As the summer peaks and July 4th is now behind us, it is time to start thinking about our back-to-school needs. Education shapes our future. So, no matter if you’re a parent or a student, you will want to ensure you, or your child have the best possible tools and are well prepared to go into the new year of school. If you are not yet prepared with the proper back to school supplies, creating a school supplies list is a good place to start. Today, we will review essential tech items necessary to be 100% ready for your first day of school.
Backpack & Laptop Bag
The first thing for any school supplies list would be a proper backpack/laptop bag. It doesn’t matter what grade, level of college, or field study you are about to embark upon, you will need a good bag that safely stores your electronics, books, and other student or teacher supplies. The beautiful thing today is many bags offer some extra benefits that didn’t exist when I was in school. Like built in power storage to charge your devices.
Laptop / Notebook
Laptops and Notebooks are arguably one of the most important tools in today’s educational process. Work, school and play, these machines do it all. But which one is right for you?
Notebooks are fantastic for everyday basic school needs, while providing extra power for other projects. With advancements in technology and manufacturing, the prices for these notebooks have taken a steep plunge in recent years. For example, the HP Chromebooks start at only about $200 while still showing off specs containing some of the latest tech such as touch screen, latest AMD chips, and extended battery life. These notebooks are perfect for school and work.
If you are studying anything related to arts, science, and technology, I would strongly recommend a more powerful laptop. You will need a powerful processor and graphics card to efficiently run many software applications required in these fields of studies. Portability and compatibility are also important attributes since you will most likely need to work from different locations and need the compatibility to plug into any workstation or monitor. I recommend looking at the LG Gram laptops collection. The super lightweight LG gram laptops come in a variety of specifications giving you more options to get exactly what you need. These laptops boast the latest next gen processors and graphics cards along with key mobility features such as flip to tablet touchscreen and a stylus pen. Combine that with the wide color gamut that offers brilliantly vivid colors and sharpness, and you have an amazing high-level laptop good for school, work, and entertainment.
Minimum Specifications to look for in a notebook
- Long lasting battery (greater than 8 hours)
- At least 4 GB of RAM
- Processor with at the least a minimum base frequency of 1.6hz
- At minimum, 2 USB 3.0 and HDMI ports
- Lightweight
Minimum Specifications to look for in a laptop
- Long battery life of 12 hours or greater – especially if using complex software
- At least 8 GB of RAM
- Processor with at the least a minimum base frequency of 2.4 GHz
- Multiple USB-C ports, 1 USB-A and HDMI ports
- A quality graphics card
- Lightweight
Personal Workstation
When we are shopping for back to school, we are so focused on what we need for class, we often overlook what we need at home. Creating a comfortable personal workstation at home where you can focus on your studies, complete school projects, and evolve your skills makes the world of difference. Having a space where you can remain focused while minimizing distractions will increase your productivity, enhance the quality of your work, and can be a leading factor in achieving deadlines early.
With a notebook or laptop, you can be productive with just desk and comfortable chair, but by adding things like a desktop monitor, a couple of external computer speakers, and a pair of noise cancelling headphones you will be creating a highly productive environment.
There are many great benefits of having an external PC monitor for your laptop on your home or dormitory desk and if you’re a gamer or like using your computer for entertainment during down time, you will surely need one of these.
- Larger display will help your field of view, reduce eye strain, and be more entertaining
- PC monitors generally do not require much space and often fits on a small desk, easy to hang
- More screens equal more applications and programs operating simultaneously in view which results in greater productivity
- Better screen resolutions and larger screens for better graphics, editing, and entertainment
Your monitor needs will depend on your work and leisure habits. You don’t need a crazy expensive monitor with all the bells and whistles for running basic office software. You may only need a larger or extra screen to increase your productivity. However, if you want to run more intense graphics, video software, or enjoy gaming and movies, you will want a more powerful monitor and should look out for a few specifications.
- At least a 4k Ultra HD resolution
- 75hz to 720hz refresh rates
- HDR level brightness or at least 400 nit
- Response times of 8 milliseconds or greater and 5 milliseconds for gaming
- Screen size should be 34” or less if monitor is located within 4 feet from your face for a full range field of view
A great way to compliment your personal workstation and “on the go” school lifestyle is with a pair of noise cancelling headphones. Nowadays, you can find that these are very affordable, but if you don’t mind splurging a bit more for a better one, there are incredible options to choose from. Everyone loves music and needs a good pair of headphones. Plus, a quality noise cancelling feature is a must for students in a dorm or if your home is noisy. My choice and also considered one of the best noise cancelling headphones is the Sony XM4. These are an industry favorite as well with amazing noise cancelling quality. Additionally, Sony recently launched the sequel to the XM4 with their XM5 headphones and has noise cancelling technology that you cannot find in any other headphones on the market. Both are amazing options that will keep you less distracted and focused on your work while providing crystal clear audio for music and calls.
Accessories
In today’s modern times, you don’t need as many items for school as you used to. We live in a digital world now. However, there still may be one or two items that can help you be ready to head back to school such as a good luggage set for going away to college. For dormers, consider an air purifier for your room and a fitness watch to help keep track of health and time. Don’t forget computer accessories like a keyboard, mouse, and portable speakers. You may even be interested in a printer for your desk and wireless router for added security or network boosting.
Lastly, the experience of receiving higher education surely is one of a kind. Get a good camera because you’re going to want to look back and remember. These are the years that create lifelong friends, solidify lifelong memories, and build lifelong achievements.
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