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Student laptop deals 2022: Save big with these back to school specials

Student holding a laptop
(Image credit: Getty)

Snag one of these fantastic student laptop deals and head back to school in style.

Laptop manufacturers tend to cling to a fairly established schedule, which means every summer we get a batch of new models and refreshes alongside some of the best student laptop deals of the year. Rivaled only by the holidays, the late summer is rife with great student laptop deals as back to school season means a run on shiny new hardware and other classroom essentials.

So, what should you look for in the best laptops for students? Though needs vary widely, generally you want a machine that’s sleek and efficient, something that packs impressive specs into the smallest possible chassis. As a rule, this means prioritizing svelte ultrabooks and 2-in-1s over power hog muscle books or desktop replacements. 

That doesn’t mean that a competent gaming machine is off the table, especially now that we have some integrated graphic solutions (like Apple’s M-series SoCs) that allow for significant graphics processing without taking up a huge amount of space or power, or generating a ton of heat. We scoured the best student laptop deals available right now to find machines that balance performance, form factor, and – most importantly – value.

If you're looking for more than just a laptop for next term, our back to school deals hub has loads of great offers for you to check out, including sales on student software, gadgets, and more.

Best student laptop deals

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ASUS ROG Strix G17 | Was $1,568 now $1,486 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

A high-end machine in terms of student laptops, this Strix from ASUS is nonetheless a fantastic deal. For under $1,500 you get a Ryzen 7 processor alongside a very capable RTX 3060 for Nvidia, meaning this beast is well specced for gaming and just about any other task you throw its way.

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Galaxy Book Pro 13 | Was $1,000, now $850 at Best Buy (opens in new tab)

Samsung’s Galaxy line has invaded the laptop space in a meaningful way in the past few years, more competitive and well specced with each refresh. The Pro 13 at Best Buy is a steal at $150 off retail, a sleek, ultralight powerhouse powered by an 11th Gen chip from Intel.

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HP 15 | Was $660, now $495 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

HP loves a seasonal sale, and this year is no different. They clipped over 25% off the 2021 version of the HP 15, discounting it to right around that $500 sweet spot. It’s a very reasonable price for an 11th Gen CPU powered machine replete with a 256 GB SSD and crisp, IPS, anti-glare FHD display.

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Acer Chromebook Spin 311 | Was $290, now $223 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

Acer’s built a tidy little business on the bargain side of the laptop space, producing very solid Chromebook 2-in-1s for ridiculously low prices. The Spin 311 is no exception, a tidy little package perfect for everyday productivity tasks, now well below the $250 mark. A great choice for a cash-strapped student looking for a sleek notebook.

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Acer Nitro 5 | Was $820, now $759 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t get a reasonably specced gaming machine. Now right around the $760 mark, this Nitro 5 from Acer provides a lot of bang for your buck, with a GTX 1650 Ti discrete GPU and a 10th Gen processor, as well as a speedy NVMe SSD for quick loads and faster boots. 

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Lenovo Ideapad 3 | Was $959, now $383 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

Lenovo’s running one of the most impressive sales on our list, shaving an impressive $576 off the Ideapad 3. It’s an extremely capable machine at this price point, combining an 11th Gen chip with a 256 GB SSD for excellent productivity performance and even some reasonable gaming capabilities.

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ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 | Was $480, now $349 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

One of ASUS’s best received 2-in-1s, the VivoBook Flip 14 from spring of last year can now be yours well under the $500 mark. It’s got the essential touchscreen of a 2-in-1 backed by an 11th Gen chip, and even comes with Thunderbolt 4 support. It’s thin, portable, and versatile, and a solid deal at this price.

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HP 17 | Was $640, now $483 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

Another HP machine at a deep discount, this 17-inch monster is a great deal at under $500. It comes with a 256 GB SSD hard drive and has an average battery life of around 8 hours. If a big display is a priority for you then this is a great choice, featuring a 17.3" 1600 x 900 panel rated at 250 nits of brightness.

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Dell XPS 13 | Was $1,180, now $999 at Dell (opens in new tab)

Dell’s brand new, lightest and thinnest XPS yet is currently on sale at their store for just under the $1,000 mark – a solid deal for a machine with a shiny new Alder Lake 12th Gen CPU and quite possibly the slickest laptop chassis Dell has produced yet. For another $100, you can upgrade the screen to a touch display, but either way, this is a very capable package at a very attractive price.

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Microsoft Surface Pro 8 | Was $1,250, now $1,000 at Best Buy (opens in new tab)

After the line started to stagnate around the Surface Pro 7, Microsoft included some impressive updates for the Pro 8 last year that immediately put it in competition for the title of best 2-in-1 available. A gorgeous 2880 x 1920 display, slim bezels, and an 11th Gen Core-i5 combine to make this one of the most aesthetically appealing machines on our list, and no slouch in the performance department either. Now available for a nice round $1,000. 

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Acer Aspire 5 | Was $390, now $335 at Amazon (opens in new tab)

Another 11th Gen powered Acer, but this Acer Aspire 5 features a 15-inch, FHD screen – a pretty impressive display for a laptop currently well under the $350 price mark. Another rarity for a machine in the bargain range is the 128 GB SSD, meaning load and boot times will be significantly reduced, and the included Windows 11 OS will be snappier and more responsive than on a traditional hard drive.

Alan Bradley

Alan is a freelance tech & entertainment journalist who specializes in computers, laptops, and video games. He's previously written for sites like PC Gamer, GamesRadar, and Rolling Stone. If you need advice on tech, or help finding the best tech deals, Alan is your man.