Starting High School Need to Buy a Laptop Help Please

Buttocks on 23/10/2022 - 21:27

Hi…child starting year 7 and I need to buy a laptop. I am seeking practical advice from parents experience in this area and product selection advice from the collective brains trust.
Firstly not sure of expected life cycle to plan for which then dictates how much I spend. I have never had much luck with laptops lasting much longer than 2/3 year life span before they stop working or just bog down. Or is there a chance that I can buy a LT that can last 6 years of high school. I have even toyed with the idea of buying a second hand LT and replace every 2 years. Every thing is on the table.

Below are the minimum requirements which is fairly basic LT.
Screen Size:11" Minimum
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home, Professional or Education
Wi-Fi: 802.11n/ac, (5GHz)
Battery: Sufficient to last 6 hours (a full school day) on Balanced power mode.
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 128GB HDD or SSD

If buying new my thoughts were LT WITH 13" screen possible touch. Around 1.5kg with min 8gb ram no idea on processor or graphic card with 250gb SSD with strong chassis.
Any practical experience in this area and current good buys would be appreciated. Or should I wait for black Friday etc.

Computing Computer Laptop

Comments

  • CrispyChrispy on 23/10/2022 - 21:39
    +9

    My brother and I each used a $500 laptop throughout high school, only thing we had to change was the battery. Depending on what your kid is doing in school (should be nothing more than word processing and web browsing), you don't need a particularly expensive or powerful laptop. I haven't seen/had any use case where touch screen is needed.

    • Torrent lord on 23/10/2022 - 21:44
      +9

      Agreed, pretty much any second hand laptop made within the last 8 years will handle word processing/web browsing/any other software needed in their curriculum just fine. Maybe have a look for a second hand thinkpad, they are built tough.

    • dan0909 on 23/10/2022 - 21:54
      +2

      How long ago was this, 2014? These days school's BYOD recommendations are a Microsoft Surface or a MacBook. Both last over 4 years easy. Surface comes with pen which is easy to annotate on word/pdf, website snapshots etc. Only an experienced parent can tell if they actually use the pen for taking notes.

      • [Deactivated] on 23/10/2022 - 23:42
        +1

        If I could all avoid it I’d get a more repairable laptop than a surface if allowed a windows laptop, kids are brutal. If trying to get something to last as long as possible, how easy it is to repair beats every other feature.

      • LiteDough on 24/10/2022 - 10:52

        Wow! I feel old.
        Last I checked it was about min weight/size with simply functionality- I thought people were big on Chromebooks/iPads/tablet…so $500 max.

        • TrustNoBody on 25/10/2022 - 09:20

          my sons school only wants chromebook

      • CrispyChrispy on 24/10/2022 - 11:05

        No, this was within the last 6-7 years. Some parents don't want to/can't afford dropping $1,000+ on a laptop their 13 year old is going to be throwing in and out of their school bags on a near daily basis, which is a fair concern to be had.

        I'd say definitely go for a more high end laptop towards their senior years if they've proven that they can take care of a device. They may need it anyway if they're doing any work with the Adobe suite.

      • HeWhoKnows on 24/10/2022 - 22:28

        Surface is absolutely useless without internet and depreciate very quickly due to thier extremely limited capabilities and very few useable apps.
        May as well use an iPad or Android tablet with a keyboard.
        Except these have a much bigger range of apps and better resale value comnpared with a surface whatever they are. (They are not a PC really).
        Stay well away from these

    • HeWhoKnows on 24/10/2022 - 22:32

      Any minimum spec Laptop will suffice
      Just stay away from Hybrids such as Surface

  • brendanm on 23/10/2022 - 21:42
    +17

    First time I've seen laptop abbreviated to LT.

    • Muzeeb on 23/10/2022 - 22:31
      +3

      My first thought was Linus Tech ohhh wait where's the other T

  • Buttocks on 23/10/2022 - 21:55
    -2

    Its been a while since I have been to school and with all the emphasis on STEM these days I really didn't know the extent of usage required…like video editing, coding etc. Got bored writting Laptop thought LT made sense.

