Laptop for grandson

[PORKSTER]

I have offered to buy my grandson a laptop to assist and help him with his homework. Hes just started secondary school and is 11 years old he tells me he it must have google as the homework is on a google platform.

So I am thinking a Chromebook I have one and it suits me but I dont do home work but it starts quick dosnt get viruses so should be kid proof possibly. Budget is £300 tops bit cheaper would be nicer has anyone got an opinion on what to buy please ?

many thanks in advance Paul

 

[tonka]

We are planning to buy 2 Chromebooks for our grandkids aged 11 and 13 for same reason so watching

 

[PORKSTER]

Deffo going chromebook just have to decide which one at moment im thinking this one as it looks smart and nice offer
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[Gellyneck]

Son, who is a bit of a computer wizard, just bought the 13" version of the model you've linked to. Should arrive with him today so can't give any feedback on it as yet.
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It's a model introduced a year or so ago so possibly on run out hence the discount. He preferred it over a newer model as it has 64Gb (rather than 32Gb), USB-C, full HD screen and a few other bits and pieces. One key one being a microSD slot so he could add additional storage without a usb stick protruding from the side. Looks like the R11 has that too.
I saw the two models (both Acer) he short-listed and the R13 seemed to be a bit more robust with an aluminium chassis. It's also fanless so should run silently (don't think the R11 is). He had thought of a Pixelbook but at a list price of £1k (discounted to £700 ) thankfully he came to his senses!
Note, the R13 is silver rather than white.

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

12 hour's battery life that's good. My u
Hp is 4hrs.

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[Dogeared]

It's worth chatting at pc world, just to check that it runs all the programmes students need, some reviews suggest that there are some programmes that may need to be added on as extras. Some schools have their own platforms which are not compatable with all models. Could be wrong, but better to check first.

 

[Gaston aires]

I have an old Sinclair calculator, does +, -, x, and division. Any good ?
Phil

 

[Louis]

Some £250 laptops at Tescos are ideal . Microsoft office may need to be installed to be compatible with schools platform.

 

[clanjones]

Before you part with your cash it may be worth having a look at this article unless of course you already have!

https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/chromebook-buying-advice

I bought a new laptop from the HP store and I am pretty pleased with it. Might be worth a look.

 

[Stealaway]

According to my tech son all Chromebook do not have very good processors. you would get a better buy with a laptop.
He recommends a Lenovo Ideapad.

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Or

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[Guigsy]

Chromebooks run a different operating system to normal laptops. They run Google Chrome OS, not Windows.

Chrome OS is lightweight so doesn't need a lot of processing power, so you can get by with something that would chug on a Windows laptop. It's also less vulnerable to viruses.

Google basically took their Chrome browser and added just enough code to make it run standalone. But that also means lots of the features are missing, it's just a browser in a box. As a general rule, if you can't run the program you want from a browser, it won't work on a Chromebook. So Microsoft Word and Excel are out, you need to use Google Docs and Sheets respectively. If you want to write code or play Fortnite, forget about it.

Some newer Chromebooks allow you to use Android apps from the Google Play store. These apps can be a bit clunky as most aren't written for the right screen size or touchpad of a Chromebook, but they generally work. It makes Chromebooks more useful.