The best back-to-school tech deals right now
The back-to-school season is upon us, and soon the sounds of lawnmowers and backyard barbecues will be replaced by the tapping of fingers typing term papers and the incessant ringing of bells.
It’s a bummer, I know. (Unless you’re a parent.)
But if the back-to-school season has one redeeming quality, it’s this: You can save a bunch of sweet, sweet cash on some new tech toys. And I’m not just talking about that godforsaken TI-84 calculator. I’m taking about …
Apple products
Apple’s devices aren’t what most people would call “budget friendly.” But if you’ve got a student email address, you can at least knock a couple of bucks off your next purchase of a MacBook or iPad.
Apple runs its student discounts through the UNiDays site, which it uses to confirm your student email address. When you sign into UNiDays, you’ll be taken back to Apple’s website where you’ll automatically see the prices of the company’s gadgets with the student discounts.
Most of Apple’s discounts fall between $50 and $20. But the company does cut $300 off of its powerful Mac Pro desktops. You can also get a free pair of $200 Beats headphones.
Where you really start to see savings is when you sign up with for the AppleCare Protection Plan. Without a student discount, the three-year coverage plan for a MacBook Air costs $250. With your discount, the plan costs $183. That’s a pretty good chunk of change for a plan that can ensure your pricey laptop is protected for what will likely be half its lifetime.
It’s worth noting, though, that AppleCare for the MacBook doesn’t cover accidental damage. So be careful out there.
Wireless carrier discounts
If you’re in the market for a new smartphone or data plan this back-to-school season and looking to save some extra cashola, you’re in luck. Each of the Big Four carriers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon) has some sort of back-to-school sale you can take advantage of.
AT&T is offering a buy one get one free deal with Samsung’s Galaxy S6, S7, Note7, the iPhone 6s and LG’s V10 and G5 when you sign up for a new line on the carrier’s Next plan. Sprint promises to save you up to $120 if you switch to the carrier and lease a smartphone, and T-Mobile will cut $60 off the price of a smartphone as long as you have your school email address.
Verizon, meanwhile, is offering a variety of accessories at reduced prices including $30 off LG’s Tone Platinum Bluetooth headset and $20 off the $79 Mophie powerstation 3x.
Laptops
You’re going to need a laptop if you’re going back to school. Luckily, this time of year offers some of the best deals on new notebooks. Lenovo offers a host of laptops on sale ranging from the Yoga 900s knocked down from $1,100 to $900 to the Flex 4 for $600, down from $750.
Dell has got a completely different offer on the table, adding a 32-inch TV to the package whenever you buy certain laptops, desktops, Alienware PCs and specific packages. HP is knocking $180 off its Envy 15 laptop and $230 off of the 15.6-inch Pavilion.
Services
Streaming music like Spotify and Apple Music and services like Amazon all offer discounts if you’ve got a student email address. Spotify will cut your bill in half, charging $5 per month instead of $10. Apple offers the same discount for Apple Music subscribers, so you can stream Tay and Bey songs to your heart’s content.
Amazon will also cut you some slack on your Prime bill, charging you half the yearly $100 subscription fee. Just make sure you have a valid student email address.
Gaming
Let’s not pretend you’re going to spend all of your time during the school year working. You’re also going to want to blow off some steam with some of your favorite video games.
If you’ve been looking to get an Xbox One, now’s the time to get one, as the company just released its new Xbox One S. An upgraded version of the original Xbox One, the One S starts at $300 and can stream 4K and HDR content meaning you’ll get beautiful visuals, as long as you’ve got a compatible TV.
That said, Microsoft will release an even more powerful Xbox in time for the 2017 holiday season. If you can’t wait, though, the One S is a solid choice.
Sony, meanwhile, is reportedly getting set to roll out an updated version of its PlayStation 4. This PS4 slim will feature a smaller frame and lower price, though Sony hasn’t confirmed anything just yet.
If you want a more powerful PS4, you might want to wait until Sony’s Sept. 7 press event where it is expected to introduce its new PS4 “Neo,” a virtual reality-ready powerhouse of a console. Either way, if you’re a PlayStation fan, hold off on buying a system until next month.
More from Dan:
Sony to unveil two PlayStation consoles at Sept. 7 event: report
Google’s Android 7.0 Nougat is now available … if you have the right device
Email Daniel at [email protected]; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.