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
CAN'T MISS
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Amazon Kindle Unlimited
FREE!
Amazon Kindle Unlimited is like Netflix, but for books and magazines. Sign up now and you'll score a two-month subscription for the low, low cost of absolutely nothing — no strings attached.
LATEST MODEL | TRUE WIRELESS AIRPODS
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Apple AirPods Pro with Wireless Charging Case
$199With noise-cancellation, water-resistance, and interchangeable eartips for a more comfortable fit, the AirPods Pro are the most advanced AirPods in Apple's stable -- a must-have for fitness fanatics.
LATEST MODEL
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Apple iPad Mini (64GB, Wi-Fi)
$379A gorgeous 7.9-inch Retina touchscreen makes the iPad Mini a perfect travel-friendly alternative to the larger iPads, and this model supports the Apple Pencil stylus as well.
TRUE WIRELESS EARBUDS
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Apple AirPods with Charging Case
$119Launched in 2016, the AirPods aren't old hat by any means, offering near enough all the same features as the AirPods 2 — with the main difference being it lasts for half the time on a single charge.
WIRELESS PRINTER
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Canon Pixma TR4520 All-in-One Inkjet Printer
$80Just need a reliable and uncomplicated printer? The Canon Pixma TR4520 is a solid, simple, inkjet printer, scanner, and copier with wireless printing functionality.
4K ULTRA HD MONITOR
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27-inch Dell FreeSync Desktop Monitor
$350This Dell 27-inch monitor hits the sweet spot in size, resolution, and price, with a nice discount that makes it one of the best 4K Ultra HD FreeSync desktop displays you'll find for the price.
UNBEATABLE VALUE
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65-inch Samsung NU6900 4K TV
$478Want to take your home viewing to the next level? This Samsung NU6900 delivers eye-popping color, exceptional detail, and with Tizen OS on board, you'll never be short of 4K Ultra HD content to watch.
LATEST MODEL
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Apple MacBook Air (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD)
$949The MacBook Air is the best entry-level MacBook you can buy — perfect for college students — and at this price, it's a no-brainer.
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Apple Magic Keyboard 2
$94Work from a MacBook? Get the same typing experience without having to have the lid open with the Magic Keyboard -- eliminating the need to crouch over a small screen while working with a monitor.
PERFECT FOR HOME OFFICES
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Sony WH-1000XM3
$348Don't wait... now is your last chance to get the awesome Sony WH-1000XM3 at a steep discount while stores get rid of their remaining inventory to make room for the newer WH-1000XM4.
FULL HD MONITOR
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27-inch BenQ Desktop Monitor
$176If you want to size up to a 27-inch monitor for less than 200 bucks, the BenQ GW2780 is the best deal going right now.
UNBEATABLE VALUE
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50-inch Samsung NU6900 4K TV
$328It doesn't get better than this, folks: A 50-inch Samsung 4K TV for just $280. It's not short of features, either. Smart software for one-click streaming? It's got it. HDR10+? You betcha. Killer.
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Logitech K360 Wireless Keyboard
$25The Logitech K360 is hands-down the best basic wireless keyboard on the shelves, featuring a built-in numeric keypad. It can even be hooked up to an iPad. All that for under $30? Count us in.
NOISE-CANCELING | WIRELESS HEADPHONE
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Beats Studio 3 Wireless
$215The Beats Studio3 Wireless are a fantastic set of noise-canceling headphones for a number of reasons: They’re comfortable, well-built, and their bass-y sound makes them perfect for hip-hop fans.
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.
- 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.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
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