We are going through a Chromebook RFP in our district and I am trying to get some additional information about some…

We are going through a Chromebook RFP in our district and I am trying to get some additional information about some…

We are going through a Chromebook RFP in our district and I am trying to get some additional information about some of the configurations that have been proposed to us. Does anyone in this community have experience with the Lenovo Thinkpad, Acer c7, or Samsung Series 3 that can speak to durability or build quality?

Thank you for any help you might be able to provide.

51 Comments

  1. They can send demo units, but I’m thinking about folks who have already had kids actually use them. To me, the durability really can’t be tested without kids doing things kids do to devices in the course of using them.

  2. They can send demo units, but I’m thinking about folks who have already had kids actually use them. To me, the durability really can’t be tested without kids doing things kids do to devices in the course of using them.

  3. They can send demo units, but I’m thinking about folks who have already had kids actually use them. To me, the durability really can’t be tested without kids doing things kids do to devices in the course of using them.

  4. The Thinkpad model is definitely the most durable. It’s still plastic, but it’s a more rugged build, and it has a rubberized band around the edge. It looks and feels really solid, but It’s also more expensive. We opted to trade some durability for more devices by going with the Samsung model. By saving $180 off the Lenovo model, you’re almost 3/4 of the way towards another Chromebook. We’ve had some breakage, but not much, 10-15 devices out of about 1000 so far. It’s still fairly durable, especially for a sub-$300 device. Unless money is really tight I wouldn’t consider the Acer c7, it really shows its low price. $50 to move up to the Samsung is well worth it.

  5. The Thinkpad model is definitely the most durable. It’s still plastic, but it’s a more rugged build, and it has a rubberized band around the edge. It looks and feels really solid, but It’s also more expensive. We opted to trade some durability for more devices by going with the Samsung model. By saving $180 off the Lenovo model, you’re almost 3/4 of the way towards another Chromebook. We’ve had some breakage, but not much, 10-15 devices out of about 1000 so far. It’s still fairly durable, especially for a sub-$300 device. Unless money is really tight I wouldn’t consider the Acer c7, it really shows its low price. $50 to move up to the Samsung is well worth it.

  6. The Thinkpad model is definitely the most durable. It’s still plastic, but it’s a more rugged build, and it has a rubberized band around the edge. It looks and feels really solid, but It’s also more expensive. We opted to trade some durability for more devices by going with the Samsung model. By saving $180 off the Lenovo model, you’re almost 3/4 of the way towards another Chromebook. We’ve had some breakage, but not much, 10-15 devices out of about 1000 so far. It’s still fairly durable, especially for a sub-$300 device. Unless money is really tight I wouldn’t consider the Acer c7, it really shows its low price. $50 to move up to the Samsung is well worth it.

  7. I have deployed the Samsungs to fairly rugged conditions. There are three weak points to the build:

    * Screen cracks easily because of the way it is attached to the lid. Replacements cost $60 and take ~ten minutes to swap out.

    * Barrel connector on the power charger is very weak and bends/breaks. The internal/female connector is not so bad.

    * Paint scratches extremely easily. Some of the units I have deployed have really weird paint scratch patterns all over them.

  8. I have deployed the Samsungs to fairly rugged conditions. There are three weak points to the build:

    * Screen cracks easily because of the way it is attached to the lid. Replacements cost $60 and take ~ten minutes to swap out.

    * Barrel connector on the power charger is very weak and bends/breaks. The internal/female connector is not so bad.

    * Paint scratches extremely easily. Some of the units I have deployed have really weird paint scratch patterns all over them.

  9. I have deployed the Samsungs to fairly rugged conditions. There are three weak points to the build:

    * Screen cracks easily because of the way it is attached to the lid. Replacements cost $60 and take ~ten minutes to swap out.

    * Barrel connector on the power charger is very weak and bends/breaks. The internal/female connector is not so bad.

    * Paint scratches extremely easily. Some of the units I have deployed have really weird paint scratch patterns all over them.

