Get back-to-school ready with these major sales on school essentials

We know, it's painful to think about a new school year starting. Didn't summer just begin? Time flies, but you can stay ahead of the curve by stocking up on back-to-school essentials that will ensure an easy-breezy fall term. For your convenience, we've rounded up some of the best deals on laptops, school supplies, backpacks, and beyond. These deals will make you feel good about saving some money and (hopefully) motivate you to get those study hours in. Our top picks: Best laptop deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M1, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB) $749.99 at Amazon (save $249.01)

  Recent Blog   Aug 12, 2023   0   71  Add to Reading List
Get back-to-school ready with these major sales on school essentials
Products from Adidas, Apple, Texas Instruments overlaid on a colorful, patterned background.

We know, it's painful to think about a new school year starting. Didn't summer just begin? Time flies, but you can stay ahead of the curve by stocking up on back-to-school essentials that will ensure an easy-breezy fall term. For your convenience, we've rounded up some of the best deals on laptops, school supplies, backpacks, and beyond. These deals will make you feel good about saving some money and (hopefully) motivate you to get those study hours in.

Our top picks:
Best laptop deal
Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M1, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB)
$749.99 at Amazon (save $249.01)
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch) with an open, colorful screen overlaid on a white background
Best backpack deal
Adidas Excel 6 backpack
$42 at Amazon (save $18)
adidas Excel 6 backpack in a white and black color over a white background
Best deal on school supplies
TI-30XIIS scientific calculator
$9.88 at Amazon (save $12.07)
The TI-30XIIS scientific calculator over a white background
Best tech deal
Apple Pencil (1st generation)
$79 at Amazon (save $20)
1st gen Apple Pencil overlaid horizontally over a white background
Best overall back-to-school sale
Apple BTS sale
Shop MacBooks or iPads (Get a gift card up to $150, 20% off AppleCare+, and more)
Apple Back to School sale illustration with a MacBook, iPad, and gift card drawn

Your head is probably full of summer memories in the sun, careless hours spent by the pool, and barbecues with friends right now, but that academic reality check is going to creep up on you soon — and you better start preparing for it. To make that process as unthreatening as possible, we've searched far and wide for not-to-miss deals on school essentials at retailers like Amazon and Walmart. Stock up on a MacBook, backpacks, and more with the best back-to-school deals below.

Best overall back-to-school sale

Apple Back to School sale illustration with a MacBook, iPad, and gift card drawn
Credit: Apple
Our pick: Apple back-to-school sale
Shop MacBooks or iPads and get a gift card up to $150, 20% off AppleCare+, and more

Why we like it

Each year, Apple rolls out education pricing on its top products to treat students to some much-needed, pre-semester TLC. This year is no different. Apple's BTS sale ("back-to-school," not the South Korean boyband) includes MacBook Airs from $899 (plus a free $150 gift card upon purchase), MacBook Pros from $1,199 (also with a $150 gift card), iPad Airs from $549 (plus a $100 gift card), and beyond. Apple's sale operates on the honor system, meaning you don't have to verify your student status with an ID to take advantage of the deals. Honesty is the best policy, but we're all scholars at heart, aren't we? If you want to score students-only savings on Apple Music ($5.99/month with three months of free listening and free Apple TV+ access), you will have to verify your identity via Unidays, though.

Best laptop deal

Apple MacBook Air (13-inch) with an open, colorful screen overlaid on a white background
Credit: Apple
Our pick: Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (Apple M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB)
$749.99 at Amazon (save $249.01)

Why we like it

The 2020 Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB) is currently selling for $249.01 cheaper at Amazon than at Apple, so we're putting this deal front-and-center to grab your attention (and save you some $$$). Its M1 chip is powerful enough to give you up to 3.5x faster performance than the previous generation's MacBook Air while its crisp, large Retina display provides true-to-nature images in stunning resolution. 8 GB of memory means that even with a billion tabs open, your laptop is not going to lag and you can download all the applications you need for it. Take notes in class, collaborate on assignments, complete graphic design projects, and so much more all with the help of this mighty Apple computer.

More laptop deals

Best backpack deal

adidas Excel 6 backpack in a white and black color over a white background
Credit: adidas
Our pick: Adidas Excel 6 backpack
$44.56 at Amazon (save $15.44)

Why we like it

Though canvas tote bags might be all the rage right now, backpacks are a timeless school essential that will spare you back pain and shoulder bruises. This Adidas Excel 6 backpack, for instance, has load spring shoulder straps that ease the load of carrying heavy textbooks. It also comes with two main compartments and two smaller zip pockets, making on-the-go organization a breeze. One of the aforementioned compartments has an interior sleeve that fits a 15-inch laptop securely, in case you're already eyeing the laptop deals we listed above.

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Best deal on school supplies

The TI-30XIIS scientific calculator over a white background
Credit: Texas Instruments
Our pick: TI-30XIIS scientific calculator
$9.88 at Amazon (save $12.07)

Why we like it

Owning a dependable scientific calculator is as important in some courses as showing up to class. This TI-30XIIS calculator model from Texas Instruments has your back when it comes to measuring angles in radians, taking the logs of numbers, and other math-related operations you might have to perform. Plus, it's permitted in ACT, AP, and SAT testing, so you can also use it as a lucky charm to get those perfect scores.

More deals on school supplies

Best tech deal

1st gen Apple Pencil overlaid horizontally over a white background
Credit: Apple
Apple Pencil (1st generation)
$79 at Amazon (save $20)

Why we like it

The Apple Pencil (1st gen) is perfect for all the sketching, painting, and note-taking that goes on during your school day. With this tech tool, you'll be able to adjust line weight, shading, and other artistic effects to your liking. The Apple Pencil can be paired with a wide range of iPad models like the iPad Pro (10.5-inch), but you will need the included adapter to pair it with a 10th-generation iPad. Happy doodling!

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