Heading off to college can be both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. On top of figuring out your classes and meeting new people, you’re also faced with the challenge of ensuring you’ve got all the gadgets you need for a successful year. But fret not! As a seasoned college gadget enthusiast and a parent of a couple of college kids, I’m here to help with your back-to-school shopping list.
1. Get A Good, High-End Laptop That Can Last 4(ish) Years
Whether you’re heading into an intense engineering program or an arts degree, a high-end laptop is an absolute must-have for every college student. From attending online lectures to working on assignments and conducting complex research, a fast, reliable laptop will be your daily workhorse.
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I personally recommend the Apple MacBook Pro for its robust performance, sleek design, and ease of use. The MacBook Pro offers top-notch processing power, a brilliant retina display, and excellent battery life – everything you need to sail through those long college days.
For those who prefer the flexibility of a Windows device, the Dell XPS 15 is a stellar choice. It has a fantastic display, an advanced graphics card (for those intensive tasks), and a comfortable keyboard for all that essay writing.
Or, for a real value option, Jumper has a killer deal rightnow on their 14″ Windows 11 laptop.
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2. Get Yourself A Portable Printer To Keep In The Dorm or Take to the Library
Despite the digital revolution, there’s still a substantial amount of printing to be done in college. Having a portable printer at your disposal saves you those frantic trips to the library minutes before your assignment is due.
For a compact yet powerful option, check out the HP OfficeJet 250 All-in-One Portable Printer. It can print, scan, and copy, making it perfect for your diverse college needs.
On a tighter budget? The Canon PIXMA TR150 Wireless Mobile Printer is a great alternative, offering excellent print quality and portability without breaking the bank.
3. Sign Up For An E-Book Subscription and Save on Buying Textbooks
Limited Time Offer: 1 Month Free, for Kindle Unlimited
College involves a lot of reading, and an e-book subscription can make this task much more manageable. Services like Amazon Kindle Unlimited offer access to a wealth of resources, from textbooks to research papers and novels, all at your fingertips.
Kindle Unlimited provides a massive library of over 1 million books and thousands of audiobooks, magazines, and more. It’s compatible with any device, meaning you can read your chosen book on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
4. Get A Good External Hard Drive, You’ll Be Glad When Wifi is Out.
Between massive research projects, countless assignments, and all those photos from college life, your laptop’s storage can fill up faster than a lecture hall during finals week. An external hard drive is an absolute must to back up your work and safeguard against the dreaded tech failure.
My personal favorite is the Seagate Backup Plus Slim. It’s fast, reliable, and as the name suggests, slim enough to fit in any backpack. Plus, it comes in several storage capacities to suit your needs.
For those working with larger files like video projects or extensive datasets, the WD 5TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive offers a ton of space and comes with password protection for that added layer of security.
5. Rock some Noise-Canceling Headphones for when your roomies are raging but you’re still studying
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If you’ve ever tried studying in a bustling dorm or apartment, you know the importance of a good pair of noise-canceling headphones. They’re an absolute game-changer when it comes to creating your peaceful study oasis amidst the college chaos.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are top-of-the-line, offering industry-leading noise cancelation, fantastic sound quality, and a comfortable design for long study sessions.
Looking for a more budget-friendly option? The Anker Soundcore Life Q20 offers impressive noise cancelation and sound at a fraction of the cost.
6. When it’s your turn to vibe out, Get A Smart Speaker
In between all the studying and assignments, college is also about having fun and staying organized, and a smart speaker can help with both. Play your favorite study playlist, set reminders for your project due dates, or get answers to random trivia questions during a study break.
The Amazon Echo Dot is a popular choice. It’s affordable, compact, and offers all the benefits of Amazon’s voice assistant, Alexa.
Alternatively, the Google Nest Mini provides the smarts of Google Assistant in a small package, perfect for those who prefer the Google ecosystem.
7. Get A Coffee Maker, Trust me.
Late-night study sessions and early morning lectures are part and parcel of the college experience. To get through these, a compact, quick coffee maker is your best friend.
For a straightforward, reliable choice, you can’t go wrong with the Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker. It’s small enough to fit on any cramped dorm desk, and the single-serve system means you won’t be wasting coffee.
For the coffee connoisseurs out there, the AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker offers a quick, smooth brew that’s compact and portable enough to even take with you on campus!
8. I wish I had a Portable Monitor when I was in college!
Boost Your Productivity with This Portable Monitor for Laptop
Looking for a convenient way to extend your screen space? Check out this portable monitor! With its 15.8-inch IPS screen, 1080p resolution, and 178° viewing angle, it delivers an awesome viewing experience. Plus, it’s easy to connect to your laptop or other devices via USB-C or HDMI. And the best part? You can save 20% on this monitor right now! Don’t miss out on this deal!
A portable monitor is a game-changer for study sessions and group projects. With the extra screen space, you can have research articles on one screen and your paper on another, or spread out your coding project across both.
The ASUS ZenScreen MB16AC is a popular choice, with its slim, light design and sharp, bright display. It’s USB-C powered, making it easy to set up with most modern laptops.
If you’re on a budget, the AOC e1659Fwu is a fantastic alternative. It’s a bit bulkier, but it offers a stable connection and decent display quality.
9. Design/Art Types Will Want a Good Tablet with Stylus
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Upgrade your tech game with the SGIN Android 12 Tablet. Equipped with 2GB RAM, 64GB ROM, and a powerful quad-core processor, this tablet is perfect for online learning and productivity. It features a vibrant 10.1-inch IPS display, dual cameras, WiFi, GPS, and more. With a long battery life and a 1-year warranty, this tablet is a great investment for college students.
When it comes to taking notes, reading textbooks, or sketching diagrams, a tablet with a stylus can be incredibly handy. It’s a lot lighter to carry around than a laptop, and many of them now have the processing power to handle all but the most intensive tasks.
The Apple iPad Pro paired with the Apple Pencil is an unbeatable combo in terms of performance and utility. The Pencil’s low latency and pressure sensitivity make it feel like writing on real paper.
For Android enthusiasts, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is a strong competitor. With a responsive S Pen included, it’s a great platform for note-taking, reading, and even entertainment.
10. Big Dorm Vibes With Smart Light Bulbs
Last, but definitely not least, smart light bulbs. Why are they a college essential? Well, controlled with a phone app, these clever gadgets can do more than just illuminate your study area. They can help set study moods, wake-up schedules, or even give your dorm room a splash of color for a study break party.
The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit is a top pick for smart lighting. It offers millions of color options and can be controlled through your smartphone, voice assistants, or even synced with your music or movies.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, the Wyze Bulb provides adjustable white lighting and can be controlled via an app or voice assistants, at a fraction of the cost.
So there we have it, the top 10 tech essentials for heading back to college. From a high-end laptop to smart light bulbs, these gadgets will keep you organized, productive, and even add a bit of fun to your college life.
Remember, the tools don’t make the student. It’s all about how you use them. So whether you’re heading to college for the first time or returning for another year, make the most of these gadgets to enhance your college journey. As they say, work smarter, not harder! Happy studying, folks!