Back to varsity in South Africa – Top student tech picks for 2024

Stuff writer

10 months ago

You’ve made it back to varsity this year. Congratulations, for what it’s worth. We assume you’re keen on some useful kit to tote along to your university lectures. Every little bit of assistance will be welcome, after all. If you’re based in South Africa, you’re facing strenuous odds by way of an unstable power grid and economic situation.

There are limitless gadgets that will make your student life better. Here, we will cover some of the basics you may need, in addition to some nice-to-haves and essentials. It depends on what you’re studying and your stationery needs. B.Ed students will have very different requirements to a Philosophy major, for instance. It’s worth building yourself a arsenal of goodies that’ll streamline your student career.

Lenovo Yoga 7 | R20,000

First up, every varsity student needs a laptop to conduct all their work on the go. Whether you’re in the dorm room or classroom, a computer of some sort is essential. Even better if it doubles as a tablet, giving you options when it comes to where you’re able to set up. The Lenovo Yoga 7 is a versatile 2-in-1 laptop that seamlessly transforms between laptop and tablet orientations.

Lightweight, with 512GB SSD and 8GB RAM, Lenovo’s machine offers up to 11 hours of battery life. That makes it the ideal companion for note-taking marathons and research binges. You’re getting an AMD Ryzen 5 GPU for the odd spot of downtime and a stylus is included for the creative sorts.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 | R8,000

In the whirlwind of university life, manage your time and health with a smartwatch/fitness tracker like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. This one’s about 18% faster than its predecessors and offers heart rate monitoring and fitness options with 90+ workout options. Sure, you might not use all of those at varsity but it doesn’t hurt to have the option.

Additionally, the customisable display discreetly keeps you connected during lectures. That’s without mentioning easy access to apps like your calculator, translation, or a dictionary on your wrist. It’s the gadget you didn’t know you needed in the classroom. It may be worth just checking your university’s regulations regarding wearables during exams, though. Just in case. Nobody wants to be a varsity dropout, after all.

Soundcore Select 2 Bluetooth Speaker | R1,100

Never underestimate the power of creating your own party. Even if it’s just during study breaks. The Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker offers clear stereo sound, a decent Bluetooth range, and up to 24 hours of battery life.

It’s IPX7 waterproof and party-ready, so you can easily drag it from the classroom to the dorm room and poolside without it objecting too much, while the affordable price point ensures you’ve got enough cash left over for some er… social lubrication.

Sony WH-CH720 Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones | R2,500

Navigating shared living spaces demands focus, and the Sony WH-CH720 Noise-Cancelling Headphones guarantee it. With six external mics to cancel noise and Bluetooth capabilities for your study playlist, these should serve to get you through every aspect of varsity concentration.

This is true for communal areas, the library, and even in bed. Sleep soundly amid bustling dorm life and enjoy your study (or sleep) playlists without interruptions.

HP Deskjet Ultra Ink Advantage 4828 AiO | R2,600

While most assignments are submitted online, a reliable printer is a student essential. If you can afford one, that is. Not only that – this will be an investment for your adult self once you need to start printing out ID copies and forms for Home Affairs and licencing departments.

The HP Deskjet Ultra allows easy control from your phone and handles printing, scanning, and copying seamlessly. No more scrambling for a working university printer – this is your personal printing sanctuary (that you can charge other students to use).

Seagate 2TB External Hard Drive | R1,900

It’s happened to the best of us – it’s the last minute and an assignment is due. Boom, the file is unsupported or corrupted on the university printer. Best case? You’ll convince the lecturer to give an extension for you to do it all over again.

But you can’t always count on that. Rather back all of your work up up using an external hard drive. The Seagate 2TB External Hard Drive offers USB connectivity and up to 5 Gbps transfer speed, acting as your digital fortress for dissertations and research projects. Even so, also save a copy of your work in the cloud.

Amazon Kindle Scribe eReader | R11,000

For literature and humanities students, carrying a dozen textbooks is cumbersome and can… frankly… be avoided. Meet the Amazon Kindle Scribe eReader – it houses hundreds of novels, textbooks, and essays in one sleek device.

The magnetic pen allows for note-taking, and the built-in backlight permits late-night reading without disturbing your roommate. You’ll have to grab a grey import (for now), but it’s worth it.