As students prepare to return to university, UK retailers are reporting a surge in sales of laptops as school-leavers and finalists alike equip themselves for the coming year. This will come as no surprise to industry experts who have been predicting the ascendancy of portable computers over desktops for several years.

Retailer John Lewis announced that a computer device is sold every 20 seconds across its stores and branches, the BBC has reported. The PC World and Currys group have also reported a 52 per cent increase in laptop sales (and a 41 per cent increase for tablets) in the weeks after A-level results were published. A spokesperson for the retail group said this was a “massive fortnight in terms of computing sales”.

Rather than notepads and stationery, students preparing for university now see electronic equipment as essential tools with which to equip themselves. Simon Exton, head of laptops, desktops and tablets at Currys and PC World, said: “Technology is at the very heart of preparing for university these days… And not just for study but also for entertainment and keeping in touch with family and friends whilst away from home”.

Exton also noted that this was a trend that was becoming more pronounced each year: “The ‘back to study‘ period is always busy but even more so this year”.

With this in mind, we offer some invaluable tips for any students looking to buy:

Ӣ Look out for August deals:

Back-to-uni sales normally begin in late June, but are already on the wane come September. The best time to buy is in August, when bundle deals are widely available.

Ӣ Best places to shop:

Head first to the usual favorites like Amazon and the Microsoft Store. Last summer, several of these retailers took up to 88% off some systems. To buy direct from stockists, look at Toshiba, which normally takes around £300 off its best systems. Apple also provides discount vouchers with its MacBook Air and Pro laptops.

Ӣ Companies reward loyalty and offer student discounts:

Whilst most deals are open to all customers, sometimes you‘ll need proof that you are a student. Apple requires customers to have a university email account in order to qualify for deals, for example. Deals from Dell and Amazon also require a student email address.