Chromebook for online schooling

what is the budget?

if you are looking to spend under 400 per unit buy second-hand e.g. on adverts from a seller with good rep

or possibly refurbished on dell outlet uk but most items with VAT are above that value (parcel motel etc to deliver)

look for min 6gb ram, ssd, core i3

battery time will be not great on a seond-hand laptop though most likely

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Are the colleges not all using MS Office 365 or Google Apps now?

I think Bob was on the right track with a Chromebook. Not sure why people have been scaring him into Windows laptop territory.

a reasonable chromebook is currently more expensive than a windows laptop.

a lot of people seem to have the idea that you can get a good chromebook for 300 euros.

which is false

glasso wrote: »

you need to spend min 350 for an ok chromebook really and that will be with a weak cpu and very low quality mmc storage. you get what you pay for. it will run chrome os ok but for 60/70 more you can get a proper windows laptop like this that has a decent cpu and fast ssd drive.

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/hp-14-dk0599sa-14-amd-ryzen-3-laptop-128-gb-ssd-silver-10193335-pdt.html

maybe down the line do a cheap ram upgrade

this one is still better than the option you posted today for only 20 euro more,

better cpu

in stock in Liffey Valley, Swords etc - check site

more powerful and better integrated graphics processing

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Are you comparing against a laptop, or a reasonable laptop?

A basic Chromebook is cheaper than a basic laptop.

I said a decent chromebook for 300 euro isn't there.

fairly clear I would have thought?



basic sounds like a byword for sh1t to me.

e.g. bad low resolution screen

slow emmc storage vs ssd

rubbish cpu (even tho chrome runs on lower specs it doesn't mean that a crap cpu isn't a crap cpu and slow even on chrome os)

cheaper than cheap plastic build quality of the laptop casing, screen hinges etc.



In fact for equivalent specs Chromebooks are more expensive than the same spec windows laptop as I said. Take a look. For something like a Chromebook with an i3, 128gb ssd and bog standard full hd screen it's 600 euro.

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/hp-15-de0502na-15-6-intel-core-i3-chromebook-128-gb-emmc-white-10194862-pdt.html

you can get that equivalent in a windows laptop for 400 euro. e.g. the laptops linked above. say 450 to allow for the 8gb ram.


that's before you go into the disadvantages of chrome with its very limited app selection (some newer more expensive ones can run android apps now)

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

As do the laptops, right?

no - this laptop's components are fine

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/computing/laptops/laptops/hp-14-dk0599sa-14-amd-ryzen-3-laptop-128-gb-ssd-silver-10193335-pdt.html

cpu is way ahead of the chromebook cpus that you listed

screen is full hd resolution vs 720p in the chromebooks

proper fast ssd vs crappy emmc storage in the chromebooks

all the things that I previously mentioned.......

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback. The screen resolution would be signficant for sure.

Is the CPU speed really that significant for a Chromebook? The nature of the device is surely that the vast majority of processing is done on the server rather than on the local client, which is really just like an old-fashioned dumb terminal device.

it still has to run the browser well and the apps can be run offline.

the idea that everything has to be online is a misnomer.

you'd want something showing 1,500 on that passmark benchmark cpu-wise

also given that the price differential for quality is not there the flexibility of windows wins imo unless there is some burning need for a chromebook

with ssds being common now your windows laptop is not going to slow to a crawl over time like in the past with spinning hdd's

anton.gall wrote: »

buy used, top spec and with warranty - u cant go wrong
I got used laptop recently, top spec with office for 250 , all is perfect

that's a bit general to be useful - provide details to the OP to be useful really I would say...

there can be some good deals used but depends on requirements

often older laptops will have very poor quality screens (and with low resolution)

and batteries that may only last an hour or two (figures quoted will be in battery saver mode - will be less than that in reality)

also may be of older chunky design with big bezels if that is an issue.

it was available for months tbf