Help me find a Chrome Book

[Oaktech]

I've had a request to replace our aging infant ICT suite with a more flexible Chromebook suite.

 

They have 15 of the DfE supplied Lenovo 300e 2 in 1 devices and they absolutely love them. My Google-Fu maybe failing but I can't find anything similar.

 

We're on the lookout for 30, refurbished would be fine as they have updates to 2029.

 

The only specification is that they need to be touchscreen and a minimum of 32gb storage and supplied through a Google authorised reseller to get the management licence.

[TwistedHelixis]

Not the same, but would these do?

 

https://www.asus.com/laptops/for-students/chromebook/asus-chromebook-flip-cr1-cr1100/

 

or this

 

https://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/laptops-2-in-1-pcs/dell-chromebook-3110-for-education/spd/chromebook-11-3110-laptop

 

if you give Colin a call at VeryPC, he will help you with the device and Workspace licences.

[snagrat]

The devices don’t need to be supplied through a Google authorised reseller, you can just buy them separately.

[Chris_Cook]

We have all three types and they do us well.

 

I think lenovo are between versions of products and looked like they were moving to the more expensive 500e series.

 

The only thing I didn't like on the CR1s is the screen pops out too easily at the top. But then it pops in quite easily without taking them apart. Asus were making a big point about repairability at the last Bett show.

 

We get Max Cases for the lenovos and Asus devices. They offer a bit of protection against drops.

[TheHyperTechie]

We recently purchased 20 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 chromebooks for just over £100 a unit (new)

 

They seem to be performing well. No complaints here...

[colly72]

Last time we ordered (just before Christmas), you could still get 300e Gen 3 Chromebooks but I believe that Lenovo are moving to Gen 4. Try https://www.getech.co.uk/schools/ to see what they can offer you.

[john]

Worth seeing what @ICTDirect_Dave has for Chromebooks I know he often has some avaliable

[Oaktech]

Worth seeing what @ICTDirect_Dave has for Chromebooks I know he often has some avaliable

Nothing exciting on the website... The touchscreen requirement is making it tricky on the refurb market.

 

However, Dave is like Beetlejuice, now his name has been spoken he'll arrive and we'll see what warez he has.

[Chalkey]

We have a load of ASUS C204's,

https://www.asus.com/uk/laptops/for-home/chromebook/asus-chromebook-c204/

not touch screen but similar spec and described as "Tough". They are fairly tough but the screws do seem to keep falling out of the bottom of them!

[john]

Nothing exciting on the website... The touchscreen requirement is making it tricky on the refurb market.

 

However, Dave is like Beetlejuice, now his name has been spoken he'll arrive and we'll see what warez he has.

 

Given I will be seeing him in the flesh in about an hour (when my train delays / chaos finally ends and gets me into London....) I will poke him and his awesome band of merry men to see this thread and give you some love

[PotNoodleTech]

Just my 2p but I see you mention 300e - We won't be buying touchscreens ever again - we have many hundreds of 300e and you can't get parts or screens for them so any mishap renders them almost unrepairable.

 

We are now ordering 100e across the board as the touchscreen wasn't used much and has ended up costing us thousands (replacement 100e non touchscreens you can get for 25 quid).

[TwistedHelixis]

Just my 2p but I see you mention 300e - We won't be buying touchscreens ever again - we have many hundreds of 300e and you can't get parts or screens for them so any mishap renders them almost unrepairable.

 

We are now ordering 100e across the board as the touchscreen wasn't used much and has ended up costing us thousands (replacement 100e non touchscreens you can get for 25 quid).

Other way round for us. We have both types and the non touch screen ones just don't get used.

 

We do use a lot of Android apps on them, which might make the difference.

[Chris_Cook]

Just my 2p but I see you mention 300e - We won't be buying touchscreens ever again - we have many hundreds of 300e and you can't get parts or screens for them so any mishap renders them almost unrepairable.

 

We are now ordering 100e across the board as the touchscreen wasn't used much and has ended up costing us thousands (replacement 100e non touchscreens you can get for 25 quid).

 

I'll double check who we use, but I think PSA Parts has sorted us out before. Its still around £100 for the parts though depending on the time of year. Its a shame Lenovo only seam to sell parts to consumers via their website. I do like they publish the service manual though so you can see how to do the repairs.

 

Parts availability for the Asus seems good. Again, I'll see who we use as a supplier, but we seem to have most parts in stock now, including screens, keyboards and casings..

 

I'm not sure on the actual usefulness of it, but touch screens seem to grab the kids attention more, so it does have benefits.

[Oaktech]

Just my 2p but I see you mention 300e - We won't be buying touchscreens ever again - we have many hundreds of 300e and you can't get parts or screens for them so any mishap renders them almost unrepairable.

 

We are now ordering 100e across the board as the touchscreen wasn't used much and has ended up costing us thousands (replacement 100e non touchscreens you can get for 25 quid).

 

Generally I'm with you on this, but this is specifically for Year 2 and we need to the 2-in-1-ness. We have a need for them to bridge the gap between a laptop and a tablet. Part of their ICT is typing lessons and mouse/trackpad skills, but equally they do daily timetabled numeracy and literacy excercises which are app store content and designed for tablets so we need the touchscreen functions.

 

At the moment, the Asus Flip seem to be the tool of choice!

[londonbg]

Warning - ALL of our Lenovo 300e's have died all within weeks of each other recently so currently searching for flip screen / touchscreen Chromebooks currently aswell.

[gszech]

Our pupils like this model: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BL9CF97Y

The pictures on Amazon are wrong for this and you will actually receive a full glass, touch screen model.

 

If you are after faster spec try Chromebook Plus

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CFM5SG9B

 

It's a new standard where the device needs to be at least:

- 12th gen or Ryzen 700 CPU

- 8 gig of RAM

- HD webcam

- Full HD IPS screen

 

I've used the above Chromebook Plus Chromebook on a daily basis for the last two months and apart from fan kicking in occasionally (something that you don't hear with normal Chromebooks) the unit is superb, especially for the price. It's also robust, but not as robust as the proper Education Chromebooks.

[PotNoodleTech]

Warning - ALL of our Lenovo 300e's have died all within weeks of each other recently so currently searching for flip screen / touchscreen Chromebooks currently aswell.

 

Just saw this - what happened?

[Millgate_Jon]

For the people wondering about Lenovo Spares.....They have changed preferred partner twice in the last 18 months so yes it has been tricky but they`ve now gone into a longer term contract with a Dutch firm to supply into the UK and whilst not as smooth as other vendors, we can at least now get the parts.

 

Can`t remember who but earlier in the thread someone mentioned about ASUS at the BETT Show, I 100% agree, they have exploded diagrams of devices showing all spare parts with part number.

 

As an ASUS partner I can quote and see stock on those parts in a matter of seconds - from an aftercare point of view this is gold - Anyone considering aftercare in their buying decision will do well to consider ASUS for this reason alone.

 

The devices are popular too and through the right channels, the deals are there to be had!