Your gadget guide as school shopping leans into tech

Your gadget guide as school shopping leans into tech

Back-to-school shopping looks a lot different this year. Normally, the school-supplies aisle at the store is absolute chaos in August. Spiral notebooks litter the floor, shelves are empty and markers have scattered everywhere.

School shopping is another victim in the upside-down world we’ve found ourselves in since March. As parents brace for at least several weeks of learning from home, it’s unclear exactly what supplies we need to buy.

Some 40 percent of parents expect to buy fewer traditional school supplies this year, according to a recent survey from Deloitte. Instead, they’re putting money into technology as schools expand virtual classrooms. Technology spending is up 28 percent this year at the expense of school supplies and clothing.

That’s leading many parents down what may be an unfamiliar road: Technology shopping for online schooling. So, we’ve made a mini-shopping guide to some of the computers and accessories to keep in mind as your child gears up to start school virtually. Read on to see buying options in several categories:

Computers

You can’t go wrong with anything in the Surface line, which has powerful touchscreen computers that are adaptable for school and home use. It’s perfect for students by day, and parents can use it in the evening when homework is done.

Here are two options depending on whether you want a simple setup to get started or to go big.

Get started: The Surface Go 2 can be used as a laptop or a tablet for any type of schoolwork. The tablet form is perfect for writing on the screen with a stylus. Attach a keyboard and it becomes a laptop computer. With a starting weight of 1.2 pounds, it can easily go anywhere so that school work can be done in any room. It starts at $399.99.

Go big: The new Surface Book 3 is an incredibly powerful laptop for the entire family and can handle demanding activities like immersive gaming, editing video files and multitasking.

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You can take off the touchscreen and turn it into a tablet for doing math homework or watching movies. It starts at $1,399.99.

Headsets

A headset with a microphone is one of the best tools for kids to block out household noise and really focus on virtual classroom instruction.

Get started: The Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 gives you clear Internet voice calls and high-quality sound. Price: $39.75.

Go big: If your student is wearing headphones all day, the gel-infused memory foam ear cushions on the Razer Kraken Tournament Edition wired gaming headset will feel great. The headset, which connects to a PC with a USB cord, also has 360-degree THX special audio and a handheld audio control.

Docks and monitors

A laptop docking station is an excellent way to create a comfortable, stable work environment for your student. It turns your laptop into a dependable desktop of sorts, allowing you to build a solid work area for school. Docking stations also give you access to more USB ports and Ethernet LAN ports.

Get started: The Moshi Symbus USB-C dock is a cute dock that connects to a monitor for 4K video output. It has an HDMI port for the monitor, two USB ports for connecting a keyboard or hard drive, and a fast-charger for USB-C laptops.

It would work well with the Acer XFA240H gaming monitor, which has an HDMI port. The monitor has built-in technologies to reduce eye strain and filter blue light for extended periods of use.

Go big: The Kensington SD7000 Surface docking station is made to charge and sync a Surface Pro. It can tilt a Surface Pro upright to look like a desktop display or at an angle for drawing or writing. It has one USB-C and four USB-A ports, and can connect to two monitors through HDMI and DisplayPort connections.

It would pair nicely with the Samsung Odyssey G7 gaming monitor, which has a curved screen and an eye-popping display that delivers 1.7 times the pixel density of normal Full HD.

Keyboards

If your student is going to be on a computer all day, you might want to get a keyboard that feels comfortable and easy to use.

Get started: I like the Microsoft Bluetooth Keyboard because it’s wireless, light and easy to move around to make room for books and papers. It has an extra-long battery life and easy access to media controls.

Go big: The Microsoft Ergonomic Desktop is one of those curvy keyboards that looks a bit odd, but your wrists will thank you later. It has an ergonomically tested palm rest that’s covered in fabric and is designed to keep your wrists in a neutral position. Anyone who spends hours typing will tell you how valuable that is.

Mice

This often-overlooked accessory can be hugely important because of all the shortcuts it provides. Learn all the tricks the mouse can teach, and you’ll be surprised at your new speed and efficiency.

Get started: The Microsoft Bluetooth Mouse is a small, go-anywhere mouse that lets you move across documents and websites with a scroll wheel. It has three buttons and comes in a range of beautiful colors.

Go big: The Microsoft Arc Mouse just looks cool and can easily go from curved to flat for storage and transport. 

That’s important for when students go back to school and will need to move equipment between the home and the classroom. You can also scroll vertically and horizontally. It also connects via Bluetooth.

Styluses

Turning in math homework can be a particular headache for parents. It’s so easy to have a child do math on a Surface tablet with a stylus and turn it in online. It beats taking a picture with your phone and emailing it.

Go big: The Surface Pen mimics a natural writing experience and even has a rubber “eraser” on the end. It’s perfect for drawing, and has tilt for shading.