  • JimmyF on 23/10/2022 - 22:13
    +4

    Below are the minimum requirements which is fairly basic LT.

    They are horrid specs…. Poor kids who get the min spec units.

    If buying new my thoughts were LT WITH 13" screen possible touch. Around 1.5kg with min 8gb ram no idea on processor or graphic card with 250gb SSD with strong chassis.

    Yes much better, Try to aim for 8GB and 256GB SSD and a HD res screen (1920x1080 or better). They don't really need a decent GPU as its not a gaming device, nor should it be able to game that way they won't game instead of doing work.

    Does the school have a program? Normally they have a program that you can get a device from them or hire it.

    and replace every 2 years

    News flash, children are rough on devices, the chances of replacing it within 2 years is going to be high, new or used. But buying something solid should help for sure!

    • Buttocks on 23/10/2022 - 22:48

      They do have a limitted program with Dell and HP. The HP have 25 to 30% discount
      eg hp Pro Book 445 Ryzen 5
      SCREEN SIZE 14"
      COLOUR Natural silver
      AMD Ryzen™ 5 processor
      8 GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM (1 x 8 GB)
      256 GB PCIe® NVMe™ SSD
      14" diagonal HD display
      Windows 10 Pro
      $899.00. I prefer not to spend this much but if it is a good buy would consider it. Hinge issue on hp is a concern.

      • JimmyF on 23/10/2022 - 23:29
        +2

        $899.00. I prefer not to spend this much but if it is a good buy would consider it. Hinge issue on hp is a concern.

        Hinge issues on most brands these days are a concern. Cough cough looking at you Lenovo!

        $899 isn't that bad. Its cheaper than an iPad setup some schools ask for! The plus of everyone having the same machine is they can borrow chargers of friends if your kid forgets theirs.

        Also does the school offer any extra/extended warranty/Insurance/damage options? As sometimes it's worth buying via them just to get this coverage and not have to have the hassle of getting it 'fixed' yourself.

        ie they will look after arrange HP warranty onsite.

        • [Deactivated] on 23/10/2022 - 23:43
          +3

          This, the number one feature you want is, if possible, the school handling repairs. That’ll keep a laptop in service years longer than is economical to get repaired yourself.

          • Leo Getz on 25/10/2022 - 14:37

            @[Deactivated]: OP location is Brisvegas so we are talking QLD schools.
            Privately owned devices are the parents' responsibility.
            Qld Gov schools don't and shouldn't handle repairs apart from basic troubleshooting and pointing parents to vendor support.
            Other states and private schools may have different policies.

            • [Deactivated] on 25/10/2022 - 15:37

              @Leo Getz: I can tell you some private schools in Brisbane have onsite repairs for sure and have for almost 3 decades….

              • Leo Getz on 27/10/2022 - 01:44

                @[Deactivated]: That's private schools and a great service.
                Onsite repairs need to be defined better.
                Privately or school owned device?
                School staff or vendor tech doing the repair?
                In the case of OPs question, they haven't stated private or public school.

                • [Deactivated] on 27/10/2022 - 08:52

                  @Leo Getz: ? Yeah, that's why my original response was specifically "the number one feature you want is, if possible, the school handling repairs."

                  It doesn't really matter who does it, in my experience it was hand in broken laptop to the repair office on site, get a loan laptop to keep doing classes, get returned repaired laptop, all without any action on behalf of the parent. That sort of service was 100x more valuable than saving a few hundred dollars up front. It's the difference between being able to have every student guaranteed to have a laptop and having to plan around some students not having laptops. To get that service meant choosing the school suggested laptop lease up front, which made it a decision to make at purchase time.

                  • Leo Getz on 27/10/2022 - 09:22

                    @[Deactivated]: And you will rarely see that in a government school if they are privately owned devices.
                    That was my point.
                    If the device is owned by the school fine, they should have spare devices and manage the repairs.

