Selection of Laptops for Education

2006-01-10

Prepared by Ralph L. Vinciguerra
http://vinci.org/rlv

Disclaimer: This report represents the individual opinions of the author and should not be construed to be an official or complete comparison of laptops. The author has experience with similar equipment from a day-to-day perspective as a technologist.

Introduction

Recent advances in the quality and price of laptops now make them viable for student use in education, particularly at the primary and secondary levels. This analysis identifies three possible configurations of machines This is followed by a dated search for particular machines from a single popular vendor (Dell).

NOTE - The quotes listed in this analysis are from the Dell site when selecting the K12 section. Your own purchasing agent should be able to negotiate even better prices when purchasing many machines together, and perhaps even have a printer and a network hub included at a discount.

The selection considered was only the Dell "Latitude" models which are specifically targeted at businesses, which require durability, relibility, and longer product life cycles (slower to become obsolete, and components are more interchangable).

Identification of Solutions

Table 1 identifies the possible solutions with a short descriptions. See the following section for details on how features are addressed.

The "Durable" configuration would be best if ease of setup and breakdown, and smaller machines is considered important. These machines are designed for business travelers, and are thinner and have smaller screens in the interest of smaller size and lighter weight (half!).

The "inexpensive" configuration is a middle level machine, still very portable, but without spending of expensive extra features. A very typical choice.

The "Advanced" configuration is much faster, with a wide format high-definition screen, and an added a writable DVD drive. It's also heavier and larger.

Table 1 - Configurations

	Configuration	Description	Cost
	Durable	A smaller more portable laptop that is thinner, with a smaller screen and has fewer internal devices in favor of convenience and durability.	$2,229.57
	Inexpensive	A medium size laptop without special features, and with an optimal price.	$1,809.50
	Advanced	A laptop with the best features to insure high performance and longest lifespan (from a performance perspective).	$2,853.20

Common Features for all Systems

Certain minimum features are expected on all the systems:

• Windows XP
• At least 1GB RAM for smooth operation of Windows XP
• CD-RW / DVD drive
• Processor at least 1Ghz
• At least 60GB harddrive
• Built in wireless networking
• An external mouse
• 3yr Gold tech support
• Norton Internet Security software

Configuration Details

Extra Support Items

In addition to the laptops themselves these items are also relevant:

24-module notebook security cart - A safe way to tranport and lock up the laptops.
Manufacturer Part# D24CFR, Dell Part #: A0157981, $968.42

Wireless hub - Activated in the room where the laptops are in use to allow networking to the building internet, and to each other.
An example: NETGEAR WGR614 54Mbps Wireless Firewall Router, $54.95 from Dell.

Printer - Placed on the cart and served from the teacher's laptop, also on the cart, to the other systems connected to the wireless hub.
An example: HP OfficeJet Pro K550 Color Inkjet Printer, $159.99 from CompUSA.

Conclusions

The final resolution of which configuration to purchase is driven by the available resources and educator preferences. In addition, prices fluctuate and also can vary between suppliers and resellers. This analysis is primarily of value in the specification of the systems and the supporting items.

References

[dell] Dell Website http://dell.com

[ui] College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - "Dell Laptop Recommendations" http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/onetoone/dell.html