It’s officially August, which means the 2023 Labor Day sales event is almost here with fantastic deals from all your favorite retailers on everything from TVs, mattresses, and appliances to laptops, kitchen devices, vacuums, and more. To help you find all the top offers in one place, we’ve created this guide to bring you all the best Labor Day sales and stand-out deals as soon as they drop.
Labor Day is a federal holiday that always falls on the first Monday in September, so this year, the date takes place on September 4th, with the long weekend kicking off on Friday, September 1st. The holiday celebrates all the hard-working Americans and marks the end of summer, so it’s a great time to score clearance prices on patio furniture and grills as well as big-ticket items like mattresses and major appliances. Labor Day sales also mean record-low prices on tech gadgets, thanks to back-to-school sales, which means deals on laptops, TVs, tablets, and Apple devices.
We should start to see Labor Day sales popping up in the coming weeks, and we’ll update this page with new offers as soon as they drop. In the meantime, we’ve listed today’s best sales from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target and deals on AirPods, OLED TVs, air fryers, and more.
Labor Day is a federal holiday that always takes place on the first Monday in September to celebrate the contributions and achievements of American workers.
This year, Labor Day lands on Monday, September 4th, with the long holiday weekend kicking off on Friday, September 1st. Most Labor Day sales will kick off the week before on Monday, August 28.
Does Labor Day have sales?
If you’re wondering if Labor Day has sales, we’re here to happily tell you that it’s one of the biggest holiday sales ahead of the Black Friday deals event.
Labor Day coincides with the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year, so it’s a great time for retailers to offer clearance prices on outdoor items like grills and patio furniture, as well as deals on back-to-school must-haves like clothing, supplies, and tech items including laptops, tablets, headphones, and TVs.
Like other holiday events, Labor Day sales also offer record-low prices on big-ticket items like mattresses from popular online brands like Purple and DreamCloud and major appliances from Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe’s.
What deals can we expect in Labor Day sales?
Labor Day marks the end of summer, which means you can find clearance prices on outdoor items like patio furniture, tools, grills, and lawnmowers. Labor Day sales, like other holiday events, also offer record-low prices on big-ticket items like major appliances from retailers like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Best Buy, as well as furniture, mattresses, and TVs.
Labor Day sales also include back-to-school deals from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, so you can find impressive savings on laptops, tablets, printers, and school supplies like backpacks and lunchboxes.
If you’re looking to shop for deals right now, we’ve listed today’s best offers below at retailers we can expect to launch Labor Day sales in September.
Last year’s best Labor Day sales
Taking a look back at last year’s Labor Day sales, can give us a good idea of what will be discounted at the 2023 event. Last year we saw a mix of tech items like laptops and TVs on sale, as well as deals on mattresses, major appliances and smaller appliances like vacuums and kitchen devices.
You can also see look out for upcoming discounts at the 2023 Labor Day TV sales event.
The 12 best back-to-school accessories for your MacBook
With everyone heading back to school in 2023, it’s time to upgrade all the back-to-school accessories you use with your MacBook. As great as Apple’s various laptops are, from their portability and battery life to outsized performance, not to mention ability to handle both schoolwork and entertainment, you’ll want to make the most of that computing experience with the right accessories.
Considering that back to school sales are here nearing the end of summer, it’s time to take stock and figure out what additions will help you, or your matriculating mini-me, squeeze every ounce of use from that laptop. The best MacBooks for students still have some limitations so getting a laptop stand to help with overheating or an SSD to expand storage space can be life-savers. And, getting the proper accessories for MacBook can also make for a smoother workflow. Many of these accessories are just as good for the best laptops from other manufacturers as well.
We’ve tested and used more than our share of MacBook and Mac accessories so we know which ones are useful and which ones aren’t worth your time. From hard drives and the best monitors to laptop stands and the best Bluetooth speakers, these are the best back to school accessories for MacBook.
If you find Apple laptops a bit too pricey for a student, consider buying one of the best Chromebooks out there, since they have similar portability and battery life as well as surprising performance yet cost much less than an Apple laptop.
The best back to school MacBook accessory sales
The best back to school accessories for MacBook
(Image credit: JanSport)
1. JanSport Cool Student Backpack
An excellent laptop backpack for school
Reasons to buy
+
Several compartments
+
Affordable
Reasons to avoid
–
Classic design isn’t for everyone
This classic backpack has enough space to accommodate any MacBook or MacBook Pro, as well as books, pencils, pens, and other school supplies. Features four exterior pockets for various necessities like a portable hard drive or SSD, and is available in several excellent colors. There’s even a laptop sleeve so that the kids can ensure their MacBook is protected from bumps and drops.
