The best tech for college students

Picking the best laptop is impossible. Every student has different needs and priorities. We've rounded up our favorites in multiple categories to help you narrow it down a bit. 1. Best overall: Dell XPS 13 The Dell XPS 13 provides an impressive balance between powerful mobile hardware and a stylish, thin, and light form factor for a reasonable high-end price.2. Best MacBook: Apple MacBook Air The MacBook Air for 2020 includes Apple's new, improved Magic Keyboard and upgraded processors to become the best Apple laptop for most people.3. Best Chromebook: Google Pixelbook Go The Google Pixelbook Go provides the best Chromebook experience in its most affordable form to date, with a comfortable keyboard and great battery life.4. Best value Chromebook: Samsung Chromebook 4+ (15-inch)Samsung's 15-inch Chromebook 4+ is the most value-packed budget laptop that we've ever seen, with many modern perks for a lot less than most laptops with similar specs.5. Best 15-inch laptop: LG Gram 17Simply put, the LG Gram 17 packs a 17-inch screen into a 15-inch laptop with some of the smallest display bezels on the market. It's also incredibly compact without sacrificing power.6. Best 13-inch laptop: HP Envy 13t The HP Envy 13t offers flagship performance, styling, comfort, and features in an affordable package.7. Best 2-in-1 laptop: Lenovo Yoga C940 The Lenovo Yoga C940 is a fantastic entry in the company's long-running series of flagship 2-in-1 laptops, making it a multimedia beast in every sense.Read our guides to the best laptops, the best Chromebooks, and the best college laptops on Insider Reviews.Whether you need a computer monitor for your dorm room or home office, we've got a pick for you. We've included a great all-around monitor, an affordable model for buyers on a budget, a curved monitor for special use cases, a wde-screen option, and a 4K monitor for those of you who need an incredibly high-resolution display.1. Best overall: BenQ PD3200U The BenQ PD3200U provides the best all-around value right now, boasting excellent features without the inflated price tag or screen size.2. Best affordable monitor: Asus VX248H (currently out of stock)While gaming monitors can be very costly, the Asus VX248H manages to be surprisingly affordable without compromising on important features.3. Best curved monitor: Asus Designo Curve MX38VC The Asus Designo Curve MX38VC is a is an ideal multi-tasking display that lets you work, charge, and be entertained all at the same time.4. Best wide-screen monitor: MSI Prestige PS341WU The ultrawide MSI Prestige PS341WU uses a 34-inch 5K resolution IPS screen with 98% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut — making it a perfect fit for content creation and design.5. Best 4K monitor: BenQ DesignVue PD3220U Thanks to a solid array of features that many students and professionals will appreciate, the BenQ DesignVue PD3220U is the best 4K computer monitor for Mac or Windows users. Check out our full guide to the best computer monitors.A portable hard drive can make it much easier to transfer your data from place to place. It's also good to have a back up of your most important files so you don't lose your senior thesis when your roommate spills orange juice on your laptop.1. Best external drive overall: Western Digital Elements 2TB Hard DriveThe Western Digital Elements 2TB Hard Drive offers a relatively high storage capacity and USB 3.0 connectivity for an affordable price.2. Best high-capacity drive: Seagate Expansion 4TB Hard DriveThe Seagate Expansion 4TB hard drive is manufactured by a well-known and generally reliable company, and it provides a large storage capacity of 4TB.3. Best solid state drive: Samsung T5 Portable SSDThe Samsung T5 Portable SSD transfers data at lightning-fast speeds, includes plenty of storage, and it's even compatible with your Android phone.4. Best drive for Macs: Seagate Backup Plus 4TB Hard Drive The Seagate Backup Plus Hard Drive is pre-formatted to work well on a variety of devices and operating systems, including macOS, Windows, and even the PlayStation 4.Check out our full guide to the best external hard drives.There are tons of Bluetooth speakers out there, but if you want one that sounds good, you may have to pay a bit more for it. These are the best ones you can buy.1. Best overall: Sonos MoveThe Sonos Move is one of the most feature-packed Bluetooth speakers you can buy. It features around 10 hours of battery, excellent audio performance, integrated Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa voice control, and support for Sonos' multi-room ecosystem.2. Best portable speaker: Bose SoundLink Revolve+The Bose SoundLink Revolve+ features a portable-friendly design with an integrated handle and up to 16 hours of battery life, making it an ideal speaker for moving around the house or backyard.3. Best waterproof speaker: UE Boom 3The UE Boom 3 sounds good and is well-designed, but perhaps the coolest thing about it is that it has an IP67 waterproof rating. This means that the speaker can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes.4. Best compact speaker: B&O Beoplay P2The B&O Beoplay P2 doesn't just sound good and feature a nice design – it's ultra-portable too.5. Best cheap speaker: Anker Soundcore Flare MiniThe Anker Soundcore Flare Mini may cost less than most competing speakers, but it still offers decent sound quality with 360-degree audio.Check out our full guide to the best Bluetooth speakers.Bluetooth noise-cancelling headphones get rid of those annoying wires and ambient sounds so you can listen to your music or engage in video conferencing calls without distracting noise or tangled cords. 