Tips for Choosing a Computer for School – Intel

Other Device Considerations for School Computers

Beyond processing power and form factor, there are a number of other important device attributes to consider in order to get the most out of your device.

Compatibility

An ideal school computer is compatible with other peripherals needed for optimal use, from headphones, displays, and external storage devices to interactive whiteboards and classroom document cameras. PCs and Chrome OS devices work in an open device ecosystem, meaning they support a range of input and output formats and are typically compatible with a greater number of external devices, existing classroom technologies, and supporting software systems. Open ecosystems give you the flexibility to connect to and access the external hardware and features you want when you want them.

Connectivity and Battery

Connectivity is essential for hybrid or remote learning environments. PCs and Chrome OS devices with onboard LTE can greatly benefit students who don’t have access to internet at home. For users who have consistent connectivity available, Intel® Wi-Fi 6/6E (Gig+) are the best Wi-Fi technologies for education and for videoconferencing, enabling nearly 3x faster speeds (up to 6x faster downloads on new 6 GHz networks) and up to 75 percent lower latency vs. standard Wi-Fi 5 products.1

Any mobile device with all-day battery and fast charging is ideal for students and teachers who take their device back and forth between school and home and need to be untethered from an electric outlet. Chromebooks can offer more than 12 hours of battery life.2

Displays, Cameras, and Audio

PCs and Chrome OS devices have become critical communication tools for remote users. Image quality, especially in environments with varying light levels, is important for both live videoconferencing and for viewing on-screen content. Devices with Intel® Iris® Xe graphics technology and an Intel® Image Processing Unit (IPU6) and MIPI CSI camera module support high-resolution image quality for video streaming and screen viewing, even in dark environments, in addition to the graphics performance needed for teachers and students creating and sharing original content.

Audio quality is equally important for effective learning and participation. Devices with Intel® Smart Sound Technology (Intel® SST) use an integrated audio digital signal processor to offer high-fidelity audio without impacting system performance or battery life.3

PCs with Windows 11 are also able to address the disability divide in education. With assistive technology that is compatible with any Windows 11 PC, school districts can focus on how to best support their students with disabilities without the need for additional costly plugins. Some examples include light mode, dark mode, and other colorful themes that are ideal for those with light sensitivity. PCs with Windows 11 also offer closed captions, speech recognition, and talk-to-text for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Finally, tools like the magnifier can help students who have trouble seeing small text on a screen, and keyboard shortcuts can help students who have difficulty physically interacting with a keyboard.

Security and Manageability

Keeping student, teacher, and school devices secure against viruses, cyberattacks, and bad actors is critical to protecting individual privacy and data and for preventing interruptions to learning.

A combination of software- and hardware-based device security features can help to protect devices at multiple levels against a range of possible attacks. Device security is important for all device types but especially for mobile devices, like laptops and tablets, that are used in different environments and connected to nonschool networks.

PCs built on the Intel vPro® platform provide the benefits of integrated, out-of-the-box, hardware-based security features and remote manageability tools for school IT departments Similarly, Chrome OS devices come with built-in virus protection and several layers of security, including a verified boot process that automatically restarts and restores devices to a stable state if a security threat is detected.

Cost Considerations

Cost is always a consideration when investing in a new computer. As you think about how you, your students, or your staff will use a device, it’s important to evaluate whether a device offers all the critical capabilities you’re looking for. With PCs and Chrome OS devices, you have more choice when it comes to finding a system configuration that works best for you, offering you more flexibility, scalability, and use over time. Selecting a well-performing device with a flexible form factor can extend the longevity of your purchase and, for school IT departments, extend the time between device refresh cycles.