Back-to-school laptop prices have soared. Here’s how to save money.

HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) - Laptop prices have risen sharply ahead of the back-to-school season, and experts say shoppers should expect to pay far more than they anticipate.

Brian Westover, a principal writer for the hardware team at PC Mag, said a recent survey found the average person expects to pay about $800 for a back-to-school laptop, while the median price is closer to $1,600.

“It’s a real sticker shock this year,” Westover said.

Erik Semmel, VP of client success at TAB Computer Systems, said the surge is being driven by demand from data centers.

“Data centers construction and demand have jacked up the prices of RAM and hard drive storage,” Semmel said.

Westover said that demand is pulling manufacturing resources away from consumer devices.

“Because that demand is so high, manufacturers are shifting their resources in that direction instead of to consumer chips used in laptops and phones. So you’re getting this supply-and-demand mismatch,” Westover said.

Experts offered several ways to save. Shoppers can consider buying used through a verified marketplace. Wesley Thurston, who works in business development at Swappa, a user-to-user technology marketplace, said students do not need the newest models.

“Even students going back to school don’t need the latest and greatest. They can get away with a laptop that’s several years old and still has the functionality their university requires for their major,” Thurston said. “Swappa verifies every single one of its listings.”

Buyers should also avoid overspending on specs. Most universities require a minimum of 16 gigabytes of RAM, though requirements can vary by major. Students should check with their school before purchasing.

Tech companies including Apple and Microsoft offer student and education discounts of 5 to 10 percent, though those deals are not widely advertised and require searching to find.

For those who can wait, Westover said prices may ease.

“I think you’re not going to see $800. It may be more in that $1,000 range, but it should come down, I would hope,” Westover said.

Shoppers looking for refurbished units may want to buy directly through the manufacturer or through Best Buy, where purchase protections may be available.