No matter how old the student, the end of summer and the dawn of a new school year brings sadness and no small amount of anxiety. One of the only things to brighten the prospect of returning to the classroom is the search for new back-to-school gear.

You and your student may not be in the market for every type of gadget on our list, but odds are you’re ready for an upgrade in at least one category. High school and college students are always searching for a good bang-for-the-buck deal on new notebook, the most functional software to load it up with, and a great-looking bag to carry it in. Families also need up-to-date printers and monitors, and library-dwellers rely on high-quality headphones. Those relegated to the dormitory need to consider how to set up a “very mini” home network.

Whatever your needs, we’ve got you covered in this "down to business" portion of our Back to School Guide. Stay tuned: we’ll soon also provide the other half of your back to school shopping list—the entertainment gear guide. If all else fails, that at least should take the edge off your first day of school blues!

In addition to myself, many of the editors of Tom’s Guide and Tom’s Hardware contributed to this article, including Chris Angelini, Molly Bergen, Barry Gerber, Don Reisinger and Ed Tittel. They are credited individually on the pages that follow.

Rachel Rosmarin, Editor, Tom’s Guide