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The best summer laptop deals at Amazon are perfect for back to school
Razer
If it’s time to buy a new laptop, you’re likely hoping to avoid paying full price. The bad news: We’re way past Amazon Prime Day, and there are Labor Day deals to be had soon. But there’s also good news: There are deals happening right now, whether you’re looking for a Windows laptop, Apple MacBook or Chromebook Plus. If you head over to Amazon, you’ll save hundreds on a laptop that can fit a variety of use cases, and all for affordable prices.
We even found savings on gaming laptops ready to take you on all sorts of virtual adventures. If brands are important to you, know this: Apple, Acer, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft and Samsung are all represented here.
The best summer laptop deals at Amazon
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 (2023): $2,102 (12% off)
Amazon
Microsoft, the company that created the Windows OS, offers an impressive lineup of Microsoft Surface laptops and 2-in-1 devices. One in particular is the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2.
This laptop offers a 14.4-inch touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate. It runs using the Intel Core i7-13700KF processor with a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU and comes configured with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for storage, but at the time of purchase, you can upgrade the RAM. And Windows 11 Home comes preinstalled.
From the Surface Laptop Studio 2, you can expect up to an 18-hour battery life per charge. One of the things we love about this laptop is that you can stream movies that look and sound exactly as the director intended, thanks to support for Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos. Plus, the Surface’s 3:2 display ratio is ideal for editing photos and videos, or creating social media content. The computer is also equipped with a nice selection of ports.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 (2024): $2,000 (9% off)
Amazon
For a limited time, you can get this 2024 version of the bestselling Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 laptop for just $2,000. The most notable feature of this laptop is its stunning 14-inch OLED display that offers 2.8K (2,880 by 1,800 pixel) resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate.
This display offers an anti-glare, anti-reflection and anti-smudge coating, along with a 16:10 aspect ratio, 100,000:1 contrast ratio, a maximum brightness of 400 nits and a 100% sRGB color gamut. You also get Dolby Vision support. We also like that the laptop can be used with up to three external monitors at once via a HDMI or Thunderbolt 4 connection.
The computer runs using the fast and powerful Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor and comes configured with 32 gigs of RAM and a 1 terabyte SSD for storage. You can upgrade the SSD to 2TB or 4TB at the time of purchase. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon offers an all-day battery life and weighs in at just 2.42 pounds. Now that this laptop is on sale at Amazon, it represents a really good value for the investment.
Apple 2024 13″ MacBook Air with M3 processor: $850 (9% off)
Amazon
The 2024 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 processor is a lower-end laptop that’s part of Apple’s latest lineup of MacBook Air computers. While not as fast or powerful as the latest MacBook Pro laptops, this model is easily able to handle all of an average user’s everyday computing needs.
What people love about the MacBook Air is that it’s lightweight and super thin, which makes it easy to transport and use almost anywhere. It also offers up to an 18 hour battery life. And like all MacBook’s, it runs the latest version of MacOS Sonoma and comes with the same collection of preinstalled apps as all other MacBook and iMac computers.
As a result, right out of the box, the MacBook Air is ready to handle the most common tasks people use their laptop for — from email and web surfing, to photo editing, time management, contact management, video streaming, music streaming and so much more.
The laptop also works seamlessly with Apple iCloud and all of Apple’s other services, so it can sync your data, documents, files, photos and content between your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, iMac and other compatible equipment within the Apple ecosystem. At the moment, this is Apple’s least expensive 2024 MacBook Air, although the 2022 model (that runs using the older M2 processor) is also on sale (see below).
To learn all about the latest 2024 MacBook Air laptops, check out our take on whether the Apple MacBook Air is worth it. (Spoiler alert: It very much is.)
Apple 2022 13″ MacBook Air with M2 processor: $799 (20% off)
Amazon
For average users who want an entry-level MacBook, without having to spend extra money for technology and features they don’t need, this 2022 13-inch MacBook Air — which runs the older M2 processor — is a viable option.
