The 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro is $200 off for the first time

Summer solstice has come and gone, which means that a new scholastic year is just around the corner. Thankfully, several of our top picks for laptops suited for students are currently on sale. In addition to those deals, the M2-equipped MacBook Pro just got its first significant discount at Best Buy. Normally priced at $1,499.99, the 512GB configuration of Apple’s latest model of the MacBook Pro is discounted to $1,299.99 at Best Buy, its lowest price yet. Also, the 256GB model that typically sells for $1,299.99 is down to just $1,099.99 at Best Buy.

It may look the same as the older versions of the MacBook Pro — Touch Bar and all — but it houses the faster M2 processor. While the tired design and lackluster webcam may not be what every student wants to settle for, it at least retains the same excellent performance and battery life as its predecessor. Read our review.

13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 (2022)

• $1,299
• $1,499
• 14% off

The latest configuration of the 13-inch MacBook Pro can be equipped with the new M2 CPU and can be configured to have up to 24GB of unified memory.

• $1,299
  
  at Best Buy

You might want to check out this deal on the Acer Chromebook Spin 513. Normally $459.99, Amazon has discounted the lightweight laptop to a mere $399.99. The ChromeOS-powered machine may not offer the same kind of power and versatility that you’ll get in a MacBook or Windows-based laptop, but its lightweight form factor and extensive battery life make the Spin 513 an excellent choice, particularly for students. This configuration features a 1080p touchscreen with 8GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 7c processor, which should be more than capable of handling most, if not all, ChromeOS applications. Somewhat disappointing, though, is its lousy 64GB of onboard storage. But if most of your activities are in-browser, this shouldn’t be too big of an issue. Read our review.

Acer Chromebook Spin 513

• $400
• $460
• 14% off

The ChromeOS-powered Spin 513 is preloaded with Google applications and can access Android apps from the Play Store.

• $400
  
  at Amazon

You can currently save $100 on Sony’s WH-1000XM4 at Woot, but only if you purchase them directly through the Woot mobile app. The popular noise-canceling headphones hit $228 earlier this month during Prime Day, so this isn’t quite as good of a price, but $249.99 is still a bargain for any given Thursday. And while the XM4s have made way for the XM5s, the older model has several features in common with the newer model.

Besides offering some of the best noise cancellation available in a pair of over-ear headphones, the XM4s support multipoint Bluetooth connectivity and excellent clarity for voice calls. At $249.99, the XM4 remain a great and now more budget-conscious purchase. Read our review.

Sony WH-1000XM4

• $250
• $350
• 29% off

These over-ear headphones are some of the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy right now. They can last up to 30 hours on a single charge and provide a comfortable listening experience with plush ear pads.

• $250
  
  at Woot (in-app)

Amazon’s fourth-gen Echo is currently on sale for $59.99 at Amazon and Best Buy, down from its usual price of $99.99. The orb-shaped smart hub-meets-speaker offers an extensive library of Alexa skills for home automation functions. The latest Echo offers more robust sound than the cheaper fourth-gen Echo Dot. It can even work in tandem with another Echo speaker, giving your sound a big boost by pairing them in a stereo configuration for music or connecting them to a Fire TV streaming device. Read our review.

Amazon Echo (fourth-gen)

• $60
• $100
• 41% off

The latest Echo has a spherical build and offers better sound quality than the previous iteration.

• $60
  
  at Amazon
• $60
  
  at Best Buy

The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro are a great option for anyone who doesn’t want to shell out more than $100 for a decent pair of noise-canceling earbuds. Normally $129.99, Best Buy is currently discounting the pair of earbuds in blue to $49.99, their lowest price to date. In addition to providing several sizes of ear tips for a comfortable fit, the Air 2 Pro feature solid noise cancellation for the price, and its companion app allows you to fine-tune the listening experience. Read our review.

Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro

• $50
• $130
• 62% off

Anker’s Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro earbuds provide decent active noise cancellation at a competitive price, with app features allowing you to customize the ANC and ensure you have the ideal fit in your ears.

• $50
  
  at Best Buy
• $50
  
  at eBay

Our favorite Bluetooth speaker, the Bose SoundLink Flex, is currently discounted to around $129 at Amazon and Best Buy. This capsule-shaped Bluetooth speaker is usually priced at $149, and this is the best price we’ve seen since May. The SoundLink Flex is weatherproof and can handle getting buried in some sand or stuck in a sudden downpour. In addition to being rugged, this speaker also has a 12-hour battery life and has some of the best sound quality among other Bluetooth speakers that are available for a similar price.

Bose SoundLink Flex

• $129
• $149
• 14% off

Bose’s newest Bluetooth speaker, the SoundLink Flex, offers pristine, detailed sound quality with a surprising amount of bass for its size — all in a rugged design that you can take anywhere.

• $129
  
  at Amazon
• $130
  
  at Best Buy

A couple more deals worthy of your attention

• Give summer the send-off it deserves with a $79.99 wooden Kubb set that’s discounted to $48.99 at Best Buy. What’s Kubb? It’s a lawn game that’s perfect for anyone who’s sick of cornhole but still wants to throw stuff. Kubb is a game that’s definitely worth the price of admission if you have access to a green space to play. Plus, when was the last time that you touched grass?
• The Xbox wireless controller normally costs $59.99 in the black colorway, but it’s currently on sale for $49.49 on Amazon, giving you a great budget option for your favorite player two.