My 10 favorite gadgets to upgrade your school or work setup this fall

The JBL Go 3 is proof that big things can come in small packages. This Bluetooth speaker features JBL’s signature Pro Sound technology, delivering powerful audio and punchy bass. It is an excellent buddy for students relaxing on the quad between classes or listening to online lectures.

Built tough, the Go 3 boasts an IP67 resistance rating, meaning it can survive accidental spills, dusty environments, and brief submersion underwater. It also has an impressive battery life. I purchased this speaker during Black Friday 2025 and have used it sporadically since. As of this writing, the speaker has not run out of power. It has maintained its charge for nearly a year.

At just under $30, the JLab Go Pop+ are an impressive pair of wireless earbuds. I especially like them for the gym, where I use them regularly. Their curved design conforms to the ear canal, creating a tight seal that blocks out a good amount of outside noise. From my experience, this seal is so strong that it gives the Go Pop+ a form of active noise canceling. 

They also deliver strong bass. It adds extra weight and energy to music tracks. Plus, they have an IPX4 water-resistance rating, which protects them from sweat and light splashes of water. Battery life is a major strength; even with frequent use, they can last several days on a single charge.

Logitech’s Pebble 2 is an excellent wireless mouse for those who want a comfortable way to navigate the internet. It sports a lightweight, ergonomically sound design that is small enough to slip into your pants pocket. Over Bluetooth, the mouse can pair with up to three separate devices simultaneously. You can hop between your laptop, tablet, and desktop with just the push of a button. It also supports a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS, just to name a few.

One of its standout features is Logitech’s Silent Touch, which reduces click noise by up to 90%. That makes the mouse a great choice for quiet environments. Through the Logi Options+ app, you can even reconfigure the middle button to launch certain apps or perform shortcuts.

I’ve never liked the ultra-thin keyboards that come bundled with tablets. They’re usually cramped and lack satisfying key travel. When you’re typing an essay, a good keyboard makes all the difference. That’s why I recommend the Logitech Keys-to-Go 2.

Weighing just 222 grams and measuring less than 9mm thick, the Keys-to-Go 2 is sleek enough to slip comfortably into bags. Its full-size scissor-switch keys provide responsive typing feedback while being quiet enough for libraries and classrooms. Just like the Pebble 2, it supports Windows, MacOS, and ChromeOS, among other operating systems, and boasts a long battery life. The keyboard comes with a protective cover to shield the keys from potential damage.

There are plenty of great tablets, from budget models to premium flagships. But if you’re going to splurge on one, make it an 11th-Gen iPad. Powered by the A16 chip, the tablet provides enough processing power to handle heavy creative tasks while remaining responsive enough for smooth multitasking. Its 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display is bright and vibrant, well-suited for streaming movies or reading digital textbooks. Above the display is a 12MP selfie camera, perfect for video calls and group meetings.

There are a few compromises. This iPad doesn’t support Apple Intelligence or the Apple Pencil Pro, but I don’t think those omissions will matter to most students. It is still a fast, reliable tablet with access to one of the best app ecosystems available.

Also: The 5 best iPads of 2026: We’ve tested every iPad available – these are the best ones

Having a second monitor is a game-changer. Once I added a second screen to my desktop setup, I could never go back. This experience is not limited to desktops, as you can have a similar setup with the Arzopa Z3FC Portable Monitor.

It is a 16.1-inch display with a sharp QuadHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) resolution panel running at a 180Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth animations. The screen also boasts 400-nit brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and support for the full sRGB color gamut. Altogether, you get a monitor capable of producing highly detailed images with vibrant colors. Setting up the monitor is as easy as 1-2-3. All you have to do is plug either a USB-C or an HDMI cable from the laptop to the Arzopa, and you’re good to go. No need to download drivers or an app.

There’s nothing worse than finding out you might’ve lost your keys or bag. That’s where accessories like the Life360 Tile Pro come into play. This compact Bluetooth tracker attaches to essentials and sends out a signal to your smartphone. Using the Tile app, you can make the tracker ring out to find the missing item. It features a powerful 110dB speaker. That’s as loud as a car horn, so it’s impossible not to hear it. Plus, the Tile Pro boasts a Bluetooth signal range of up to 500 feet, letting you find it from far away. To put that into perspective, Apple’s AirTag has a maximum range of 100 feet.

Also: The best Bluetooth trackers of 2026: Our top picks to keep tabs on your stuff

Available in capacities ranging from 1TB to 4TB, the Samsung T9 delivers read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s. That’s fast enough to transfer large folders of photographs, videos, class projects, and documents in seconds. The rugged rubber exterior protects internal components from drops and scratches while also ensuring a secure grip. For added peace of mind, it supports 256-bit AES encryption to safeguard sensitive files against malicious actors. You may also be interested to know that Samsung built the drive with robust thermal management to keep components cool and maintain consistent performance.

SSD prices have climbed in recent years, so that is an issue. But the amount of value the T9 drive provides is so good that it’s worth the cost.

Review: Samsung T9

Power banks are a lifesaver when your phone hits that dreaded 5% mark, and there’s no outlet in sight. If you’re looking for one, I recommend the Anker Nano 10,000mAh 30W power bank. It is a compact device with enough battery capacity to fully recharge a smartphone, so it’s perfect for long days on campus or commuting.

You don’t have to remember to pack a USB cable with this power bank because it comes with a built-in USB-C that also doubles as a carrying strap. Another standout feature is the built-in OLED screen, which shows the remaining battery percentage and an estimate of how long it will take to recharge a connected device.

Multiple color options are available, from Shell Blue to a cool Ice Lake Blue.

Review: Anker Nano 10,000mAh 30W power bank

Modern laptops are thinner and lighter than ever. While that may be great for commuting, it comes at the expense of having a wide array of ports. That’s where the Anker 341 USB-C Hub comes in. It houses seven ports supporting different standards, including HDMI, USB-A, and USB-C.

The USB-A and USB-C ports provide data transfer speeds of up to 5 Gbps, allowing users to move files between connected drives and their laptops in almost no time. It even supports pass-through charging, so you can recharge a laptop through the Anker 341 Hub. Graphic design and video production students will appreciate the SD card readers, as they’ll let you directly import your projects from a camera’s storage.