RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from TechRadar — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 3 sources
I'm seeing lots of laptop deals at retailers and manufacturers right now, as many have launched back-to-school sales for the upcoming year. That's good news if you're searching for a new device for yourself or a loved one, with a variety of options available to suit several different budgets and needs. Using my deals hunting experience, I've picked out my six top picks in both the US and the UK.
Below, I've included everything from cheap Chromebooks to big discounts on modern and powerful laptops from the likes of Dell and Apple. I've not only considered price in these hand-picked deals, but also the views of TechRadar's expert computing team who have tested and reviewed several of the models below — and rated them highly.
For example, in the US, you can find the fantastic Dell XPS 13 for a shockingly low $599.99 when you apply for the student discount. That's very hard to beat if you want a capable and portable all-around laptop.
Meanwhile, in the UK, there is a handful of great laptop deals at Amazon, such as this modern and efficient Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for £429.99 (was £649.99). It boasts a Snapdragon X processor and 16GB of RAM to ensure speedy everyday performance and impressive all-day battery life. That's ideal to last you a full day at school or college, and beyond.
All of my top picks are below, with prices starting as low as $199 / £159. No doubt I'll be updating this page with more offers as sales start or expand throughout the rest of the month.
US back-to-school laptop deals
Amazon : big savings on laptops
Apple : up to $150 gift card
Best Buy : up to $600 off laptops
Dell : up to $900 off
Lenovo : up to 33% off laptops & tablets
Walmart : laptops from $199.99
Display : 14 inches Processor : MediaTek Kompanio 540 RAM : 4GB Storage : 64GB
This super-cheap Lenovo Chromebook is a very basic device that's best suited to light use and schoolwork, but it's a bargain at this low price from Best Buy. The lean ChromeOS operating system gets more from low-end components, but it relies on you using more web-based applications such as Google Docs. And while it will struggle with anything beyond basic tasks, this also ensures exceptional all-day battery life, making it a strong portable option at a very affordable price. View Deal
Display - 15.3 inches Processor - Intel Core 3 RAM - 8GB Storage - 128GB
This version of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus offers an impressive amount of power for the price. It includes 8GB of RAM and an Intel Core 3 processor, boosting performance, boot times and load times. Storage of 128GB is a bit miserly for the price, but battery life is solid at up to 10 hours on a single charge. That's more than enough to last a full working day. At a little under $400, it's a smart buy for school or college, or just as a home laptop for light use and everyday tasks. View Deal
Display - 15.6 inches Processor - AMD Ryzen 5 RAM - 8GB Storage - 512GB
If you want a cheap Windows laptop, then this configuration of the Dell 15 Laptop is an excellent buy and terrific value for money. You get an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a large 512GB SSD to ensure good overall performance and enough essential, speedy storage for the price. It's a top buy right now if you're on a budget and need a laptop for general everyday use, admin tasks, light work, or schoolwork. View Deal
Display: 13 inches Processor: A18 Pro RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB
The MacBook Neo just got a price bump, but students can get it cheaper again thanks to Apple's education discount. The latest MacBook packs a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and up to 16 hours of battery life, all for under $600, which is fantastic value. Discounts have been better in the past, but I think these will be rarer to see over the coming months and this price likely won't be beaten over Black Friday. View Deal
Display - 15.6 inches Processor - Intel Core Ultra 5 RAM - 16GB Storage - 512GB
If you have a good amount of cash to spend, I'd recommend picking up this version of the Dell 15 Laptop as it offers big improvements to key components by jumping up to an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, 16GB of RAM and a decent 512GB SSD. That'll get you a lot more power and performance for your money, making this a solid all-around device for general use, work, video calls and multitasking, without the threat of significant slowdown. View Deal
Display - 13.4 inches Processor - Intel Core 5 RAM - 8GB Storage - 512GB
The Dell XPS 13 has regularly been one of our favorite laptops here at TechRadar, and this brand-new version continues that trend. With an Intel Core 5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, it has everything you need for solid all-around performance at work or college. Students can also save an extra $100, bringing the price down to a ridiculously low $599.99. View Deal
UK back-to-school laptop deals
Amazon: from £159
AO : save on HP, Lenovo and Acer
Currys: up to £300 off laptops
Dell: new XPS 13 from £699
EE : save up to £1,000
John Lewis: best deals on MacBooks
Very: HP and Lenovo from £248
Display: 14 inches Processor: MediaTek Kompanio 520 RAM: 4GB Storage: 128GB
I want to be clear: this is far from the best laptop you can buy, but I can't deny it's cheap. The spec is on the low end, with an entry-level processor, only 4GB of RAM, and a small 128GB hard drive. At least it's a Chromebook, which can get more from weaker components thanks to the lean ChromeOS and reliance on online apps such as Google Docs, but this is only a good buy if you want to spend very little money on a very basic machine for infrequent, light use. View Deal
Display - 15.6 inches Processor - Intel Core 3 RAM - 8GB Storage - 256GB
This version of the Asus Chromebook Plus offers a solid amount of power for the price. It includes 8GB of RAM and an Intel Core 3 processor, boosting performance, boot times, and load times. There's also a standard 256GB of storage for the price, and battery...
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.