'Tough' Laptops?

[farquea]

I need to buy a new trolley of 30 laptops. Previously we had problems with kids pulling keys off and having to pay £50 for a new keyboard so i want something hard to break, keys hard to get off and a decently sturdy case in case it is dropped or screens hit.

 

Any ideas?

[simpsonj]

The RM Mobile One, extremely tough to break, but still got "pingable" keys, as has every laptop I've ever seen. Main issue with the Mobile Ones is the price, around £900 each last time I looked, and the specs weren't amazing, but that was a year ago.

 

Other option is to buy cheap laptops, and with the money saved, buy spare parts. The HP 530 is cheap, and very easy to replace all its components, including the screen if necessary!

[Arthur]

Unless the Panasonic ToughBooks are an option (unlikely), I don't think you'll find any laptops which meet all of those requirements.

 

http://i.imgur.com/CnPju.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/fwbef.jpg

 

What you could do however is buy Dell Latitude's and take out CompleteCare (accidental damage cover). Although the T&Cs state intentional damage isn't covered, one of our Dell engineers told us the students could literally throw the laptops out of the window and Dell would still replace/repair the laptop.

Edited May 27, 2011 by Arthur

[farquea]

having only flicked through that document, do you know what we'd be looking to pay to cover 30 laptops under that, i'm assuming its going to be something silly but i can hope that its actually affordable?

[difinity]

Dell happily posted us out new keyboards under warranty when the keys "fell off". They let us keep the old ones as well, so we had plenty of spares.

[Millgate]

Dell's cover is good! The only issue some people have with them is their customer service. A few people say that they are slow to respond ect which is why a lot of people use a reseller like us. Plus we're a "Premier Partner" so we can beat there prices too.

 

Let me know if you need anything

 

Cheers

 

Luke

[bossman]

Laptops equals craptops after 6 months at least 20% will have battery problems after 12 months around 40% will have keys missing and other parts broken after 2 years their not worth the investment as you have to replenish again, good money after bad is what I say.

 

A good desktop will always outlive a good laptop and they are easier to sustain don't have the connectivity problems and furthermore upgradeable to boot, thin clients will give you browserbility and office based but that is all unless you are prepared to spend vast amounts of money.

 

Laptops have their uses at home on yer lap, and if you don't have the infrastructure in school to support wired desktops or the space then that is what you have to live with.

 

It would be fun if the European commission came out with new legislation which banned the use of wireless hardware in school including mobile phones (Due to the child element), hell where would most of the BSF schools be then? I would hate to hazard a guess

 

Anyway I digress, as mentioned above in other less tantric posts unless you are going to invest heavily in a financial way then you will have to just get your laptops through a scheme which covers them being replace when they get damaged by the wee little darlings, cost you an arm and a leg though

[Arthur]

I'm assuming it's going to be something silly but I can hope that its actually affordable?

It's not too bad, but the price varies depending on the model you choose. The following should give you a rough idea...

 

[b]Latitude E5520[/b]
1 year  = £27.00
2 years = £43.20
3 years = £54.00

[b]Latitude E6320[/b]
1 year  = £40.50
2 years = £64.80
3 years = £81.00

 

Dell also offer an extended battery service which costs an extra £40 for 3 years.

[pantscat]

I've got some Acer laptops that have accidental damage cover - this has been great for us - amazing how many staff manage to drop their laptops, break off headphones, snap usb connectors, jam a biro into the LCD screen... etc. etc. etc.

[farquea]

I've got some Acer laptops that have accidental damage cover - this has been great for us - amazing how many staff manage to drop their laptops, break off headphones, snap usb connectors, jam a biro into the LCD screen... etc. etc. etc.

 

that come straight from Acer themselves?

[pantscat]

Yes indeed - I believe they call it their Platinum warranty...

 

I think it cost around £70 per unit.

 

This is it: http://www.simplyacer.com/Acer_Platinum_3_Year_Collect__Return_Wa_461405.html - I definitely didn't pay that much though... I got Acer to do a deal!

[witch]

We have just bought some Samsung netbooks and to my amazement the standard extended warranty covers broken keys as long it is just the cover- the key itself must still work.