Back to school laptop sales — 19 deals for every kind of student from $249

MSI Prestige laptop held in air
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The first back-to-school sales of 2025 are right around the corner. Deals traditionally start in late June when Apple announces its annual back-to-school discount.

However, this year is different. Tariff wars could impact the price of everything from sneakers to laptops.

That's why I'm recommending back to school shoppers get their purchases finalized now. Prices are very low at the moment with discounts on some of the best laptops we've tested.

Additionally, every machine I'm recommending below is guaranteed to last you for several years thanks to their impressive spec sheets. Whether you're looking for an AI-based Copilot+ PC or an M4-powered MacBook, these back-to-school laptop sales are all-time price lows.

Below are 19 deals I'd get ahead of back to school season. (For more deals, check out our guide to the best cheap laptop deals).

Quick Links

Windows

HP OmniBook 5 Copilot+ PC
HP OmniBook 5 Copilot+ PC: was $929 now $589 at Staples

The OmniBook 5 is a powerful AI-based laptop that doesn't cost a fortune. It features a gorgeous 16-inch 2K display, AMD Radeon AI 7 350 CPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and Radeon 860M graphics. Whether you're using it at work or at school, it's a budget friendly mainstream machine that won't disappoint.

Asus Vivobook S 14 OLED Copilot+ PC
Free headset!
Asus Vivobook S 14 OLED Copilot+ PC: was $769 now $689 at Walmart

In this impressively thin, light and premium-feeling notebook, you’ll find a drop dead gorgeous OLED display, Intel Core Ultra 5 Series 2 chipset, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. For all your workloads on the go, this is an impressive system. Plus, you get a free wireless headset.

Acer Swift 16 AI Copilot+ PC
Acer Swift 16 AI Copilot+ PC: was $1,249 now $849 at Best Buy

If you're looking for fast performance, long-lasting battery life and excellent visuals for a fair price — the Swift 16 AI is a smart pick. This configuration packs a 16-inch 3K touchscreen display, Core Ultra 7 Series 2 CPU, 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge : was $899 now $768 at Best Buy

This is one of the best Copilot+ PC deals available! This 15.6-inch laptop features a Snapdragon X Plus CPU for impressive performance and power efficiency, complemented by 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It's all topped off with its gorgeous 1080p display.

HP Envy x360 2-in-1
HP Envy x360 2-in-1: was $1,129 now $829 at HP US

This HP Envy x360 2-in-1 laptop features a 16-inch 2K display, Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. Since it's a 2-in-1 device, you can use this device as a laptop or tablet. Right now it's $300 off, which is a great deal.

Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Copilot+ PC
Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED Copilot+ PC: was $1,299 now $849 at Staples

In this impressively thin, light and premium-feeling notebook, you'll find a drop dead gorgeous OLED display, Snapdragon X Elite chipset, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. In our Asus Vivobook S 15 Copilot+ PC review, we said the Editor's Choice laptop is a great machine that puts Microsoft on a new path to truly take on the mighty MacBook.

Asus Vivobook S 14
Asus Vivobook S 14: was $1,249 now $899 at Staples

Want a premium notebook that won't cost you $1,000+. The Vivobook S 14 is just that. It houses a Core Ultra 7 CPU, 32GB of super fast DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. We also love its 14-inch 1920 x 1200 OLED display.

MSI Prestige 13 OLED
MSI Prestige 13 OLED: was $1,299 now $974 at Best Buy

MSI has done an incredible job packing the power of Intel Lunar Lake and an incredible 32GB of RAM into a super lightweight, compact design. This 13-inch laptop is a portable powerhouse that many professionals should flock to. It features a 13.3-inch 2880 x 1800 OLED display, Core Ultra 7-155H CPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and Intel Arc graphics.

Dell XPS 13
Dell XPS 13: was $1,299 now $999 at Dell

Save big on this Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptop, which packs improved battery efficiency and top-tier AI processing. In addition to its X1E-80-100 CPU, this XPS 13 configuration is also equipped with 16GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage and a 13.4-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 120Hz display. In our Dell XPS 13 2024 review, we praised this laptop's amazing 19+ hours of battery life.

Asus Zenbook S 14 Copilot+ PC
Asus Zenbook S 14 Copilot+ PC: was $1,599 now $1,349 at Best Buy

This svelte PC packs enough style to make Mac fans jealous. Under the hood you'll find an Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 CPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. We especially like the 14-inch 2880 x 1800 OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate.