Yes, this laptop runs the latest version of MacOS Sonoma and comes with the same powerful apps that are preinstalled on all current MacBooks. This version of the MacBook Air simply runs an older version of Apple’s silicon (the M2, as opposed to the M3), so the computer won’t perform as quickly as the newer models.
This version of the MacBook Air comes configured with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for storage. It’s also equipped with a bright and vibrant 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display and a 1080p resolution webcam. Choose between four casing color options.
The 2022 MacBook Air weighs in at just 2.7 pounds and offers a battery life up to 18 hours per charge.
HP 14″ ultra-light laptop: $235 (13% off)
Amazon
So if your computing needs are very basic or rely primarily on the cloud, this ultra-low-cost Windows laptop from HP is available on sale from Amazon right now. It runs on an Intel Celeron quad-core N4120 processor and comes with 8GB of RAM and just 64GB of internal storage. However, the laptop does offer a microSD memory card slot and includes a 128GB memory card which provides additional storage.
And, when you purchase this discounted laptop from Amazon, you’ll get a one year subscription to Microsoft 365 for free, so you can handle tasks like word processing, spreadsheet management, digital slide presentations, email, scheduling, web surfing and more.
The computer comes preinstalled with Windows 11 Home. We don’t recommend this laptop for gaming or any tasks that require a lot of computing power. But for someone who needs just the basics, this laptop offers a really good value.
Samsung 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus V2: $259 (42% off)
Amazon
For anyone who relies primarily on the cloud — think Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 apps — or who enjoys playing online games, a Chromebook Plus is an affordable alternative to a Windows laptop.
Like all Chromebook Plus laptops that run the ChromeOS operating system, this one now has Google Gemini AI-powered tools integrated into the operating system and many popular apps. These AI tools are designed to streamline common computing tasks and make them easier to perform. This includes everything from web surfing and word processing to photo editing and creating content for social media.
This particular Chromebook Plus offers a 12.2-inch touchscreen. The device can easily be used as either a traditional laptop or tablet. It comes with a pen-shaped stylus, allowing users to handwrite or draw directly on the screen. The display rotates a full 360-degrees. We also like that this laptop has a built in microSD memory card slot, so it’s easy to expand onboard memory at anytime. And the computer weighs in at less than three pounds. It measures 11.34 x 8.2 x 0.67 inches, so it’s extremely portable.
While not fully waterproof, the Chromebook Plus V2 is spill-resistant. It also runs many Android apps available from the Google Play Store and comes with all of Google’s most popular apps and services preinstalled.
Acer Aspire 3 laptop: $295 (7% off)
Amazon
Sometimes you just don’t need a laptop with all the RGB lighting or bells and whistles. You need a serious workhorse that can get you through your day. The Acer Aspire 3 is the ideal computer to handle basic tasks. It’s super thin and lightweight, but still capable of multitasking.
This configuration offers a AMD Ryzen 3 7320U processor, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD for storage. Its 15.6-inch, 1080p display offers crisp colors and great viewing angles, while its keyboard feels great to use for long periods of time. The computer is also equipped with a webcam and Wi-Fi connectivity. And with an 11-hour battery life, it can get you through your entire workday and then allow you to stream your favorite movies and TV shows at night.
Acer Predator Helios 300 gaming laptop: $1,197 (20% off)
Amazon
Check out this Acer Predator Helios 300 gaming laptop that Amazon has on sale right now. It’s a great computer with fantastic specs that you won’t want to miss out on.
In addition to a 15.6-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution) display with a maximum brightness of 300 nits, this Windows laptop comes equipped with a 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H processor and GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU. You also get 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.
One of the best things about this gaming laptop is its backlit keyboard that offers programmable RGB lighting. Keep in mind, this computer was originally released in 2019 and it comes with Windows 10 Home preinstalled. Battery life is up to six hours.
This is a great gaming laptop option for casual gamers who prefer games via an online service, like Xbox Game Pass or Nvidia GeForce Now.
