Back to school laptop deals 2024 — 21 amazing sales on Windows, MacBooks and more

MacBook Air M3
(Image credit: Future)

August is flying by and the new school semester will be here before you know it. For consumers, that means now is the time to shop this season's best back to school sales.

High on many students' shopping lists is a new laptop. While buying a new laptop can be expensive, this week's back to school laptop deals are making it cheaper than ever. In fact, outside of Black Friday — back to school season is when I see the most laptop deals. And these aren't just any deals, but aggressive discounts on some of the best laptops that have graced the Tom's Guide testing lab. 

Below, I've rounded up the best back to school laptop deals you can get right now. Whether you're looking for the best laptop for engineering students or the best student computer, my roundup includes deals on Windows machines, budget Chromebooks, and the latest MacBooks. These machines are suitable for work, play and anything in between.

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CoPilot+ PCs

HP OmniBook X Copilot+ PC: was $1,199 now $999 @ HP

HP OmniBook X Copilot+ PC: was $1,199 now $999 @ HP
This monster of an ultraportable packs plenty of performance and power efficiency, thanks to its Snapdragon X Elite chip — all inside a slim and sleek aluminum chassis with a gorgeous 14-inch 2.2K display up top. If you’re in the market for a Windows laptop, this is an amazing one to buy. In our HP OmniBook X review, we said the Editor's Choice machine gives Apple's MacBook Air M3 a run for its money.

Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ PC: was $1,299 now $1,099 @ Dell

Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ PC: was $1,299 now $1,099 @ Dell
We're fans of Dell's XPS line and the next generation is finally here. The new XPS 13 Copilot+ PC packs a 13.4-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 120Hz display,  Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. In our Dell XPS 13 2024 review, we praised the amazing 19+ hours of battery life.

Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ PC OLED: was $1,499 now $1,199 @ Best Buy

Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ PC OLED: was $1,499 now $1,199 @ Best Buy
This XPS 13 Copilot+ PC packs a stunning 13.4-inch OLED 2880 x 1800 display, Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. Note: Dell offers this system for $1,499, but it includes 32GB of RAM.

Asus Vivobook S 15 Copilot+ PC: $1,299 now $1,222 @ Best Buy

Asus Vivobook S 15 Copilot+ PC: $1,299 now $1,222 @ Best Buy
The Vivobook S 15 is Asus' flagship Copilot+ PC. It features a 15.6-inch 3K OLED 120Hz display, Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. It's a modest discount, but this is the first time we've seen it on sale. 

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge Copilot+ PC: $500 off w/ trade-in @ Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge Copilot+ PC: $500 off w/ trade-in @ Samsung
If you have an old laptop, phone, or tablet to trade in, you can get up to $500 off Samsung's new Galaxy Book4 Edge Copilot+ PC. It features  a 14-inch 2880 x 1800 AMOLED screen, Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD.

ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 Copilot+ PC: was $2,699 now $1,754 @ Lenovo

ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 Copilot+ PC: was $2,699 now $1,754 @ Lenovo
Lenovo's popular ThinkPad is going AI. The new T14s Gen 6 is a true workhorse packing a 14-inch 1920 x 1200 display, Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. It also features Windows 11 Pro for ARM64.

Windows

Acer Aspire 3: was $321 now $299 @ Amazon

Acer Aspire 3: was $321 now $299 @ Amazon
The Acer Aspire 3 is an awesome choice for anyone looking for a laptop on a budget. It comes with a 15.6-inch FHD IPS touch display, AMD Ryzen 3 7320U CPU, 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and a 128GB SSD.

Asus VivoBook 15: was $379 now $309 @ Amazon

Asus VivoBook 15: was $379 now $309 @ Amazon
Ideal for students or basic work, the Asus VivoBook 15 is a budget machine that won't break the bank. It features a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS LCD, Core i3-1115G4 CPU, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. It's a little too underpowered for demanding work, but can pass when you just need to surf the web or watch some videos.

HP Omen Transcend 14: was $1,599 now $1,199 @ HP

HP Omen Transcend 14: was $1,599 now $1,199 @ HP
While it's good to see the Omen Transcend embrace Copilot features, it's equally pleasing to see a gaming laptop put on quite the lightshow. The RGB glow that surrounds the Omen's terrifically snappy keyboard gets downright addictive. The RTX 4050 means you'll have to make compromises in certain games, but there's no denying how stunning the Omen's 14-inch 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED screen is.

Asus ROG Strix G16 (2024): was $1,399 now $1,270 @ Amazon

Asus ROG Strix G16 (2024): was $1,399 now $1,270 @ Amazon
This Asus gaming laptop packs in a whole lot of power. Its native 1080p screen (1920 x 1080) is paired with an impressive 165Hz rate. You also get a Core i7-13650HX CPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and an RTX 4060 GPU. It's an ideal laptop for hardcore first-person shooter fans, er, school work. We also appreciate the fact it supports Wi-Fi 6E.

MSI Vector GP68HX 16: was $2,099 now $1,799 @ Best Buy

MSI Vector GP68HX 16: was $2,099 now $1,799 @ Best Buy
The MSI Vector brings the gaming might, thanks to its RTX 4080 GPU. Nvidia's graphics card is ably supported by an Intel Core i9 13950HX CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Its FHD 16-inch screen can reach a max refresh rate of 144Hz. This is a laptop with staying power that'll last for more than just one school semester. 

