Lap top for secondary school use

Cisco001

If you can afford 400
https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/acer-aspire-5-a515-43-15-6-amd-ryzen-5-laptop-256-gb-ssd-silver-10198290-pdt.html

This is good spec for the money

bob_a_builder

There are a couple of free Office suites which often get a mention on here
i.e LibraOffice etc

But there is another (new?) one which i just came across, can't comment on its comparability/usability compared to real MS office

But its another option to look at

https://www.onlyoffice.com/

mksysb

johannis wrote: »

Thanks, you were very helpful when i got the laptop i'm typing on.
i was looking at these, nice to have the confirmation.

this may not be your thing, but he'll need some kind of office application, its not a cheap thing and i use the office 365 through work but i find its limited. What do you think of the free alternatives?

LibreOffice is very good, compatible with MS Office and even does some things better.
Another good option is Google Docs.

johannis

EveryWhere wrote: »

These? There is just one. They are not all the same. This one conforms to very particular set of circumstances and the price is right.
Schools should be eligible for a cheap office package. I have access to a schools package that allows you to install the full Microsoft Office suite to your device. In fact i can install to up to five devices. So I don't understand why you think your Office suite is limited.
Perhaps you haven't actually installed the applications to your device?

I meant i'd been looking at Lenovo ideapads in general.

With my office 365 its through my work and there are a number of things that it can't do compared to the office package on my work PC.
I thought the Office package that comes with windows was a limited version as well.
are you saying we can get an office package via his school?

DoaM

What is he likely to be doing that an Office package couldn't provide? These are likely the core apps that he'll use:

Word
Excel
Powerpoint
Access

Office Home & Student version may not offer Access.

https://products.office.com/en/compare-all-microsoft-office-products
https://products.office.com/en/get-started-with-office-2019

Also, if your company is signed up for the Home User Program (HUP) then you may be able to buy Office Professional 2019 for around £10 - check with your company.

sal_III

forgotmyname wrote: »

Why a laptop? A desktop machine maybe more cost effective and far easier to replace parts or upgrade as required.

The average laptop is probably used on mains 99% of the time. The battery often doesnt last long enough.

If left on charge with a full battery it could degrade the battery fairly quickly even if you instruct them not to do that. been there (TWICE).

Because it's cheaper and more convenient and flexible to buy a laptop, than Desktop. You also can't bring the Desktop to school if some of the classes allow/require that.

With a glut of cheap ex-corporate 2nd hand laptops in excellent condition and eligible for extension of manufactures warranty on the cheap it makes no sense to go for a desktop for repair-ability. Besides it's only cheaper if you have the skills to do the repairs/part swaps yourself, which is unlikely to be the case with OP given the question.

The only market where desktops are still dominant is for gaming machines, but losing ground even there it more and more Laptops coming with TB3 ports and availability of cheap eGPU enclosures.

Cheap 2nd hand ex-corporate laptop or hand-me-down are best for students. For Cheap MS Office and alternatives:

- Office 365 for 6 users/devices for £60/year from Argos Bonus McAfee AV
- LibreOffice
- Google Docs

DoaM

sal_III wrote: »

For Cheap MS Office and alternatives:

- Office 365 for 6 users/devices for £60/year from Argos Bonus McAfee AV
- LibreOffice
- Google Docs

That's debatable.

sal_III

DoaM wrote: »

That's debatable.

It's not, even if you don't use it (I wouldn't) you can flog the McAfee licenses on E-bay for a fiver

bigfer

any recommendations for a supplier of reconditioned laptops (around the £200 price range)? Trustpilot gives mycheaplaptops good marks.

I need a light portable laptop with decent battery life for watching tv / social media and very very limited university work....as you can guess, its for my daughter.

She wants to go down the cheap 32 GB eMMC sub £200 laptop route, but having had a poor experience with a cheap ASUS and problems with windows updates on such a small memory, i was thinking about trying reconditioned business laptops. I know i could pick up a lemon in either case, i just think an older better built model might be better than a cheap one with inferior components. (Full disclosure, i'm a tight wad 15 year old skoda driver).
Any ideas/comments appreciated.

that

sal_III wrote: »

Office 365 for 6 users/devices for £60/year from Argos Bonus McAfee AV
- LibreOffice
- Google Docs

Not thought something like this from ebay, if you do not want to go the LibreOffice route...
"Office 2019 365 Pro Plus Lifetime License - Windows, Mac, Mobile | 5TB Cloud Storage
Authorized Reseller
Pro Version
100% Genuine"

for £2.89? Possibly the cheapest 5tb storage around too
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INSTANT-MS-Office-365-Pro-LifeTime-Custome-Account-5-Devices-5TB-PC-MOBILE/312838561587