  10. We have deployed both Samsung Chromebooks and Lenovo Chromebooks. Others have pointed out the significant difference in build quality and durability of the Lenovo as compared to the Samsung. I’d like to add that the Lenovo CBs also have a replaceable battery which should help for longevity. Also, don’t discount the difference in RAM. If you’ve used a CB with 2GB RAM and another with 4GB, the difference is significant. I’m not talking about having dozens of tabs open. Just routine daily use of a CB with 4GB and the Intel processor is, to me, very noticeable. So for the $180 difference you get a boost in durability, longevity, and performance. Something more to think about.

  11. We have deployed both Samsung Chromebooks and Lenovo Chromebooks. Others have pointed out the significant difference in build quality and durability of the Lenovo as compared to the Samsung. I’d like to add that the Lenovo CBs also have a replaceable battery which should help for longevity. Also, don’t discount the difference in RAM. If you’ve used a CB with 2GB RAM and another with 4GB, the difference is significant. I’m not talking about having dozens of tabs open. Just routine daily use of a CB with 4GB and the Intel processor is, to me, very noticeable. So for the $180 difference you get a boost in durability, longevity, and performance. Something more to think about.

  12. We have deployed both Samsung Chromebooks and Lenovo Chromebooks. Others have pointed out the significant difference in build quality and durability of the Lenovo as compared to the Samsung. I’d like to add that the Lenovo CBs also have a replaceable battery which should help for longevity. Also, don’t discount the difference in RAM. If you’ve used a CB with 2GB RAM and another with 4GB, the difference is significant. I’m not talking about having dozens of tabs open. Just routine daily use of a CB with 4GB and the Intel processor is, to me, very noticeable. So for the $180 difference you get a boost in durability, longevity, and performance. Something more to think about.

  13. Ben Wilkoff the highest replacement rate I’ve read about for Chromebooks is 20%/year. The average is about 10%. If the intent is to replace the entire batch every four years, add 40–80% of the original cost on. With Lenovo, it is likely quite a bit lower, perhaps 5% per year (no stats yet).

    From the few of Chromebook types I’ve deployed, there has been a strong preference for the 303 due to weight. I have a 550 as a kiosk now because it weighs a few hundred grams more.

  14. Ben Wilkoff the highest replacement rate I’ve read about for Chromebooks is 20%/year. The average is about 10%. If the intent is to replace the entire batch every four years, add 40–80% of the original cost on. With Lenovo, it is likely quite a bit lower, perhaps 5% per year (no stats yet).

    From the few of Chromebook types I’ve deployed, there has been a strong preference for the 303 due to weight. I have a 550 as a kiosk now because it weighs a few hundred grams more.

  15. Ben Wilkoff the highest replacement rate I’ve read about for Chromebooks is 20%/year. The average is about 10%. If the intent is to replace the entire batch every four years, add 40–80% of the original cost on. With Lenovo, it is likely quite a bit lower, perhaps 5% per year (no stats yet).

    From the few of Chromebook types I’ve deployed, there has been a strong preference for the 303 due to weight. I have a 550 as a kiosk now because it weighs a few hundred grams more.

  16. We piloted the Samsungs and Acers this Spring. The kids overwhelmingly preferred the Acers when asked their preference, but said they’d gladly use either one. When put next to each other, the resolution of the Acer is superior. We went for the solid state HD and extra battery life of the Samsungs. If our budget had supported it, I would have piloted Lenovos

  17. We piloted the Samsungs and Acers this Spring. The kids overwhelmingly preferred the Acers when asked their preference, but said they’d gladly use either one. When put next to each other, the resolution of the Acer is superior. We went for the solid state HD and extra battery life of the Samsungs. If our budget had supported it, I would have piloted Lenovos

  18. We piloted the Samsungs and Acers this Spring. The kids overwhelmingly preferred the Acers when asked their preference, but said they’d gladly use either one. When put next to each other, the resolution of the Acer is superior. We went for the solid state HD and extra battery life of the Samsungs. If our budget had supported it, I would have piloted Lenovos

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