive range of laptops and a massive range of back-to-school deals, especially on its midrange Inspiron brand. Take a look at the different devices to find the specs you need, but the biggest deal is £210 off the Inspiron 15 with 8GB of RAM and 512GB storage. Find more Dell deals here.
ACER Swift 3: £799 £599 at Currys
Save £200: Our next pick of the best student laptops, the Swift 3 is a great value option from ACER. It's more versatile and powerful than a Chromebook and offers a massive 1TB of storage for a very reasonable price thanks to this back-to-school deal.
MacBook Air + Apple gift card:£898 at Apple Get an education discount + gift card: qualifying students can claim a discount and a £120 gift card with the purchase of a range of MacBooks, including the brand new M2-chipped MacBook Air.
HP Pavilion 14: £549.98 £429.98 at HP
Save £120: The Pavilion has a 14-inch screen and a compact build, making it a good option for working on the go. It comes with an i3 Intel processor, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD, which should serve you for general everyday work.
Back to school tablet deals
If you're looking for something more portable for taking notes or reading on the go, then a tablet is a good option. Add a stylus and can use them for sketching too, making them great options for students on creative course. And in many cases you can add a keyboard if you need to type longer assignments.
The best back to school tablet deals: US
iPad Air and iPad Pro: Get an education discount + a gift card worth up to $150 at Apple If you're after a new iPad Air or iPad Pro, and you're a student, you can get a discount and a gift card with your purchase director from Apple – you'll need to prove that your qualify.
Apple iPad Pro 11 (2021, M1): $899 $849 at Amazon
Save $50: There are a range of discounts on the super powerful 2021 iPad Pro at Amazon. It's a fantastic device for students on creative courses that need a lot of power. This one gets you a reasonable saving of 6% off the 256GB version of the 11in device. Click through to explore other deals.
Apple iPad Air 2020: $749.99 $649.99 at B&H Photo
Save $100: For a cheaper price, the fourth-generation Apple iPad Air is powerful and extremely portable 10.9-inch tablet with enough battery life to get through a day's lessons with ease. B&H Photo has $100 off the 256GB configuration in rose gold.
Apple iPad Air 2022: $599.99 $559.99 at Amazon
Save $40: The latest iPad Air comes with boosted performance thanks to Apple's M1 chip. The entry-level configuration is low on storage at 64GB, but if you're using cloud storage, that might be all you need.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7: $899$649.81 at Amazon
Save 28%: This isn't the newest Surface Pro, but it's a massive saving on a tablet that runs Windows, letting you use desktop software on a super-compact device. This configuration has 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, but there are others available.
The best Back to School tablet deals: UK
iPad Air and iPad Pro: Get an education discount + a gift card worth up to £120 at Apple Qualifying full-time students can claim a discount plus a gift card towards future purchases when buying a new iPad Air or Pro direct from Apple. The deal applies to several configurations.
Apple iPad: £319 £299 at Amazon
Save £20: The standard 10.9-inch 2021 iPad is thin and light, making it extremely portable for use in class. With up to 10 hours of battery life, it should have no problem lasting through a day's worth of lessons. Amazon has 6% off.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7: From £799 £634 at Amazon
Save £165: If you want the portability of a tablet but the ability to run full desktop software, the Microsoft Surface Pro might be the device for you. Amazon has a big 26 per cent off the 2019 Surface Pro 7 in several configurations.
Back to school headphone deals
Headphones are good accessory for students to consider. Many students find listening to music can help them concentrate, but you might also need headphones for editing work or to attend online classes, especially if you're working in a library or another shared space. Headphones often also offer much better listening quality than the built-in speakers that come with most laptops and tablets.
Sony ZX Series Wired On-Ear Headphones: $12.99 $9.99 at Amazon
Save 23%: If you're just looking for a simple, straightforward and cheap pair of headphones from a reputable brand, this Sony set should fit the bill perfectly. With Amazon's 23% discount, they're less than $10.
