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Best back-to-school tech for under $100

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A tiny USB-C charger that’s ideal for tucking behind a couch or bed, and yet powerful enough to charge up smartphones and laptops up to 13 inches that feature a USB-C port. This $50 charger can fully charge a 12-inch MacBook in only two hours.

Keep recharged during the day

See it now: Anker PowerCore Slim 10000 on Amazon

This $32 portable power bank is small enough to slip into your pocket but has enough power to recharge a modern smartphone a couple of times, which should be enough to get you through a long day.

Let Alexa entertain you

See it now: Amazon Echo Dot 3rd-gen on Amazon

Pretty much everyone can find a use for an Echo Dot, from asking it what the weather will be like, to playing music, to maybe even getting Alexa to help with homework! It’s currently on sale for $30, too.

Tablet as a hub for your entertainment

See it now: Amazon Fire 7 Tablet on Amazon

This is a snappy 7-inch tablet for under $50 that will play movies, games, and ebooks, access the internet, and even handle tasks like email and shopping with ease! A great tablet at an unmissable price.

Add a hub to your laptop

See it now: Anker 7-in-1 USB-C hub on Amazon

Chances are your laptop only has a few USB-C ports on it, and very little else. While it is possible to live with USB-C alone, having a hub that gives you a few different ports can make life a bit easier. This $35 hub gives you a good selection of ports without being too bulky — or too expensive!

Speakers… but for your ears!

See it now: Anker Soundcore Liberty Neo Bluetooth earbuds on Amazon

They may not be AirPods, but they sure sound amazing, and at a fraction of the price ($40)! Perfect when out and about or chilling in the dorm, these will allow you to block out the hustle and bustle of busy school life and give you a little bubble of peace.

Party time!

See it now: OontZ Angle 3 Bluetooth speaker on Amazon

Make it a party wherever you go with a portable Bluetooth speaker. This $26 splashproof and dustproof speaker is perfect for the beach or beside the pool and comes with a built-in battery that’s good for 14 hours of runtime.

Protect your tech from damage

See it now: CyberPower CSP600WSU Surge Protector on Amazon

Perfect for protecting all your gadgets — like laptops and TVs — from power surges, spikes, and lightning. This $11 hub also features two USB ports for keeping other devices charged up and ready to go!

Give your Android smartphone a storage boost

See it now: Samsung 256GB EVO microSD card on Amazon

Why buy a new smartphone when you can give it a storage upgrade for $40? Adding a MicroSD card is also a great way to get a lot of storage space for taking media with you on the move — especially movies.

Easy printing, scanning, copying and faxing

See it now: HP OfficeJet 3830 All-in-One wireless printer on Amazon

If you find yourself needing to print, scan, copy documents, or fax, then this one unit does it all at a low price of $50. It’s a small yet high-quality printer that’s also quiet when in use so that it won’t disturb your roommates.

What do you think I’ve left off the list of back-to-school tech for under $100? Let me know below!

Disclosure: ZDNet may earn a commission from some of the products featured on this page.

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Our favorite back to school picks for 2019 (CNET)

Back-to-school gear guide (TechRepublic)