Best student tech for all budgets to buy now

Whether you're a student heading off to Uni this year or a parent looking to update your child's tech, there's likely to be a hefty price tag. With that in mind, here's our round-up of the best student tech for all budgets to buy now.

With A-levels and GCSEs finally ending in a few weeks, sights are now set on the future, with life at college and university on the horizon. With that comes the need for tech, and let's face it, being a student isn't cheap.

Aside from fees, loans and rent, there's household equipment and, of course, tech! It's no surprise, then, that a survey by Retail Week has found that the projected spend on tech for students is expected to be £1.5 billion, with the top four big tech buys being Laptops £413M, Smartphones £332M, PC & Components £147M and Headphones £132M.

Of course, ask any student, and they know the above list is just the tip of the iceberg of what they might need and want. A more complete list of student tech includes:

When rating the best student tech, we've looked at affordability, real-world usability, and features that enhance the learning experience. Here's what you need to know:

Student laptops

The good news is that the best student laptops are fast enough to keep up with your workload, light enough to carry in your bag, and affordable enough not to put you in the red.

However, before you splash out on an all-singing and dancing high-end laptop, consider your student tech needs. 

1. What will you be using it for?

If your work mainly involves writing essays, sending emails, and using Google Docs, a Chromebook or budget Windows laptop will suffice. If you're studying something like digital art, gaming, design, coding or video editing, you'll want a more heavy-duty laptop with a decent processor and a monitor.

2. Can you get a discount on a laptop?

ALWAYS look for a discount. Voucher Codes has a student tech discount page featuring offers from Acer, Amazon, and Dell, amongst others. It's also worth noting that nearly all laptop brands offer discounts to current and new students, so be sure always to use your student ID.

Apple has one of the best discount deals for students. You can save up to 10 per cent on specific Apple products (iPhones and Apple Watches are excluded). The focus here is on what you need for education, so Macs (both desktops and laptops), iPads, and displays.

Other companies have also followed suit, such as Dell, which offers substantial student discounts, and HP.

3. Can you make do with a refurbished laptop?

The biggest advantage of buying a refurbished laptop (as opposed to a used one/second-hand one, which is different) are the cost savings. Only a manufacturer, a retailer, or a professional reseller can sell a refurbished laptop, as they will have professionally restored it, ensuring it comes with a warranty. 

Look carefully at any refurbished model you see, ensuring you examine the fine print and the year of manufacture. If you're buying a refurbished laptop directly from Apple, you're likely to get one that's in grade-A condition, which means devices that have been barely used and returned to a retailer straight after purchase.

The refurbishment process includes cleaning, testing, and assessing every item, as well as replacing parts with new components. Amazon has a vast range of refurbished laptops under £250 that are worth taking a closer look at.

Best budget buy: ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34

The ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34 is £379.00 (with a £120.00 saving at Currys). Weighing at just 1.44 kg, it's easy to carry around, with a 14" HD screen and a 180-degree hinge that lets you lay the screen flat; easy to use, and you get through a full day's work without your charger, thanks to the 12 hours of battery life.

Best Apple buy: MacBook Air M4

MacBook Air M4, 2025 £899.97 at John Lewis. The 13-inch MacBook Air with the M4 chip enables you to fly through work and play. With Apple Intelligence, a brilliant Liquid Retina display, up to 18 hours of battery life[2] and a thin (1.13 centimetres) and light design, 

Best gaming buy: Acer Nitro V 16 ANV16-41 Gaming Laptop

Acer Nitro V 16 ANV16-41 Gaming Laptop, £899, available on Amazon. This laptop lets students play the most demanding games (post-work, of course) at the highest settings, with smooth, blur-free visuals and nitro-cooling fans for maximum airflow to keep things cool.

Smartphones:

A study by UCAS has found that smartphones are, on average, £126 (23%) more expensive than they were five years ago, but student ownership is on the rise, with many students opting for high-end phones.

That said, while Apple iPhones remain the favourite, the study found that 40% of students are actively searching for phone offers. Price, as we know, is essential when you're on a budget, but what grabs student attention more than the camera or the features is battery life.

On the expensive end, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has a mighty battery power of 19 hours+, while the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max promises over a day's worth of power. However, both phones cost over £1000.

Best budget buy: Google Pixel 9a

The Google Pixel 9a is the best budget smartphone on the market, at just £449. It comes with a decent processor and a fantastic camera, all for less than you think. Best of all, the Adaptive Battery on the Pixel 9a can last over 24 hours, and if you need more, you can activate the Extreme Battery Saver to extend its lifespan up to 100 hours.

Best iPhone buy: Apple iPhone 16e, 16, 16 Plus, Pro / Pro Max

The Apple iPhone 16e, 16, 16 Plus, Pro and Pro Max are the latest phones from Apple. They have excellent battery life and the new Apple Intelligence (AI technology. The more affordable phones in this batch are the 16e and the 16, priced at £599 and £699, respectively. Rising to over £1100+ for the 16 Pro Max.

The iPhone 16e and the 16 are both excellent options for students. The 16e offers a good deal for budget-conscious users, as it has a longer battery life compared to the 16. The iPhone 16 has a more advanced camera, faster 5G and a brighter screen.

