It is (once again) time to head back to school! Insert happy or sad noises here. Whether you’re taking classes online or having to trek uphill in the snow both ways from your dorm to the lecture hall, you can boost your productivity (and enjoyment) in the school year ahead with the right gear. So here’s some essential kit to get you prepared for going back to school, and to help you get started there's a back to school sale on right now with most of the gear you need to prep for the academic year ahead.
Back to school gift guide
Cloud II headset
Whether you’re listening to tunes during a mammoth study session, or deep into your fifth Zoom lesson of the day, you need a headset that will last. Extra light and extremely comfortable, the HyperX Cloud II sits on your dome like a cloud, thanks to padded memory foam ear cushions with earcups swathed in upgraded, extra breathable leatherette. A dedicated in-line remote for changing volume and muting your in-built mic helps when you don’t have the Zoom window open in front of you, and also when you’re gaming after school. Stress on the word “after” there.
SoloCast microphone
Built-in mics on headsets are great but if you really need clarity of voice for your school projects, such as video voiceover work or music production, then dedicated microphones are the way to go. You don’t need a giant film-set boom either, though, as the USB HyperX SoloCast will give you quality condenser mic performance with a teeny, tiny footprint on your desk. The cardioid polar pattern means it’s filtering out sound from the room around you, and if you want extra adjustability it can be threaded onto any shock-proof boom arm with ⅜ or ⅝-inch screw mounts.
Alloy Origins Core keyboard
If you need even more room on your desk so you can keep textbooks or notepads handy, you don’t want that precious desktop space taken up by an overly large keyboard. Tenkeyless (TKL) keyboards like the HyperX Alloy Origins Core give you all the benefits of mechanical switches in a neat little package you won’t need to prop up somewhere out of the way during homework. The beautiful LED lighting modes and responsive, satisfying HyperX mechanical switches are just a pretty bonus and an incentive for you to get algebra out of the way so you can get back to gaming.
Pulsefire Haste mouse
If you like to keep your pens organized at the back of your desk, nothing defeats your neat setup like a mouse cable snaking its way through everything. Wireless mice give you the freedom to arrange your desk the way you want, and free up the space you would otherwise need to avoid a trailing cable snagging itself on your precious trinkets. The HyperX Pulsefire Haste Wireless gives you an ultra-reliable, low-latency 2.4GHz wireless connection without the annoyance of poor battery life, lasting up to 100 hours on a single charge. It’s also unbelievably light, at just 0.13lb, so you can carry it to the library or practice snapshots in Valorant with ease. And, of course, once you’re done editing your latest English assignment, adjustable DPI settings up to 16,000 and a smooth Pixart 3335 sensor make it the perfect gaming companion, too. Treat yourself to quickshots that are easy on the wrist.
