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Best Back-to-School Sales 2020: The Ultimate Deals Guide

Josh Levenson
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A new school season is looming, but with most schools remaining closed until after Christmas to slow the transmission of COVID-19, there’s a newfound expectation on both parents and students to buy expensive electronics to bring the classroom home. Fortunately, there are several back-to-school sales in full swing — and more imminent — to make transforming the front room into an education station a little lighter on the wallet.

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Best Back-to-School Sales 2020

  • Amazon Back-to-School Sale: Amazon hasn’t kicked off a back-to-school sale, but it is nevertheless offering discounts on must-have electronics that will make learning from home (and campus) a breeze.
  • Apple Back-to-School Sale: In the market for an iPad or Mac? Provide a valid student ID and the manufacturer will knock up to $200 off the price of the machine, 20% off Apple Care+, and throw in free AirPods.
  • Best Buy Back-to-School Sale: Best Buy has created a dedicated Student Hub for its back-to-school sale. Follow the steps to enroll and you’ll be met with massive savings on everything from iPads to 4K TVs.
  • Dell Back-to-School Sale: Dell is offering massive discounts not only on laptops, monitors, and other computing hardware, but also smart home tech like Roombas, Nest Learning Thermostats, and 4K TVs.
  • HP Back-to-School Sale: HP has been running back-to-school sales since what feels like the start of time, and it’s back with another one for Back-to-School 2020: Up to 40% off laptops, monitors, and printers.
  • Microsoft Back-to-School Sale: Microsoft is selling off several must-have laptops on the cheap in its back-to-school sale, and with discounts coming in as steep as $930, it’s a promotion that’s not to be missed.
  • Staples Back-to-School Sale: Staples has everything from laptops and tablets to office furniture and stationary at rock-bottom prices. If you’re serious about bringing the classroom home, this is the sale to shop.
  • Target Back-to-School Sale: On the hunt for a desk? Chair? Whiteboard? Target has them all at rock-bottom prices. It has even slashed prices of top-rated tech, including iPads and MacBooks.

Best Back-to-School Deals 2020

  • Amazon Fire HD 8 (32GB, Wi-Fi) — $60, was $90
  • Amazon Kindle — $70, was $90
  • Amazon Fire HD 10 (32GB, Wi-Fi) — $100, was $150
  • WD My Passport 5TB External Hard Drive — $108, was $150
  • 27-inch BenQ (Full HD) Desktop Monitor — $179, was $300
  • Amazon Kindle Paperwhite — $215, was $250
  • Beats Solo Pro — $230, was $300
  • Apple iPad Mini (64GB, Wi-Fi) — $350, was $399
  • Apple iPad Mini (256GB, Wi-Fi) — $500, was $549
  • Microsoft Surface Go 2 (8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) — $550, was $630
  • Dell XPS 13 (4GB RAM, 128GB SSD) — $740, was $780
  • Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) — $800, was $1000
  • Apple MacBook Air (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $949, was $1000

Are Cheap Back-to-School Sales Too Good To Be True?

For every must-have deal, there at least a dozen bad.

That’s why it’s important to not only consult an impartial source of buying advice (like Digital Trends) to find out whether the offer you’re looking at is really worth your hard-earned cash, but to also have an understanding of the tricks retailers use to dupe customers into thinking they’re looking at an unmissable deal. Fortunately, we’ve thrown together some expert advice to help you get the best possible deal this back-to-school season.

Related
  • Compare: It can be hard to do this for clothing, but if you’re shopping for electronics, a quick check of other stores can help you decide if you’re getting a good price (if you found the deal here, skip this step).
  • Read: Some sales aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, but you have to read all of the details to know that. BOGO could mean a variety of things and mail-in rebates are always more work than they ought to be.
  • Think: Deals were designed to get you to make an impulsive buying decision, so make sure you do your due diligence before clicking Buy Now. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be sensible.

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