U.S. News 360 Reviews takes an unbiased approach to our recommendations. When you use our links to buy products, we may earn a commission but that in no way affects our editorial independence.
Discounts on laptops are well underway for the back-to-school shopping season. Whether you are looking for a great deal on a Chromebook for a young student entering elementary school, a Windows laptop for a high schooler, or a new MacBook for a college student, this is a good time of year to make a purchase. The other good news is that inflation has not affected computer prices the way it has other areas, so you are sure to find a model that fits your budget.
When shopping for a student laptop, make sure it meets the standards of your institution. Many primary and secondary schools, as well as colleges, have specific requirements for the type of laptop they want students to use. For elementary students, it may be a Chromebook. For some students attending a university, there may be specific processor and storage requirements.
Also, while you shouldn't pay for more than you need, be careful about selecting a computer that can't deliver the performance you require. Use qualified review sites and trusted consumer reviews to help you decide which laptop is best for you. An easy way to do that is to check out U.S. News 360 Reviews' rating of the Best Laptops of 2023.
We've also created a list of our favorite back-to-school laptop deals that are available right now, whether it's a Windows PC, Apple laptop, or Chromebook.
The Best Windows PC Laptop Deals
When it comes to laptops, Microsoft Windows-based models are the most popular and offer the widest range of prices. The great news for students and parents is that you can find good options for well under $1,000. Dell, HP, and Lenovo are top brands, but you can also great deals from companies like Acer and Asus.
Lenovo is also making a bit easier by making recommendations on its site for laptops geared toward K-12 students and models for college students.
Dell
Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop for $200
Savings: $100
Shipping: free
Ideal for those on a tight budget or a very young student, this laptop from Dell runs on very basic specs, such as an Intel Celeron processor, 4 gigabytes of memory, a 128-gigabyte SSD, a 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 resolution display. It runs in Windows 11 in S mode. This is really only meant for someone who does not need a lot of processing power and is only using this laptop for email and light Internet use.
HP
HP Laptop 14z-em000 Laptop for $250
Savings: $200
Shipping: free
This budget laptop is meant for younger or very basic users. It runs on an AMD Athlon Silver 7120U processor with 8 GB of memory, a 128 SSD, and a 14-inch 1366 x 768 display. It has both USB-C and USB-A ports, as well as a built-in HDMI port. It runs on Windows 11 Home. Its built-in cam also has a shutter, so you can keep it closed off when not in use. This is a good laptop for younger students.
HP
Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop for $380
Savings: $170
Shipping: free
This laptop runs on an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor with Windows 11, 8 GB of memory, a 512 GB SSD, and a full HD 15.6.-inch display. The use of an AMD processor keeps the price a bit lower, but that should not be a detractor. Most basic users would be hard-pressed to notice the difference between this and a comparable Intel i5 processor. This laptop would be perfectly suited for younger and middle school students.
Acer
Acer Aspire 3 Laptop for $400
Savings: $50
Shipping: free
Acer is known for making laptops on the more affordable side. This model runs on an AMD Ryzen 3 7320U quad-core processor with 8 GB of memory, a 128 GB SSD, AMD integrated graphics, and a full HD display. This is a good option for a middle school student.
Dell
Dell Inspiron 15 Laptop for $430
Savings: $220
Shipping: free
This is probably one of our favorite back-to-school laptop deals Dell has to offer right now. It has a deep discount and offers great specs for a laptop under $500, including an 11th gen Intel i5 processor, 16 GB of memory, a 512 GB SSD, and a 15.6-inch full HD display. The processor is a previous generation than the current 13th, but it's still a very capable chip. Plus, the addition of 16 GB of memory will give you the boost in speed you need to run applications. This is a good deal for any elementary or high school student.
HP
HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 Laptop for $450
Savings: $450
Shipping: free
This laptop is 50% off its original price and gives the advantage of running the latest, 13th generation Intel i5-1335U processor. Other specs include 8 GB of memory, a 256 SSD, a 15.6-inch full HD, and both USB-C and USB-A ports. It also supports fast charging that can charge the battery 50% in up to 45 minutes. This is a solid choice for a middle school student.
