chromebooks for kids

[rob_s]

Evidently the time has come that the kids' homework is all computer-based and so we're looking at Chromebooks. I wouldn't typically go that route but evidently the school system here is using them so why buck the system.

I'm a little clueless here. On the one hand would be buying "cheap and disposable" which tends to go against my nature. On the other hand trying to "overbuy" today in the hopes of not having to do this again every year.

Also, does RAM, HD size, and processor speed matter here? Option (1) below is pretty lame on at least processor speed.

Graphics are another question/concern as I hear some of the screens are "dim" or have shitty overall graphics.

Pretty sure I want a touch screen and 360-degree hinge...

Do I wait for "black friday" at this point or am I only looking at saving a couple of bucks (not worth the headache for me, even when dealing with online during the holidays).

I'm looking at a few different options

(1) What the school is currently using ("kid proof", designed and marketed for institutional use)
Dell Chromebook 11 3189 T8TJG 11.6-Inch Traditional Laptop (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X9NWMJ8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2I4D0WO1JEMBA&psc=1)

(2) The new version of that same thing (better specs, same form factor)
New Chromebook 5190 2-in-1 - $460 (https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/tablets-and-2-in-1-laptops/new-chromebook-5190-2-in-1/spd/chromebook-11-5190-2-in-1-laptop/bto007c5190112n1us)

(3) an "upgrade" that some website or other suggested (basically, 2" larger screen than item (2) above, but not "kid proof")
Acer Chromebook R 13 ARM Cortex-A72 2.0GHz 4GB LPDDR3 64GB Flash Drive 13.3" FHD MT Chrome OS - $408 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LW8JTHF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1)

(4) Widely regarded as the "best" (including by Wirecutter, my go to) and screen size larger than (1) and (2) but smaller than (3)
ASUS C302CA-DHM4 Chromebook Flip 12.5-inch Touchscreen Convertible Chromebook, Intel Core m3, 4GB RAM, 64GB Flash Storage, All-Metal Body, USB Type C, Corning Gorilla Glass, Chrome OS - $475 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N5G5PG2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1)

(5) something completely different?

[Darth_Uno]

While I couldn’t begin to tell you the specs, we took option 2 and got my son the “better” version of the one he has at school. Seems to be fine.

[Peally]

We pay ~$200 for the ones we deploy at our district and they work fine enough. ChromeOS does almost nothing aside from browsers and Google's apps, I imagine it's hard to find a chromebook that would slog down.

I would just pick one, they'll all do the job.

[Yung]

These laptops are basically school supplies and I'd see no reason to have to buy new ones every year any more than if the school upgrades their own computers every year. Homework doesn't entail more than word processing, navigating a browser, and maybe videos and live streaming, right? I'm reminded of those secondhand Dell Latitudes made for corporate use.

I'd go with the first option but clicking your second link also shows a '35% off list price with coupon SAVE35 in cart' in the description so that's a done deal if it was me.

Then again I'm using SolidWorks on a refurbished Lenovo T430 Thinkpad running Windows 7 that I got on eBay for $150, so I'm probably not someone to listen to.

[rob_s]

Probably worth mentioning, kids are in 2nd and 5th grades, and our district goes k-5, 6-8, 9-12 for E, M, H schools.

[rob_s]

I'd go with the first option but clicking your second link also shows a '35% off list price with coupon SAVE35 in cart' in the description so that's a done deal if it was me.

looks like this only applies to businesses. Not sure how that shakes out.

ETA:
Looks like the credit is already applied
List Price
$655.71
Total Savings
$196.71
Standard Delivery
Free
Dell Price
$459.00

[Guerrero]

I'll add more later, but we just had to get a Chromebook for our sixth-grader

[Yung]

looks like this only applies to businesses. Not sure how that shakes out.

I see there's a suggestion to apply for Dell Business Credit and that the coupon code says 'select business PCs' (I guess as in being marketed as PCs for a business rather than requiring you to be one) but I can plug in the code on the cart page right before I hit the checkout button, and the total remains after hitting 'checkout as guest.' I think you should be fine.

3227632277

[rob_s]

my point is, however you slice it, the $460 price in my original post appears to be the after-discount price.

I'm entering the discount code and it says it's not valid, and I chatted with their support folks and they said that the $460 price is after discount.

I can't read your screen shots so I don't know if you're seeing something different than that.

ETA:
well, now it's working with two of them in the cart.

I hate computers.

[Yung]

my point is, however you slice it, the $460 price in my original post appears to be the after-discount price.

