Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Laptop for a 12 year old for school

Comments

  • #2
    Grab All Association
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,926 ✭✭✭Grab All Association


    Senature wrote: »
    Hi, getting a laptop for a 12 year old boy for school. He has dyspraxia and finds writing difficult, so will be typing his homework/projects etc on it. He is into gaming, likes youtube etc but the purpose of this is for school. It will be windows based, we have Microsoft Word etc to put on it. Budget is 300-400. Currys recommended this one which is discounted to 400, but we found one or two iffy reviews online and just thought we'd ask some advice here before proceeding http://www.currys.ie/mobile/product/hp-pavilion-14bk063sa-14-laptop-silver/344558/409.21?&#ctl00_ctl00__nestedContent__mainpageContent_ProductFamilyDetailsView1_liProductDetails

    A cheap and cheerful ex company Lenovo Thinkpad 2nd/3rd gen i5/i7. It’ll be much more rugged than the HP. Check Adverts.ie


  • #3
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    Something like this is perfect. Super fast due to the SSD, a lot faster than the one in your link, though it has less storage space (only a factor if he wants to store loads of movies and stuff on it).

    Your budget is way too low for gaming so you'll have to forget about that aspect of it unless you can find a few more hundred!


  • #4
    glack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 699 ✭✭✭glack


    I’m a teacher and we have 2 of those at school assigned to students with SEN. They work perfectly for the purpose of school work - fast, decent battery, nice keyboard (very important for kids with dyspraxia - whatever you pick, make sure he gets to feel the keyboard first). Can’t comment on other uses.


  • #5
    Senature
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 349 ✭✭Senature


    TerrorFirmer wrote: »
    Something like this is perfect. Super fast due to the SSD, a lot faster than the one in your link, though it has less storage space (only a factor if he wants to store loads of movies and stuff on it).

    Your budget is way too low for gaming so you'll have to forget about that aspect of it unless you can find a few more hundred!
    Thanks for the info. He knows this wouldn't be for gaming and needs to be relatively cheap as could easily be lost/robbed/damaged in school


  • #6
    Senature
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 349 ✭✭Senature


    glack wrote: »
    I’m a teacher and we have 2 of those at school assigned to students with SEN.
    That's interesting, which ones are used in your school? Very good point about the keyboard too, thanks.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    glack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 699 ✭✭✭glack


    Senature wrote: »
    That's interesting, which ones are used in your school? Very good point about the keyboard too, thanks.

    That same model I think... but I’d have to check to be sure. School can apply for a grant for a computer for a specific child if they have a professional recommendation from an educational psychologist.


  • #8
    Alanstrainor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    TerrorFirmer wrote: »
    Something like this is perfect. Super fast due to the SSD, a lot faster than the one in your link, though it has less storage space (only a factor if he wants to store loads of movies and stuff on it).

    Your budget is way too low for gaming so you'll have to forget about that aspect of it unless you can find a few more hundred!

    This is the one to get OP. The SSD will make this one far faster than the one you were recommended. The processor is the same in both, as is the RAM.


  • #9
    keyboard_cat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 579 ✭✭✭keyboard_cat


    TerrorFirmer wrote: »
    Something like this is perfect. Super fast due to the SSD, a lot faster than the one in your link, though it has less storage space (only a factor if he wants to store loads of movies and stuff on it).

    Your budget is way too low for gaming so you'll have to forget about that aspect of it unless you can find a few more hundred!

    4gb of ram is fairly unusable in this day and age (but at least it can be upgraded)
    However the processor is very bad and can not be upgraded, a second hand Lenovo from adverts with a better processor would be better an ssd and extra ram could be added later if necessary but no point buying something with an obsolete processor out of the box


  • #10
    TerrorFirmer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,930 ✭✭✭✭TerrorFirmer


    keyboard_cat wrote: »
    4gb of ram is fairly unusable in this day and age (but at least it can be upgraded)
    However the processor is very bad and can not be upgraded, a second hand Lenovo from adverts with a better processor would be better an ssd and extra ram could be added later if necessary but no point buying something with an obsolete processor out of the box

    a) 4GB of ram is plenty for an average user and certainly not 'unusable'.

    b) the CPU is not 'very bad'. It's not far off a 7th gen i3 and it is based on the same KL architecture so no idea where you're getting 'obsolete' from?


  • #11
    tonyjohn29
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6 ✭tonyjohn29


    Some of the best laptops for School Work comes with i3 Processor and 4 GB of RAM.


  • Advertisement
  • #12
    Alanstrainor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    tonyjohn29 wrote: »
    Some of the best laptops for School Work comes with i3 Processor and 4 GB of RAM.

    The Intel Pentium Gold 4415U is an i3 for all intents and purposes. The difference between the two really is negligible:

    https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/Intel-Pentium-4415U-vs-Intel-i3-7100U/2977vs2879

    Essentially the only difference I can see there is the very slightly lower clock speed on the 4415u. No one would notice the difference side by side.

    As for RAM, as much as possible is best. But given the budget and cost of RAM these days, 4GB will have to do.


  • #13
    tonyjohn29
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6 ✭tonyjohn29


    I agree with Alanstrainor. Besides clock speed, RAM is also an important specs while deciding the best laptops for school work but at least 4 GB minimum is required. Higher RAM is always much better.
    Some best laptops for school work are listed here:-

    https://www.bestbuy.com/site/shop/laptops-for-school-work

    https://www.howali.com/2018/05/best-laptops-for-school-work.html

    CPU Benchmark data gives enough insights as per the Processor model which would be really helpful for users in taking the best purchase decision.


Advertisement