Back to school is just around the corner—seriously, how is it almost September already? Whether you’re sending your kids back into the classroom or continuing online learning at home, you need the right tech to prepare for the year! If you’re a student heading off to college, we understand that getting your dorm room set-up just right is the perfect kick off to a good year.
CGM has checked out the best tech around. From tablets, to laptops, to smart devices and more, this is what CGM recommends to get you and your family back to school.
Razer Barracuda X Wireless Headphones
This wireless headset is not only slick and stylish, it’s comfortable too. It features an ergonomic design meant for long use, making it perfect for study sessions, Zoom classes or gaming marathons. The Barracuda X features Razer TriForce 40mm drivers, to make sure what you’re listening to comes out crisp and clear.
Featuring a detachable microphone, this headset is perfect for travelling back and forth to class, and the HyperClear Cardioid mic helps suppress background noise when you are out and about. The Razer Barracuda X is a great choice for back to school, work or gaming.
Amazon Echo Show 5
Smart devices are everywhere now. We keep them in our bedrooms, our living rooms, some even in our bathrooms. So when you head off to college, this is the perfect device to take with you. The Echo Show 5 takes up minimal space, but still provides everything you need in a smart device. It can double as decor by cycling through your Amazon Photos, or you can use it to keep up with your busy schedule by setting alarms and reminders.
Alexa allows you to stream your favourite shows and movies and the 2 MP camera can have you video calling with friends and family back home seamlessly. The Amazon Echo Show 5 is a great device for your room, and the perfect size if you have limited space.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Earbuds
These little guys come with a hefty price tag, but they definitely pack a punch. Sennheiser included their unique 7 mm dynamic audio drivers in these earbuds, allowing for excellent, high-quality sound. With a battery life of around seven hours, you’ll be able to tune out the world and study all night, and if you forget to charge them, the handy charging case carries an extra four charges!
Designed with comfort in mind, these buds are lightweight, which means you’ll barely notice them while you’re walking to class or studying hard. The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 earbuds feature Active Noise Cancellation, making them the perfect study-buddy for back to school.
HyperX SoloCast Microphone
Online learning means online meetings, you’ll need a microphone that can keep up—and let’s face it, one that can block out surrounding noise. This mic uses a cardioid pattern allowing it to focus on sound directly in front of it. Combine that with its plug-and-play simplicity and the SoloCast becomes a front-runner for busy families.
With a simple tap to mute and multi-device support, the HyperX SoloCast is versatile. It is capable of fitting most mic stands and boom arms, allowing for multiple set up options and can transition from class to content creation with ease. The SoloCast is a great space-saving addition to your desk.
Victor Tech DCX110
Victor Tech has created the perfect ready-to-use out of the box desk riser. At 28.75 inches wide by 18.5inches deep, it can hold up to 22lbs and is perfect for single monitors or laptops. The height rises from 2.6 inches up to 16 inches with ease, making it simple to adjust when needed.
The Victory Tech DCX110 is great for turning your regular desk into a standing one, helping with restlessness while studying or working. Its compact size is great for small offices, bedrooms and dorms, making it a great back to school grab.
Razer Orochi V2 Mouse
The Orochi V2 is one of our favourite little gadgets. This mouse is ultra lightweight, making it easy to toss in your laptop bag when on the go. The compact size is great for travel, but it’s more than just its size. The Orochi V2 can connect via a USB dongle or Bluetooth, making the switch between devices seamless, and its Razer 5G Advanced 18K DPI Optical Sensor allows for precise movement when working or gaming.
Probably the most impressive feature of the mouse is its 950-hour battery life, you can use it for ages before you’ll need to make a battery run. The Razer Orochi V2 is also customizable via Razer Customs, allowing you to outfit your device in your own style. Start school with a customized mouse in your favourite colour, design or game skin, ensuring it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
Microsoft Surface Book 3
This Surface Book is the most powerful one yet, more than 50% faster than the Surface Book 2 13.5 inch. It features quad-core powered 1-th Gen Intel Core processors and an NVIDIA GTX GeForce GPU. This laptop can go from day to night with the click of a button, allowing the screen to detach from the keyboard to become a tablet when you want to lounge and watch the latest series on Netflix.
