Need Tech Advice: Budget Laptop for Girls Who Code SCRATCH in Middle School

playahaitian

Rising Star
Certified Pussy Poster
I need the BGOL tech squad to recommend a good BUDGET laptop for a tween into coding and STEAM,

I was looking at these three...

6170703_sd.jpg;maxHeight=640;maxWidth=550


Acer - 15.6" Chromebook - Intel Celeron - 4GB Memory - 16GB eMMC Flash Memory - Granite Gray

Key Specs



    • 15.6 inches
    • No
    • 12 hours
    • Graphics
      Intel HD Graphics 400
    • 4 gigabytes
    • 1.6 gigahertz
    • Intel Celeron
    • Processor Model Number
      N3060
    • Chrome OS
    • Storage Type
      eMMC
    • Total Storage Capacity
      16 gigabytes
    • eMMC Capacity
      16 gigabytes
Feature



    • Keyboard Touch Screen
      No
    • Backlit Keyboard
      No
    • Cooling System
      Air
Memory



    • Yes
    • LPDDR3
    • 2 megabytes
    • Number of Memory Sticks Included
      3
Display



    • 1366 x 768 (HD)
    • Display Type
      Widescreen LED
Storage



    • Storage Type
      eMMC
    • Total Storage Capacity
      16 gigabytes
    • eMMC Capacity
      16 gigabytes
    • Hard Drive Accelerator
      None
Graphics



    • Integrated
    • Video Memory Type
      Shared
Processor



    • Processor Brand
      Intel
Connectivity



    • Yes
    • Embedded Mobile Broadband
      None
    • No
Ports



    • Headphone Jack
      Yes
    • Number of USB Ports (Total)
      2
    • Number of USB 3.0 Type A Ports
      2
    • Number of HDMI Outputs (Total)
      1
Network



    • Wireless-AC
Included



    • Built-In Webcam
      Yes
    • None
    • Additional Accessories Included
      Power adapter
Power



    • 3920 milliampere hours
    • Battery Cells
      3-cell
    • Battery Type
      Lithium-polymer
Dimension



    • Product Height
      1 inches
    • Product Width
      15.1 inches
    • Product Depth
      10.1 inches
    • Product Weight
      4.41 pounds
Audio



    • Speaker Type
      Stereo speakers
Certifications & Listings



    • No
    • No
Warranty



    • Manufacturer's Warranty - Parts
      1 year
    • Manufacturer's Warranty - Labor
      1 year
General



    • Casing Material
      Other
    • Color
      Granite Gray
    • Color Category
      Gray
    • Model Number
      CB3-532-C8DF
Other



    • Product Name
      15.6" Chromebook - Intel Celeron - 4GB Memory - 16GB eMMC Flash Memory
    • Brand
      Acer
    • UPC
      191114570975
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/acer-1...UL82EdFKHOYL-SSm2ThoCDxAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
HP - 14" Touch-Screen Chromebook - Intel Celeron - 4GB Memory - 32GB eMMC Flash Memory - Grey

Key Specs



    • 14 inches
    • Yes
    • 10.75 hours
    • Graphics
      Intel HD Graphics 500
    • 4 gigabytes
    • 1.1 gigahertz
    • Intel Celeron
    • Processor Model Number
      N3350
    • Chrome OS
    • Storage Type
      eMMC
    • Total Storage Capacity
      32 gigabytes
    • eMMC Capacity
      32 gigabytes
Feature



    • Keyboard Touch Screen
      No
    • Touchpad Type
      Multi-touch, with gesture support
    • Backlit Keyboard
      No
    • Cooling System
      Air
Memory



    • Yes
    • LPDDR3
    • 2 megabytes
Display



    • 1366 x 768 (HD)
    • Display Type
      Touchscreen Widescreen LED-LCD
Storage



    • Storage Type
      eMMC
    • Total Storage Capacity
      32 gigabytes
    • eMMC Capacity
      32 gigabytes
    • Hard Drive Accelerator
      None
Graphics



    • Integrated
Processor



    • Processor Brand
      Intel
Connectivity



    • Yes
    • Embedded Mobile Broadband
      None
    • No
Ports



    • Headphone Jack
      Yes
    • Number of USB Ports (Total)
      2
    • Number of USB 3.0 Type A Ports
      2
    • Number of USB 3.1 Type C Ports
      4
Network



    • Wireless-AC
Included



    • Built-In Webcam
      Yes
    • None
    • Included Software
      Google Drive (100 GB Cloud Storage) (free for 2 years)
    • Additional Accessories Included
      Power adapter
Power



    • Battery Cells
      2-cell
    • Battery Type
      Lithium-ion
Dimension



    • Product Height
      0.7 inches
    • Product Width
      13.3 inches
    • Product Depth
      8.9 inches
    • Product Weight
      3.4 pounds
Audio



