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Back-to-School Apple deals 2022: AirTags, iPads and AirPods

Now is the ideal time to save big on some great Apple deals with back-to-school Apple deals fully underway. Whether you’re looking for new AirPods, a new iPad, MacBook, or even simply some AirTags, there are some big discounts to be enjoyed. We’ve taken a look at some of the highlights so you know exactly what to do and where to buy.

Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $89, was $99

Person holding an Apple AirTag.
Digital Trends

Why Buy:

  • Easy to use
  • Leverages huge ecosystem
  • Can replace battery
  • Precision tracking is great

The Apple AirTag is one of the best ways to help you track your many different devices. Through the tag, you can keep track of and find all your items alongside your friends and devices all through the Find My app. It has a simple one-tap setup process that instantly connects your AirTag with your iPhone or iPad so we’re talking super-fast prep here. With the Find My network now piggybacking on every iPhone out there, you’ll get near real-time updates about the location of your items, provided you’ve hooked up an Apple AirTag.

That’s why it’s so useful to be able to snap up a four-pack of them. Each device is small and portable so it’s easy to keep one on a keychain or in your purse or wallet. The latter is the easiest option as you’ll need to buy a separate accessory to hook it onto a keychain but it’s worth it. The Apple AirTag is a neat yet subtle-looking device that’s easily slipped away. Unusually for an Apple device, you can even change the battery yourself rather than needing to take it for repair. Each battery lasts around a year or so, so you won’t have to worry about this too often.

Thanks to the Apple AirTag relying on Apple’s Find My network, it can communicate with other Apple devices, even if they aren’t yours, before alerting you to its location. The Find My app then offers numerous features. You can see its last known location on a map with a high rate of accuracy. From there, once you’re within 30 feet, you get precision tracking via Bluetooth so you can find it within a few inches. You can also trigger a sound if you need the extra assistance. If you’re prone to losing your wallet or other essentials, the Apple AirTag offers great peace of mind.

Apple AirPods Pro — $180, was $249

Woman wearing Apple AirPods Pro.
Karolina Grabowska/Pexels

Why Buy:

  • Active Noise Cancellation
  • Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking
  • Adaptive EQ
  • Good battery life

Back-to-school AirPods deals tend to favor the Apple AirPods Pro because they are some of the best wireless earbuds around. Packed full of plenty of great features, the Apple AirPods Pro are well suited for a busy lifestyle. On the surface, that’s because they’re adaptable. They’re sweat and water resistant but they also have decent battery life with more than 24 hours total listening time when you incorporate the MagSafe charging case. It’s that kind of battery life that means the Apple AirPods Pro should survive your commute throughout the week before you need to recharge them.

And, predictably, the Apple AirPods Pro sound fantastic. They offer spatial audio with dynamic head tracking so that it feels as if sound is being placed all around you. Ever wanted to feel like you’re at a concert while you listen to music on the train? The Apple AirPods Pro provide that, giving you a truly immersive experience. That’s further helped by the Apple AirPods Pro having adaptive EQ so that music is automatically tuned to the shape of your ears. By doing so, you get a truly personal experience with the Apple AirPods Pro offering up three sizes of soft, tapered silicone tips so you can enjoy a fit that truly works for you.

The Apple AirPods Pro also offer highly comprehensive active noise cancellation. Capable of blocking outside noises, you can immerse yourself in your music without worrying about any distractions. When you do need to check back in, a transparency mode makes interacting once more a breeze without having to take the earbuds out. It’s a well-rounded package right down to the Apple AirPods Pro including excellent in-ear detection and automatic switching between Apple devices.

Apple iPad 10.2 — $309, was $329

The iPad 10.2 being used.
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Why Buy:

  • Great Retina display
  • Strong performance for price
  • Ideal for the whole family
  • Great entry point to the iPad world

One of the best value back-to-school iPad deals is the Apple iPad 10.2. In the past, we’ve deemed it one of the best tablets for kids thanks to it offering all the benefits of an iPad while keeping costs relatively low. If you’re keen to check out the Apple iPadOS ecosystem but you don’t want to spend a fortune, you’ll still reap many benefits from the Apple iPad 10.2 even if it doesn’t have the power of other models.

One standout feature is its beautiful 10.2-inch Retina display. The display has True Tone support so you’re guaranteed to see some great colors whatever you plan on using the Apple iPad 10.2 for. Suitably vibrant and enthusiastic, the Apple iPad 10.2’s display is perfect for everything from browsing the internet, playing games, or streaming content from your favorite streaming service. Performance wise, the Apple iPad 10.2 has an A13 Bionic chip with Neural Engine so it provides decent performance for the price, ensuring that nothing will feel sluggish here. Alongside that, the offers an 8MP wide back camera for the occasional snap along with a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera that has Center Stage support. The latter is great for taking video calls as it means you’re always kept in the center of the image, even if you move around a lot.

