Laptops

[NorthernKnickers]

Hi, my 'school' laptop is pants! So bad in fact, that it barely loads anything in school and I end up using the old 'whiteboard' instead of my Smartboard! It's infuriating, but I've been told I won't be getting a replacement any time soon!

I don't have my own laptop but I'm now considering buying one, as I really do need something that works at home, to plan and search for resources etc!). I know I shouldn't have to...but it's making my life hell and I'm having to stay in school very late and/or go in on the weekend so that I can use the computers in the ICT suite 😩😢

My question is, does anyone know of a teacher discount available anywhere? And what laptop would anyone recommend? I can't get on with Macs so that's out.

Thank you ☺️

i really like lenovo laptops. i think you can get a teacher discount on their site too (hope im not wrong about this!)

Unidays have some good discounts. I can give you a code if you find one you like. I think hp and apple but could be more.

@NorthernKnickers If you find one, please let me know! Previous job: laptop. New job: no laptop. I don't own one so need one quickly!

I have a Lenovo and that is really good.

Not sure about discounts though

I'm glad we have desktops at our school - I trained in a school that had tablets that connected to projectors and they were a nightmare! Hope you get sorted soon!

First of all try cleaning the school laptop.

Check what is running using task manager and see what isn't needed.
Check startup files & disable any not needed.
Use Properties on the disk and clean out junk files, defragment it.

If you still need one - check Chromebooks as well as Windows laptops.

Have you got a Remote Desktop? I use a v cheap Dell chromebook & access/save everything I need through the RD. It was around £180 a year or so ago & does the job!

cdtaylornats The OP might not be able to do that. A school laptop will almost certainly have very strict restrictions.

Not a teacher, but I love Lenovo. I bought a Lenovo notebook as an interim laptop until I got a new one. It had 2gb ram, and I use some intensive programs. I had it for two years. It still works fine for every day use but it was just a little too slow for me. Replaced it with another Lenovo. My ds is getting a laptop for school due to sn - also a Lenovo.

I've got a Lenovo and it's great, wasn't that expensive either.

I recommend a chromebook. I was issued one at my new school and its changed my life!

Do you have to be on the internet at all times to use a chrome Book? Ie can you open word and type and save the document without being connected? Need a new one too.

Just be very very careful of adhering to all GDPR compliant security measures if you buy and use your own laptop for school stuff.

Mistoffelees
I agree.
We aren't allowed our own laptops at all.

It sounds like the laptop might need cleaning up. Our IT team said the main thing slowing teacher laptops down is the amount of shit we keep saved on them (like 5 versions of the same PowerPoint because you taught it slightly different in 2014 and you might need thay single slide difference). Your IT technicians should be able to do a defrag (I think that's what they did to mine).

If your laptop is a Windows 8 then shut down doesn't mean shut down either. You have to hold shift when you click shut down for it to properly close. If you leave them too long between shift and shutdowns then it can stuff your laptop up too.

obviously i am not talking from bitter experience and havent been mocked by our technicians for having a bazillion tabs open whilst wondering why it is slow and crashing

Thanks all...technician came in today, said it's pants too 😂. He reported it last year apparently as being not fit for purpose...I'm hoping that my first observation, which is next week, will seriously flag up just how much learning time is being wasted due to crappy technology 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Ah well! The joys...😩

Sorry not sure about teacher discounts but been researching laptops this last week & my geek friend & his mates love lenovo. Dh wants something to do gaming on too which would double the price 😒. Good offers in currys but I don't know about the best/latest models-there always seems to be about 5 similar varieties of the same thing. Makes me feel like my mother & technology!

My son needed a laptop for school so we got him a lenovo one that flips with the touchscreen (yoga 510). He's used it for a week and the screen broke - completely black. When we looked there's hundreds of reviews and complaints online about the same thing. Pc world wanted to send it away to be repaired but we stood our ground and got our money back
I wouldn't buy one again.