The brushed metal style and sharp screen look just as good as it performs. With 15.5 hours of battery life, you won’t be fumbling for your charger between classes. The Surface Book 3 is an excellent companion for class, work or light gaming.
Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox
Now hear us out! When you go off to school, you’re going to want to take your systems with you. Gamers need storage. It’s a never ending struggle choosing which games to uninstall when you want to head onto a new adventure. The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox is the solution. This tiny device adds 1TB of space to your Xbox Series X, so you won’t have to make the tough calls for a while.
The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox allows for seamless gameplay, playing from either the internal SSD or the card with ease. If you’re serious about gaming, and heading back to school, we highly recommend you bring this expansion card with you.
Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite
The Fire TV Stick Lite is the most affordable option to bring fast streaming off to college with you in Full HD. Watch all your favourite shows through Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV and more, and do it all while you hang out with Alexa. The voice assistant can help you search through the tens of thousands of channels and shows to find exactly what you want.
You can bring live TV to the dorm or your bedroom or stream music when you want to wind down. The Fire TV Stick Lite is a great companion for anyone heading out on their own for the first time, allowing you to keep up to date on everything you love without finding a cable provider.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go
This is the laptop to beat if you’re looking for something lightweight and portable. At just 2.44lbs, the Surface Laptop Go is a breeze to take to and from class. It features Windows Hello sign in, so your files are safe if you misplace your device, and you can even use the handy fingerprint sensor to unlock it if you so choose.
With the PixelSense touchscreen display, this will be the perfect partner for writing up papers or binge-watching Netflix in bed. Though it may not be a gamer’s laptop, the Surface Laptop Go is certainly great for back to school.
NACON RIG 700 ProHX
NACON has made one of the lightest gaming headsets on the market. This means if you’re sitting down to cram for hours before an exam, or planning a gaming marathon on the couch all weekend, the RIG 700 ProHX will sit comfortably without issue. The headset is wireless up to 30ft, so you don’t have to worry about losing sound when you head into the kitchen for a quick snack and the 12-hour battery ensures your headset will be ready when you need it.
The noise-cancelling mic is detachable for transport, or even if you just don’t need it. With 40 mm drivers with Bass Tubes, you will definitely appreciate the sound quality, whether you’re gaming, chatting on FaceTime or sitting in an online class.
Seagate One Touch SSD
Every student needs a place to store their work. The Seagate One Touch SSD is one of our favourites. Not only does it come in multiple sizes to fit your needs, but it’s fast. Transferring files to and from the One Touch takes no time at all, so you’ll spend less time sitting around waiting. It connects via USB-C or USB-A and is compatible with Windows, Mac and Android.
The best part about this SSD though, is its size. This thing is tiny. You can easily pop it in your laptop bag, backpack or even your pocket. That, combined with its speed, makes the Seagate One Touch SSD an easy recommendation for back to school.
ViewSonic VX2718PMHD
ViewSonic has long been the monitor of choice in the CGM offices. The VX2718PMHD is no different with its Full HD 1080p resolution, 1ms response time and 165Hz refresh rate. The 27-inch monitor features Flicker-Free technology and has Blue Light Filter capabilities, making it great for schoolwork or play.
The company is always thinking ahead, and this time they brought VESA Adaptive-Sync to automatically calibrate your screen, preventing tearing, so you can be fully immersed in your whatever you’re doing. Fully supporting laptops, PCs and Macs make this monitor an easy choice no matter what you’re working on!
Amazon Fire HD 10
A tablet is the perfect device to cuddle up in bed, do some light browsing and stream your favourite movie on. The Fire HD 10 is great because it’s speedy and light, with 3GB of RAM and an octa-core processor. You can add up to 1TB of storage with a microSD card, but it comes with a base amount of 32 or 64GB. You can use most of your favourite apps like TikTok, Facebook and even Zoom.
This device has one of the most brilliant screens we have seen on a tablet and has the ability to block out harmful blue light if you need it, with adjustable levels you control. The Amazon Fire HD 10 is an excellent choice if you’re in the market for a tablet.
