Amazon Back to School Sale — Best deals on TVs, laptops, more
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If you’re getting ready to return to a classroom, have someone in your family that is, or just want some things at bargain prices, this sale is for you. Amazon, channeling that nervous energy we have for the next chapter of our schooling lives, has presented tons of items on sale to help us get ready. Whether you need a laptop for homework or a mini fridge for the dorm, Amazon will have it and have it on sale. Tap the button below to check out all of Amazon’s Back to School deals, which also include pencils and other essentials, or keep reading for our favorite deals across Amazon that reflect items our readers are typically most interested in.
Asus Vivobook Go — $190, was $230
One of the absolute cheapest laptops you can get for going back to school, this Asus Vivobook Go has a 15.6-inch screen, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. Those stats aren’t hefty enough if you plan on running a ton of software or need to locally store sensitive files, but if you’re a student that mostly wants to jot down some notes in a Google Docs file, watch YouTube tutorials to figure out how to actually do your math homework, and get an essay done, this laptop will be just perfect. It’s also cheap enough to throw in your backpack without excessive worry. Plus, while it may not be among the best laptops with numberpads, it does have one and that makes for easy data entry.
Asus TUF Gaming A15 — $1,290, was $1,700
Here’s a considerably more powerful laptop from Asus, and one that you can get up to some after class gaming mischief with, too. The Asus TUF Gaming A15 has 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD alongside its RTX 4070 and AMD Ryzen 7 processor. You’ll view your Asus TUF through a 15.6-inch FHD screen that refreshes at 144Hz. Its backlit keyboard give it a gamer aesthetic but also make it easy to find your home row in darkened, projector dominated lectures. If you want to have a laptop that pulls double and even triple duty, something capable of handling notetaking, software, and all of your entertainment needs in one space, highly consider this gaming laptop deal.
Apple MacBook Pro (M3) — $1,399, was $1,599
Apple and MacBook deals are always highly sought but always seem to be rarely found, especially on new products. This latest MacBook Pro has a 14.2-inch liquid retina screen, an all-day 22 hour battery life, and is ready for Apple Intelligence (a private AI helper that just might be able to unstump you when you encounter difficult homework problems) when it launches this fall. This version has 8GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. It is also important to note that this is the MacBook Pro with the standard M3 chip, not the M3 Pro or M3 Max chips, as confusing as that can be. Check out our MacBook Pro M3 buying guide to make sure you choose the correct configuration for you.
Apple iPad 10 A14 — $300, was $349
Surprisingly, one of the most affordable tablet deals we’re finding in Amazon’s Back to School sale is also one of the most sought after, an Apple iPad. This version of the Apple iPad 10 has 64GB of storage and a Wi-Fi connection. Our Apple iPad 10 review highlights many positives of the tablet, including its delightful 10.9-inch liquid retina display, fun color options, and incredible battery performance (our reviewer could easily get two to three days of usage out of it, but your personal usage may vary). One issue, however, that made this version of the iPad difficult to recommend was its awkward pricing of $449. Luckily, for you, Apple has recently cut prices on the iPad 10, making it super relevant again and a much easier recommend. Just this spring you could’ve potentially paid $449 but for the moment it is only $300, an effective $149 discount if you think about it.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ — $870, was $1,000
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ fits smack dab in the middle of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, S9 Plus, and S9 Ultra lineup, giving it a good balance of power and price. It has a 12.4-inch 1600p AMOLED screen, has an IP68 dust and water resistance rating (about as good as it gets), comes with futureproof Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, and even comes with the S Pen stylus at no extra charge. This version comes with 256GB of storage.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 — $1,185, was $1,600
The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is sort of an enigma. At its base level, it is “merely” a (very high-powered) tablet and, indeed, considered one of our best tablets for travel. But then, if you get a typeface keyboard with it, it transforms into one of the best 2-in-1 laptops around. To get an idea of just how powerful this tablet is, take a look at the stat line on this configuration (there are several alternatives available): It has a 12th Gen Intel Evo i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and is a full 13-inches with a 1920p display that refreshes up to 120Hz. Even your laptop might not get stats and hardware like what this has to offer and it’s less than two pounds.
