Back to School Tech: 2020 Budget Edition

While Summer technically runs through most of September, you probably consider the true end of Summer when class is back in session. At least, that’s how I used to treat it, and typically Labor Day weekend was the last hurrah. These days are different, however, and most of you now start classes in August (I had no idea that’s when most colleges started back when I was kicking it on Chicago’s South Side). Yet, as bittersweet as Summer’s end is, there’s still some excitement to a new academic year. Maybe it’s time for a new backpack, maybe you want to show off the shiny new iPhone, or more challenging courses mean you need new computer hardware.

It’s a cliché at this point, but 2020 is a little different…a lot different, even if you are attending classes in person. COVID has changed the way we learn and work, probably forever. There’s a focus remote, on video, and somehow, despite the physical distance, in some ways it feels like we’re closer than ever because of it. That said, it’s not without it’s challenges and I can’t imagine having tried to navigate this situation in the late 2000s when I was in school.

So this one’s for the budget conscientious student, or even remote worker. Not everyone is fully remote, but if you are, it’s new to a lot of us. It can be a little daunting, maybe you’re used to just using the school or work computer, but luckily with the way things have advanced, you can get a lot done with a lot less.

Computer

There’s really no way around this one, you’re going to need some kind of computer. The good news is, technically the device in your pocket is a computer. Now, it’d be pretty annoying to have to write a paper, do research, or get any work done on your phone, but the point is, computer technology is more accessible than ever.

The biggest benefit of cloud computing is that you don’t need a ton of horsepower under the hood to do anything these days. With a stable internet connection (not necessarily fast), you’re 50% of the way there, my statistic being arbitrary. There’s only a handful of things you need to be able to do: write, communicate, & consume. That’s a keyboard, a webcam, and a screen. We can do this for pretty cheap.

I know there’s clout to be had with an iPad, but if you can’t even show it off, what’s the point? Everything is on a web browser, anyways, or an app, so all you need is something that can connect you to the school portal, Google Drive, Zoom, and YouTube. For this, you don’t need much more than a Chromebook. A Lenovo or Asus Chromebook will do the trick, and there are a few options out there for a style of your needs. Most clock in at around $300, like this Asus model. Now, that said, you aren’t going to do much else besides writing papers, sending emails, or streaming videos on Netflix or YouTube, but this is as cheap as it gets if you want something that’ll last you more than a year or 2. Besides, with the upcoming Xbox Game Pass or Google Stadia, you can now subscribe to game streaming which eliminates the need for more expensive hardware, which should suffice for casual gaming, unless you’re trying to go pro. If you want to go even cheaper than that, you can find any android tablet that will just barely get the job done for around $100. I don’t have one to recommend here, since they’re all pretty much interchangeable in terms of quality and performance.

If there is any single purchase you should make, it’s the laptop. Everything else here is a nice to have quality of life improvement. Alas, here is the rest of the list.

Battery Bank

Even if you are at home, having a battery pack always comes in handy. Move to the yard, the kitchen, a friends house, whatever, it’s much easier to have a quick jolt from your battery bank than looking for an outlet. Plus, you can even extend your Chromebook a little more with this as well, not just your phone. This Anker PowerCore only runs about $20 and is good for multiple full phone charges. This is the one purchase out of this entire list you don’t want to go generic knock off brand, battery technology has gotten much safer but you don’t want to take any risks. Even if it’s not this exact model, just make sure whatever you purchase has plenty of reviews online, ideally even a video review since it’s so easy to fake online reviews these days.

Headphones

Listen, I’m a big believer in spending _just_ a little bit more for quality in order to save you money in the long run instead of spending $5-$10 a bunch of times to keep replacing those Walgreens headphones. At the same time, I get it, money can be tight and I’ve been there. So if that’s truly all you can afford and don’t want to wait whatever amount of time for something in the $20-$50 range (which is what I’m going to recommend), do what’s within your means right now. Otherwise, the budget options I wrote about back in March I still stand behind.

USB Stick

Thumb drive, memory stick, call it whatever you like, but by the chance that a dedicated computer for you is not an option and you have to share, a USB stick is going to be your friend. If that’s the case, you don’t need much, work docs aren’t particularly large and if you’re transferring large video files or photos, this post likely isn’t exactly for you. Nonetheless, $5-$7 can get you 32gb which is plenty.

That should do it, stay safe, stay lit.