Mega Back To School Buying Guide 

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Top Grade Tips 

Identify Your Tech Needs

The best tech study setup varies depending on your student's grade, courses, and specific school requirements. Before shopping, consider:

Device requirements - Some schools require specific devices, while others allow flexibility with laptops or tablets.

Course-specific needs - Older school students who study specific subjects, such as Engineering, art, or programming, might need higher processing power or special software.

Portability - For students who move between classes, a lightweight device might be a priority.

By narrowing down your needs, you can focus on essentials without overspending.

Choose the Right Device

The right device—laptop, tablet, or hybrid—can impact productivity and convenience. Here are the top considerations:

Laptops are versatile and powerful, great for multitasking, running complex programs, and research-heavy courses. Popular options include the MacBook Air for its balance of power and portability, or Chromebooks for an affordable, browser-focused experience.

Tablets like the iPad or Microsoft Surface are highly portable and ideal for note-taking, sketching, and light tasks. Pairing them with a keyboard case makes them a strong laptop choice.

2-in-1 devices, like the Microsoft Surface Pro or Lenovo Yoga, combine the best of laptops and tablets, offering flexibility with both typing and touch-screen functions.

Consider Essential Add-Ons

Once your student has their device, it’s worth considering extra add-ons to help them get the most out of their device and stay organised. 

External storage - A USB drive or external hard drive can back up important files and free up space on a main device.

Noise-cancelling headphones - Headphones help with focus, especially in busy environments. Look for options with good battery life and comfort.

Portable charger - Keeping a portable power bank handy ensures your devices stay charged on the go.

Keyboard and mouse - For tablet users, adding a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse can improve productivity and typing speed.

Keep reading below for great accessories!

Perfect Picks For Primary Students

Having the right school tech can help primary-age kids develop confidence and make learning more engaging and fun. Compact, lightweight and user-friendly, tablets and iPads are often the must-have devices for early learners. Plus, they’re super easy for small hands to manage and carry. Here is a quick checklist and the top tablets to consider if your child is ready to upgrade their tech. 

Your ‘Buy Right’ Checklist For Tablets Or iPads

Look for a tablet or an iPad with the following:

• A minimum of six hours of battery life
• Strong Wi-Fi access for seamless internet access at school and at home
• A minimum 10-inch screen on a device that weighs less than 1.6kg for optimum portability
• A good quality case and screen protector (to help protect the device from any little accidents!)

Shop Top Tablets And iPads

Apple iPad (10th Generation) Wi-Fi 64GB - Blue

Lenovo Tab Plus 11.5" 2K + Folio Case Tablet

Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Wi-Fi 128GB Graphite

Smart Buys For Secondary Students

High school often means more homework, and students will need a device with an in-built keyboard, more storage for saving assignments, and a powerful processor to run more complex programs. So it’s probably time to upgrade that laptop or 2-in-1 laptop!

Laptops

A portable version of a desktop computer, with similar functionality and performance, laptops for school are essential tech for study, gaming and streaming. They’re fairly robust too, so can stand up to knocks and scrapes in the schoolbag or laptop bag.

2-in-1 Laptops

Want the multi-tasking power of both a laptop and touchscreen tablet for your high-schooler? With a flexible 2-in-1, your child can take notes and complete exercises on the laptop’s keyboard in the classroom, then quickly convert to lighter-weight tablet mode for streaming on the bus. Bonus points for great value!

Your ‘Buy Right’ Checklist For Laptops And 2-in-1 Laptops

Look for a laptop or 2-in-1 laptop with the following:

1. A processor that’s compatible with your school’s specific BYOD requirements, whether that’s Pentium, Intel, Core i7 or M1

2. 8GB RAM or higher, for best performance

3. A Windows-based operating system (most high schools run Windows-based programs, which can be configured on any laptop) – our in-store tech experts can help you get it done

4. A minimum of 128GB storage (ideally 256GB) to set them up for work and play

5. Add-on virus protection software to safeguard their device

Shop Top Laptops & 2-in-1 Laptops

Acer Aspire GO 15" i3 8GB 512GB Laptop

HP Pavilion Plus 14" EVO i7 16GB 512GB Laptop

Dell Inspiron 15 3000 15.6" i5 16GB 512GB Laptop

A-Grade Audio For Safe Sound

Headphones

With headphones now a mainstay on many BYOD lists, you’ll want to ensure you buy the right style with the right fit and features for your young learner or teen. Whether they’re for the school day or the train ride home, or for unwinding with gaming and tunes after hours, every kid these days needs a quality set of headphones or earbuds.

Your ‘Buy Right’ Checklist For Headphones

Look for headphones with the following:

• A child-friendly volume limit to protect developing eardrums
• Noise cancelling tech to reduce the need for little ones to turn up the volume, to hear over background din
• A snug fit and adjustable band to ensure ear pads cover small ears
• Good battery life to last the whole school day

Shop School-Friendly Audio

Sony Wireless Headphones 

Sony Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

JBL Tune 770 NC Headphones

Bose QuietComfort Headphones 

Keep Them Connected

Mobiles

Has the time come to set your child up with a phone? Maybe they’ve started doing after-school activities and need to be able to ring you in an emergency; or perhaps you want to know you can reach them if you’re running late for pick-up. Not only are the latest smartphones super-durable against life’s knocks and bumps, they also come with more built-in security software and parental safety options than ever before.

Shop Class-Act Mobiles

Samsung Galaxy S25 

Motorola g84 12/256G Midnight Blue

OPPO A40 4G 128GB Sparkle Black

Don't Forget Accessories 

Level up their study form at home – or in the library – with some practical accessories, such as spill-resistant keyboards with whisper-quiet keys, clever device carriers and laptop bags, and reliable wireless mice with long-life batteries.

Shop Study-Smart Accessories

Logitech M185 Wireless Mouse – Grey

Logitech Wireless Mouse & Keyboard MK295

Generation Earth Foldable Backpack (Black)

School Uniform Care Made Easy

Back To School Laundry Stars

Longing to tame that endless pile of dirty uniforms? Consider a laundry upgrade as your pet back-to-school project! We’ve got everything you need to help conquer school uniform chaos, get more wear out of their kit – and save precious time, money and energy. Great-value garment steamers that refresh whiffy blazers and wrinkly trousers in a flash? Tick! Clever washing machines and heat pump dryers with advanced tech to help you economise, while gently caring for your garments? You bet! You’ll even find a next-gen Styler to set you up for stress-free uniform maintenance all year long. What a class act!

Shop Laundry Legends

Tefal Pure Pop Garment Steamer Marine Blue

Hisense 7.5kg Front Load Washer

Bosch 8kg Heat Pump Dryer

Tefal IXEO Plus All In One Solution

LG Styler Clothing Care System

Ready to hit the shops? Before you bag your Back to School tech, check out our buying guides plus our Back to School hub for more great tips and top-grade picks. Then, visit us in-store or online to shop for the best brands, including Lenovo, HP, Dell and Acer.