MacBooks

MacBook Air (M1/256GB): was $999 now $649 @ Walmart

MacBook Air (M1/256GB): was $999 now $649 @ Walmart
It sports a dated design and slightly older processor, but the MacBook Air M1 still offers fantastic performance and value. The M1 CPU never stuttered in our tests and also helped it reach over 14 hours of battery life. It features a 13.3-inch Retina display, Apple M1 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. In our MacBook Air M1 review, we said it offers amazing endurance and good speed.

MacBook Air 13 (M2/256GB): was $1,099 now $799 @ AmazonPrice check: $849 @ B&H | $799 @ Best Buy

MacBook Air 13 (M2/256GB): was $1,099 now $799 @ Amazon
The MacBook Air M2 is one of our most recommended laptops because it's remarkably light and thin yet sports a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, a speedy Apple M2 CPU w/ 8-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and a great 1080p FaceTime camera. In our MacBook Air M2 review we lauded this Editor's Choice laptop for its versatility and battery life, so don't miss your chance to get one at a great discount.
Price check: $849 @ B&H | $799 @ Best Buy

MacBook Air 13 (M3): was $1,099 now $849 @ Amazon
Record price low! Price check: $899 @ Best Buy | $999 @ B&H

MacBook Air 13 (M3): was $1,099 now $849 @ Amazon
Record price low!
The new MacBook Air is powered by Apple's latest M3 silicon. The laptop can support up to two external displays (when the laptop lid is closed) and Apple also claims its 60% faster than the M1-based MacBook Air. It boasts up to 18 hours of battery life. In our MacBook Air 13-inch M3 review, we called the Editor's Choice laptop a small wonder. It packs a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display (2560 x 1664), Apple's M3 CPU w/ 8-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD.
Price check: $899 @ Best Buy | $999 @ B&H

MacBook Air 15 (M3): was $1,299 now $1,049 @ Amazon
Price check: $1,099 @ Best Buy | $1,149 @ B&H

MacBook Air 15 (M3): was $1,299 now $1,049 @ Amazon
The new MacBook Air is powered by Apple's latest M3 silicon. The laptop can support up to two external displays (when the laptop lid is closed) and Apple also claims its 60% faster than the M1-based MacBook Air. It boasts up to 18 hours of battery life. In our MacBook Air 15-inch M3 review, we said the Editor's Choice laptop delivers fantastic performance from its M3 chip along with class-leading endurance. It packs a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display (2880 x 1864), Apple's M3 CPU w/ 10-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD.
Price check: $1,099 @ Best Buy | $1,149 @ B&H

MacBook Pro 14 (M3/512GB): was $1,599 now $1,299 @ AmazonLowest price!Price check: $1,299 @ Best Buy | $1,399 @ B&H

MacBook Pro 14 (M3/512GB): was $1,599 now $1,299 @ Amazon
Lowest price! The M3-based MacBook Pro is one of the best laptops you can buy. In our MacBook Pro 14-inch M3 review, we said it delivers blistering performance with a brighter display than its predecessor, robust graphics, and super-long battery life (17 hours with 25 minutes). If you upgrade to the M3 Pro or M3 Pro Max chipset, you get to snag this laptop in a stunning new Space Black finish with 18GB or 36GB of RAM, respectively. The base model features a 14.2-inch 3024 x 1964 Retina display, Apple M3 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.
Price check: $1,299 @ Best Buy | $1,399 @ B&H

Chromebooks

Acer Chromebook 315: was $299 now $179 @ Best Buy

Acer Chromebook 315: was $299 now $179 @ Best Buy
This Acer Chromebook won't break any speed records. However, if you need a basic machine to get you online, this Chromebook packs a 15.6-inch HD display, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage. It's one of the cheapest Chromebooks you can buy right now.

Asus Chromebook C203XA: was $249 now $189 @ Amazon

Asus Chromebook C203XA: was $249 now $189 @ Amazon
If you need a Chromebook that's rugged and durable, look no further than the Asus Chromebook C203XA, which has a spill-proof keyboard, military-grade durability and a scratch-resistant screen. This makes it perfect for any challenging or accident-prone environment. Right now, Amazon is selling this Chromebook for just $189, making it a very wallet friendly pick. 

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3: was $379 now $249 @ Best Buy

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3: was $379 now $249 @ Best Buy
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook is an amazing value at full price, so getting a deal this good makes it even better. This 2-in-1 is versatile and will do everything you need it to do — stream videos, make video calls, and run apps. It holds a spot in our best laptops guide and features an 11-inch 2000 x 1200 touch screen, Snapdragon 7cG2 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB eMMC. 

Acer Chromebook Plus 515: was $399 now $299 @ Best Buy

Acer Chromebook Plus 515: was $399 now $299 @ Best Buy
The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 is a premium Chromebook with a strong-feeling build, comfortable keyboard, and top-firing speakers. It features a 15.6-inch FHD display with Intel Core i3-1215U CPU, 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.

ASUS Chromebook Flip C433: was $479 now $355 @ Amazon

ASUS Chromebook Flip C433: was $479 now $355 @ Amazon
Asus' 2-in-1 Chromebooks are favorites, and this one should enable some pretty great productivity. Equipped with 8GB of RAM and a 64GB hard drive, this Chromebook deal makes it easier to level-up your purchase. Of course, it packs a touchscreen for optimal Android app usage.

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.