Back‑to‑school hits different when the tech just works. As parents in Lubbock juggle work, carpools, and homework, the right gadgets can reduce chaos at home—and many of those same choices scale nicely for growing small businesses across West Texas.
Here’s the 2025 gear we recommend for students, teachers, and parents.
For Students: durable, focused, backed‑up
What to buy (and why):
- A sturdy laptop (or tablet + keyboard) with 16 GB RAM and SSD. Cheaper devices seem fine in August and crawl by November. Spend once, cry once; it’ll last multiple school years and handle 15 tabs + Docs + Zoom without lag.
- Comfortable headphones/earbuds (noise‑canceling if possible). Focus is a superpower—on the bus, at home, or in a noisy dorm.
- A small power bank. Saves the day on game days, field trips, and long class blocks.
- Smart/reusable notebook (e.g., scan-and-store) + cloud backups. If it isn’t in Google Drive/OneDrive/iCloud, pretend it doesn’t exist. Auto‑backup school folders so a dead laptop isn’t a disaster.
- Wireless presenter remote for older students. Great for in‑class presentations (and a confidence boost).
Business crossover: These are the same choices we make for staff laptops—RAM matters more than you think; backups matter more than anything.
For Teachers: show it, save it, share it
What works:
- Document camera or a clean portable scanner. Instantly project worksheets or digitize that perfect handout instead of retyping.
- Wireless clicker + decent webcam + external monitor. Teach from anywhere in the room, record clean lessons, and keep notes visible while presenting.
- Real backups for lesson plans. Cloud sync plus an external backup for the irreplaceable stuff.
Business crossover: Presentations, scanning, and dual‑monitor setups boost productivity in any office, not just classrooms.
For Parents & Home: reliability beats hype
Essentials we’d pick again:
- A printer with a low cost per page. Laser (for heavy B&W) or an ink‑tank inkjet (for frequent color). The right printer saves real money by Thanksgiving.
- Whole‑home Wi‑Fi that doesn’t quit. If signal dies in the back bedroom, consider mesh Wi‑Fi or a business‑grade access point. (We deploy these at offices; they’re fantastic at home, too.)
- Security & parental controls. We recommend ESET Internet Security—it’s what we use, sell, and trust. It’s lightweight, blocks the bad stuff, and includes tools families actually use. (We’re an ESET partner and can usually help you get a discount.)
- One tidy charging station. Phones, tablets, earbuds, laptops—dock them nightly. Fewer “it’s dead” mornings.
Pro tip for fall: Windows 10 support ends October 14, 2025. If anyone at home or at your business still runs Windows 10, make a plan now. Extended security updates exist, but they’re a paid band‑aid; upgrading is usually the smarter long‑term move.
Quick “Buy Smart” Cheatsheet
| Who | What to look for | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Student | 16 GB RAM, SSD laptop | Smooth with 15+ tabs, lasts years |
| Teacher | Doc cam + clicker | Better demos, freedom to move |
| Parent | Low‑CPP printer | Saves real $$ on forms/reports |
| Household | Mesh Wi‑Fi | No dead zones, fewer fights |
| Everyone | ESET security | Lightweight, safe browsing |
| Household | Central charging | Charged every morning |
Lubbock Mini‑Checklist (15 minutes)
- Run a speed test where homework actually happens; if it’s weak, fix Wi‑Fi before school ramps up.
- Set device auto‑backups for school folders.
- Install/renew security (we like ESET).
- Print a test essay; if it’s slow/expensive/streaky, it’s time to switch printers.
- Check any Windows 10 devices—start the upgrade plan.
Need a hand?
If you want a quick sanity check on Wi‑Fi coverage, printer choice, or security setup, book a 15‑minute “Back‑to‑School Tech Tune‑Up” with Robb.Tech. No pressure, no charge—just actionable advice. If you decide to go deeper, we help families and growing Lubbock businesses pick gear that won’t make you regret September.
Here’s to a calmer, smarter 2025-2026 school year. 👋