                    If your private school accepts responsibility for and repairs your personal devices under a BYO program, sounds great.
                    I suppose that's why you pay the big bucks to send kids there.

  • DemocracyManifest on 23/10/2022 - 22:15
    +7

    Get them a used thinkpad. Steer clear of HP, unsure if it’s changed but anything besides a pro book has absolute garbage hinges

    • drfuzzy on 23/10/2022 - 22:38
      +7

      Agree. I would go with used Thinkpad T470 or T480. Fairly difficult to destroy.

      • ylukman on 25/10/2022 - 20:46

        Never, never underestimate what a child and his/her friends can do :D I've seen a desperate school IT tech with what the children did with their laptop. Mind you it's an almost $2,000 laptop :D

    • Benoffie on 23/10/2022 - 22:49
      +4

      Thinkpads are good option. Most schools use these for teachers so support should be a breeze

  • WreckTangle on 23/10/2022 - 22:29
    +1

    May also need to run things like movie maker & minecraft so dont get something too gutless (my kids needed these).

  • NEGATIVEVIBESONLY on 23/10/2022 - 22:30
    +6

    Don't get a second hand Thinkpad, because sourcing a brand new genuine Lenovo replacement battery is very very difficult. Lenovos AU website doesn't sell any replacement batteries anymore and ones on eBay are mostly aftermarket.

    I recommend Dell, they still support their older laptops by selling replacement batteries. Go check their website, look for the replacement battery first and then find the corresponding Dell laptop on eBay or FB market etc.

    Go for the business models like the Dell Latitude.

    • drfuzzy on 23/10/2022 - 22:39
      +1

      Dell OK but kid more likely to smash it than a Thinkpad.

    • DemocracyManifest on 23/10/2022 - 22:48

      What’s wrong with aftermarket?

      • NEGATIVEVIBESONLY on 23/10/2022 - 23:04
        +3

        Don't hold charge and has always lower capacity than the genuine batteries. You get what you pay for when it comes to batteries.

    • OpayuOnam on 24/10/2022 - 16:50

      Have you tried ordering the FRU/CRU through customer support? they have never sold batteries on the website as an item. You've always had to order them as a spare part through Lenovo or a Parts Supplier (not eBay, but the big IT resellers).

      • kapone on 03/11/2022 - 22:27

        What suppliers would have these?

        Strongly considering a second hand T480 rather than dropping the same money on the old shitty 11 inch Celeron powered crap the school is directing people to.

  • Benoffie on 23/10/2022 - 22:46
    +4

    Dont get anything fancy. If the school has a good deal, take it especially if they offer support.

    Number of $2-3k laptops I've seen trashed while teaching is ridiculous. They are unnecessary and encourage gaming which only leads to classroom issues.

    Also factor in insurance. Amazed how many parents dont.

    • Buttocks on 23/10/2022 - 22:52

      Insurance was the next thing to get my head around…thanks for the advice.

      • Benoffie on 23/10/2022 - 22:53
        +1

        Check you house and contents. You may have coverage for away from home use or can add for a minor increase.

        • Noblejoker on 24/10/2022 - 10:37
          +1

          Most Home insurance has an excess (say $500) and a no claim bonus penalty for claiming
          Not even close to worth claiming a <$1,000 laptop

  • thatonethere on 23/10/2022 - 22:49
    +1

    Just keep in mind if you cheap out and get something unreiliable or low performance it will impact their particiaption in class.

    Dont expect the school or teachers to cut any breaks.

    • Benoffie on 23/10/2022 - 22:55
      +2

      True but the biggest issue is battery life. And battery life is very often tied to use. Like gaming before school, recess and lunch, forgetting to charge overnight or refusing to buy a second charger for school or when theyre at the other parents place….. 😏

      • JimmyF on 23/10/2022 - 23:30
        +1

        +1 to extra charges. Get at least 1 for the school bag/locker plus 1 for each 'home' the kid lives in.