1. The best noise-cancelling headphones overall: Sony WH-1000XM4The brand-new Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones have a nice design and sound fantastic, plus they have the best noise-cancelling performance on the market. They also offer some key improvements over the previous Xm3 model.2. The best noise-cancelling headphones for comfort: Bose 700The Bose 700 headphones feature some key upgrades over the company's previous QuietComfort 35 II headphones, offering improved noise cancellation while providing a similarly comfy fit.3. The best on-ear noise-cancelling headphones: Beats Solo ProThe Beats Solo Pro headphones look stylish, have a comfy fit, and they provide solid noise cancellation.4. The best in-ear noise-cancelling headphones: Bose QuietComfort 30The Bose QuietComfort 30 headphones feature an ultra-portable in-ear design with a neckband and good noise cancellation.5. The best sounding noise-cancelling headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless headphonesThe Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless headphones feature a great design and include noise cancellation – plus they're some of the best-sounding wireless headphones you can buy for this price.Check out our full guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones.You'll also need charging cables, hubs, and surge protectors to charge up all your devices. These are the best ones.1. The best lightning cable: Anker PowerLine II Lightning cable The Anker PowerLine Lightning cables are the best cords for most people thanks to their sturdy construction, fast charging, and reasonable price.2. The best USB-C cable: Anker PowerLine+ USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cable The Anker PowerLine USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables boast fast transfer speeds, a solid design, and a respectable brand name for an attractive price.3. The best Micro USB cable: Anker PowerLine Micro USB cable The Anker PowerLine Micro USB cable remains the very best Micro USB cord on the market.4. The best USB charging station: Satechi 7-Port USB Charging Station Dock The Satechi 7-Port USB Charging Station Dock can charge seven devices at the same time and can even hold them in place while they power up5. The best surge protector: BESTEK 8-Outlet Power Strip and Surge ProtectorThe BESTEK 8-Outlet Power Strip and Surge Protector will help you charge everything and avoid damaged electronics.Check out our full guides to the best lightning cables, the best USB-C cables, and the best Micro USB cables.You never have to run out of battery again if you carry an external battery pack with you. We have battery packs for people who want portability, tons of juice, integrated cables, and cheaper options. 1. Best battery pack overall: Elecjet PowerPieThe Elecjet PowerPie packs enough power to juice all your devices, it's capable of fast charging, and it's affordable.2. Best battery pack for iPhone: Ubio Labs Shadow SeriesWith a stylish, lightweight design, a Lightning port, and enough juice to power most iPhones up two times over, the Ubio Labs Shadow Series is perfect for iPhone buyers.3. Best slim battery pack: Clutch ChargerThe Clutch Charger is compact enough to fit into your wallet or purse, but it holds enough power to give your phone a solid chunk of battery life.4. Best battery pack for laptops: OmniCharge Omni 20+The OmniCharge Omni 20+ is an ideal charging solution that will keep everything in your life powered up, including laptops.5. Best value battery pack: EasyAcc Power BankWith the largest capacity on the list and one of the most affordable prices, the EasyAcc Power Bank represents impressive value for money.6. Best battery pack for wireless charging: Bezalel PreludeThanks to its suction pad design, the unique Bezalel Prelude will stick to your phone and charge it wirelessly, while you get on with your day.Check out our full guide to the best battery packs.Budget phones have never been this good or this affordable. Cheap smartphone options with great performance are available from all of the major brands, including Apple, Google, Samsung, Motorola, and OnePlus.1. Best budget phone overall: iPhone SE (2020)The iPhone SE is basically a much more affordable (and compact) iPhone 11, minus the ultra-wide camera, disguised as an iPhone 8.2. Best budget phone for photography: Google's Pixel 4aGoogle's Pixel 4a features a flagship-level camera, strong battery life, solid performance, and an edge-to-edge display. 