Razer Blade 16 gaming laptop: $3,500 (19% off)
Amazon
If you’d like a souped-up, 2023 version of the Razer Blade 16 gaming laptop that’s powered by a 13th Gen Intel i9-13950HX processor and a GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD for storage, this is the laptop to go with.
The 16-inch dual mode mini-LED display offers stunning 4K resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate and a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits. Or it can provide FHD+ resolution at a refresh rate up to 240Hz. And of course, the display offers 100% DCI-P3 color accuracy. In other words, you’ll be getting the processing and graphics power needed to experience any and all of your favorite AAA games.
Windows 11 comes preinstalled on this gaming laptop, which weighs in at 5.4 pounds. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or a hard-core gamer in your life, this Razer Blade 16 will provide a top-notch gaming experience.
CBS News
U.S. Marines, Japanese and Australian troops will train together amid heightened concerns over China
U.S. Marines will take part in joint training with Japanese and Australian forces in northern Australia, the three countries’ defense ministers announced Sunday as they expressed concern about a spate of confrontations with China’s increasingly assertive military.
Australia’s acting Prime Minister Richard Marles hosted U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen for talks in Darwin, Australia.
The trilateral amphibious training between Australia, Japan and the U.S. Marine rotational force in northern Australia will begin in 2025 with Exercise Talisman Sabre. Australia will also join Exercise Orient Shield in Japan for the first time next year.
“Recognizing the critical role the trilateral partnership plays to uphold regional stability, we commit to trilateral policy coordination and to consult each other on regional security issues and contingencies,” they said in a joint statement.
In their statement, the three defense ministers reiterated “serious concern” about destabilizing actions in the East and South China seas including “dangerous conduct” by the Chinese military against Philippine and other vessels from the region. China claims the South China Sea almost in its entirety.
“We reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion,” they said, adding that it is “important that all states are free to exercise rights and freedoms consistent with international law.”
The ministers also urged the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military harassment with frequent drills around the island.
Marles, who is also Australia’s defense minister, said following talks with his Japanese counterpart in September that both nations looked to ways to build greater familiarity between their forces. One of the “obvious opportunities” was for Japan to participate in activities during the U.S. Marine rotation in Australia, he said Sunday.
“Having a more forward-leaning opportunity for greater training with Japan and the U.S. together is a really fantastic opportunity,” he said.
Asked if the increased military cooperation would anger Beijing, Marles said the decision was about building “the best relationships possible with like-minded countries, with our friends and with our allies.”
An unmade bed
A library book 12 years overdue
The next day’s outfit
Notes to her future self
Click on the door to enter
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How do you make a portrait of a child who isn’t there? Photographer Lou Bopp found a way, but it wasn’t easy.
In early 2018, I was deplaning after an 18-hour flight when Steve Hartman called. He had an idea: to photograph the still-intact bedrooms of kids who had been killed in school shootings.
It’s a headful. And six years later, I still don’t have an “elevator pitch” for the project — but then, I don’t often talk about this project. It is by far the most difficult I have ever worked on.
When Steve, my friend of about 25 years, asked me if I would like to be involved, I said yes without hesitation — even though I didn’t think we would get any families to agree. There is no way that I would have said no to partnering with him on this.
Emotionally, I was not sure how I would get through it. Within a few months I was on my way to Parkland, Florida. Alone. I’m not sure that I realized that I would be on my own.
But here I was. An on-location commercial photographer who focuses on people and pets to create compelling, honest, textural and connective moments for large brands, per my LinkedIn professional profile, on a project where there is no one to take photos of — for the most brutal of reasons.
How do you make a portrait of a child who is not there?
In each of these children’s rooms — the most sacred of places for these families — there was the sense that the child had just been there, and was coming right back. It was as if they’d just left their room like that when they went to school in the morning and were returning in the afternoon.
I wanted to capture that essence.
Most kids’ bedrooms are their very own special places, and these were no different. I looked everywhere, without touching anything. I photographed inside trash cans, under beds, behind desks. Their personalities shone through in the smallest of details — hair ties on a doorknob, a toothpaste tube left uncapped, a ripped ticket for a school event — allowing me to uncover glimpses as to who they were.