(Image credit: JBL)
2. JBL Clip 4 Eco
Portable yet loud Bluetooth speaker
Reasons to buy
+
Clip is handy
+
Can get loud for its size
Reasons to avoid
–
Sound quality isn’t the best
Fun and affordable, with a clip-on design, 10 hours of playtime, IP67 waterproof rating, three color options and plenty of volume for something so small, JBL’s Clip 4 Eco is just the portable speaker for students with a more active lifestyle. Those worries about the environment will appreciate that it’s made from recycled materials for a reduced carbon footprint.
Since it connects via Bluetooth, you can easily pair it with that brand-new MacBook you just splurged on. Simply press the Bluetooth button, connect with a laptop, and play tunes in seconds. Just what the kids need for a hectic back to school season.
The Logitech MX Master 2S is the perfect addition for any students using a Macbook. It’s not the latest version – that would be the MX Master 3S – but it comes with the essentials like reprogrammable buttons and cross-platform support. Plus, it comes with both Bluetooth and wireless connectivity letting you pair it with up to three devices simultaneously. If that’s not enough, it’s still relatively affordable, especially next to the pricier MX Master 3S.
(Image credit: Twelve South)
4. Twelve South BookArc Stand
Laptop stand to your desk neat and uncluttered
Reasons to buy
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Solid build
+
Great for organization
Reasons to avoid
–
There are cheaper options
If you have your kids’ MacBook set up with an external monitor, this Twelve South stand is an excellent choice. It stylishly keeps that MacBook from taking up a lot of precious desk space, especially if there’s also a display taking up a chunk of it. Even without a monitor, it’s useful for keeping that desk organized when not in use. It comes in either silver or space gray.
(Image credit: Bestand)
5. Bestand Aluminum Cooling Stand
Laptop stand to keep your MacBook cool
Reasons to buy
+
Looks premium
+
Robust build
Reasons to avoid
–
Cheaper options are available
For those that use your laptop without an external monitor, but want to elevate it and get a little extra cooling, check out Bestand’s aluminum cooling stand. Elevating that MacBook at an angle, this stand offers a little extra help keeping the laptop, and is great for storing external accessories like keyboards and mice when not in use.
(Image credit: Logitech)
Slim and portable Bluetooth keyboard
Reasons to buy
+
Comfortable to type on
+
Don’t take up a lot of space
Upgrade your typing experience this back to school season. It’s true that MacBooks have among the best keyboards out there, but if you want to sit away from that screen a bit, the Logitech K380 might just be the ticket. It’s among the best small keyboards we’ve tested, slim and compact yet also incredibly comfortable to type on and very affordable. It also has three-device simultaneous connectivity so you can switch from your laptop to your iPad to your iPhone seamlessly.
Satechi is known for its solid products that feel like they could take a beating, even this X2 Bluetooth keyboard that’s among the slimmest keyboards we’ve used. Optimized for Mac, it boasts backlit keys that are amazingly comfortable to type on, multi-device connectivity (up to 4, in fact), and the exact color scheme that most MacBooks have for a match made in Apple heaven.
It’s almost impossible that something so tiny and lightweight – small enough to easily slip in your shirt pocket – can carry up to 1TB of data. It’s also built to be robust. In fact, Seagate is so confident about its build, it’s added a loop so you can attach it to a carabiner clip to hang on your backpack. We also love its smart woven fabric exterior. Since it’s an SSD, you can be assured that it’s fast and secure.
(Image credit: SanDisk)
9. SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (500GB)
Rugged SSD for field classes and studies
Reasons to avoid
–
Cheaper options are available
Keeping your files safe and portable may be this external SSD’s top priority, but it also takes pride in its rugged build. This thin and tiny storage drive comes with a two-meter drop protection and an IP55 rating, which means it’s protected from dust ingress and low pressure water jets. Rain or shine, it can take a beating, making it your ideal companion for doing on-the-field school work and projects.
We can honestly say that the HP E14 G4 portable monitor is the most appealing portable monitor we’ve used (and we’ve tested quite a few of them). Touting a 1080p resolution and a whopping 400 nits of brightness in an unbelievably thin and light form, this might just be all you need if you need a bit of extra screen space. It’s even got a 65W power passthrough and a nifty anti-glare feature.
If you’re ready to upgrade to a 4K monitor, you cannot go wrong with Dell’s curved offering. The Dell 4K S3221QS is a 32-incher with a stunning woven back design in white, making it better looking than most monitors, and a deep 1800R curvature for an even more immersive experience. Because it is Dell, it’s got 300 nits of brightness, much like the popular XPS line.