  • Buttocks on 23/10/2022 - 23:07

    Appreciate comments focusing on battery. Thinkpad T470/480 economical buy 2nd hand quick look on ebay. But not being able to buy genuine replacement battery is a concern as I have had bad experience with aftermarket batteries for tablet.

    • NEGATIVEVIBESONLY on 23/10/2022 - 23:11

      Try Dell E7470, and Dell still offers replacement battery for them.

  • virgo76 on 24/10/2022 - 08:10
    +3

    We bought the schools reccomendation. If something happens they offer support, get it fixed etc Pretty much all kids bought the one that the school reccomeded.

  • hateorglory on 24/10/2022 - 08:20
    -1

    Genuine question, as I don’t know – but would most of the computing high schoolers do be able to be done on an iPad?

    I replaced my personal laptop (note: I still have a desktop) with an iPad Air a couple years back and have found it to be a reasonably nice experience.

    Not sure if this is more affordable than a laptop, but worth considering if iOS can suit the workload.

    • ColtNoir on 24/10/2022 - 09:54
      +2

      Please don’t. iPads are not a great substitute.
      Could you imagine writing 500-2000 words on a screen keyboard or even a flimsy attachment.

      • Benoffie on 24/10/2022 - 10:39
        +2

        Agree. Ipads are horrendous in secondary environments and moreso in non Apple schools. Which is most of them.

  • The Hawk on 24/10/2022 - 09:21
    +4

    I've purchased two of my kids laptops through the high school so far. Both through JB's Education store (BYOD). In both cases I've purchased the accidental damage extended warranty thing so if (or when) they destroy them it's all covered by warranty. They also cover the battery for the full term of the warranty.
    I should add there is also "Education Support" included which means they should fix just about anything that goes wrong. I'm a tech guy so don't usually need their help, but it's nice to know it's there if I want to wash my hands of it all :P

    In both cases I skipped the "Junior school" model and spent more on the "Senior" model (and noticed for next year they seem to have dropped the differentiation) because it was just that much better. I'm sure the base model works fine, but 11.6-inch @ 1366x768, 4GB RAM and an Intel Celeron N5100 Processor isn't a great start.

    On a side note.

    My eldest started with iPads, smashed one iPad (and a phone) in his junior years. They moved to laptops for everyone as he went into year 9 and I have to say that even though his laptop is 3 years old, it still looks excellent. We did upgrade the stock 8GB of RAM earlier this year to 16GB which he is appreciating, but otherwise it's survived pretty well.

    My next child is in year 8 this year, I got them a second hand HP basic laptop when they were in year 6 for home schooling duties. It was fine at home, but as soon as it got to school it was bashed, dropped and abused over the year 7 school year to a point where it was literally falling apart. We stared year 8 with it and I had to relent in April and have upgraded to another Lenovo L3 Yoga. So far it's looking to be surviving much better and this one I absolutely got the extra coverage for… but wouldn't you know it… no physical damage yet!

    It seems that kids suck in the first year or so at looking after things, both of mine seem to have gotten much better over time… (famous last words)… Maybe look at something cheap for now then something better later which gives you more time to save some extra $$.

    In reality, it seems they need a PC (or Mac) that can run Office and a web browser. That's about it.

    • Buttocks on 24/10/2022 - 17:39

      Thank you detailed reply. Torn between buying 2nd hand half decent unit or buy new as for the benefits you have outlined. His school BYOD program link to HP and Dell where as I also like the Lenovo L3 Yoga. Next step for me is to email them regarding different benefits if buy thru their choosen suppliers or if I buy from other retailer.

      • The Hawk on 25/10/2022 - 13:02
        +1

        The benefits are warranty, support, insurance and standardisation which helps them provide support. When I looked around both times I could maybe have saved $50 and wouldn't have had to wait for it to come into stock. But I felt those benefits were worth it.

        Honestly, battery life is going to be your biggest hurdle on older machines, although many can be replaced relatively easily (with all the caveats on non genuine batteries, although I have had decent luck).