But there was an emotional challenge in addition to that creative one. Over the course of more than six years, we visited with many families around the country. The parents I spoke with seemed grateful that I was there. But each time I received a call or text from Steve about a new family, my heart sank.
It meant another family had lost a child.
I find it unfathomable that children being killed at school is even an issue. It makes no sense. It’s impossible to process. The night prior to each one of the family visits, I didn’t sleep. And I knew I wouldn’t going into the project. It’s not a self-fulfilling prophecy. It is nerves. And empathy. And sorrow. And fear.
In my notes from early on in the project, back in 2018, writing in seat 6H on the flight back from Nairobi, I reflected on the emotional task ahead.
“This is going to be one of the most difficult things ever, emotionally, for me, and not just work related. As I read my research documents, I get visibly emotional,” I wrote, noting my gratitude that the dark cabin prevented the other passengers from seeing me.
The prospect brought my own fears to the fore, both for myself — “I can’t help thinking about Rose,” my daughter, “and what if. I’ve lost sleep over envisioning the what-ifs well before Parkland” — and about and for meeting the families in the project: “When I read about April & Phillip and Lori’s plight, I somehow, for some reason put myself in their emotional position even though that is impossible, I have no idea, it’s beyond comprehension, I do not know what they feel. I do not know what I am going to say to them, I’m scared beyond belief. And alone.”
But just days later, I was photographing the first assignment for the project: Alyssa Alhadeff’s room. She was just 14 years old when she walked out of that room to head to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. I was shaky meeting the family friend who greeted me at the house. Her daughter was Alyssa’s best friend, and a photo of the two girls was on the table.
According to my notes, “The room was a beautiful teenager’s messy room. My emotions were kept in check the way that they usually are; By hiding behind the camera. I removed my shoes before entering. My heart was pounding and it reverberated through my body and soul, I felt like I was in one of the most sacred and special places on Earth. I was so careful not to touch anything.”
I left feeling ready to explode in sadness and anger.
Later that day, I photographed Carmen Schentrup’s room. Her younger sister had survived the Parkland shooting, but 16-year-old Carmen was killed in her AP Psychology class. Meeting her parents, April and Phillip, was what I was most scared of.
“I feel so much pain and compassion for them and I don’t want to say the wrong thing, drop cliches etc.,” I wrote at the time. “I spoke to Steve for guidance. He said, just be you. That’s all I can do. Just be me. He was right, those three words helped carry me through this entire project. Just be me.”
April let me in, and I worked quickly, only meeting Phillip as I was leaving. “The conversation felt like we all three were just trying to hold it together. I cannot imagine what they are going through, my heart hurts for them. This was / is such a painful project, and reconciling it will be impossible.
“I think about how anything can happen at any time to any of us. Literally. You never know,” I wrote.
After only about 16 hours on the ground in Florida, I was done with the first portion. I felt the project was a must, but I also dreaded the next call from Steve about the next family. I didn’t know when that call would come — many years later, or the very next day, possibly never.
But last month, we — and the documentary crew that filmed us working — completed this project. While I haven’t seen it yet, I know Steve’s piece won’t be a typical Steve Hartman segment. How could it be? I know he struggled too, and we both have spent a lot of time processing this.
I remember one August evening, I was devastated as I left the home of one of the families. Within minutes, I passed an ice cream shop crowded with other families — seemingly carefree, full of joy and laughter. The juxtaposition, mere minutes apart, cracked my soul.
I hope some way, somehow, this project can facilitate change — the only possible positive outcome for this I could comprehend. After the news cycle ends, these families will still be living with an incomprehensible nightmare.
U.S. Marines, Japanese and Australian troops will train together amid heightened concerns over China
Photographing the rooms of kids killed in school shootings
How do you make a portrait of a child who isn’t there? Photographer Lou Bopp found a way, but it wasn’t easy.
U.S. Marines, Japanese and Australian troops will train together amid heightened concerns over China
Photographing the rooms of kids killed in school shootings