    • Speaker Type
      Stereo speakers
Certifications & Listings



    • Yes
    • No
Warranty



    • Manufacturer's Warranty - Parts
      1 year
    • Manufacturer's Warranty - Labor
      1 year
General



    • Color
      Grey
    • Color Category
      Gray
    • Model Number
      14-CA061DX
Other



    • Product Name
      14" Touch-Screen Chromebook - Intel Celeron - 4GB Memory - 32GB eMMC Flash Memory
    • Brand
      HP
    • UPC
      192018765122
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-14-...mmc-flash-memory-grey/6199102.p?skuId=6199102

6199102_sd.jpg;maxHeight=640;maxWidth=550
 
https://www.blinq.com/detail/electr...0WESE4fjc0Tbm3ppmeTCgrcUmKaQnt2RoCOlgQAvD_BwE

65f233d93aca.jpg.jpg


Acer 15.6" Chromebook 1.6GHz 4GB 16GB Chrome OS

Description

The 15.6" Chromebook that you'll want to own. With its beautiful design, 27% larger screen, immersive multimedia features, long battery life and millions of apps.An absolutely stunning brushed aluminum Chromebook with an immersive display and upward facing speakers for a truly stunning entertainment experience.

Features

  • Built-in cloud support
  • Intel HD Graphics 400
  • Bluetooth 4.2 interface syncs with compatible devices
  • HDMI output expands your viewing options
Color
Black
Features
High Definition
Hard Drive Capacity
16GB
Hardware Connectivity
HDMI
Memory
4GB
Operating System
Chrome OS
Processor Speed
1.60GHz
Processor Type
Intel Celeron
Type
Audio Jack
Features
High Definition
Hardware Connectivity
HDMI
Features
High Definition
Hardware Connectivity
HDMI
UPC
191114570975
Brand
Acer
Model
CB3-532-C8DF
Part
NX.GHJAA.009
 
No chrome book its to limiting.

I just grabbed this for $149 from Ebay

Dell Inspiron 15-3541

  • AMD A6-6310 1.8GHz Processor
  • Webcam
  • 4.0GB of RAM
  • 500GB Hard Drive
  • DVD-ROM Drive
  • 15.6" Touchscreen LCD

she just really getting into coding and I wanted something for her to practice with....

thanks let me check that out....
 
she just really getting into coding and I wanted something for her to practice with....

thanks let me check that out....

If you get a Windows OS you can put VMware on it and setup virtual machines so if she mess up something you can kill it and load another one
 
I agree with avoiding the Chromebook. Any i5 will be strong enough to serve as a multi use system. For kids 14" screen is about right. It'll be lighter too. i3s bog down too often to be worth it.
 
Last edited:
Good shit... Playa, not trying to hijack your thread

I got quick question, for SQL training would the above recommend products work also?
 
Good shit... Playa, not trying to hijack your thread

I got quick question, for SQL training would the above recommend products work also?
i5 can handle databases with no problem. I've install the full wamp suite and mysql community server in the past.
 
Whatever you do stay away from Chromebooks.

I purchased one for my daughter when she was in elementary school and after a year it was obsolete.
What? How long ago was this? Obsolete? Majority of schools use Chromebooks over any other device.
 
What? How long ago was this? Obsolete? Majority of schools use Chromebooks over any other device.

Not sure what city you're in but the majority of the in Atlanta and the Metro use Microsoft Surface devices.

This was a 2nd generation Chromebook that if memory serves me correctly had a processor that they went away from that I couldn't even install Android via mod on it.

I got more value out of the Google Drive storage than she did the Chromebook.
 
Not sure what city you're in but the majority of the in Atlanta and the Metro use Microsoft Surface devices.

This was a 2nd generation Chromebook that if memory serves me correctly had a processor that they went away from that I couldn't even install Android via mod on it.

I got more value out of the Google Drive storage than she did the Chromebook.
https://www-recode-net.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.recode.net/platform/amp/2018/3/27/17169624/apple-ipad-google-education-event-chromebooks-market?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCCAE=#referrer=https://www.google.com&amp_tf=From %1$s&ampshare=https://www.recode.net/2018/3/27/17169624/apple-ipad-google-education-event-chromebooks-market

Yes, the older devices did not get Android. But all the newer ones are, as well as Linux. They are becoming more popular than ever before
 
Last edited:
The more she gets into coding, the more processor and memory she will need. As mentioned by others... i5's are a good start. Also as much memory as you can get...preferably over 8gb. Heavy use of chrome alone can bring others with less memory to its knees.

A good place to start:
https://www.dealnews.com/c49/Computers/Laptops/f15/Core-i5/

also, good sellers on ebay may be an option.
Also be on the lookout for upcoming black friday deals from slickdeals

I too would stay away from chromebooks and look for windows or linux.
 
Back
Top