The top back-to-school laptop offers at a glance:
Best MacBook offer:
– Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $799.99 (save $200)
Best Windows laptop offer:
– Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $599.99 (save $400)
Best 2-in-1 laptop offer:
– Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) for $1,399.99 (save $350)
Best gaming laptop offer:
– Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (AMD Ryzen 9 270, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) for $1,349.99 (save $450)
Best Chromebook offer:
– Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus (Intel Core 3 100U, 8GB RAM, 256GB UFS) for $599.99 (save $150)
It’s been [redacted] years since I last prepared for a new semester, yet I still feel thrilled about the back-to-school shopping period. This enthusiasm stems from my job at Mashable, which involves finding outstanding laptop deals — and after Black Friday, this period sees the most reductions on fresh and popular models across major vendors. Even the Apple Store gets in on the action: As part of its back-to-school promotion, a rare direct savings event, every MacBook bought there until Sept. 30 includes a $100 discount and a complimentary Apple accessory valued at up to $199.
Below, I’ve gathered a list of the best back-to-school laptop offers on MacBooks, Windows laptops, and a couple of Chromebooks, which I’ll keep updating throughout the season; the discounts should remain substantial and plentiful up until around Labor Day on Sept. 1. Notably, Mashable’s three top laptops of 2025 (so far) were all available at record-low prices at the time of writing, and many gaming laptops featuring new Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 series graphics were discounted by $280 to $450. At work, everyone.
Best MacBook offer:
– Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $799 at Amazon and Best Buy (save $200)
Reasons for our choice:
Apple’s latest M4 MacBook Air is a recipient of the Mashable Choice Award and is among the easiest laptops to recommend for students. It’s stunning, powerful, portable, silent, equipped with a high-quality 12MP FaceTime camera, and offers a competitive price. Additionally, it has been remarkably easy to find at a discount ever since its launch. As of late July, Amazon and Best Buy have discounted the base configuration of the 13-inch model to just $799 (down from $999). This represents a 20% saving and its lowest price ever, surpassing its Prime Day deal by $50. If you prefer a larger screen, the 15-inch variant has dropped to $999 at both retailers (another $200 off). It features two additional speakers compared to the 13-inch model.
In comparison, the Apple Store is providing only a $100 student discount on both sizes of the M4 MacBook Air. However, it includes your choice of a complimentary accessory worth up to $199: AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Pro 2, a Magic Mouse, a Magic Trackpad, or a Magic Keyboard with a numeric keypad. Some buyers may favor the $200 straightforward discount offered by Amazon and Best Buy, but if you opt for the Apple Store freebie, you could save even more.
Additional MacBook offers:
– Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $599 (save $150)
– Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $999 (save $200)
– Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,299 (save $300)
– Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4 Pro, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,799 (save $200)
Best Windows laptop offer:
– Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $599.99 at Best Buy (save $400)
Reasons for our choice:
The Mashable Choice Award-winning Asus Zenbook A14 is a sleek 14-inch laptop featuring a distinctive matte-textured “Ceraluminum” chassis, which