Robust Laptop

Pig Cat

Pig Cat

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Suffolk
I'm on the committee of our local pre-school and we're on the lookout for a laptop for the children to use. Can anyone recommend me one that you think would be suitable. Price needs to be £500 max, and if there is such a thing a robust one that is likely to take a few bumps and knock here and there. Thanks in advance! :D
 
pedro083 said:
If not for games a net book will do the job. Make sure whatever one you get has a solid state hard drive.
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Found this: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ebuyer.com/product/193039" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.ebuyer.com/product/193039</a><!-- m -->

Seems too cheap! Is there a reason for this? I don't know the details but it just needs to run simple kids programs and have internet capabilities as far as I know. Is the Zoostorm any good? Not being for me I need to be careful what I buy, but £200 is very tempting!
 
Pig Cat said:
Ids said:
Panasonic Toughbook series are very ruggedised not sure on price though.
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Look great but it appears they run in to thousands not hundreds. :(
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I think the CF-51 is at the lower end but I really wasn't sure on price. I think most laptops are drop proof these day days, I accidentally dropped mine recently off a bed onto a tiled floor, it fell 10 times before it stopped working.

Then I made the call.
 
Being a school isn't there company you can get a laptop and maintenance deal? Dell or something or go PC World/comet and beg for the school?
 
What's the intended purpose? Leader/teacher demonstrating or kids "hands on"?

I ask because if the kids are involved then a robust keyboard is a must, especially if it's one that can be washed to rid it of snot & vomit... No. 1 son has a laptop and frankly the keyboard on it gets minging...

Also consider the advice to most users of laptops is to have a separate keyboard and mouse if it's getting used for any length of time... so you may be better served with a "non-robust" laptop and a rotation of 3/4 wireless desktop (aka keyboard & mouse) sets. If a £40 wireless keybd dies, people will grumble, but £40 later you're fixed, if the keybd on the lappy dies because it's full of snot you're looking at £silly even before someone has the iron gonads to take it apart and replace the keybd...

PS. My 'nads are titanium - I take them apart with the technician they insist on sending with the part present looking over my shoulder :lol:
 
My wife's new Samsung N210 Plus netbook seems pretty robust. Ordered from Amazon at the weekend and promptly delivered by Home Delivery Network yesterday. We were at work when they tried to deliver and I assume the neighbours were out as well, but it's okay they kindly left it behind the side gate and left us a little note saying so. Only problem is the gate is locked from the inside and to leave it in a safe place, they saw fit to throw it over a 7 foot wall. :evil: All seems okay with it, but who's to say if it might not cause a problem further down the line.

To move away from my rant and back to your question, in my experience Dell laptops are generally pretty solidly built.
 
Why laptop? It's easier to make desktop PC robust, child proof, secure and probably cheaper.

You can however buy silicon skins for laptop keyboards and screen protectors, very robust can be expensive.
 
Dermot O'Logical said:
I saw the title to this thread, noted who posted it, and wondered if "robust" was a euphemism for "splash proof" :lol:
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:roll: If the situation did not involve young children I would respond with mighty gusto, but sadly it would not be appropriate. :(
 
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