College Tech

We tested laptop cooling pads that fit in a backpack, stay quiet during long Zoom calls, and actually lower CPU temps for US college students on a tight budget.

A student-first buying guide to USB-C hubs: the port mix that actually earns its place in your bag (HDMI for projectors, USB-A, SD reader, pass-through charging), the Power Delivery number you must check, and why build quality beats port count.

One dropped laptop shouldn't erase a semester of essays, datasets, and a design portfolio. The best portable SSD for college students in 2026 is a 1 TB USB-C drive doing 500+ MB/s reads — small enough for a pocket, fast enough to edit straight off the disk, and cheap enough to own two.

Textbooks and PDFs eat your backpack and your budget. Here's how to pick an e-reader that actually handles course PDFs, annotates cleanly, and lasts a full week of lectures on one charge.

A dorm-room projector turns a blank wall into a movie night or a last-minute group presentation. Here's how to pick one that's bright enough for a lit room, small enough for a drawer, and easy to cast to from a phone.

How to pick a dorm-room charging station that actually tames the cable mess — USB-C PD wattage, port count, surge protection, and the compact models that fit a shared desk.

A student-focused guide to laptop stands that reclaim desk space and fix your neck posture — folding aluminum risers, stackable stands, and the ones that actually fit a cramped dorm desk.

A practical, budget-first buying guide to wireless mouse-and-keyboard combos for college students — what actually matters in a dorm, lecture hall, or library, and which setups are worth it.

The practical guide to student storage: when a portable SSD beats a hard drive, how much capacity you actually need, and the specific models worth packing for dorm life.

A student-first look at webcams for Zoom lectures, recorded presentations, and hybrid office hours — what actually matters, what's wasted money, and three picks that hold up on dorm Wi-Fi.

The best power strip for a dorm is a surge protector with a UL 1449 listing and at least 1,000 joules of protection — not the cheap multi-outlet strip that's really just an extension cord. Here's how to pick one for a room with one scarce wall outlet, why a flat plug and USB ports matter more than 12 sockets, and the one mistake that gets cited in every dorm fire report.

The best monitor for a college student is the largest one your dorm desk can physically hold with the laptop still open — usually 24 inches. Here's how to measure before you buy, why USB-C changes the setup, and what specs genuinely matter for coursework.

Dorm Wi-Fi is a shared network full of strangers' devices — treat it like airport Wi-Fi, not home Wi-Fi. Here's the 20-minute setup that keeps your accounts, files, and devices safe all year.

You don't need a $2,000 machine to survive college. Here's how to pick a student laptop by major, budget, and battery life — plus the specs that actually matter.

The 2026 back-to-school tech rundown: which laptop, tablet, headphones, printer, and dorm gadgets are actually worth it — and exactly where to save without regretting it.

A no-fluff 2026 dorm tech plan: laptop, tablet, Wi-Fi, printer, headphones, and the one surge protector that saves your devices. What to buy, what to skip, and how to set it up on move-in day.

Printers are the most over-bought dorm appliance. We break down when a printer is worth it, when the library is free, and which model to get if you do pull the trigger.

A tablet won't replace your laptop, but for note-taking, reading, and annotating PDFs it's the best $300–500 you'll spend. We compare iPad vs Android and pick the best by major and budget.

Dorm Wi-Fi is notoriously weak — crowded networks, thick walls, and one sad router for a floor. Here's when a router or extender helps, and which to buy without violating residence-hall rules.

A head-to-head of the best college backpacks — comparing comfort, laptop protection, capacity, and price for everyday campus life.

We tested the top student laptops of 2026 and picked the best by major, battery life, and budget — from engineering rigs to lightweight note-takers. Here's what's actually worth your money.

The best noise-cancelling headphones for college life — focus in a loud dorm, quiet on the bus, and comfort for all-day study sessions.