Division 3: Student Computer Criteria
Families for whom the cost of purchasing a laptop will create financial hardship should contact the office. We have a number of computers that can be loaned to students if necessary.
Parents looking to purchase computers for their children should be aware of a few guidelines when shopping. Laptops running Mac OS or Windows (or one of the mainstream Linux distros such as Ubuntu) are recommended for use in class, but netbooks, chrome-books and many tablets are also acceptable. Every device requires:
- Wireless AC, G or N networking with WPA connection;
- A full QWERTY keyboard for typing.
Any relatively new device will work; students do not need the latest, fastest, most expensive machines. Most of the work students do on their computers takes place on the internet and their assignments are stored in “the cloud.” As a result, a huge hard drive is not necessary. If you are buying a new machine, you will probably want it to be useable when your child(ren) hit high school; you might want to check the requirements at the school your child will attend.
When deciding which laptop to buy, it is a good idea to check out the components in it. Computers that sell for the same price may perform very differently. PassMark software has a great site where you can compare processor, graphic cards, hard drive, and RAM speeds: http://www.cpubenchmark.net
While many accessories are available, most are unnecessary. One, however, that we strongly recommend is a hard shell case. This will offer more protection than a soft case and could end up saving the computer. Another is a mouse with a wheel between the two buttons; it will make graphics much easier.