GoKawiilWhether you're a student prepping to leave for college or a parent rushing to get your kid ready for the next school year, you're going to need the right equipment for education in the digital age. Waiting until August to start your shopping spree is a bad idea -- especially when you can track down some good deals right now.
I'm a few years removed from my own graduation at this point, but I remember how important it is to have a trusty laptop, some handy peripherals and a solid monitor in your dorm room. I've rounded up a list of affordable computers with solid processing power to help you figure out what to take to class in the fall.
Plenty of these latest laptops also have enough RAM to run an onboard LLM -- and while I don't recommend using AI to do your homework, having a new machine with solid silicon and plenty of memory is still a boon. Even many budget computers are now powerful enough to run taxing programs that were better left to more expensive laptops in the past.
Not sure what to take to class? These laptops and peripherals might be just what you need
STEM students and budding artists alike need the right tools for their workload come September. I've put together a list of budget and midrange laptops and peripherals to help you prepare for the school year without breaking the bank. Let's find the right computer (and maybe some extra goodies) at the right price before the next semester.
Matt Elliott/CNET
MacBook Neo
Apple laptops are a longtime favorite of students, thanks to their respectable tech specs, easy-to-navigate operating system and product ecosystem continuity. It also helps that the tech giant has long offered a student discount on many of its entry-level products.
Released this spring, the budget MacBook Neo is a perfect pick for students, balancing a lower price point with solid performance. Thanks to RAMageddon, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find a truly great laptop for less than $1,000, but Apple has cleverly repackaged its iPhone 16 silicon into a new shell alongside 8GB of memory and a 256GB hard drive to tamp down the price.
You can get a MacBook Neo from most tech retailers for $600 right now. Factoring in the student discount, the Neo is just $500. That's a hard price to beat in 2026.
... continue reading