I think that $196.71 under 'Total Savings' is a separate discount. I took the screenshots to show that the price should be around $420 after applying the code.

EDIT:

Ha, well if it's working now with two of them (I presume you only need to buy 2), take the savings and RUN!

[spinmove_]

Generally in the PC realm I recommend getting more than enough machine for the job so that it’ll last you. Given that they’re Chromebooks, however, it’s basically a dumbed down appliance for accessing the internet and Chrome web apps. Also since your kids are young, they’re generally going to be harder on equipment than if they were older and gave a crap.

Buy low, use the crap out of it, and then buy low again when they break it and need a new one. Don’t get a warranty, they’re generally useless and you’re better off pocketing the money to use for when they break or use up their current one.

Chromebook /= Laptop


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Peally]

Generally in the PC realm I recommend getting more than enough machine for the job so that it’ll last you. Given that they’re Chromebooks, however, it’s basically a dumbed down appliance for accessing the internet and Chrome web apps. Also since your kids are young, they’re generally going to be harder on equipment than if they were older and gave a crap.

Buy low, use the crap out of it, and then buy low again when they break it and need a new one. Don’t get a warranty, they’re generally useless and you’re better off pocketing the money to use for when they break or use up their current one.

Chromebook /= Laptop


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

100%. You get what you pay for with PCs, but a Chromebook is far more disposable and mission-specific than a PC.

[LOKNLOD]

I had a re-furb Samsun chromebook I bought off Amazon for under $150 that ran well for 3-4 years. It was abused pretty hard, and finally succumbed to being spiked into the ground pretty hard. They are the Ruger SR9 of laptops - pick one up cheap, use as is. Don't send it to Boresight for 1000$ worth of grip work. It'll still be an SR9.

[Shellback]

Costco has the ASUS C423NA Chromebook for $230 with a mouse and padded sleeve.

https://www.costco.com/ASUS-C423NA-Chromebook---Intel-Celeron---1080p---Brushed-Aluminum-Chassis---Bonus-Mouse-%2526-Sleeve.product.100431925.html

[Eugene]

From watching my daughter on hers I wouldn't spend the extra $ for touch, the limited google apps don't really need it.
Our school system requires them, in 5th grade they started using the schools and in 6th grade the parents are supposed to supply one. Our daughter complained about the schools when she was still in 5th grade as they were always so dirty so we bought one early.

We got a $200 Asus from amazon.

[Peally]

Our daughter complained about the schools when she was still in 5th grade as they were always so dirty so we bought one early.

People are gross. I wash my hands the second I'm done working on any device that isn't mine and isn't new at work.

[rob_s]

Anybody have any other opinions on this? I'm hovering on clicking "buy" on option 2 from my OP but the grand total of $900+ with tax for two kid's laptops has me reconsidering...

[Guerrero]

For what it's worth, my son's school pretty much requires him to have a Chromebook that he'll need for this year and the next two. We decided to buy fairly far up the food chain and also get a two-year protection plan, hoping that it will last him through. We got him one of these:

https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/series/acerchromebookspin15cp315

I think we paid about $400, plus another $200 for the protection program, because we anticipate him breaking it.


EDIT: ...aaaaaand it looks like Best Buy no longer carries them. That does not give me the warm-fuzzies.

[rob_s]

chromebooks finally arrived. Got the kids logged in to their school portal, but now sitting with them I'm realizing they basically have unfiltered internet access.

Anyone familiar with setting up parental controls on a chromebook? The stuff I've googled so far didn't really make sense or seemed outdated as the menus didn't look the same.

[JV_]

I do my content filtering at the DNS level. This lets me use the same solution for every device on my network, not just certain OSs.

https://signup.opendns.com/homefree/

You can block categories of sites, and as long as your DHCP server hands out the OpenDNS servers, it will filter it as needed. I go to the added step of blocking access to other DNS servers, so someone can't hard code google's 8.8.8.8 or another common (unfiltered) one. It can also block Malware before you've been infected.

If you use the Chrombooks elsewhere, you'll need to do a few more things to make sure it's blocked while they're offsite.

[rob_s]

well, it appears that they key is to set up their google accounts under your own. Wife had set them up with basically "adult" standalone accounts.

Got them all set up with new accounts, did a factory refresh on the laptops, and we appear to be cooking along.

One thing I like is the screen time limits. They have ipads now but the iPads are too old to work with the IOS12 parental controls. I have Eero for my wifi mesh and it allows control over devices by time of use (say from 3pm to 7pm, or whatever) but not by total hours used. The total is way more important to me as they are still small enough that there's not much chance they're going to use the devices at an unapproved time.