        One of the cheapest options I can see at the moment is this model, low end of course, but also brand new battery and at least a 12 month warranty:
        https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/hp-50r74pa-14-hd-laptop-1…

        The RAM is my biggest concern, but for basic things it's probably not the worst option out there.

        There is refurb options like this place (which is just the first I found on google, not a recommendation):
        https://www.reboot-it.com.au/used-laptops/?rf=va%3Frf%3Dva%2…

        This for example isn't too bad for the price:
        https://www.reboot-it.com.au/p/Used-Laptops/Dell-Laptops/Del…

  • TrustNoBody on 24/10/2022 - 09:56
    +1

    my sons school gives them a chromebook laptop in yr 7 and all we had to do was pay the “voluntary “ school fees of $95 for 2 or 3 years

  • thrifty mum on 24/10/2022 - 10:35
    +1

    I bought the school recommended laptop, it had the option for payment plan (works out more expensive), but I'm too tight to consider that option. As previously mentioned by another, I sprung for the more advanced, convertible laptop so it would last through senior school, and offer more flexibility. The best part about this option as opposed to buying privately, is they can easily install the school's requirements, and have techs who know the model well, and also the insurance deal (from memory $50 a pop to fix when needed, although I've not yet needed it after 3 years!).

  • Noblejoker on 24/10/2022 - 10:40
    +1

    Damage in the school bag is an issue - worth getting a padded sleeve to put inside the bag and having a decent backpack as well
    If I was spending big - like a Macbook - I would ensure to get a hard case for it too
    Damage out of the bag well - we can still smack our kids right?? jk

  • shaybisc on 24/10/2022 - 10:56

    Haven't been to high school since Charles Dickens was a boy so I ask out of complete ignorance. What do kids do on their computers at school? Do they type all notes and not write anything on paper? Do they have paper textbooks or is it all electronic? Do they use computers in every lesson in every subject, bar woodwork, PE etc?

    • CrispyChrispy on 24/10/2022 - 11:10
      +1

      What do kids do on their computers at school?

      Use it to access classroom material that the teacher/school may provide, eg. Google Classroom. Also to inevitably muck around and play Cool Math Games.

      Do they type all notes and not write anything on paper?

      Depends on the school and furthermore the teacher, but most of the time it's a mixture of both. Sometimes it's online worksheets in a Google Doc and sometimes it's hard copy. Some teachers don't care, some prefer soft but majority do try and reinforce the pen and paper.

      Do they have paper textbooks or is it all electronic?

      Both, but there's obviously a lot more resources online than in a hard copy form. Hard copy textbooks are more for in class learning, soft copy is more homework.

      Do they use computers in every lesson in every subject, bar woodwork, PE etc?

      Yes, pretty much. As I mentioned earlier, teachers will post material online that is then also submitted online for teacher marking and feedback. But some teachers are dinosaurs and do everything in hard copy.

  • shaybisc on 24/10/2022 - 11:11

    All of the evidence I can find suggests that computer use in the classroom diminishes learning and IQ. Such as:

    https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/students-are-bett…

  • bargaino on 24/10/2022 - 12:58
    +3

    Ex-lease govt/corporate Dell Latitude. look for Full-HD touch screen, battery guarantee, 8GB (preferably 16GB or upgradable later when needed)

    They are well-built and will probably last a lot longer than a cheap new computer.
    e.g. https://www.australiancomputertraders.com.au/dell-latitude-7…

  • OpayuOnam on 24/10/2022 - 16:52
    +1

    If you look on FB Marketplace and Gumtree you can easily find 2-3 year old ThinkPad L or X or Yoga series laptops for around $500.
    Generally speaking anything with Intel 8th gen onwards (i5/i7 8xxx or 10xxx or 11xxx…) OR anything with AMD Ryzen will be great.

    Check weight of each individual model. Newer models are very light.

  • Bystander on 24/10/2022 - 19:54

    I know you mentioned Windows only so I'm just putting this out there as a fyi.