Apple AirPods Pro: $249 $179.99 at Amazon
Save 28%: The Apple AirPods Pro aren't exactly student budget-friendly headphones, but this massive saving makes them a lot more accessible. And you're rewarded with active noise-cancellation, super comfortable silicone ear tips and high-quality audio.
The best back to school headphones deals: UK
DOQAUS Bluetooth Headphones: £41.99 £32.99 at Amazon
Save £9.00: These over-ear headphones are a great budget option offering 52 hours of play time and a comfortable fit. They come in a wide range of colour options.
Sony Wireless headphones: £50 £32.56 at Amazon Save 35%: These reliable Sony headphones are at a decent price right now. they're a great all-rounder, whether that's taking remote classes or listening to your favourite music.
Samsung Galaxy buds: £179 £68.49 at Amazon Save £110.51: Samsung's Galaxy buds are one of the main challengers to Apple's AirBuds. They offer a secure fit, stylish design, powerful bass and they're easy to pair and use. This is a huge saving at Amazon.
Back to school printer deals
Buying your own printer as a student can save you a lot of trips to the copy shop, and can be a real life saver if you're rushing to submit an essay on deadline. If it's only for printing written assignments, you shouldn't need a hugely sophisticated device.
The best back to school printers deals: US
Canon PIXMA TS6420a Wireless All-In-One Inkjet Printer: $159.99 $99.99 at Best Buy Save $60: This is a great wireless black and white laser printer that should meet most student needs. With the Canon app, you can print, scan or fax to your heart's content at the push of a button.
HP Envy Inspire 7955e Wireless Colour Printer: $269.99 $199.89 at Amazon
Save $70: This is a great discount on an excellent all-in-one printer, which scans, copies and prints in good quality colour. You get a bonus 6 months of instant ink, too.
The best back to school printers deals: UK
Xerox B230 Wireless Black and White Laser Printer:£192 £126.86 at Amazon Save £65.11: This is a good value option for anyone looking for a simple but reliable and reasonably compact laser printer for the new academic year. It's a decent option if you'll need to print quite a lot too.
HP Envy Inspire 7920e Wireless Colour Printer: £149.99 £140 at Amazon
Save £9.99: If you need colour, this all-in-one printer offers good quality scans, copies and prints razer-sharp quality. It's not a massive deal, but the price was already very reasonable, and you get 6 months of instant ink thrown in as well.
Back to school software deals
The best back to school software deals
Students and teachers save 65% on Adobe Creative Cloud at Adobe Students and teachers can save 65% on an Adobe Creative Cloud all-apps subscription. This will give you access to the full suite of creative apps including Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator with a saving of up to $33.00 / £33.70 a month!
Office 365 Education: FREE at Microsoft All students can get access to Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Teams right now for free. You'll need to enter your school email address to receive the free software.
Back to school mouse deals
A mouse can be another handy accessory for students heading back to school. Whether you're using a laptop or a tablet, a mouse can often be more comfortable than a trackpad or touchscreen for long periods.
The best back to school mouse and keyboard deals: US
Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600: $29.95 $19.99 at Amazon
Save $9.96: Microsoft's Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600 is cheap enough to take with you anywhere without worrying too much about losing it while still reasonably ergonomic to use. It's easy to set up on any Bluetooth-equipped device and a single AA battery should keep it running for the whole school year.
The best back to school mouse and keyboard deals: UK
Logitech MX Anywhere 3: £89.99 £44.99 at Amazon
Half-price: The cost of Logitech's MX Anywhere 3 might normally put it out of most students' options for a mouse, but with £32 off, this is worth considering if you need more than a basic mouse. It's a compact and streamlined alternative to Logitech's premium MX Master mice with programmable buttons and an ergonomic design.
Beren has worked on creative titles at Future Publishing for over 13 years. Cutting his teeth as Staff Writer on the digital art magazine ImagineFX, he moved on to edit several creative titles, and is currently the Ecommerce Editor on the most effective creative website in the world. When he's not testing and reviewing the best ergonomic office chairs, phones, laptops, TVs, monitors and various types of storage, he can be found finding and comparing the best deals on the tech that creatives value the most.
