Back-to-school sales are back, which means big savings on laptops, backpacks, headphones and more. Whether you’re off to university, going to college or heading into a new school year, this is the best time to stock up on all the essential supplies.
No, we’re not talking about school uniforms! We’re talking about cool stuff like laptops, tablets, headphones and more. Lucky for you, the big retailers like Argos, Currys PC World and Amazon have pulled out all the stops with some huge sales on these essential products.
Not only that, but you’ll find some interesting freebies that’ll give you everything you need to get stuff done. We’ve listed the best back-to-school sales below, but carry on further down, as we pick out the cream of the crop.
Best back to school sales
Back-to-school laptop deals
Not every student is the same. While some need a laptop for the essentials, others need more horsepower for their workloads.
That’s why we have a handy guide to the best back-to-school laptop deals in the U.K. for every use case. Below are the best overall.
Asus Vivobook 14-inch: was £249.99 now £179.99 @ Amazon UK
With this Vivobook, you get a durable, stylish shell that holds a respectable amount of power for the price. Specs include an Intel Celeron N4020, 4GB RAM and 64GB eMMC memory. There is also a colourful HD display, the touchpad doubles up as a numpad, and you get a full year of Microsoft Office for free!View Deal
Dell Inspiron 15 3000: was £398.99 now £289 @ Dell
This configuration of the 15-inch Dell Inspiron 3000 features an Intel Celeron CPU, 4GB DDR4 and 1TB HDD. This, along with an HD display and a sleek chassis, make for a great option for quick day-to-day work.View Deal
Acer Swift 3: was £699 now £599 @ Currys PC World
Acer has something special here. This Swift 3 features a vivid 14-inch FHD display, AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, 8GB of DDR4 RAM and a 1TB SSD. That’s a pretty stacked feature set at this price point!View Deal
MacBook Air (M1/8GB/256GB): was £999 now £879 @ Amazon
Here is the cheapest way to get a taste of Apple’s new silicon while on the go. As you can read in our MacBook Air with M1 review, the switch to an ARM-based processor presents a groundbreaking transformation with blistering performance and super-long battery life. All of this is crammed into a seriously sleek chassis and runs so cool, it doesn’t need a fan.View Deal
MacBook Pro (M1/8GB/256GB): was £1,299 now £1,129 @ Amazon
Turning back to Apple, we fell head over heels for the M1 MacBook Pro for bringing stellar performance and bonkers battery life thanks to Apple’s ARM-based silicon. If you’re a creative pro in need of a machine that can do it all on the go, it’s hard to find much better than this (I use one myself).View Deal
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1: was £1,869 now £1,299.01 @ Dell
A versatile machine with a sleek design for portability. This Dell XPS 13 offers a stunning UHD+ touch display on a 360-degree hinge, Intel Core i7-1065G7 CPU, 16GB of onboard RAM and a 512GB NVMe SSD. Plus, with two USB-C ports and a microSD card slot, this has plenty of compatibility with accessories.View Deal
Back to school software deals
Of course, buying a laptop is only half the battle. You need software to do your work. Here are some big savings on popular packages.
Microsoft Office 365 Education: Free with an academic email address
Microsoft Office software isn’t the sexiest thing to talk about, but a good word processor and spreadsheet manager are essential to schoolwork. Microsoft makes some of the best and you can get the education version for free with your college/university email address.View Deal
Adobe Creative Suite: 65% off for students and teachers
Are you doing a creative course? Adobe’s software suite is the option used by most professionals, which you can get for 65% off as a student or teacher!View Deal
Back to school backpack deals
The best rucksacks for college students need to be durable, offer plenty of space for your personal effects, give you padding to protect your laptop, and look good too — all while still being affordable.
It’s a tall order, but we’ve found a few great options. If you want more recommendations, check out our best backpacks and laptop bags list.
Vans Disorder: was £37 now £25.90 @ Vans
With a generous amount of space, plenty of organisational pockets, a padded laptop sleeve, ergonomic shoulder straps and a sleek, stylish design, Vans’ Disorder backpack in black is great for all your school needs.View Deal
Eastpak Provider: was £85.95 now £44.47 @ All Outdoor
The Eastpak Provider provides plenty of space, comfort and durability. The padded straps and back make this a joy to carry around and the restrained visual style keeps this low-key, fitting in with whatever you’re wearing.View Deal
Herschel Retreat: was £80 now £56 @ Herschel
The timeless mountaineering design of Herschel gets a sleek update with magnetic latches, padding for comfort and a standout design, along with a 15-inch laptop sleeve for even the biggest of devices.View Deal
AmazonBasics laptop bag: was £16.26 now £9.99 @ Amazon UK
The bargain basement option may not have the same space and style as the above options, but a laptop bag with pockets for other items for under a tenner is a steal!View Deal
Back to school headphone deals
Listening to music and podcasts helps you concentrate. My relentlessly replayed Lo-Fi playlist and addiction to D&D shows speaks volumes to its importance. So that is why you need a stylish, great-sounding, portable set of cans or true wireless earbuds.
Of course, for more discounts, check out our best headphone deals list.
Skullcandy Push Ultra: was £74.97 now £29.97 @ Currys PC World
Discounted for clearance, Skullcandy’s powerful Push Ultra are powerful buds at an insanely low price. The case is rugged and durable, the buds have sweat resistance and beasty drivers.View Deal
Apple AirPods: was £159 now £119 @ Appliances Direct
Packed with rich sound quality, all the smarts granted by Apple’s H1 chip, including seamless device switching and a rapid wireless connection, and easy-to-use touch controls, this entry point into the Apple wireless earbud ecosystem is ideal for those who want the seamless iPhone experience on the cheap.View Deal
Anker Soundcore Life Q35: was £129.99 now £103.99 @ Amazon UK with discount applied
As you can read in my Soundcore Life Q35 review, the only criticism I had was the RRP being a bit steep. Turns out Anker listened, as the price is down to a more comfortable hundred quid. The custom silk diaphragm drivers deliver impeccable sound alongside the hi-res audio certification for incredible detail and depth. Plus, the super long 40-hour battery life with ANC on is impressive.View Deal
Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus: was £139 now £99 @ Samsung
The Editor’s Choice Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus wireless earbuds are £40 off right now. They feature a 2-way speaker, rich AKG sound and adaptive 3-mic system for crystal clear calls. View Deal