Best refurbished buy: Samsung Galaxy S24+

Samsung Galaxy S24+ is the best refurbished buy on the market. Not only does it come in at £499, which is less than half the price of the S25 Ultra, but it's also comparable in many ways.

To start, it boasts a battery life of around 16 hours, excellent cameras, and a 6.7-inch display. It also comes with good AI features.

Tablets & iPads

According to UCAS, almost half of all students now own a tablet, making it the second most popular new purchase for university, bought by double the number of students compared to 2019. Interestingly, usage has switched from streaming to note-taking, reading, and email, and Apple is currently outselling Samsung. 

Again, look for affordability, functionality, and academic suitability, such as long battery life (10+ hours for all-day lectures), stylus support, and keyboard compatibility (detachable or Bluetooth).

To avoid overpaying, consider minimising excessive storage, as cloud storage is often more cost-effective. Also, look for 5G and opt for standard specs.

Best budget tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 8in 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 8in 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet - Grey is available for just £149 at Argos and features an 8.7-inch screen with a resolution of 1340 x 800 pixels, a multi-touch screen (allowing you to zoom in and out of pictures), and an LED-backlit display.

Best Apple iPad: iPad Air

The new iPad Air come with an 11 or 13-inch screen and Apple Intelligence. The smaller screen starts at £549, while the bigger one starts at £749, with student savings.

The iPad at Apple starts from £309, and you can add a folio keyboard for £229.

Printers

Do you need a printer at college or university? It's a hotly debated subject, with some students saying you rarely need to print, while others argue that they use printers for past papers and personal use. It depends on how you study, what subject you're studying, and what you currently use a printer for at home. 

What is handy is that printers are great for non-academic use, too, so you may find it valuable to buy a budget one for your room. However, colour printing is always going to be much more expensive than regular old black-and-white printing, so opt for the latter. Additionally, to save money, consider the cost of replacement ink cartridges (some can be very expensive) when comparing them to the printer price. 

Best budget printer: HP ENVY 6132e

The HP ENVY 6132e is available for just £59 from HP. It's compact and comes with 9 months of instant ink. Additionally, HP claims it's ideal for students to print and manage their work. It's also wireless, so you can print from phone or tablet, scan to email and save money with two-sided printing. Even better is the fact that it's an easy set-up, which can't be said for all printers.

Best compact printer: Phomemo M832 Portable Printer

If your student room is small, you won't want a huge printer; instead, look for something compact and portable. The Phomemo M832 Portable Printer, £89 from Amazon, is a black and white thermal printer (which means it only uses thermal paper, not ink cartridges). It connects to your device via Bluetooth and comes with no leads except for a USB cable for charging.

Best of all, it weighs just 700 grams and measures 26.4 cm (depth), 7.8 cm (width) and 4.5 cm (height).

Best printer for photos: Epson EcoTank ET-2850

Depending on the course, you may well need a high-end printer. If so, it may be more cost-effective to utilise the printer at your university library and pay as you go. If you decide you want one for photos and design documents, the answer is an inkjet printer.

With hundreds of nozzles applying liquid ink dots onto plain or coated paper, inkjets achieve superior image quality while being generally smaller and cheaper than laser printers. In short, inkjets are well-suited for printing high-quality images on a wide range of media.

The Epson EcoTank ET-2850 is £159.59 at Printerland and is excellent if you print a lot of colour documents and have a limited print budget. 

Noise-cancelling headphones:

Ask around, and you'll find that noise-cancelling headphones are one of the must-have tech buys for being a student, especially when you are in halls or live in shared accommodation.

Best budget noise-cancelling headphones: 1MORE SonoFlow Noise-Cancelling Headphones

The 1MORE SonoFlow Noise-Cancelling Headphones, £89.99 from Currys, are one of the best budget headphones available. The sound is excellent, and they feel comfortable to wear for long periods.

They come with excellent padding across the top of the headband, featuring deep cushioning that wraps around your ears for a comfortable, all-day fit. Noise-cancelling-wise, they keep the outside world at bay, but they struggle slightly more with loud chatter right next to you.

Best noise-cancelling AirPods: Apple AirPods Pro 2

The Apple AirPods Pro 2, £229 at Apple, are a step above most other earbuds in terms of their noise-cancelling abilities. Not only is noise-cancelling far better than before, but battery life is considerably longer.

There's also something called Adaptive Audio, which reacts to the noise levels around you and adjusts the noise-cancelling effect accordingly. Additionally, they work seamlessly with all Apple products and are available at a competitive Apple price point.

Best high-end buy: Bose QuietComfort Headphones

The Bose QuietComfort Headphones, priced at £249.95 from Bose, are one of the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market. It comes with two modes: quiet (which blocks out virtually everything) and aware (so you can hear traffic and a small bit of background noise).

Better still, they offer up to 24 hours* of battery life on a single charge via USB, and a quick 15-minute power boost provides up to 4 hours of playtime.  The headphones include a built-in microphone for clear voice calls and intuitive on-ear controls for managing playback, adjusting volume, and handling calls. All in all, these headphones are worth every penny.

If you've found this post helpful,  take a look at our student-friendly posts on Railcard discounts and how to save big, Fashion loyalty schemes and which are worth saving up for, and finally, how to make your grocery budget go further.