Get the best back-to-school MacBook accessories before the kids head back to school. While giving them this new MacBook is enough to help them complete their schoolwork and post-grad entertainment, their audio experience will never be complete without the right peripherals and accessories. And, with back-to-school sales now, it's a great time to round out your kit.
Student MacBooks are some of the best laptops on the market because they are more than capable of handling any class load a student might have while still being highly portable and having all-day battery life. But, if your kids have them, they need the right MacBook accessories to not only get the most out of them, but also to enjoy a smoother school workflow.
We've tried and used more MacBook and Mac accessories than our share, so we know which ones are useful and which ones aren't. From hard drives and external monitors to laptop stands and Bluetooth speakers, here are the best back-to-school accessories for MacBooks.
If you find Apple laptops too expensive for a college student, consider buying one of the best Chromebooks, as they have similar portability, battery life, and amazing performance, but cost much less than a laptop. from Apple.
Best Back to School Accessories for MacBook 2022
1. JanSport Cool Student Backpack
A great laptop backpack for school.
Reasons to buy
+multiple compartments
+Affordable
Reasons to avoid
-Classic design is not for everyone.
This classic backpack has enough room to fit any MacBook or MacBook Pro, plus books, pencils, pens, and other school supplies. It features four exterior pockets for various necessities like a portable hard drive or SSD and comes in several cool colors. There's even a laptop sleeve so kids can make sure their MacBook is protected from bumps and drops.
2 JBL clip 4
Portable yet powerful Bluetooth speaker
Reasons to buy
+The clip is convenient
+Can be noisy for its size.
Reasons to avoid
-Sound quality is not the best
Fun and affordable, with a clip-on design, 10 hours of playtime, IPX67 waterproof rating, six color options, and plenty of volume for something this small, the JBL Clip 4 is simply the portable speaker for students with a lifestyle. more active. It's also designed to easily connect to any device via Bluetooth, including that new MacBook you just bought. Simply press the Bluetooth button, connect to a laptop, and listen to tunes in seconds. Just what kids need for a hectic back-to-school season.
3. Bang & Olufsen Beoplay A1
Bluetooth speaker for budding audiophiles
Reasons to buy
+Incredible and well balanced sound.
+high volume
Ideal for bedrooms where space is tight, this small but impressive Bluetooth speaker from B&O packs a mighty pair of lungs into a sleek design that kids are tempted to take with them to the beach and college parties. Good thing it has an IPX67 rating. It has "True 360" omnidirectional sound so you can be heard loud and clear from anywhere, plus 18 hours of playback. Even better, it has Alexa built-in, so it can double as a space-saving smart speaker.
4. Stand Twelve South Book Arc
Laptop stand on your clean and tidy desk
Reasons to buy
+Solid construction
+great for organization
Reasons to avoid
-there are cheaper options
If you've set up your kids' MacBook with an external monitor, this Twelve South stand is a great option. Stylishly prevents this MacBook from taking up a lot of valuable desk space, especially if there's a screen taking up too. Even without a monitor, it's handy for keeping your desktop organized when not in use. It is available in silver or space gray.
5. Bestand aluminum cooling rack
Laptop stand to keep your MacBook cool
Reasons to buy
+looks high end
+Robust construction
Reasons to avoid
-There are cheaper options available
For those who use their laptop without an external monitor, but want to elevate it and get some extra cooling, check out Bestand's Aluminum Cooling Stand. By raising this MacBook at an angle, this stand offers a little extra help in supporting the laptop and is ideal for storing external accessories such as keyboards and mice when not in use.
6 Logitech K380
Slim and Portable Bluetooth Keyboard
Color
black, blue, gray, pink, red, white
Condition
New, Refurbished
Reasons to buy
+comfortable to write
+Does not take up much space
Enhance your writing experience this back to school. It's true that MacBooks have some of the best keyboards around, but if you want to step away from that screen a bit, the Logitech K380 might be the ticket. It's one of the best small keyboards we've tested, slim and compact, but also incredibly comfortable to type on and very affordable. It also has simultaneous three-device connectivity so you can seamlessly switch from your laptop to your iPad to your iPhone.
7. Satechi Bluetooth Compact Backlit Keyboard
Slim but full keyboard
Reasons to buy
+Great for tapping
+The slim design makes it easy to store.
Satechi is known for solid products that feel like they're beaten, including this X2 Bluetooth keyboard, which is among the slimmest keyboards we've ever used. Optimized for Mac, it has backlit keys that are incredibly comfortable to type on, multi-device connectivity (up to 4, in fact), and the exact color scheme most MacBooks have for a perfect match in Apple heaven.
(*two*)
(Image credit: Seagate)8. Seagate One Touch Solid State Drive
External SSD to carry in your pocket
Reasons to buy
+Pocket size but large capacity
+cute design
It's almost impossible for something this small and light (small enough to easily slip into your shirt pocket) to carry up to 1TB of data. It is also designed to be sturdy. In fact, Seagate is so confident in building it that he added a loop so he can attach it to a carabiner to attach it to his backpack. We also love its smart knit exterior. Since it's an SSD, you can be sure it's fast and secure.
9. SanDisk Extreme Portable Solid State Drive (500GB)
Rugged SSD for conferences and field studies
Reasons to avoid
-There are cheaper options available
Keeping your files safe and portable may be this external SSD's top priority, but it also prides itself on its rugged construction. This slim and small storage unit comes with two-meter drop protection and an IP55 rating, which means it's protected against ingress of dust and low-pressure water jets. Rain or shine, it can take a beating, making it the perfect companion for fieldwork and school projects.
10. HP E14 G4 Portable Monitor
Slim portable screen with a gorgeous panel
Reasons to buy
+Excellent display
+Slim and portable
We can honestly say that the HP E14 G4 Portable Monitor is the best looking portable monitor we've ever used (and tried several). With 1080p resolution and a whopping 400 nits of brightness in an incredibly thin and light form factor, this might be all you need if you need a little more screen real estate. It even has a 65W power pass-through and a nifty anti-glare feature.
11 Dell S3221QS
A 4K display that offers deeper immersion
Reasons to buy
+4K resolution
+nice design
If you're ready to upgrade to a 4K monitor, you can't go wrong with Dell's curved offering. The Dell 4K S3221QS is a 32-inch display with a stunning woven design on the white back, making it look better than most monitors, and a deep 1800R curvature for an even more immersive experience. Because it's Dell, it has 300 nits of brightness, much like the popular XPS line.
12. Beats Studio Headphones
Alternative to noise-canceling Airpods for a student's budget
Reasons to buy
+Great sound quality
+comfortable to wear
Reasons to avoid
-ANC could be stronger
-Poor call quality
This new version of Beats is a more affordable alternative to the higher-end Airpod Pros you might be considering. It's more affordable for back-to-school than regular Airpods and offers more professional features, including ANC, transparency mode, on-ear touch controls, and great sound. It's also easy to use and has a good battery life that slightly exceeds that of the pros.
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