You can get free AirPods if you buy a Mac or iPad for college
Free AirPods? Count us in
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Laptop, tablet,headphones… whatever is on your tech shopping list before college starts this fall, buying all that new kit can get expensive.
However, a new ‘Back to School’ deal fromApplemeans that if you buy a Mac or iPad with ‘education pricing’, you’ll get a free pair ofAirPodsthrown in.(Not in the US? Scroll down for the best AirPod deals in your region.)
Check out the deal below:
Free AirPods when you buy a Mac or iPad for college at Apple.comHeading back to school this fall? If you treat yourself to a Mac or iPad, Apple will throw in a free pair of AirPods – or you can upgrade to the AirPods Pro for an extra $90.
The promotion applies to theMacBook Air,MacBook Pro, iMac, andiMac Pro, as well as theiPad ProandiPad Air.
There are also discounts on iPad accessories like theApple Pencil, the Smart Keyboard, and Smart Cover – both iPads and the second-gen Apple Pencil come with free engraving, too.
Which ‘Pods are best?
The AirPods you get free come with the wired charging case, though you can upgrade to the wireless charging case for an extra $40.
While theApple AirPodsaren’t thebest true wireless earbudsyou can buy in 2020, they sport some cool features, including the H1 headphone chip, which improves connectivity and battery life, and allows for a ‘Hey Siri’ voice activation feature.
Sound-wise, they have a lively, powerful presentation, although they can sound slightly harsh when it comes to higher-frequency sounds – where the AirPods shine, is in their ease-of-use, particularly when it comes to pairing with other Apple devices.
If you’re looking for superior audio quality, you can also upgrade to theAirPods Profor an additional $90. These wireless earbuds come with active noise cancelation, allowing you to block out the world when you’re trying to study – pretty handy if you have noisy roommates.
Whichever ‘Pods you go for, we think this is a pretty good deal from Apple, considering the AirPods start at $159, while the AirPods Pro cost $249.
It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that we could see some new Apple headphones fairly soon. It’s rumored thatWWDC 2020on June 22 could see the announcements of theAirPods Pro Lite, theAirPods 3, thePowerbeats Pro 2, or even the first-everApple over-ear headphones.
Right now, these are only rumors, so unless you need to have the very latest audio tech adorning your ears, it’s probably not worth waiting – after all, if any newApple headphonesare launched, you can almost be certain that they’ll be pretty pricey.
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Olivia was previously TechRadar’s Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she’s a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She’s previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR.
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