HP
HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 Laptop for $600
Savings: $400
Shipping: free
Most high school and college students could find a good deal in choosing this laptop. It runs on a 13th-generation Intel i7-1355U processor with 16 GB of memory, a 256 GB SSD, a 15.6-inch full HD display, Intel Iris XE integrated graphics, and both USB-C and USB-A ports. This should be powerful enough for most college students, as well as high school students.
Lenovo
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i 2-in-1 Laptop for $555
Savings: $305
Shipping: free
This defining feature of this laptop is the ability of its full HD touchscreen display to rotate 360 degrees so that you can use it in tablet mode. It runs on a 13th generation i5-1355U processor with 8 GB of memory, a 512 GB SSD, and Intel Iris XE integrated graphics. This is a good laptop for a college student or a younger student who wants the flexibility of the convertible design.
The Best Apple Macbook Deals
Though more expensive than the average price of a Windows laptop, Apple's line of laptops is known for having durable and sleek designs and quality components. Some students may also prefer the company's MacOS as their choice of preferred operating system.
Despite the price, you can luckily find discounts on Apple from retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, Adorama, and more. Apple also offers student discounts in its education store and currently is running an annual back-to-school promotion that offers Apple gift cards of up to $150 with the purchase of select iMacs, MacBooks, iPads, and Mac Minis. The promotion runs through Oct 2.
Best Buy
Macbook Air with M1 Chip for $750
Savings: $250
Shipping: free
Best Buy has the lowest price for any Apple laptop, taking $250 off the 13.3-inch MacBook Air. This is the first model to run on the M1 processor, Apple's well-reviewed chip that was introduced three years ago. This laptop also features 8 GB of memory, a 256 SSD, and up to 18 hours of battery life. It also features a fingerprint ID reader, Wi-Fi 6, and a thin, light design. This model is good for high school and college students.
Best Buy
MacBook Air with M2 Chip for $949
Savings: $150
Shipping: free
If you are looking for a more recent model, check out the MacBook Air with M2 chip, on sale at Best Buy. This runs on the next-generation model
of Apple's proprietary chip. This well-reviewed laptop also features 8 GB of memory, a 256 SSD, a backlit keyboard, and a 13.6-inch 2560 x 1664 resolution display. This is a good deal on a laptop for a college student.
Amazon
MacBook Pro with M2 Pro Chip for $1,749
Savings: $250
Shipping: free
Definitely a more high-end option, the 2023 MacBook Pro is one of Apple's more powerful laptops, running on the M2 Pro chip with 16 GB of memory, a 512GB SSD, and features like a built-in HDMI port, SD card reader, a very high-resolution display, and a full HD webcam. At $250 off, Amazon is giving the market the best price, whether you are a student or not. This is meant for student use who plans to use their laptop for high processing needs, such as video and image editing.
The Best Chromebook Deals
Chromebooks run on Google's Chrome OS and are meant to be used only for very basic usage, such as email, managing and writing documents, and surfing the internet. That means they use lower-powered processors, less memory, and reduced storage space. The benefit is that it allows them to be sold at a much lower price, often under $200.
This makes them ideal for very young students who are learning to use a computer or who need access at a very low price. Some elementary schools even insist that its student only use Chromebooks for their school work, making them a must-have item for some parents. Here are some of our favorite deals:
HP
HP 14-inch Chromebook for $149
Savings: $150
Shipping: free
This basic model Chromebook runs on an Intel Celeron processor with 4GB of memory, a 64 eMMC storage drive, and 1366 x 768 display. This is ideally suited for a young student working with a limited budget and whose school requires Chromebook.
Best Buy
Lenovo Flex 3 15.6" Touchscreen Chromebook for $249
Savings: $230
Shipping: free
If you are looking for a Chromebook with a little more functionality, this 2-in-1 model from Lenovo features a full HD touchscreen display that you can flip around for use as a tablet. It runs on an Intel Pentium Silver N6000 with 8 GB of memory and a 64 GB eMMC storage drive. If your child's school requires a Chromebook, this is a great option.
More Deals To Save
Learn More
Related 360 Reviews
Why You Can Trust Us
At U.S. News & World Report, we rank the Best Hospitals, Best Colleges, and Best Cars to guide readers through some of life’s most complicated decisions. Our 360 Reviews team draws on this same unbiased approach to rate tech products that you use every day. The team doesn't keep samples, gifts, or loans of products or services we review. In addition, we maintain a separate business team that has no influence over our methodology or recommendations.