(Image credit: Beats)
12. Beats Studio Buds
Airpods alternative with noise cancellation for a student’s budget
Reasons to buy
+
Great sound quality
+
Comfortable to wear
Reasons to avoid
–
ANC could be stronger
–
Lackluster call quality
This new release from Beats is a more accessible alternative to those premium Airpod Pros you’ve been eyeing. It’s more affordable for back to school season than the classic Airpods while offering features that are more on par with the Pros, including ANC, transparency mode, on-ear touch controls, and a great sound. It’s also easy to use and has a good battery life that slightly beats out that of the pros.
Which Adobe Creative Cloud pricing tier is best for you | AppleInsider
Adobe Creative Cloud
If you’re feeling confused about Adobe’s pricing models, you’re not alone. Here’s which tier is aimed at which market segment, precisely what you get when you subscribe to Adobe’s Creative Cloud.
How Adobe handles subscriptions
Before we delve into the prices for Adobe subscriptions, let us take a moment to explain how Adobe handles the act of subscribing.
When a user subscribes to something Adobe offers, they’re given three options to pay: monthly; annual, paid monthly; or annual, paid upfront. Here’s what each of those options means.
Monthly subscription: The most expensive option, Adobe’s monthly subscriptions are often twice the cost of the other subscription options. However, if you need to cancel your subscription, Adobe does not charge a fee. It’s great for folks who may only need to use a single app for a few months, or for someone who may be on the fence about using Adobe products.
Annual subscription, paid monthly: Typically half the price of the standard monthly subscription, Adobe allows users to subscribe at the yearly price while still paying monthly. The downside is that if you cancel your plan, Adobe will charge you 50% of your remaining contract — which could be quite costly!
Annual subscription, paid upfront: Users may also choose to pay upfront for a full year of service. While this has advantages, such as preventing surprise billing, Adobe warns users that there are absolutely no refunds on this plan after the first 14 days.
When we discuss prices, we will refer to Adobe’s annual subscription, paid monthly plan for individuals. Businesses may purchase licenses from Adobe here.
We advise potential customers to read through Adobe’s plan and pricing pages thoroughly before they commit to purchasing any subscriptions.
Photography Bundle
The cheapest multi-app bundle available, Adobe’s Photography bundle, includes Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and Photoshop for desktop and iPad.
Photoshop on macOS | Image Credit: Adobe
The base Photography bundle includes 20GB of Adobe Cloud storage and costs $9.99 per month. An upgraded Photography bundle includes 1TB of cloud storage and costs $19.99 per month.
If you only intend to use Photoshop, you can save a substantial amount of money by subscribing to the Photography bundle, our favorite bundle that Adobe offers.
Creative Cloud All Apps Bundle
For multi-faceted professionals, Adobe offers a subscription that gives users access to all Creative Cloud apps. It costs $54.99 per month.
In addition to all the Creative Cloud apps, users also get
100GB of Cloud Storage
Step-by-step tutorials
Adobe Express
Adobe Portfolio
Adobe Fonts
Behance
While expensive, this plan is the best deal should you utilize more than two Adobe apps in your normal workflow.
Adobe offers discounts for students and teachers at recognized institutions. Qualified users can save 60% when they subscribe to Adobe’s Creative Cloud All Apps bundle, paying only $19.99 per month.
Specialty Bundles
There are two bundles available from Adobe that are geared toward 3D designers.
The Substance 3D Collection is designed to create, capture, and paint 3D materials, as well as render 3D scenes. It includes Substance 3D Stager, Painter, Sampler, and Designer, as well as 50 3D assets per month and 100GB of Cloud Storage. It costs $49.99 per month.
Adobe Substance | Image Credit: Adobe
The Substance 3D Texturing bundle is a cheaper alternative for 3D texture artists. It includes Substance 3D Painter, Designer, and Sampler, 30 3D assets per month, and 100GB of Cloud Storage. This bundle costs $19.99 per month.
Standalone Creative Apps
Adobe allows for single-app subscriptions if you just need one or two apps. Most single-app subscriptions are priced at $20.99 per month. Apps you can subscribe to individually at the $20.99 tier include:
Photoshop
Premiere Pro
Illustrator
After Effects
InDesign
Audition
Animate
Dreamweaver
There are a few apps you can subscribe to that are on different pricing models. These include:
Acrobat Pro for $14.99/mo
Adobe Express for $9.99/mo
Lightroom (1TB) for $9.99/mo
Adobe XD for $9.99/mo
InCopy for $4.99/mo
Adobe Stock
Adobe also offers access to its royalty-free, high-quality image asset library, Adobe Stock, on a subscription model.
Adobe offers higher-level tiers and also allows users to purchase assets individually on a credit system.
Whenever you subscribe to an Adobe creative product, you’ll get the chance to try out Adobe Stock for 30 days for free, but keep in mind Adobe will automatically begin billing for the base Adobe Stock as soon as the free trial is up.
