Laptop for headteacher

[synaesthesia]

We still work on staff not being supplied laptops and we very much like it that way!

[gsk]

I do agree with some of the sentiments in this thread but to each I think there is a counter argument:

 

"Get a macbook" -

Pro's: £ for £ I think they are pretty good value for money. For £716 you get an excellent 2560x1600 display, 8 hour battery life, fantastic build quality, and PCIe storage rather than SATA.

Cons: Has a 'flashy' image. Have to use OSX which may cause issues for some staff or install Windows (don't see a massive problem with this tbh?)

 

"Get a refurb"

Pro's: Bang for buck.

Con's:Old hardware, has been used for some time unlike certified refurb. Battery life. Parts availability/Warranty. Fast storage, RAM would be more useful than Uber CPU power.

 

"Get the same as the staff"

Pro's: Image of equality, prudence etc.

Cons: HT do a different job to class teachers and need different tools. Not preferential treatment, just different.

 

"Get a Dell XPS, HP Probook, HP Elitebook etc."

Pro's: Better image. More restrained and professional looking. Fingerprint readers.

Con's: Massive variation in spec and quality. Can be very difficult to know what you're going to get. Even things like touchpad seem to vary massively (HP Prebook 450 G1, G2, G3 are a case in point.

 

So overall I'm still stuck! Going to have a look at this XPS13 with 4k display and see what the display scaling is like with windows but not a lot further forward!

 

Does the VeryPC ultrabook have a fingerprint reader? What is the quality like compared to a ProBook or a MacBook? Is there anyone in Leics that would let me have a nosey at one?

[gsk]

get them a refurbished hp. Even with ssd and 8gb ram. it's still only half the budget and they wont know the difference

http://www.ict-direct.co.uk/mobile-computing/laptops/hp/8470p.html

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

get them a refurbished hp. Even with ssd and 8gb ram. it's still only half the budget and they wont know the difference

http://www.ict-direct.co.uk/mobile-computing/laptops/hp/8470p.html

Thank you for that. Unfortunately though - It doesn't have an OS, it is thick enough to double as a raft, only has a 2 year RTB warranty which would cost a fair whack to use and is already 3 years old.

Edited November 24, 2015 by gsk

[pantscat]

I don't necessarily agree that they should dip into their own pockets to buy equipment that they need to do their job - certainly wouldn't happen in any other position for someone who isn't self-employed.

 

The pay should be appropriate for the work that they are doing - responsibilities, hours, pressure and the knowledge and expertise that they bring to the role.

 

The headteacher may want an uber device - and if necessary then they're ultimately responsible and so, in my view, it's fine that they decide what they want to spend funds on. There's a lot of reasons they might want a Macbook Air, they're pretty much unparalleled for the battery life, build quality, size and weight - not to mention that they're viewed as being a premium 'luxury' device - it might be appropriate to have something like that in meetings.

 

Besides... I've seen loads of IT staff buying kit that they don't really need.

[Steve21]

I don't necessarily agree that they should dip into their own pockets to buy equipment that they need to do their job

 

Isn't that the problem though, you don't "need" a Mac to do any job (ok give a few before anyone shoots me).

 

You may "want" or "like" it, but you don't need them. You don't "need" a pretty one etc

 

If a Windows device can do the same job, be light, fast, metal etc etc and still be cheaper why get a Mac?

 

Steve

[pantscat]

If a Windows device can do the same job, be light, fast, metal etc etc and still be cheaper why get a Mac?

 

That's absolutely fine - I just thought it was pretty tricky to find something comparable.

[Steve21]

That's absolutely fine - I just thought it was pretty tricky to find something comparable.

 

Oh no I get that Don't get me wrong not having a go. Just saying a lot of what's being asked for isn't needed for the job that the machine is for, it's not luxury but you know

 

Steve

[pantscat]

Don't worry - I didn't take it that way! I'm pretty thick skinned anyway... working in schools tends to do that to you!

 

It's mostly "because shiny". I'm guilty of that... in the job I'm doing now I have two laptops - an old Lenovo x201 which I take to most customer meetings, and a Macbook Air that I use for customers at the higher end.

[JoHimself]

Isn't that the problem though, you don't "need" a Mac to do any job (ok give a few before anyone shoots me).

 

I'd say the need for portable equipment of any kind varies depending on what services the IT department provides. If the department strategy is give everyone a laptop then that's fine. The schools I used to work in had a full managed desktop delivered via Citrix. We used this as the driving force behind our BYOD strategy; use whatever kit is your personal preference and you get the same experience regardless. This cuts down on a great deal of end user device support which, in turn, justifies the expense of the Citrix system.

 

All varies based on approach. In my old place a £350 HP piece of crap would have been a wild extravagance.

