Laptop help?

hampshirebabe

I need a cheap laptop for my kids online learning, would this be the sort of thing, or anything else I should look for?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FAST-Dell-6430U-Ultrabook-14-Laptop-HD-LCD-Core-i5-Windows-10-64GB-SSD-4GB-RAM-/393018238058?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

DiddyDavies

There is one thing that would put me off that particular item:

The laptop have Cracks on the body these VARY from The corners of the Bezel and PalmRest This doesnt affect the use of the Item

Why does it have cracks? Badly handled in the past maybe or it could be a poor design which is prone to cracking when used normally.
Whilst it may certainly be true that the cracks don't affect the laptop at present, cracks can have a habit of growing over time and if this was to happen and ended up meaning that the laptop couldn't be used, you may well have a bit of a fight on your hands trying to get a refund or repair from the seller.

CoastingHatbox

I think the laptop model you have chosen here is fine. Not sure about the condition.
Other Dell Latitude models to consider, in order to help broaden your search:

Mid-range:

• E5430
• E5440
• E5450
• E5460
• E5470

Top-range (less plastic):

• E6430
• E6440
• E7440 (succeeds 6430U)
• E7450
• E7470

What the model numbers mean:

• First digit (3,5,6, 7) signifies range. 3 being entry level, 5 mid range, 6/7 high end.
  
• Second (2,4,5,7) signifies display size, 4 being 14"
• The last two digits (30, 40, 50 etc.) signifies the revision. The higher the number, the newer the laptop is.

If the laptop is older, try and make sure it has at least an Intel Core i5 processor. Aim for at least 8GB RAM and at least 120GB SSD. Try and get one with a "Full HD" display resolution (1920 x 1080) as oppose to 1366 x 768 (sometimes call HD rather than "Full HD". If the laptop does have the lower 1366 x 768 resolution, please make sure that is reflected in the price so you can perhaps put the difference towards an external monitor. The higher resolution display is much less restrictive, especially as I imagine remote learning will involve simultaneously watching a video  feed and writing notes/answering questions.

If a listing doesn't explicitliy give the display resolution as 1920 x 1080, it probably is the lower resolution 1366 x 768. Leaving off this important detail and trying to infer the laptop has a Full HD display is a common thing, sadly.

If you can get a bargain wiith HDD and say 4GB RAM, it can easily be upgraded with an SSD and an additional 4GB / replacement 8GB of RAM to make it more responsive and extend its useful lifetime. On most of them removing the bottom panel reveals the hard disk drive and the RAM. Some of the older models, the hard disk can be access by unfastening a single screw on the right. If the laptop comes preloaded with Windows 10, you can create Windows 10 installation media using a memory stick and the Windows 10 media creation tool on another Windows PC and use that to do a clean install on a new SSD.

Used/reconditioned laptop prices really do seem to have shot up, sadly.

thevilla

At the risk of repeating myself, look at the Raspberry PI 400.  If all you need it access to a web browser, why pay more?  (The Raspberry PI is far more than that)

CoastingHatbox

thevilla said:

At the risk of repeating myself, look at the Raspberry PI 400.  If all you need it access to a web browser, why pay more?  (The Raspberry PI is far more than that)

In essence, it is not a bad idea but has to come with some consideration:

• Support for anything requiring DRM is sketchy/non-existent.
  
• Educational establishments tend to overlook Linux support when they choose/recommend software students need to use. Add to that the packages need compiling for ARM rather than x86, this can prove to be a double hit. Forward thinking establishments will increasingly use browser based software, so may not be a problem.
  
• People using Linux sometimes need to be prepared to wade and solve their own problems
• Hardware acceleration for web-based video conferencing isn't quite there yet (it looks like it will be soon)
• You need an external display (expense), which essentially may mean a dedicated space. Yes it can be plugged into a TV, but it is not an ideal choice for everyone
• No hard disk boot option. Yes it can be booted from an external USB connected SSD, but my personal opinion is that is going to be less reliable.
  

I almost exclusively use Linux (several desktops and servers) and also to work from home. It is a great option and it is a great operating system for children who want to learn how to write software / learn how computers work. It will be absolutely be fine for 99.95% of the things 90-95% of people want to do. I would even say, it is not that hard to use - My mum in her seventies had to use it for a couple of weeks whilst I sourced a replacement laptop for her. All that said, It is not a panacea and may present some additional problems to solve.

