It’s that time of year of again and students from pre-school to postdocs are gearing up to go back to school. Are you looking for a useful gift to give to the student in your life (or yourself 🙂 ). Below are a few useful tech gift ideas for students of all ages and stages.

Back to School Tech Ideas:

1. Chromebook

Chromebooks are great because more and more of the tools and services students use are available on the web and via web apps. If you aren’t familiar with them or aren’t sure its the right kind of laptop, we’ve got you covered. Find out why a Chromebook is the right gift. Decided on a Chromebook but not sure of which one to get? I wrote a review of the Samsung Chromebook Plus after 6 months of use, and you can also see my other recommendations in my Buyer’s Guide.

2. Headphones

Listening to music, audiobooks, podcasts, youtube videos, streaming TV and movies – there are so many reasons headphones are great for students. Which headphone? That’s a tough question that needs a lot of questions answered before I can make a recommendation. Over the ear? Earbuds? Wireless? Passive or active noise canceling? How much do you want to pay? I can tell you that if you are looking for inexpensive but decent sounding wireless headphones that can also be used as a headset, KidTechHacker reviewed and recommends the Skullcandy Uproar headphones.

3. Nintendo Switch

Everybody has to take a break sometime. Gaming is often the escape people look to. Some prefer the Xbox, PlayStation, or PC gaming, but I think the Nintendo Switch is best for most students. It has a great mix of interactive, online, classic, multiplayer, and hardcore games for students of all ages. Add in the ability to use the Switch as a portable gaming device and I think we have a winner!

4. Smart Speaker

Voice Assistants are the future, and they aren’t even that expensive. Need a quick answer to a question? Want to check your math? How about put on some relaxing music for studying? Smart speakers have a lot of specific uses for students. We can help you decide whether you should go with Alexa or Google Assistant. We can also recommend a model to purchase.

5. Portable Charger

Students are often on the go and not always thinking about keeping their phone charged. A portable charger is a great device to give your student peace of mind. It can also give power to the Nintendo Switch and their Chromebook in a pinch!

6. Smart Backpack

Everything else is getting “smart” so why not a smart backpack? Smart backpacks come with features for today’s student, including dedicated and secure storage for mobile devices (tablets, phones, and laptops), portable charging, playing music, creating light, and more! If your student needs a new backpack, check out some of the latest smart backpacks. Keep in mind, they’ll be a little pricier than regular backpacks.

So there you have it – a few great gifts for the student in your life as they head back to school. What tech gifts are you giving a student? Let me know on social media or in the comments!

Editor’s note: This page contains affiliate links. Read my disclosures for more information.