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Budget Laptop
Looking at getting my son a cheapish laptop for school and home use. Currently edging towards the Lenovo G50 series:
Our Best Value Laptop | Lenovo G50-70 | Lenovo Australia The i3 can be got for $500 (including a very cool wireless mouse) and the i5 for $600 - seems to be a lot of computer for the money and Lenovo is a good brand Any other recommendations? |
Re: Budget Laptop
Originally Posted by Amazulu
(Post 11551972)
Looking at getting my son a cheapish laptop for school and home use. Currently edging towards the Lenovo G50 series:
Our Best Value Laptop | Lenovo G50-70 | Lenovo Australia The i3 can be got for $500 (including a very cool wireless mouse) and the i5 for $600 - seems to be a lot of computer for the money and Lenovo is a good brand Any other recommendations? Shopping Express have had some good deals on HP laptops over the last couple of weeks - i3 and i5 models, though I have really got the shits with HP lately, and would rather avoid them. S |
Re: Budget Laptop
I bought my kids Chromebooks, well cool and cheap.
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Re: Budget Laptop
Originally Posted by renth
(Post 11552586)
I bought my kids Chromebooks, well cool and cheap.
Ain't school in the 21st century cool Can you believe that an 11 year old is creating designs in Solidworks and then outputting them to a 3D printer - when I was at school we were filing bits of metal and making a crappy spice rack in woodwork class |
Re: Budget Laptop
The daughter started Kalamunda High school today. We had to buy her a Microsoft Pro 3 computer. The cheapest model was about $1100 including the software. They didn't give us much choice because it had to run windows (rules out iMac), had to be a tablet that had a USB port (rules out iPads), have a stylus, minimum of 11" screen and 8 hours battery life.
So there wasn't a lot of choice. Some families had to buy 2 computers as today 2 years went from primary school to high school instead of just one to bring WA in line with the rest of the country. A lot of money to be spent. And they don't even have enough lockers to give to my daughters year yet. So I was onto the insurance company to get extra coverage today. Keel |
Re: Budget Laptop
We had an fella fly down from India, collect all the old laptops, roughly 60 odd he told me, then give them to charity. All worked though a couple of years old and beyond and all fitted with 3D software (not Solidworks) so they all had ooomph.
Just wondering if there is a market or there is somewhere that sells the older laptops for the school kids, cheap but with ooomph. There must be a market for something like this. |
Re: Budget Laptop
Originally Posted by keel
(Post 11552985)
The daughter started Kalamunda High school today. We had to buy her a Microsoft Pro 3 computer. The cheapest model was about $1100 including the software. They didn't give us much choice because it had to run windows (rules out iMac), had to be a tablet that had a USB port (rules out iPads), have a stylus, minimum of 11" screen and 8 hours battery life.
I can see the benefit of providing, for free, textbooks in ebook form (to run on any tablet). I can also see the benefits of providing certain tools and simulation in HTML5 form (to run on any tablet), and finally something to hold timetables/homework reqs etc. - but none of that needs a $1100 lump. In fact a $50 should be enough, and should be provided by the school. A kid and a $1100 lump of delicate electronics is just asking for trouble. |
Re: Budget Laptop
Originally Posted by GarryP;11553505[COLOR="Red"
]Quite frankly, that set of 'requirements' seems to be designed to force you to buy specific MS c**p.[/COLOR] As such I'd ask the school to fund the full cost - and if they won't, to be less prescriptive in the specifications. Nobody should be designing a curriculum around that set of requirements - if for no other reason that tomorrow MS will dump their pseudo tablet and leave people high and dry.
I can see the benefit of providing, for free, textbooks in ebook form (to run on any tablet). I can also see the benefits of providing certain tools and simulation in HTML5 form (to run on any tablet), and finally something to hold timetables/homework reqs etc. - but none of that needs a $1100 lump. In fact a $50 should be enough, and should be provided by the school. A kid and a $1100 lump of delicate electronics is just asking for trouble. I thought as well. Seems very very specific, and would make me ask who exactly is getting the kickback from M$. Though I have heard tell of schools creating similar requirements for high spec Macs too. Again - no need. S |
Re: Budget Laptop
Originally Posted by Swerv-o
(Post 11553512)
I thought as well. Seems very very specific, and would make me ask who exactly is getting the kickback from M$.
And, of course, schools are allowed to get away with tapping parents for 'donations' - so want parents with money. A boot needs to come down on some avaricious fingers... |
Re: Budget Laptop
Originally Posted by Amazulu
(Post 11551972)
Looking at getting my son a cheapish laptop for school and home use. Currently edging towards the Lenovo G50 series:
Our Best Value Laptop | Lenovo G50-70 | Lenovo Australia The i3 can be got for $500 (including a very cool wireless mouse) and the i5 for $600 - seems to be a lot of computer for the money and Lenovo is a good brand Any other recommendations? Hey Zulu, If you're interested, Harvey Norman have the Surface 2 for $296: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/181790 Though it looks like it's the RT version, not one with a proper OS... S |
Re: Budget Laptop
Originally Posted by Swerv-o
(Post 11557202)
Hey Zulu,
If you're interested, Harvey Norman have the Surface 2 for $296: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/181790 Though it looks like it's the RT version, not one with a proper OS... S |
Re: Budget Laptop
Originally Posted by Beoz
(Post 11553037)
We had an fella fly down from India, collect all the old laptops, roughly 60 odd he told me, then give them to charity. All worked though a couple of years old and beyond and all fitted with 3D software (not Solidworks) so they all had ooomph.
Just wondering if there is a market or there is somewhere that sells the older laptops for the school kids, cheap but with ooomph. There must be a market for something like this. |
Re: Budget Laptop
Originally Posted by Swerv-o
(Post 11557202)
Hey Zulu,
If you're interested, Harvey Norman have the Surface 2 for $296: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/181790 Though it looks like it's the RT version, not one with a proper OS... S Great deal though if you can get one |
Re: Budget Laptop
Originally Posted by Amazulu
(Post 11559176)
MS S2 is good value at that price but RT means it's a no go for my requirements
Great deal though if you can get one No, RT is a deal breaker for me. S |
Re: Budget Laptop
What did you end up getting, Zulu?
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