Affordable gadgets are essential tools that make it easier for college students to access academic, workout, and entertainment content. Gadgets improve the quality of life of college students by simplifying day-to-day tasks. Desmond Llewelyn once said, “What is so brilliant about gadgets is their simplicity.”
However, there are a plethora of gadgets to choose from which may overwhelm students. Many devices can be used for various purposes from doing research to acting as a source of entertainment.
In this article, we will discuss the various affordable gadgets and group them into two categories, academic and entertainment & workout gadgets. Join us to identify affordable gadgets that will make your college experience enjoyable.
Affordable Gadgets to Boost Your Academics
Every student’s desire is to improve their academic performance in college for an easy transition into a professional career. Technological gadgets such as Voice Recorders, Tablets, Noise-Canceling Headphones, and Budget Laptops, can assist students in realizing their academic dreams.
Tablets
Tablets are light and have a large interactive screen that is suitable for browsing the net, going through PDF, Word, Excel, and other Microsoft Office documents, and reducing paper usage. During group work, their large screen offers adequate visual information for the group members.
To choose the best tablet that is suited to your needs, consider the price, OS platform, screen size, brand, display quality, and internal storage of the device.
For those interested in IOS, the iPad Air 2022 model is an affordable and valuable device. For Windows OS, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 would be a good fit. And lastly, the Galaxy Tab s8 would be a good recommendation for college students.
Mid-range Laptops
In college, laptops are essential in completing assignments, and projects, and doing assessment tests. Therefore choosing a laptop, consider key areas such as battery life, performance, screen resolution, brightness levels, weight, and OS platform.
Laptops are also suitable for writing essays on various online platforms like homework market, which improve the writing skills of individuals through consistent practice.
For students interested in Windows-based laptops, many options offer a lightweight experience with adequate performance and battery life. The Lenovo Yoga 7i and Dell Inspiron 15 are for Windows users and Mac users can go for Apple Macbook Air 13.
Active Noise Canceling Headphones
Active noise-canceling headphones block out environmental noise which allows students to concentrate on academic videos with fewer distractions. This improves the attention span of students, leading to improved performance.
To make an informed decision when buying active noise canceling (ANC) headphones consider the level of ANC, comfort, brand, sound quality, and compatibility with your devices. We recommend testing these in person before buying.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless and JBL Tune One M2 are popular options among consumers.
Voice Recorders
These are not as popular as the previously discussed devices but are just as essential. Voice recorders allow students to record lectures for future reference and also aid in creating more detailed and concise notes. This gadget is best suited for students who prefer listening to reading as a study method.
There are various factors to consider when picking a voice recorder, some of them include sound quality, portability, storage, voice activation feature, and battery life. Ensure to pick one that satisfies your individual needs.
The Sony ICDUX560BLK is a reliable and portable voice recorder that produces exceptional audio quality.
Affordable Gadgets for Entertainment and Workouts
As the popular phrase goes, “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy”. Entertainment gadgets allow students to relieve stress, build a social life, and boost their mood. On the other hand, workout gadgets allow students to monitor their health during fitness training, which allows them to develop better workout routines.
It is therefore essential for college students to have gadgets that can enhance their entertainment and workout routines. Below are some cost-effective gadgets to assist college students in their quest for entertainment and workout routines.
Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches
Fitness trackers and smartwatches allow students to monitor their health consistently throughout the day and during workout sessions. By consistently monitoring your blood pressure and heart rate, fitness trackers and smartwatches can track regular stress-related situations in a student’s life.
When choosing smart watches, consider the OS platform, cost, features, battery life, and swappable watch bands. Apple and Samsung currently dominate this industry and have quality devices. Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and the Apple Watch Series 9 are a good recommendation.
Portable Bluetooth speakers
Portable Bluetooth speakers can provide entertainment when out on a picnic, nature walk, or any location with no available speaker system to play audio files. They are lightweight and come in a variety of colors to choose from.
When buying Bluetooth speakers consider their battery life, brand, sound quality, portability, waterproof, and the types of input supported.
Bose® Portable Home Speaker and Sony – XG300 Portable Speaker are top contenders for quality and affordable speakers.
Streaming devices for Entertainment
Laptops could also fit in this category, but since we have already covered them, we’ll talk about TVs. When paired with streaming services such as Netflix, HBO MAx, Peacock, and Amazon Prime, TVs offer exceptional entertainment.
When buying one, consider going for reputable brands like Samsung, LG, and Sony. Take into account the resolution, size, type of display, and warranty of these devices. Some of the affordable options are the Sony X77L series, Samsung Q60b, and LG C2.
Gaming Consoles on a Budget
For gaming consoles, you can either go with a PC, Playstation, or Xbox. A PC would be more expensive due to the rising prices of GPUs so going for a PS or XBox would be a cheaper option. This category mostly suits students who enjoy gaming. A PS5 or Xbox series X.
Also note that these consoles would need a separate screen for display, such as a monitor or TV. If you do not already have an external display then you will incur extra cost.
Conclusion
Some devices in the academics section can fit into the entertainment section depending on usage. Devices such as laptops and tablets can be used to stream entertainment content, which enables you to save on the cost of gadgets. Comparing prices from different manufacturers can also help you to save some bucks.
Which of the gadgets discussed in this article captured your attention? Let us know in the comments section.