Elsewhere, the Apple iPad 10.2 offers up effective stereo speakers so you can hear others clearly. It also has Touch ID support to save you entering so many passwords, plus there’s Apple Pay so you can pay using your iPad. Up to 10 hours of battery life will keep you active all day, while there’s also support for the Apple Pencil (1st generation) and Smart Keyboard so you can be more tactile or type up documents easily with the Apple iPad 10.2.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch — $749, was $799

A 2021 iPad Pro is attached to a keyboard on a desk.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Why Buy:

  • Powerful performance
  • Gorgeous display
  • Excellent cameras
  • All-day battery life

The best iPad for anyone looking for great performance without going as expensive as the iPad Pro 12.9-inch, the Apple iPad Pro 11-inch is a real powerhouse of an iPad. That’s because it uses the Apple M1 chip which means you get laptop level performance in a tablet form factor. The M1 chip is used in many MacBooks so seeing it in a tablet makes a huge difference. Combined with the efficiency of iPadOS, you’ll be able to multitask as much as you need, while also being able to play the latest games without a problem.

That’s well suited for anyone who wants an iPad that will last because the Apple iPad Pro 11-inch really could be a laptop replacement. It has support for the Apple Pencil (2nd generation), as well as the Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio so you can easily use it to type up documents as well as sketch out designs. A Thunderbolt port also means you can connect it to fast external storage along with displays or docks, so this becomes far more than just a tablet.

When you are using it as a tablet, the Apple iPad Pro 11-inch looks amazing. It utilizes a 11-inch Liquid Retina display that has ProMotion, True Tone, and P3 wide color capabilities. What does that mean for you? Colors will be vibrant and highly accurate, while you’ll never have to worry about motion blur no matter how fast the action you’re witnessing may get. Alongside that, the Apple iPad Pro 11-inch has a great set of cameras, too. It has a 12MP Wide back camera along with a 10MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage support. It’s well designed for taking video calls in a professional manner, plus you have the addition of a LiDAR scanner for immersive AR. Wrapping up the great bunch of features, the Apple iPad Pro 11-inch also has four speaker audio, five studio-quality microphones, plus Face ID support.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch — $999, was $1,099

Apple iPad Pro M1 Lifestyle Image
Apple

Why Buy:

  • The ultimate iPad
  • Powerful performance
  • Fantastic screen
  • More 2-in-1 laptop than tablet

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch is the ultimate tablet. It’s more than most people need but if you’re a content creator, professional designer, or some other kind of power user, it’s worth investing in this laptop-priced tablet. A truly comprehensive device, the Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch isn’t the kind of tablet you’ll solely buy to browse the internet on the couch. Instead, it’s a powerful laptop in tablet form. That’s thanks to it offering Apple’s M1 chip which is often seen in many MacBooks. It’s a powerful processor to have by your side and means that you’ll have no problem doing pretty much anything.

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch is adept at everything from multitasking, to gaming, and video editing too. That’s further helped by its extensive support for accessories. You can use it with the Apple Pencil (2nd generation), as well as the Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio. That makes a big difference if you want to sketch out something for work or you need to be able to type more effectively than relying on a touchscreen. Adding to the options, the Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch also has a Thunderbolt port so you can easily hook it up to external storage, displays, and docks.

In addition, the Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch has a great camera system. This includes a 12MP Wide back camera along with a 10MP Ultra Wide front camera that has Center Stage capabilities so you’re always kept the central focus on a call. There’s also a LiDAR scanner for immersive AR purposes. Elsewhere, you get Face ID for effective but simple to set up security, along with four speaker audio and five studio-quality microphones. The Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch is a powerful system in every way, right down to its all-day battery life.

14-inch Apple MacBook Pro — $1,749, was $1,999

Apple MacBook Pro front view showing display and keyboard..
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Why Buy:

  • Powerful performance
  • Excellent display
  • Huge battery life
  • Great speakers

One of the best back-to-school laptop deals at the moment is being able to buy a 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro for less than usual. One of the best laptops around, the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro is perfect if you’re a student that needs a high-performance laptop or if you’re simply looking to upgrade your work setup with a system that will last many years to come. Whether it’s your first 14-inch MacBook Pro or simply the latest acquisition, you’ll be impressed at how fast the Apple MacBook Pro is.

That’s because it uses Apple’s M1 Pro chip to power proceedings. Designed with macOS in mind, it knows exactly how to get the most out of whatever you’re doing. With eight cores at play along with a 14 core GPU, the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro is amazing for multitasking or simply using software like Photoshop, GarageBand or video editing software without having to wait for anything to load. 16GB of memory further helps here while you also get 512GB of SSD storage to ensure there’s no need for cloud storage too often.

Capable of far superior performance than previous models, the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro also has a gorgeous 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display that offers extreme dynamic range and contrast ratio, ensuring everything you look at looks vibrant and a sheer delight. Whenever you need to make a video call, the Apple MacBook Pro’s 1080p FaceTime HD camera helps here with an advanced image signal processor providing you with sharper calls. A six speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers means you can hear everything clearly as well. Rounding off things well, it also has up to 17 hours of battery life so you’re good to go on the move without having to worry about taking your charger with you. That’s particularly ideal for commuters and students moving between classes.

Editors' Recommendations

Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen is a technology writer with over 10 years of experience. She primarily writes about the best deals coverage…
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