School gets more tech-heavy with each passing year, and this school year is no different

Here are some of the best tech buys for your student to get the year started off right. Prices vary.

A. Best Home Study Tech from Engadget: Soundance Laptop Stand, $40

Using a laptop for a long period of time can wreak havoc on your posture and lead to neck and upper back pain. A laptop stand like this one from Soundance keeps your computer at the right level for your eyesight. In general, Engadget says, you want your eye level to be one or two inches below the top of the display. The Soundance stand can support laptops with up to a 15-inch screen and, thanks to detachable components, is easily portable for use at home, at school or wherever you need to hit the books.

B. Best Back-to-School Gear for $100 or Less from CNET: JBL Go 3, $30

This pocket-sized powerpack of a wireless speaker is great for listening to music, podcasts or lectures on the go. It comes in fashionable color combinations and is waterproof and dustproof, so it’s cleared to go anywhere. It connects wirelessly to any Bluetooth-enabled device.

C. Best Parental Control Software from PC Magazine: Norton Family, $49.99 per year

Norton Family monitors an unlimited number of devices and sees your kids’ activity from the web or a mobile app. It also encourages parents to talk to their children about online safety rather than just spying on them from afar. It includes geofencing tools and House Rules for conversations about staying safe online. However, it doesn’t work on Macs, and browser extensions can be easily disabled.

D. Best Back-to-School Tech Deals from Digital Camera World: HP Chromebook 14 FHD, $229.99

The standout feature of this budget laptop, Digital Camera World says, is its 14-inch full HD 1080p screen. It runs Google’s ChromeOS operating system, so for those with an Android phone, it’ll be familiar. It won’t run Windows software, but Google offers free versions of a lot of Windows programs that are at least very similar.

E. Best Backpack for a Laptop from Teen Vogue: J. Crew RAINS mini, $95

The RAINS mini from J. Crew is a smaller version of Backpack. It features contemporary lines and a waterproof exterior with a laptop pocket, a main compartment and a concealed phone pocket on the back panel. It comes in a stylish pink-and-black palette.