Vizio 24-inch D-Series 1080p Smart TV — $140, was $160
If you need a very small TV that will fit in your dorm or tiny off campus bedroom, this Vizio is a good bet. At only 24-inches from corner-to-corner it sits at just 22-inches wide and has a depth just a hair over 6-inches. Surprisingly, it has features like Auto Gaming Mode for good settings during gaming sessions and easy casting features so you or your pals can pop what is on your phone or tablet up to the screen to share with the group.
40-inch Amazon Fire TV 2-Series — $190, was $250
Amazon’s TV service, the Fire TV, has many tiers, with the 2-Series being best for casual entertainment and serves small to mid-sized rooms best. Watch 1080p programming with Alexa as your voice-activated guide to the best programming. If you happen to share your living area with a roommate, you’ll also like the easy Bluetooth connection to the TV, so you can use headphones for TV watching and not interfere with their studies. As a bonus, this TV comes with six months of MGM+, enough to get you through the fall semester and have great weekend movie nights with guests and friends.
Samsung 55-inch Class QLED 4K Q60D — $698, was $798
One of the best QLED TV deals you can find that’s still a somewhat reasonable size for a large dorm or off-campus house, Samsung’s Q60D brings a quality 4K picture with 4K upscaling for older content. There’s a lot to love about this TV, but you’ll especially like the “airslim” build of the TV — even though it is “larger” than most dorm TVs, it is really slim and can still save space — and the access it gives to the Samsung Gaming Hub for console-free cloud gaming.
Apple AirPods 2 — $80, was $129
The, now retro, Apple AirPods 2nd Gen with the lightning charging case are marked down to a sub-$100 price right now. While if you’re in the market for AirPods, we can assume you know quite a bit about these already, our Apple AirPods 2 review is available for a quick refresher. Critical points include the ease of access with which you can reach Siri via these ‘Pods, their comfortable wearing, and sound profile that should be likable by just about everyone. If you need a pair of one of the best earbuds for iPhones on the cheap, this is a good time to grab AirPods on the cheap.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II — $309, was $349
While they’re not the Bose QuietComfort Ultra that sit atop our list of the best noise-canceling headphones, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II (aka the Bose QC35 II) come from the design philosophy. Emphasizing a comfortable fit and active noise cancellation, these headphones should help you study and stay focused on your work, even in busier environments or around those that talk too much. These headphones feature an ‘Action button’ that either allows you to direct Alexa to new content via a voice command or to adjust noise cancellation levels easily. This keeps your mind focus on the essay you’re writing or the book you’re reading, and not fiddling around with your phone and getting sucked into social media and and ever-pressing question of why your crush hasn’t texted you back yet.
Apple AirPods Max — $450, was $549
The Apple AirPods Max are Apple’s take on over-the-ear headphones and they really hit it out of the park in all of the key areas you would want, especially as a student. Just check the pros listed in our Apple AirPods Max review — they have both excellent ANC for quiet study and a killer transparency mode for hearing your surroundings as your walk around campus, they feel strong and sturdy, give out excellent music, and work excellently in calls and Zoom meetings. One intriguing feature is the lack of a power button, but don’t let it deter you from the AirPods Max as they really don’t lose much power while not in use.
Frigidaire Retro Mini Fridge Cooler — $28, was $50
To keep your beverages and skincare products cool on the cheap and on the go, try out this offering from Frigidaire. It’s a Freon-free mini fridge that can hold up to 6 cans or 4 Liters of stuff, including your essential skincare and makeup products that need to be kept cool. It’s also delightfully portable, with a handle on top, and gets charge from your car’s cigarette lighter while on the go. So, feel free to pop a six pack of whatever beverage you prefer and take to the woods or just keep ’em chilled in your room. The Frigidaire Retro Mini Fridge Cooler is only 9.8 x 7.1 x 10.4 inches, so it can easily fit under your desk without taking up critical leg room.
hOmeLabs Beverage Refrigerator and Cooler — $266, was $350
This mini fridge is 17.3 x 18.9 x 33.3 inches, can be filled with 120 cans or 3.2 cubic feet of stuff, and has adjustable shelves. This means that it is usable for glass bottled beer and soda, standard cans, tall and slim cans, and even wine bottles. Near the top there is a readout and cooling control so you can set everything to the temperature you desire. The hOmeLabs Beverage Refrigerator and Cooler features automatic defrost and a standard 120V plug.