Gaming

Gigabyte G6 KF 16
Gigabyte G6 KF 16: was $999 now $949 at Amazon

For just under $1,000, you can pick up this solid all-around gaming laptop from Gigabyte. Not only does Nvidia’s entry level 40-series graphics card ensure this system supports ray tracing, the presence of an Intel Core i7- 13620H CPU with 16GB of DDR5 RAM should ensure the G6 will run many titles at a smooth 60 frames per second or above at the laptop’s native screen resolution of 1920 x 1200.

HP Victus 16 w/ RTX 4050
HP Victus 16 w/ RTX 4050: was $1,349 now $1,049 at HP US

If you’re into indie games or older games, there’s no need to splurge on a high-end gaming laptop. This HP Victus 16 configuration is $300 off and it’s equipped with a 16.1-inch 1080p display with 165Hz refresh, Core i7-14650HX CPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and RTX 4050 graphics.

HP Omen 16 w/ RTX 4050
HP Omen 16 w/ RTX 4050: was $1,649 now $1,249 at HP US

Save $400 on this RTX 4050-powered HP Omen 17 configuration, an ideal pick for relaxing, cozy games or graphically intensive games at lower settings. It’s equipped with an Intel Core i7-14700HX CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. You also get a 16.1-inch 1080p 165Hz display.

Alienware 16 Area 51 Laptop w/ RTX 5070 Ti
Alienware 16 Area 51 Laptop w/ RTX 5070 Ti: was $3,099 now $2,849 at Dell

The Alienware 16 Area 51 Laptop is a new 2025 machine powered by Nvidia's new RTX 5070 Ti GPU. This configuration also features an amazing 16-inch QHD+ 240Hz LCD, Core Ultra 9-275HX CPU, 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD. Yes, it's pricey, but this is one of the first discounts we've seen on Alienware's just-released laptops.

MacBooks

Apple 13" MacBook Air (M4)
Apple 13" MacBook Air (M4): was $999 now $879 at Amazon

The new MacBook Air is powered by Apple's latest M4 chipset. It upgrades the camera from 1080p to 12MP with Center Stage support. The M4 chipset also supports dual external monitors, even when you have the laptop's lid open. It packs a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display (2560 x 1664), Apple's M4 CPU w/ 10-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD. In our MacBook Air M4 review, we said the Editor's Choice laptop is irresistible thanks to its speedy performance, sharper camera, and lower starting price.

Apple MacBook Pro 14" (M4/512GB)
Apple MacBook Pro 14" (M4/512GB): was $1,599 now $1,386 at Amazon

The M4-based MacBook Pro M4 is pretty close to being the perfect laptop. You get fantastic performance from the M4 chip, useful Apple Intelligence features, a better webcam and obscenely long battery life (18:31). In our MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 review, we said it's the best laptop for power users, now with more AI features. The base model features a 14.2-inch 3024 x 1964 Retina display, Apple M4 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.
Price check: $1,449 @ Best Buy | $1,399 @ B&H

Chromebooks

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11: was $399 now $249 at Best Buy

This 2-in-1 Chromebook from Lenovo comes in at just $249. It comes with a detachable keyboard and a stylus to sort a variety of work styles. We're also fans of its sharp 2K display. On the inside, it sports a MediaTek Kompanio processor, 4GB RAM and 128GB storage, so you'll want to use it for basic, Web-based tasks only.

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook: was $468 now $367 at Walmart

As long as you have a good connection, this Chromebook is well suited for Cloud gaming. It has a 16-inch display, an Intel Core i3-1215U, 8GB RAM and an 128GB eMMC. These specs mean it's a solid choice for everyday work, too.

Asus Chromebook CX3402
Asus Chromebook CX3402: was $499 now $399 at Best Buy

Think Chromebook are underpowered? Think again. The Asus Chromebook CX3402 features a 14-inch 1080p display, Core i5-1335U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. That's enough muscle power for completing tasks like browsing, multitasking and streaming Netflix.

Louis Ramirez

As deals editor-in-chief at Tom’s Guide, Louis is constantly looking for ways to avoid paying full price for the latest gadgets, appliances, and apparel. With over 10 years of deals-hunting experience, Louis price checks against multiple retailers and searches high and low for the best deals to bring readers. He's also always on the look out for the best coupon codes to use when shopping. A born-and-bred New Yorker, Louis is also an avid swimmer and marathoner. His work has appeared on Gizmodo, CNET, and Time Out New York.

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