[HarryMonkey]

Cons: HT do a different job to class teachers and need different tools. Not preferential treatment, just different.

 

 

I'm not convinced that this is really the case. In all of the schools I've worked in, the head may do different things to the teaching staff, however, he uses the same or very similar tools. I've never come across a case where he/she needs a high end machine to use SIMS and MS Office as that is what they will mostly be using.

 

There's a huge difference between want and need and part of what the head should be doing is using the school money wisely and getting value for money, and I really don't see that a thousand pound's worth of Mac fulfils either of those criteria.

[gsk]

But in this case it is a £716 macbook pro retina and I am trying to find something comparable without a massive compromise.

[Steve21]

But in this case it is a £716 macbook pro retina and I am trying to find something comparable without a massive compromise.

 

It seems you're pretty set on a Macbook I'd say, but I'd be interested to know what's being compromised (that's needed for basic work) by any of the suggestions so far.

 

End of day we can only give our suggestions based on what you ask Your choice at end of it.

 

Steve

[HarryMonkey]

And he "needs" a retina display ???

[Chuckster]

Thankfully I have a SMT that aren't interested in MacBooks whatsoever. They are, however, an understanding bunch of people who know that at half the price they can get their productivity done in quick to no time on a Windows machine. They also aware that what sometimes lets Windows down is an under performing machine that's been brought very cheaply.

 

If you want your HT to look the 'shiz', then I would advise you to look at Lenovo Yogo series: http://shop.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops/lenovo/yoga/

 

The new one - 900 series - is going to be released soon: http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/lenovo/yoga-laptop-series/yoga-900-13/

[gsk]

It seems you're pretty set on a Macbook I'd say, but I'd be interested to know what's being compromised (that's needed for basic work) by any of the suggestions so far.

 

End of day we can only give our suggestions based on what you ask Your choice at end of it.

 

Steve

He nor I have mentioned a MacBook - that has come from suggestions on here. Compromises so far are as I listed in my earlier post, which is the whole reason for the thread. I am very open to suggestions but none that fit the bill have been suggested apart from (potentially) the MacBook and VeryPC's offering which I've never heard of or seen before, let alone used and would be happy to recommend.

 

And he "needs" a retina display ???

He hasn't specified that resolution but given that I hate using a monitor with anything less than 1920x1080 because you can comfortably have two windows side-by-side, it seems ridiculous to expect someone to do their job with sub-par tools and a screen which displays a reasonable amount of information is a reasonably big part of that.

 

They also aware that what sometimes lets Windows down is an under performing machine that's been brought very cheaply.

 

If you want your HT to look the 'shiz', then I would advise you to look at Lenovo Yogo series: http://shop.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops/lenovo/yoga/

 

The new one - 900 series - is going to be released soon: http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/lenovo/yoga-laptop-series/yoga-900-13/

 

It's not about looking the 'shiz' its about finding the right tool for the job and hopefully only having to do the research once a year to find a 'standard' model. I have Probook 450s for student use, HP 350s for 'floating' or ad-hoc staff laptops, NUCs for fixed student or admin PCs and silent/quiet SFF PCs with optical drives for whiteboards. The gap here is teacher/headteacher laptops. Hence thread.

[HarryMonkey]

Well, as I've said, I've yet to come across anything that a headteacher does that can't be done on a standard laptop/workstation with the same resolution as everyone else uses (1280 x 768). Maybe the half dozen or more heads that I've worked with over the last 20 years have been the exception rather than the norm.

 

Just out of interest, what does he use at the moment and what can't he do on it?

[JoHimself]

Well, as I've said, I've yet to come across anything that a headteacher does that can't be done on a standard laptop/workstation with the same resolution as everyone else uses (1280 x 768). Maybe the half dozen or more heads that I've worked with over the last 20 years have been the exception rather than the norm.

 

No one said the head needs anything more than a classroom teacher (although it has been suggested that the needs of the head are different).

 

What has been suggested is that the Head wants a Macbook. This is a political decision not a technical one.

[VeryPC_Colin_M]

Hi @gsk, no finger print reader on the Ultrabook I'm afraid. If you got my PM though and can reply to me I'd be happy to send you complete specs, prices and pics, etc. The Thinbook as suggested by some fine fellas on the thread would be a fine choice too, especially the 15" Full HD IPS model as the screen's great, and it's good and light for its size.

Best,

Col

[HarryMonkey]

No one said the head needs anything more than a classroom teacher (although it has been suggested that the needs of the head are different).

 

What has been suggested is that the Head wants a Macbook. This is a political decision not a technical one.

 

Then the head should be looking very seriously at how he spends the school budget. The bursar/business manager should think very carefully before signing this off.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Thank you for that. Unfortunately though - It doesn't have an OS, it is thick enough to double as a raft, only has a 2 year RTB warranty which would cost a fair whack to use and is already 3 years old.

