Running school online is not the ideal way to learn, but for optimal results, you need a suitable laptop. The laptop for the online school must have some essential features that you will find below. Given that the coronavirus pandemic has forced us to retire home, education must take place online. So, you need a laptop for classes and homework. Contrary to expectations, I found out from Reviews Bird that many people do not choose an expensive laptop. Cheaper laptops are also perfect for online schooling.
What is the best laptop option?
Beyond a good internet connection and teachers trained to support online education, children need technology. Specifically, they need their device through which to participate in online lessons and complete their homework.
For reading/editing/communication/navigation operations, a laptop with decent performance features is required, which is also equipped with a webcam and microphone (because the courses are conducted interactively through LIVE audio/video conferences).
The first laptop recommendation, with a 10th generation processor from Intel® Core ™ i3-1005G1 (4M Cache, up to 3.40 GHz) dual-core and 4-way execution, 8GB DDR4 memory, 512GB SSD storage (on M port .2 PCIe) with data transfer at least 10 times over mechanical hard drives, webcams, built-in microphone, efficient cooling, memory expansion (up to 12GB), the addition of another 2.5-inch SSD / HDD, 4 USB ports, 15.6-inch display, with full HD resolution (1920×1080 pixels), weight only 1.9 Kg.
The second recommendation is a laptop with an 8th generation processor, Intel® Core ™ i3-8145U processor (4M Cache, up to 3.90 GHz), also 8GB DDR4, and a half in storage 256GB SSD, otherwise with the same features and possibility of extension. But most importantly about 15% cheaper than the first. Apart from these recommendations, you can find many computer models on the CAFAGO website at a very advantageous price.
Necessary programs for courses and homework at the online school
Beyond the optimal configuration of a laptop, several programs (software) are needed to conduct online courses in good condition. Here is the list of useful programs, all programs (software) are free:
- A fast, efficient, useful internet browser – Chrome (produced by Google)
- An anti-ad filter, very useful to remove as much as possible the disturbing elements while browsing the Internet – AdBlock
- Portable Document Format (Adobe Reader) PDF document reader
- Program for reading / editing / calculating / presenting documents, so-called “Office” package – Apache OpenOffice
- Antivirus for protection, there is a Romanian antivirus, among the best in the world (I consider it the best), it also has a free version – BitDefender
What to look for before buying a computer?
The warranty is at least 2 years, not 6 months, not 1 year. Pay attention to what voltage they are going to and what charger they have. Some products come with chargers for China or the UK. The products must run at 230 V and have a classic socket. Try to buy products with eye protection filters, so as not to arrive later with children at the ophthalmologist. Check the size and pay attention to the internet connection. Also, you can check online computer store reviews to be sure that you find a perfect computer at a reasonable price.
Before buying a computer, you can enter the ANCOM website to check the internet speed in the area where you live. In the case of tablets, check the SAR indicator, which shows the emitted radiation. Keep the tax receipt in case the product breaks down so that you can take it to service.
The ideal laptop does not exist, but to be as useful as possible at school, it must meet a series of criteria:
- to be as powerful as possible to be as cheap as possible, but not so cheap as to often crash
- to have the Windows operating system, so that there is no additional stress related to installing it at home
- that it is not too heavy to be worn relatively easily.’
Conclusion
With the increase in the number of employees working from home and with the online school, the demand for laptops has also increased. In this context, the IT market has seen a considerable increase in the sale of laptops, PCs, and other IT equipment required for these activities. However, we conclude that you do not need a high-performance laptop for standard requirements. You have a lot of options to choose from.