If parents themselves use Linux, then the Pi 400 is a great choice. Otherwise, a computer running the operating system parents are most familiar with is probably more practical.

thevilla

CoastingHatbox said:

thevilla said:

At the risk of repeating myself, look at the Raspberry PI 400.  If all you need it access to a web browser, why pay more?  (The Raspberry PI is far more than that)

In essence, it is not a bad idea but has to come with some consideration:

• Support for anything requiring DRM is sketchy/non-existent.
  
• Educational establishments tend to overlook Linux support when they choose/recommend software students need to use. Add to that the packages need compiling for ARM rather than x86, this can prove to be a double hit. Forward thinking establishments will increasingly use browser based software, so may not be a problem.
  
• People using Linux sometimes need to be prepared to wade and solve their own problems
• Hardware acceleration for web-based video conferencing isn't quite there yet (it looks like it will be soon)
• You need an external display (expense), which essentially may mean a dedicated space. Yes it can be plugged into a TV, but it is not an ideal choice for everyone
• No hard disk boot option. Yes it can be booted from an external USB connected SSD, but my personal opinion is that is going to be less reliable.
  

I almost exclusively use Linux (several desktops and servers) and also to work from home. It is a great option and it is a great operating system for children who want to learn how to write software / learn how computers work. It will be absolutely be fine for 99.95% of the things 90-95% of people want to do. I would even say, it is not that hard to use - My mum in her seventies had to use it for a couple of weeks whilst I sourced a replacement laptop for her. All that said, It is not a panacea and may present some additional problems to solve.

If parents themselves use Linux, then the Pi 400 is a great choice. Otherwise, a computer running the operating system parents are most familiar with is probably more practical.

In my experience of using Linux your comments above are partly true but may be a little outdated. I've used Zoom for instance. There's also at least as much help on the web for Linux as for Windows.  The Pi is built with education at its heart.

At £70 - £90 why not give it a try.  (I'm not on commission by the way! )

CoastingHatbox

thevilla said:

CoastingHatbox said:

thevilla said:

At the risk of repeating myself, look at the Raspberry PI 400.  If all you need it access to a web browser, why pay more?  (The Raspberry PI is far more than that)

In essence, it is not a bad idea but has to come with some consideration:

• Support for anything requiring DRM is sketchy/non-existent.
  
• Educational establishments tend to overlook Linux support when they choose/recommend software students need to use. Add to that the packages need compiling for ARM rather than x86, this can prove to be a double hit. Forward thinking establishments will increasingly use browser based software, so may not be a problem.
  
• People using Linux sometimes need to be prepared to wade and solve their own problems
• Hardware acceleration for web-based video conferencing isn't quite there yet (it looks like it will be soon)
• You need an external display (expense), which essentially may mean a dedicated space. Yes it can be plugged into a TV, but it is not an ideal choice for everyone
• No hard disk boot option. Yes it can be booted from an external USB connected SSD, but my personal opinion is that is going to be less reliable.
  

I almost exclusively use Linux (several desktops and servers) and also to work from home. It is a great option and it is a great operating system for children who want to learn how to write software / learn how computers work. It will be absolutely be fine for 99.95% of the things 90-95% of people want to do. I would even say, it is not that hard to use - My mum in her seventies had to use it for a couple of weeks whilst I sourced a replacement laptop for her. All that said, It is not a panacea and may present some additional problems to solve.

If parents themselves use Linux, then the Pi 400 is a great choice. Otherwise, a computer running the operating system parents are most familiar with is probably more practical.

In my experience of using Linux your comments above are partly true but may be a little outdated. I've used Zoom for instance. There's also at least as much help on the web for Linux as for Windows.  The Pi is built with education at its heart.

At £70 - £90 why not give it a try.  (I'm not on commission by the way! )

Not really outdated. At the moment rendering video with many of the collaboration apps (essentially Chrome-based apps) is CPU heavy because up until literally a few days ago, there was no support for hardware video acceleration in Chrome for Linux. It is on it's way though. This is one of the reasons I had to buy new hardware for working from home as the i5-3320M CPU in my old laptop was maxed out by it.

I'm a big advocate of Free and Open Source Software and I'm confident it will be fine for most people, but with lots of experience supporting end users I know it won't be fine for everyone. I think every household with children should have at least one Raspberry Pi just for the educational opportunities they offer. If it turns out to be good enough for all school work, then all the more power to them.

thevilla

Noticed updated guidance for zoom, office etc here:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-400-for-working-and-learning-at-home/