3. Best budget phone for battery life: Moto G PowerMotorola's Moto G Power provides a solid core smartphone experience with incredible battery life for 25% of the price of $1,000 flagship phones.4. Best budget phone for design: Galaxy A51The Samsung Galaxy A51 is a fantastic smartphone in almost every way, with the best display on any midrange phone, a premium build, an effective camera, and great battery life. 5. Best budget-priced flagship: OnePlus 8 ProThe OnePlus 8 Pro is a large premium phone that comes with a lower price tag than other competing flagships, and there's no compromise in sight. Check out our full guides to the best cheap phones and the best smartphones.If you want to avoid the freshman 15, a fitness tracker, wearable, or smartwatch might be a good idea.1. The best smartwatch overall: Apple Watch Series 5The Apple Watch Series 5 offers a new always-on screen and helpful fitness features that make the best smartwatch you can buy better than ever.2. The best smartwatch for Android: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 is a great fitness-geared smartwatch for Samsung buyers.3. The best stylish smartwatches: Kate Spade Scallop 2 and Fossil Q Carlyle HR The Kate Spade Scallop 2 is a truly feminine and charming smartwatch with essential tech features, like a heart rate monitor, GPS, and NFC. Meanwhile, the Fossil Q Carlyle HR is an ideal fit for fashion-forward men who prefer a classic design over a high-tech futuristic look.4. The best smart necklace: Bellabeat Leaf UrbanYou can wear Bellabeat's Leaf Urban as a bracelet, necklace, or brooch to monitor your activity, stress, mindfulness, and sleep.5. The best smart ring: Motiv smart ringThe Motiv ring is a discreet alternative to traditional wrist fitness trackers, enabling you to free that space up for your favorite watch or jewelry.6. The best fitness tracker: Garmin VivosportThe Garmin Vivosport is a great all-around fitness tracker for in-depth analysis thanks to its accurate step counting and heart rate data.Check out our full guides to the best smartwatch, the best smartwatch for women, and the best smart jewelry.Make your dorm or apartment smart with these devices.1. The best smart light bulbs: Philips Hue Smart Light Bulb Starter KitWith the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 Smart Bulb Starter Kit you can program your lights, dim them, alter their colors, and even use your voice to turn them on or off.2. The best smart outlet: Wemo Mini Smart PlugThe Wemo Mini Smart Plug works with Alexa and IFTTT, so you can program whatever device you plug into the outlet. 3. The best smart speaker: Amazon Echo and Amazon Echo DotThe Amazon Echo is the uncontested best smart home speaker with its many skills, extensive smart home support, and strong audio. The Amazon Echo Dot is one of the most affordable smart speakers you can buy, and it's just as smart as the original Echo.Check out our full guides to the best light bulbs and the best smart speakers.There are a ton of great printers out there for affordable prices. These are our favorite ones for college.1. Best budget printer overall: Canon Pixma TR4520With its affordable price, large set of features, and great print quality, the Canon Pixma TR4520 is the best choice for any budget-conscious buyer.2. Best budget photo printer: Epson Expression Premium XP-7100The Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 is a fantastic multifunction printer that's skilled at printing beautiful photos.3. Best budget compact printer: DeskJet 3755HP's DeskJet 3755 packs numerous features into a compact printer that's highly portable and stylish.4. Best budget laser printer: Brother HLL2320DThe Brother HLL2320D is a budget-friendly monochrome laser printer that's perfect for buyers who need to output a lot of documents quickly.5. Best budget color laser alternative: Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3730Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3730 provides speedy, laser-quality prints, and it has a large-capacity paper tray.Check out our full guide to the best budget printers.The best college supplies and dorm room essentialsSending your kid off to college is nerve wracking. The best you can do is impart a few life lessons and outfit your kid's dorm room with all the essentials. We've rounded up everything your kid needs for their dorm room from bedding and decor to tech and school supplies.

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The best laptops

The best monitors

The best external hard drives and flash drives

The best Bluetooth speakers

The best noise-cancelling headphones

The best charging cables, hubs, and surge protectors

The best battery packs

The best cheap smartphones

The best fitness trackers, wearables, and smartwatches

The best smart home devices

The best budget printers

Check out our full guide to everything you need for your college dorm