    My child is finishing Y12 next week and has used a Chromebook all through NSW govt high school. Never had a problem with completing the work required and the CB always performed well. My take was that with each CB costing c$300 brand new I was expecting about 3 years of being knocked around in a backpack. And that's how long the first one lasted. The second one is still going strong. I'll be getting them a better model that will see them through uni.

    • Leo Getz on 25/10/2022 - 14:42

      Chromebook is definitely not an option in Qld gov schools.

      • Bystander on 25/10/2022 - 18:10

        Why?

      • Bystander on 26/10/2022 - 07:23

        @Leo Getz
        Without any supporting evidence I'd have to say that your post is guesswork. I haven't heard any valid reason for students to not use Chromebooks.

        • Leo Getz on 27/10/2022 - 01:18
          +1

          Chromebooks are not supported in Qld gov schools (Education Queensland).
          Google 'chromebook Education Queensland'.
          That's the evidence.

  • Leo Getz on 25/10/2022 - 14:59
    -1

    Do not get a laptop with 4GB and/or spinning HDD.
    128GB SSD is ok as you will be running a retail version of Windows.
    All schools have a server for storage, may use OneDrive and teachers still have kids save work on USB.
    Minimum is 8GB, i3 or better from the last couple of years, nothing older.
    Don't skimp on RAM or storage (HDD vs SSD).

    Go with the BYOD suggestions.
    Get accidental damage if offered but read the fine print.
    Or, go second hand no older than 2/3 years.

    Do not get 4GB of RAM no matter what anyone says.
    8GB is fine for general school stuff ie. Internet, Office, basic multimedia editing.

    I would ask the school actually how much use the devices will get and if they are absolutely required.
    Greatly depends on the school and if they have labs or loan devices available.

  • virgo76 on 26/10/2022 - 07:21
    +1

    We bought the schools reccomended laptop as did pretty much whole class. They offer convinient I.T support for the kids laptops etc. If a privately owned laptop stops working in the classroom your child will need to fix it.

  • dreamerman on 26/10/2022 - 08:08

    Do you need to dock the device at home?

  • Buttocks on 27/10/2022 - 19:09

    Hi all thank you all for your thought provocative responses. All comments helped me to make the decision. Going to buy thru school BYOD recommended suppliers HP or Dell. The school does not have an inclusive laptop supply program its the parents choice where to buy and what to buy. The advantage of buying through portal is onsite warranty and damage repair plus option of 3 year extended warranty and damage insurrance for $99. School will assist child with onsite warranty and accidental damage repairs bookings etc if you buy through their suppliers portals or if you buy HP or Dell from any retail shop with onsite warranty provision. Hope this all makes sense.
    So I am going to buy
    hp Pro Book 445 Ryzen 5
    SCREEN SIZE 14"
    COLOUR Natural silver
    AMD Ryzen™ 5 processor
    8 GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM (1 x 8 GB)
    256 GB PCIe® NVMe™ SSD
    14" diagonal HD display
    Windows 10 Pro
    $899.00. Plus $99 for extended 3 warranty and accident insurance.
    I will also buy spare charger as poster highlighted and will also buy protective 'always on' case.
    I will also will see if ram can be upgraded. More than I wanted to spend at this stage of his life/responsibilities but hopefully be less hassle.
    Happy to hear your thoughts on this computer and price.
    Thanks Ozbargainers

  • noogaz on 03/11/2022 - 15:09

    For me the top thing to look for is how reparable it is… my son is about to go to year 10 now… he has broken a LT EVERY year…. The second laptop was a 1k Lenovo thinkpad… they are meant to be solid…. I even bought a hard shell plastic case for it…. The boy dropped the laptop from his bed (3 months in) with the USB C share cable in it…. And well that broke the port usb c …. I was quoted $950 to replace the main board… so I salvaged the parts and threw it in the bin….

    Since I bought a cheap dell about 500 ish…. Did the same again and I replaced the barrel port my self for 40 bux and 1 hour of my time…. This weekend he smashed the LCD screen….. so that’s my project to fix it for him this weekend…. Should be about $150

    My takeaway. LT that is repaired easily and cheap to repair…..

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