Daughter Needs a Laptop for Highschool Next Year - Budget $750

Twisty on 29/11/2024 - 14:06
Last edited 29/11/2024 - 21:09 by 1 other user

Hey everyone, being Black Friday I’m looking out for a Laptop for my daughter for high school next year

There a lots of deals going on atm but I don’t know what one to go for as I’m a listy dusty when it comes to Windows based machines

The requirements are -

I5 Recommended or better
Minimum 8GB Recommended
Graphics
Intel Built-in Graphics Acceptable
Storage
320 GB HDD (or 128 GB SSD)
Optical Drive Optional
Network
Dual Band Wireless: 802.11n Compatible Built-In
Ethernet Adaptor Recommended
Screen Size
13 to 15 Inch Recommended
1280 x 720 Minimum Resolution
11 Inch Minimum/15+ Inch Not Recommended
Battery Life
4.5 Hour Minimum Battery Life

I want this to last a few years plus, so I think one with 512gb SSD is the minimum and a Full HD screen with decent display

Can anyone recommend me one, looking to spend $750 or below thereabouts. Not sure if this price is too much for a school device but I’m wanting it to last, so I don’t need to buy a new one in 3 years time. I’m also guessing she would like to play Roblox and Minecraft on it when she is at home.

Thanks

Computing Computer Laptop

Comments

  • altomic on 29/11/2024 - 14:15
    +7

    Out of the 1000+ previous identical posts for high school BYODs, which ones came close to matching your requirements?

    • Twisty on 29/11/2024 - 14:37
      +2

      Yer true but im over my head with it all sorry

      • HeWhoKnows on 30/11/2024 - 15:37
        -1

        Take these specs to your local computer retailer.
        They will recommend the best fit for price.
        No point getting recommendations here and then finding out they are not available.

        NOTE: These specs look like they were made in 2017.
        They are VERY OLD specs meaning almost any decent used laptop will do the trick.

        If buying a new laptop, the only upgrade suggestions I'd make if you want it to be useful for more than 3 years is:

        16GB RAM
        500GB SSD
        Wireless: 802.11nac (n is very old technology…so dont need ethernet adapter but OK if it has this port
        10hr battery life
        Screen size is up to you. Its not really a "requirement" as such.
        Personally I find that 12" is lighter, more durable and much more portable.

        Optical drives are now almost OBSELETE! So forget about that one
        Dont know what fool recommended that
        Must still be living in 2010s

  • scrimshaw on 29/11/2024 - 14:18
    +4

    price just dropped on this to 799
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/881246
    HP PAVILION Aero 13, 2K Display
    AMD Ryzen 5-8640U
    Radeon 760M GPU
    16GB 512GB.

    A little above your budget but its portable / powerful / lightweight. It was going for $868 previously

    If you're trying to keep to a lower budget, MSI Modern 14 is going for $699. You will lose on a bit of GPU performance (games won't run as well), the display resolution is standard 1080p and the laptop is a little heavier at 1.5KG.

    • apu on 29/11/2024 - 14:46

      I bought it this morning for $868 for my daughter starting High School and now the price has dropped further. So angry with myself, and time to hand in my OzB membership card.

    • scrimshaw on 29/11/2024 - 18:29

      There is a better deal for the MSI Modern 14 now, only $604.50.

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/881360

    • Twisty on 29/11/2024 - 14:36

      Thanks but looking for a new one

      • megaalc on 29/11/2024 - 14:39
        +2

        I bought this one only after my daughter smashed two brand new ones ;)

        • Twisty on 29/11/2024 - 14:42

          Fair call

  • pegaxs on 29/11/2024 - 14:41
    +3

    I got my daughter the MSI GF63 i5-13420H. It has 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, RTX 3050 video card, 15" screen and ZOMG!!! A red LED backlit keyboard… All for about $850~890 dollars from the eBay 20~22% off sales.

    She likes gaming so I wanted to get something that could do a little bit of both school work and gaming and wasnt going to break the bank and her father wasnt going to weep when she came home from school and it was stolen/broken.

    • Twisty on 29/11/2024 - 14:42

      Still available sounds great

      • DOGGYWOWWOW on 29/11/2024 - 15:51
        +1

        I got a MSI GF63 for free but a 2 year old model. The build quality is horrendous and from the pictures it looks unchanged. I would have my doubts that this could survive highschool and besides who wants to lug such a large laptop to school? The RTX 3050 is not good enough for real gaming and adds bulk to the laptop.

        • scrimshaw on 29/11/2024 - 16:49

          yeah for school you'd want to stick with a 13 - 14 inch device.

          Portability and battery life is more important than gaming / graphics performance (each to their own of course) but have to remember at school you don't always have a power point ready to charge your laptop. You might be able to squeeze in a charge during recess but not during classtime.

