The tech back-to-school gift guide for 2025

The school year is about to start up again, and if you’re returning to high school or heading off to post-secondary, here is a list of tech courses that we recommend for students this fall.

No matter what you need, there is a bit of tech in here for everyone.

Dual Port GaN charger

This slim charger is fantastic with its three ports and slim profile. It can fit in your pocket in a pinch and is great for fitting in tight spaces.

It can also output up to 65 watts, so it should be able to charge everything from a MacBook Pro to the Nintendo Switch 2.

This model is from UGreen and offers the most ports in the smallest package we’ve seen.

Buy Now

M3 iPad Air

With the upcoming iPadOS 26, the iPad is becoming even more like a computer. If you’re heading away to post-secondary studies and you just want something small and portable to type on, an iPad is a great option. When I was younger, I just typed on the screen, but if you want, there are tons of awesome iPad Keyboards out there now, too.

If you’re in high school, you can probably get away with using the iPad 11, but for post-secondary, the extra power and the larger screen of the Air will be helpful.

Buy Now

A Good keyboard + mouse combo

School today requires a ton of typing and researching online, so having comfortable peripherals for your computer really helps make that experience a little easier.

For students, this small MX Keys Mini keyboard combo that comes with the MX Anywhere mouse is a great package that’s excellent for typing and comes with a really solid mouse. This is the actual keyboard I use in my house, and I can’t go back to anything else now. The scroll wheel on the mouse is also extremely satisfying to use.

Buy Now

4K Monitor

While not every student will want one, a good external display for your laptop (or iPad) can be really helpful to give you more screen real estate for research. If you’re in a dorm, it can also be great for watching movies in a pinch.

We like this LG model because it has a USB-C connection with power delivery. This means that it will act as a display and a charger for your laptop, and you’ll only need a single USB-C cable to run between them. This model also has speakers built in, which can be very handy in a small space like a dorm.

Buy Now

Portable Bluetooth speaker

I’ve been recommending Wonderboom speakers to people for years now, and the 4th gen of the product continues to uphold the legacy. It’s a super durable little speaker that’s waterproof, lasts a long time on a single charge and works great outside. There’s not much more you could ask for. This speaker often goes on sale for $99, so if you see it for $140, wait a few weeks and check again.

Buy Now

Portable battery

While you could go all out and buy a big 20,000mAh battery, that would probably be a little overkill for school. However, if you just want something small to help you top up your phone after school or between classes, something like the Anker MagGo charger is perfect.

The small footprint makes it easy to slip into your pocket or your bag, and the MagSafe wireless charging means you don’t even need to carry around a cable.

Buy Now

Good bag

A good backpack will last a long time, so it’s worth investing in. We’ve chosen the Brevité Jumper due to its nice size and the use of water-resistant fabrics to help keep all your tech safe and dry inside.

Buy Now

A nightstand charger

If you have a phone (or a case) with MagSafe support, a wireless charger for your nightstand can be really helpful. The model we’ve linked from Kuxiu has three charging pads so it can do wireless headphones, a phone and an Apple Watch.

If you’re looking for something a little cheaper, adding a basic MagSafe puck to a plain base like this one can also be very helpful.

Buy Now

AirPods Pro 2

Everyone needs a pair of earbuds, and if you’re an iPhone user, it doesn’t get better than AirPods Pro. They sound fantastic, offer great active noise cancellation and work perfectly in the Apple ecosystem.

Not to mention it’s hard to lose these buds because the case is basically an AirTag.

Buy Now

Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

If you’re a Windows or Android user, the best buds you can get are Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Pro 3. These offer a lot of the same features as Apple AirPods and have built-in fast pairing tech for Android and Windows.

If you care less about Windows Quick Pair, the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are also a great option.

Buy Now

Balatro

We’re trying not to lean too hard into anything gaming-related since this is a back-to-school gift guide, but if you’ve got some time to kill between classes, Balatro from the Canadian creator LocalThunk is super fun and a great way to kill some time when you need a break.

It’s available on pretty much everything at this point as well. PC, Mac, iPhone, Android and all consoles.

Buy Now

Apple AirTag

The last thing you want to do is lose anything important, so tossing an AirTag or equivalent Android tracker into your bag is always a good idea. AirTags will also let you know when you forget your bag behind, so ideally, you’ll never show up to class without it.

Buy Now