School Laptop Recommendation

AliKay on 16/10/2025 - 22:10
Last edited 16/10/2025 - 22:30 by 1 other user

Hi all,

My son is starting Year 9 next year and the school has advised to purchase one of the below laptop's from them.

The prices seem very high so seeking advice if a similar/better specced laptop can be bought at a reasonable price? Any recommendations will be highly appreciated. TIA

HP EliteBook 8 Flip G1i ($2,656)
The HP EliteBook 8 Flip is our standard device, designed for most students, providing the performance and reliability required for academic tasks.

HP EliteBook X Flip G1i ($3,239)
The HP EliteBook X Flip is a significant step up from the 8 Flip, with a faster CPU, more RAM, and Microsoft Copilot+ certification for advanced on-device AI workloads. We recommend selecting this device if intending to do design, art, or software development subjects where additional compute and RAM will be useful.

Computing Computer Laptop

Comments

  • jv on 16/10/2025 - 22:45
    +2

    the school has advised to purchase one of the below

    Will they let you buy anything else???

    My kids are using the latest Surface laptops with snapdragon processors…
    Got them about $800 around last Xmas, plus stacked with AMEX $200 cashback…

    They've always got sales on them leading up to Xmas…

    • StingyMan on 16/10/2025 - 22:47
      +2

      I think you forgot to write in bold.

      • jv on 16/10/2025 - 22:50
        -1

        Why do you think that?

    • JimB on 17/10/2025 - 10:31

      Any compatibility issues with snapdragon?

      • jv on 17/10/2025 - 11:03
        -1

        None at all so far…

    • AliKay on 18/10/2025 - 09:46

      They do try to enforce and discourage but I've checked with other senior students and they confirmed they have been using their own devices

  • Tanvry on 16/10/2025 - 22:50
    +8

    That's pretty crazy, is your school sponsored by HP?

    • AliKay on 18/10/2025 - 09:47

      Sponsored by the Victorian government apparently

      • Muppet Detector on 20/10/2025 - 23:49

        Oh dear God. Don't say that out loud whilst jv is around!

        NFI about computer, but my advice would be to insure it.

  • StingyMan on 16/10/2025 - 22:53
    +3

    Many of the frequent Lenovo deals posted will be better for much cheaper, especially if combining with cashback. Look for 32gb RAM and a Ryzen AI processor or an Intel processor starting with a 2. Though for school work (unless it's graphics related) even this is overkill.

  • wombat81 on 16/10/2025 - 23:04
    +3

    Yeah that's ridiculous pricing. Lenovo are generally well priced. They have an education store which had good prices on laptops at times. Their main store also has good sales.

  • JIMB0 on 16/10/2025 - 23:21
    +3

    Holy crap, that's a lot of money for a kids laptop.

    • Molebag on 17/10/2025 - 15:42

      Yup and they'll probably drop it on the ground at some point.

      I think schools tend to buy a pool of loaners and then suggest the students buy the same so they feel familiar with them. They probably hold spares on hand as well (screens, keyboards, trackpads) and can use these for the pool or for compliant students.

      That, or yeah, they have a sell 10 get one free for the school type deal.

      • JIMB0 on 17/10/2025 - 16:57

        Get the kid to buy it with their own money, at least that way they'll be very careful and look after it.

  • rumblytangara on 16/10/2025 - 23:28
    +2

    Which crazy expensive private school does he go to that specifies laptops that cost more than most corporate machines?

    • AliKay on 18/10/2025 - 09:42

      Not a private school. It's a selective state government school

      • rumblytangara on 18/10/2025 - 10:35

        Maybe they expect the money you save on private school can be dumped into overly expensive hardware instead.

        Tablet/flip style computers and high school kids is asking for expensive breakages.

  • bargaino on 17/10/2025 - 02:13
    +3

    Utterly ridiculous.
    I made the mistake of buying from the school's list when my eldest started high school.

    Look for a good ex-lease 2-in-1.
    e.g. https://www.australiancomputertraders.com.au/laptop-computer…

    The Lenovo looks very nice:
    https://www.australiancomputertraders.com.au/lenovo-thinkpad…
    Just needs a stylus.

    I personally like the surface book, due to the detachable keyboard and 3000x2000 display:

    https://www.australiancomputertraders.com.au/microsoft-surfa…

    • OZB Al on 19/10/2025 - 16:46

      My kids state school would refuse to let any of them on the network.

      Some highlights from their "requirements":

      • Must be a hybrid tablet laptop
      • No older than 3 years from manufacturing date
      • Must include both 10-point touch and active stylus
      • Must be capable of capturing both forward-facing and rear-facing photos by design
      • The machine must have Windows Pro, Enterprise or Education not Windows Home (or S mode)

      This is why I will not recommend any laptop that is not on their stupid elitist list.

      • bargaino on 19/10/2025 - 17:56

        So ignore it.
        Our school had similar, though not so extreme list, basically describing the Surface Pro, but allowing for a Lenovo equivalent.
        Had to be touchscreen, etc, but some kids showed up with macbooks. They worked.
        The moron who wrote the list might not even work there. Maybe it came from their supplier.

        • OZB Al on 19/10/2025 - 23:03

          Yep, Surface preferred, one Lenovo equivalent accepted. But they are refusing to let anything else on their network and auditing to find non compliance. No way a MacBook would be accepted.

          • bargaino on 19/10/2025 - 23:45

            @OZB Al: State school? There should be a way to fight that. Completely ludicrous. No other school does it.
            Or avoid the fight and don't use their wifi. Kids need to be able to access school servers from home. LTE in school will work fine.

  • Shame on 17/10/2025 - 13:55
    +3

    Over $2500 and they only have 16GB RAM and 500GB hard drive? I'd expect 32GB and at least 1TB for that price.

    • bargaino on 17/10/2025 - 18:14
      +3

      And it is non-upgradable. Who do they think they are? Apple?

  • Molebag on 17/10/2025 - 15:43
    +3

    We got the last kid an ebay refurb which had a new battery and met the minimum requirements for specs and OS. Does the job well and was about 25% the cost of what the school was suggesting/selling.

  • vince088 on 17/10/2025 - 20:30
    +1

    I bought my son a laptop for year 10, budget was $1000 - spent $800

    The 2 laptops you mentioned are very expensive, each to their own though GL

  • AliKay on 18/10/2025 - 09:44

    Thanks everyone. Yes that price is out of budget. I would be spending a $1000 max.

    • OZB Al on 19/10/2025 - 16:47

      Get it in writing from your school that your kids will be allowed to use it and connect it to their network before you buy!

      • bargaino on 19/10/2025 - 17:58
        +1

        Not by my experience with bureaucracy. Not schools anyway. Easier to get forgiveness than permission.

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