With everyone heading back to school in 2023, it’s time to upgrade all the back-to-school accessories you use with your MacBook. As great as Apple’s various laptops are, from their portability and battery life to outsized performance, not to mention ability to handle both schoolwork and entertainment, you’ll want to make the most of that computing experience with the right accessories.
Considering that back to school sales are here nearing the end of summer, it’s time to take stock and figure out what additions will help you, or your matriculating mini-me, squeeze every ounce of use from that laptop. The best MacBooks for students still have some limitations so getting a laptop stand to help with overheating or an SSD to expand storage space can be life-savers. And, getting the proper accessories for MacBook can also make for a smoother workflow. Many of these accessories are just as good for the best laptops from other manufacturers as well.
We’ve tested and used more than our share of MacBook and Mac accessories so we know which ones are useful and which ones aren’t worth your time. From hard drives and the best monitors to laptop stands and the best Bluetooth speakers, these are the best back to school accessories for MacBook.
If you find Apple laptops a bit too pricey for a student, consider buying one of the best Chromebooks out there, since they have similar portability and battery life as well as surprising performance yet cost much less than an Apple laptop.
The best back to school MacBook accessory sales
SanDisk 500GB Extreme Portable SSD: was $149.99 now $59.99 at Amazon
Save $90: Not only does this portable SSD have plenty of storage space, but it’s speedy as well so you can transfer large files to and from very quickly. On top of that, it’s durable with an IP55 rating and comes with a carabiner loop so you can more easily secure it and not worry about losing all that valuable info.View Deal
Beats Studio Buds: was $149.95 now $99.95 at Amazon
Save $50: The Beats Studio Buds have a lot going for them, from solid sound quality and an IPX4 rating to a fairly long battery life. Plus, it offers a lot of what Airpods offer while still being accessible to non-iPhone users.View Deal
The best back to school accessories for MacBook
This classic backpack has enough space to accommodate any MacBook or MacBook Pro, as well as books, pencils, pens, and other school supplies. Features four exterior pockets for various necessities like a portable hard drive or SSD, and is available in several excellent colors. There’s even a laptop sleeve so that the kids can ensure their MacBook is protected from bumps and drops.
Fun and affordable, with a clip-on design, 10 hours of playtime, IP67 waterproof rating, three color options and plenty of volume for something so small, JBL’s Clip 4 Eco is just the portable speaker for students with a more active lifestyle. Those worries about the environment will appreciate that it’s made from recycled materials for a reduced carbon footprint.
Since it connects via Bluetooth, you can easily pair it with that brand-new MacBook you just splurged on. Simply press the Bluetooth button, connect with a laptop, and play tunes in seconds. Just what the kids need for a hectic back to school season.
The Logitech MX Master 2S is the perfect addition for any students using a Macbook. It’s not the latest version – that would be the MX Master 3S – but it comes with the essentials like reprogrammable buttons and cross-platform support. Plus, it comes with both Bluetooth and wireless connectivity letting you pair it with up to three devices simultaneously. If that’s not enough, it’s still relatively affordable, especially next to the pricier MX Master 3S.
If you have your kids’ MacBook set up with an external monitor, this Twelve South stand is an excellent choice. It stylishly keeps that MacBook from taking up a lot of precious desk space, especially if there’s also a display taking up a chunk of it. Even without a monitor, it’s useful for keeping that desk organized when not in use. It comes in either silver or space gray.
For those that use your laptop without an external monitor, but want to elevate it and get a little extra cooling, check out Bestand’s aluminum cooling stand. Elevating that MacBook at an angle, this stand offers a little extra help keeping the laptop, and is great for storing external accessories like keyboards and mice when not in use.
Upgrade your typing experience this back to school season. It’s true that MacBooks have among the best keyboards out there, but if you want to sit away from that screen a bit, the Logitech K380 might just be the ticket. It’s among the best small keyboards we’ve tested, slim and compact yet also incredibly comfortable to type on and very affordable. It also has three-device simultaneous connectivity so you can switch from your laptop to your iPad to your iPhone seamlessly.
Read our full Logitech K380 review
Satechi is known for its solid products that feel like they could take a beating, even this X2 Bluetooth keyboard that’s among the slimmest keyboards we’ve used. Optimized for Mac, it boasts backlit keys that are amazingly comfortable to type on, multi-device connectivity (up to 4, in fact), and the exact color scheme that most MacBooks have for a match made in Apple heaven.
It’s almost impossible that something so tiny and lightweight – small enough to easily slip in your shirt pocket – can carry up to 1TB of data. It’s also built to be robust. In fact, Seagate is so confident about its build, it’s added a loop so you can attach it to a carabiner clip to hang on your backpack. We also love its smart woven fabric exterior. Since it’s an SSD, you can be assured that it’s fast and secure.
Keeping your files safe and portable may be this external SSD’s top priority, but it also takes pride in its rugged build. This thin and tiny storage drive comes with a two-meter drop protection and an IP55 rating, which means it’s protected from dust ingress and low pressure water jets. Rain or shine, it can take a beating, making it your ideal companion for doing on-the-field school work and projects.
We can honestly say that the HP E14 G4 portable monitor is the most appealing portable monitor we’ve used (and we’ve tested quite a few of them). Touting a 1080p resolution and a whopping 400 nits of brightness in an unbelievably thin and light form, this might just be all you need if you need a bit of extra screen space. It’s even got a 65W power passthrough and a nifty anti-glare feature.
If you’re ready to upgrade to a 4K monitor, you cannot go wrong with Dell’s curved offering. The Dell 4K S3221QS is a 32-incher with a stunning woven back design in white, making it better looking than most monitors, and a deep 1800R curvature for an even more immersive experience. Because it is Dell, it’s got 300 nits of brightness, much like the popular XPS line.
This new release from Beats is a more accessible alternative to those premium Airpod Pros you’ve been eyeing. It’s more affordable for back to school season than the classic Airpods while offering features that are more on par with the Pros, including ANC, transparency mode, on-ear touch controls, and a great sound. It’s also easy to use and has a good battery life that slightly beats out that of the pros.
