The Verge’s 2026 back-to-school shopping guide

GadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechVerge ShoppingCloseVerge ShoppingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Verge ShoppingThe Verge’s 2026 back-to-school shopping guideFrom necessities to nice-to-haves, we’ve gathered 28 products that will make this year at school the best it can be.If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.by Cameron FaulknerCloseCameron FaulknerEditor, CommercePosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Cameron Faulkner, Brad BourqueCloseBrad BourquePosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Brad Bourque, and Sheena VasaniCloseSheena VasaniCommerce WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Sheena VasaniAug 1, 2026, 2:00 PM UTCLinkShareIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. Image: Cath Virginia/The VergeKnowing exactly what your student needs for the school year ahead is next to impossible. Sure, you’ll probably nail the essentials, but there will likely be a few items you forgot to buy, or didn’t think they’d need to have. We’re pulling our weight during the back-to-school season with a new shopping guide that’s a mix of practical and aspirational products for students to use in and out of the classroom.We’re covering items that make writing easier and more satisfying, alarm clocks that can rattle even the most sleep-deprived students from a deep slumber, bags that are just as great for the gym as they are for the weekend away, and more. We wish the students in your life (or you, if you’re the student in question) a prosperous year, and we hope that our curation makes things a little easier during your studies and your downtime a lot more fun.How much do you want to spend?Under $20$21 to $50$51 to $150$151 to $400$401+Shark TurboBlade Bladeless Tower Fan$250$250The Shark TurboBlade Bladeless Tower Fan pivots, twists, and oscillates to keep the air in your room from feeling stale. It has 10 power levels, and its bladeless design can move air up to 80 feet away at full power. Its filter can be cleaned, so you don’t have to worry about buying replacement parts.Read More$250 at Best Buy$250 at Shark$250 at TargetApple MacBook Neo$589$5992% off$589When it comes to simple laptops for notetaking and essay writing, it’s hard to beat the value of the MacBook Neo. Its iPhone-grade CPU and 8GB of RAM mean this isn’t a powerhouse meant for engineering students. But it’s a better choice than a similarly priced Chromebook or Windows laptop.Read More$589 at Amazon (256GB)$599 at Walmart (256GB)$599 at Best Buy (256GB)Canon PowerShot Elph 360 HS$379$379Canon’s PowerShop ELPH 360 HS will make your memories really pop better than smartphone pictures. It has a 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor that works well in low light, plus 12X optical zoom and optical image stabilization. It features a 3-inch LCD screen so your crew can review photos before posting them. I dig its hybrid auto mode that can take videos to go along with each photo, like behind-the-scenes footage for your antics.Read More$379 at Amazon$379 at B&H Photo$380 at CanonAnbernic RG Rotate$95$95Whether you’re trying to catch a quick game between classes, or you need a distraction on the bus ride home, the Anbernic RG Rotate gaming handheld is worth considering. Its aluminum design is slick and durable, and the 3.5-inch IPS LCD swivels away to cover up the buttons when it’s not in use. The device runs Android, which means you can install and play a compatible emulator of y