The value proposition is as straightforward as it comes:
- Chromebooks give schools a good bang for the buck; at around $200 per student, the price is right for the most cost-conscious school districts.
- The form factor is practical and durable. They are lightweight, but tested to withstand 60-centimeter drops (or more) and have spill-resistant key covers.
- Many educators prefer tactile keyboards over touch-type, tablet-style character entry.
With OEMs looking to buck the trend, each has put to market Chromebook models geared towards student use. Below we ferret out hardware facets that K12 procurement specialists should be looking for to determine the best Chromebook for the classroom.
In 2016, Chromebooks took the lead for the education market share. The ‘Goldilocks’ specs and price point aren’t the only thing winning over EDU. The Google for Education console built a solid reputation among educators and school IT professionals. When you offer something that’s easy to use and easy to manage, it’s easy to see why Chromebook market share in education (58% and growing) as grown so aggressively.
Chrome devices on Windows domain behave well, a nod to the evolution of synthetic neuroplacticity between the big three operating systems and the hardware running them.
Microsoft is not standing idle watching Google and Chrome take the education segment. Earlier this year, with the launch of Windows 10 S, a schools-focused iteration designed to run on lightweight laptops around $200, MS made its play at to wrest the EDU gains away from Google. Microsoft loyalists may want to check out 11.6-inch Windows laptops for $200-250; there are several quality models available on NeweggBusiness that will rival Chromebooks in the classroom named above.
