New Chromebooks - 4GB or 8GB?

[gshaw]

Hi all, following on from BETT I've been looking at some potential Chromebook options for our schools, particularly the new generation ones with easily replaceable USB-C ports

 

What I'm noticing in the quotes now is options of 4GB vs 8GB RAM, which route are you all going down for new devices in the current climate of AI-induced expensive memory? Generally I've thought of Chromebooks as lightweight devices but trying to predict the future of whether these might end up running Aluminium OS at some point in their lifecycle is 8GB a safer bet? The 8GB devices seem to double the SSD size too.

 

Interested in your thoughts!

[yac2016]

Has to be 8gb now and at least 64gb storage. ChromeOS is not as lightweight as it was.

 

If you only plan on having the devices for 3 years 4gb should be ok.

[timbo343]

We have been buying the 8gb versions where possible, just for longevity.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Just wanted to pop up and say it's not only new chromebooks that have 8gb/64 gb

 

I've got hundreds of HP Chromebook 11 G9 EE with that combo.

At lease one of the USB-C ports is on a daughter board too!

 

Google support to 2031 and just £95 each!

 

[DavR]

8 hours ago, gshaw said:

easily replaceable USB-C ports

 

Sorry, I know the debate is on RAM spec, but easily replaceable USB-C on a daughterboard would be the dream! I've had to scrap two Chromebooks this week alone for dodgy charging ports.

 

I don't suppose you remember off the top of your head which vendors were supplying these?

[gshaw]

26 minutes ago, DavR said:

 

Sorry, I know the debate is on RAM spec, but easily replaceable USB-C on a daughterboard would be the dream! I've had to scrap two Chromebooks this week alone for dodgy charging ports.

 

I don't suppose you remember off the top of your head which vendors were supplying these?

 

These were the ones I saw at BETT 

 

https://www.acer.com/gb-en/chromebooks/acer-chromebook-311-c725-c725t

 

Though if those daughter boards are still available @ICTDirect_Dave that's a tempting price point!

 

I've got piles of 30+ dead Chromebooks at two schools, all soldered USB port failures, it's painful so want to avoid that issue going forward.

[DavR]

Ha, funnily enough it was earlier model Acer 311's that I've been scrapping this week 😂

 

If these new ones are a similar design, they come with two USB-C ports - one on a daughterboard, one still on the motherboard. So potentially you could still end up with a broken and irreparable USB-C port direct on the mobo, which given most of ours live in trolleys, is still a fail, as people will continue to try and use the broken port.

 

I'd be interested to see a tear down or schematic and be proven wrong though.

[LeMarchand]

12 hours ago, DavR said:

If these new ones are a similar design, they come with two USB-C ports - one on a daughterboard, one still on the motherboard. So potentially you could still end up with a broken and irreparable USB-C port direct on the mobo, which given most of ours live in trolleys, is still a fail, as people will continue to try and use the broken port.

 

...and if you use tape to cover the duff port they peel it off or if you block the port more permanently they mash the lead against it.

[Fazza]

13 hours ago, DavR said:

 

Sorry, I know the debate is on RAM spec, but easily replaceable USB-C on a daughterboard would be the dream! I've had to scrap two Chromebooks this week alone for dodgy charging ports.

 

I don't suppose you remember off the top of your head which vendors were supplying these?

 

Buy a hot air rework station and have a go at replacing them yourself!