 

Don't worry, it does have an OS

 

All our machines ship with a Windows 7 Pro License. You can use that to install whatever your license agreement lets you, or simply to upgrade to Win 10.

 

Warranty is easy, stick another £20 on top of the two year option and you've got your three years.

 

As for use. Yes it's three years old, but it'll have spent the last six months being decomissioned and shipped trhrough brokerage to ourselves.

Also, it's the very top of the HP line for the ivy bridge generation. The 8470p was a £1000 laptop in its first year and is packed with the best HP had to offer.

 

Admittedly it's 35W CPU is more power hungry than the 15W options from the haswell and broadwell range (in this case the 4210U and 5200U that ship with the Elitebook 840 G1/G2 respectively) but it is also a better performing machine as a result

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=817&cmp[]=2259&cmp[]=2440

 

I cant deny that it's a little chunky, but then it's designed to suit all needs and meet American military standards of durability.

 

We've sold about 50 of these to various schools in the last month. So far no complaints

[JoHimself]

Then the head should be looking very seriously at how he spends the school budget. The bursar/business manager should think very carefully before signing this off.

 

I'm sure that on the list of school expenditure which requires more careful consideration, buying a Macbook for the Head is a long way down.

[davethetekkie]

I've been running a VeryPC ThinBook for the last 6 months or so (spec: i5, 8GB, 240SSD, 15" FHD IPS) and it's a lovely piece of kit. Yes it'd be nice if it had the aluminium unibody of a MacBook, but really it's a tool and as long as it can run the software I need (and it does, with aplomb) and looks the part (custom vinyl top lid branding FTW) then it's got everything I need. The VeryPC Ultrabook was ALMOST mine but missed out due to the lack of a TPM chip.

[gsk]

No one said the head needs anything more than a classroom teacher (although it has been suggested that the needs of the head are different).

 

What has been suggested is that the Head wants a Macbook. This is a political decision not a technical one.

Worth noting that the head isn't even aware that a macbook is on the cards. That possibility only exists here on edugeek as an idea (which wasn't even suggested by me!) at the moment.

 

Well, as I've said, I've yet to come across anything that a headteacher does that can't be done on a standard laptop/workstation with the same resolution as everyone else uses (1280 x 768). Maybe the half dozen or more heads that I've worked with over the last 20 years have been the exception rather than the norm.

 

Just out of interest, what does he use at the moment and what can't he do on it?

I doubt that they are the exception. Out of the 11 heads I've worked with in the past and the 6 I currently work with, there are only a couple that would benefit significantly from the higher res screen and 5 years that number may well have been 0, but they are catching on and in the next 3 years I'd be surprised if they don't all have higher res screens and benefit from it significantly. I imagine that in your 20 years experience the equipment a head needs and even the job a head does has changed an absolute shed load.

 

He has a HP Folio 13 which I feel is a very good machine. This will be given to the deputy who currently doesn't have a laptop. The issues with it are that the non-removable battery is getting a bit rubbish, the screen is only 1366x768 and its out of warranty. None of these are insurmountable issues but as these are things that won't affect the deputy, the sensible choice would be for the head to get a new one. By his own admission, the deputy will take a laptop, hook up to a charger and plow through some planning or paperwork, typically one thing at a time.

 

Then the head should be looking very seriously at how he spends the school budget. The bursar/business manager should think very carefully before signing this off.

 

So the reason for the detailed spec is to get a laptop that will last for 5 years that will get the best productivity out of the headteacher. The more productivity we (the taxpayer) can eek out of the (expensive) headteacher the better. So if I can spend an extra £200 on a laptop so that the headteacher can:

*Have everything open and flit between them quickly, easily and without hassle (Fast RAM, fast Storage, rather than huge powerful CPUs)

*Have a hi-res screen so that documents/windows can be worked on side-by-side

*have a good battery so that it can be used for a day's work wherever needed

*be made of durable material so that it survives the 5 years needed and go everywhere

*be light so that it is easy to take everywhere

*Be good to use because of all the above that the head uses it more, and ultimately spends more time working

 

then I will completely disagree with you, spend the extra and hope/assume that the head and the business manager have got far more pressing things to do with their time than quibble for the extra £40 per year of the upgraded hardware. The question is, which particular set of hardware to get.

 

Don't worry, it does have an OS

 

Good to know, thank you for the extra information. I misread the bit on the link about no operating system being preinstalled

[Meldrew]

Personally I'd be adding to the spec that it has a TPM module fitted - a head's LT would presumably have super confidential material on it, so I'd be making sure its encrypted.

 

Meldrew

[adamholt1]

They're the Headteacher.

 

They've employed you. You get them what they want.

 

You still get your payday at end of every month.

 

Simple.