Fall and the new semester have just arrived, and we know that most students want to be prepared to avoid stress during this new season. It’s been an eventful year with the pandemic surging across the globe, but life has to go on.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of essential devices students should have at their disposal for college this semester. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to be ready and well-equipped.

Want to be well-prepped to the next level? Bookmark and visit Studyfy blog, a platform where all students can seek out study and academic help, ranging from writing to editing, to tutoring. Affordable, inclusive, and efficient, Studyfy can genuinely help anybody ace this semester and future ones.

Moving on, here is our list of must-have devices for college:

1. Mobile Phone

Evidently, at the top of the list is the mobile phone. Not much to be said here as to why a mobile phone is essential for any college student – the small portable device holds every convenience for any individual. Messaging apps to stay in touch with friends, family, colleagues, teachers, and classmates. There are also plenty of helpful features like email, a camera, a calculator, maps, a calendar, a planner, and so forth.

With some colleges adopting a sort of hybrid remote/real-life program for the new semester, the phone becomes even more substantial as a must-have device. Need to go on Zoom for classes? Download it on your phone – and boom, location freedom.

Need to buy a new phone? There are some big contenders in the market at the moment, with the iPhone 12 Pro giving specs like its 3 cameras, and the foldable Samsung Galaxy Z. However, for those with a less flexible budget, there are numerous affordable options like Huawei./p>

2. Laptop

Second on the list is the laptop. Like the mobile phone, laptops are just downright practical to have – students can store their notes on it, work on Word documents, run an eCommerce business, anything really.

Need a good laptop? While there are many viable options out there, we can imagine that most students don’t want to hurt their expenses too much by purchasing the pricier options. For those in need of an affordable laptop but with excellent performance, try looking up the HP Envy X360 13 – it’s a powerful laptop with a good set of speakers. Starting prices vary but most sold online go for $699.

3. Desktop

For majors in design, architecture, music production, or computer science, a desktop can be a great investment. Some students might need more RAM, stability, and a kicking graphics card. Many desktop options can provide these needs.

For those who want to purchase a desktop during college, but want something more compact and not too insanely heavy, Dell is selling the XPS Desktop 8940. The XPS starts at $755, which is cheap for a desktop. It has an 11th-gen Core i9 processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card, up to 64GB memory, and 4TB of storage.

4. Tablet

Tablets are a breeze to have, they’re lighter than most laptops, they have sleek designs and big touchscreens, and they’re dynamic and useful.

We have to recommend a new tablet in the market, which is an exceptional and innovative model – the reMarkable tablet. What really makes this tablet stand out from the rest is that it was designed to feel and look as authentic and close to paper notes as possible. Imagine writing on a standard notebook with a pencil, well, that’s how it comes out. Except users are writing with a tablet.

The reMarkable tablet converts handwritten notes into text and can take notes directly in PDFs. It’s a must-have product for those seeking a tablet.

5. Stylus

Of course, for most tablet users a stylus should be worth the purchase since it can leverage the practicality of a tablet. Just like any other tech device, styluses come at different prices. Looking for something unbelievably affordable? Try the MEKO Disc Stylus at Amazon. It goes for $12 dollars!

There are more expensive options, but for those not feeling too picky and just looking for functionality, the MEKO is a good choice.

6. Noise-canceling Headphones/Earbuds

Noise cancellation features on earphones and headphones can be tremendously useful for most college students, especially for those who are noise-sensitive. For those suffering from the consistent blunder of noisy roommate(s), or just noise in general, noise cancellation can provide a quiet haven in the chaos. Focus and productivity, here we go.

Anker’s Soundcore Life P3 Earbuds sell at 79.99 on Amazon. For its mid-range price, it delivers powerful sound and good noise cancellation.

7. Portable Speaker

For the moments and periods where relaxation is the priority – a portable wireless speaker could be indispensable. For students who want to get out of the library or their flats, and maybe kick it back at a park or in nature, purchase a portable speaker to listen to your favorite tunes effortlessly. And it doesn’t have to be a luxury exclusive to some, there are a plethora of choices in different price ranges.

The JBL Flip 4 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker costs $119.90 but is worth the investment, given its impressive features, such as the possibility to connect up to 2 smartphones, built-in rechargeable li-ion battery, and it’s waterproof!

8. Power Banks

Power banks are small portable lifesavers. We can imagine that running out of battery power is a bit too relatable for most students. And sometimes, battery power runs out just at the RIGHT wrong moment. There’s a way to avoid this – buy a power bank. There’s plenty of options, and some of them go for under $20.

Depending on the students’ preferences, there shouldn’t be too much hassle with choosing one. A good and affordable one is the iMuto 20,000mAh at $33.99 on Amazon. Make academic life better by investing in tech that will add value to creativity, work, and life in general. What are some essential devices that we missed? Try out the products we recommended in the article to buy affordable but good models, if not, do some research and find the models that have what you’re looking for.