    • CrispyChrispy on 29/11/2024 - 15:50
      +1

      wasnt going to break the bank

      You sure it won't break her back either? 1.85kg isn't the lightest, chuck in the charger (battery life won't be amazing at just 52Wh), school books, lunch, bottle, etc. and the weight adds up quickly. Just speaking from (recent) personal experience.

      • pegaxs on 29/11/2024 - 23:05
        +1

        Won’t break her back. It’s more for homework at home than it is for going to school. It won’t be until the end of the year that they will need to bring in their own computers and it will be maybe 1 or 2 days a week at most.

    • bargaino on 29/11/2024 - 16:41

      Gaming?! No way.
      I have a separate gaming PC at home. Cost difference is minimal - ex-corp desktop and laptop, plus new GPU and ram/ssd upgrades.
      The laptop is for study, not games. Though you have a girl, so less of a problem :-)

      • pegaxs on 29/11/2024 - 23:03

        It’s literally for Minecraft and Roblox. I’m sure she will be fine.

        She has an iPad, phone, Switch, Xbox and PS4 available if she wants to play anything else. She did well at school this year and wanted a “gaming” laptop and I wasn’t prepared to pay for the $2,990 one she wanted… (she really just wanted a laptop with a light up keyboard..😂🤣)

        • bargaino on 30/11/2024 - 01:53

          Ah, then the RTX is a bit wasted :)

          • pegaxs on 30/11/2024 - 23:41
            +1

            @bargaino: Yeah, but it has led lit keyboard!! lol… she is going to be pissed it isn’t RGB though, so I’ll still lose some “cool dad” points on that alone 😂🤣

  • oscargamer on 29/11/2024 - 14:43
    +1

    Used Lenovo Thinkpad T14 gen 2 intel

    like this https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/335308042200?chn=ps&_ul=AU&norov…

  • Caped Baldy on 29/11/2024 - 15:03
    +1

    The specs you've listed are like something from 5 years ago. Ethernet and ODD are questionable IMO.

    Are there software requirements?

    • Twisty on 29/11/2024 - 15:34

      Windows 10

      Yer when I saw it I thought it all sounded old

      Just want something that will be good for years to comes

      • netjock on 29/11/2024 - 16:39
        +2

        Get her a Dell 7390 grade A. $350 off Ebay will do the job. The next generation don't have on unit Ethernet RJ45. Need to get a dongle.

  • JimB on 29/11/2024 - 15:47

    "I think one with 512gb ssd is the minimum and a Full HD screen with decent display"

    With school work stored on Office 365, I don't think 512bg is essential but Full HD Screen is. IPS screen is better.

  • 87percent on 29/11/2024 - 15:54
    +1

    M1 MacBook Air

  • bargaino on 29/11/2024 - 16:37
    +2

    Full-HD is essential. 4.5 hr battery is insufficient, should last all day, so 6-8 hrs.
    $750 will get you a new computer with OK specs, except not great build quality.

    $400 +/- will get you a business-grade ex-corporate/government laptop in excellent condition with 12-month warranty, less likley to break than a budget model new, and less pain if she does break or lose it.

    A cheap laptop is fine if you mainly keep it at home, but for carrying to & from school every day, I recommend a more rugged upmarket model, with more metal and less plastic. Latitude 73xx, Thinkpad, elitebook, …

  • Twisty on 29/11/2024 - 16:48

    Thanks for the replies so far everyone

    Still very confused which one to get

    • scrimshaw on 29/11/2024 - 17:04
      +5

      Three most important things in a school laptop, in no particular order.

      • build quality (durability of charging ports, hinges, ease of repair)
      • size / weight (portability)
      • battery life / battery capacity

      you want to optimise the 3 things above.

      The following are nice-to-haves, and will add to the overall cost of the laptop, and may compromise on things like portability and battery life.

      • Gaming: Discrete Graphics card (Geforce RTX / AMD Radeon) but this always comes at the cost of extra weight, cost and lower battery life. Avoid this unless your kid is a Korean pro gamer. Integrated GPU's will handle Minecraft and Roblox fine.
      • high end CPU. Unless they specifically need it for media creation, like Photoshop or Adobe Premiere. Most kids will get by with a low-voltage, mid-range CPU (Ryzen U series, 12th or 13th Generation Core i5 U series). If you pick a laptop with a performance-type CPU (they usually have an "H" in their model names), that might come at the extra cost of weight / higher price.
      • Touchscreen and stylus input. Pen input is beneficial for note taking and writing mathematical equations / drawing molecular structures in Chemistry class. The trade-off is extra cost, and if your screen breaks it is significantly more expensive to replace the touch display.
      • Display resolution higher than 1080p. 1080p is standard nowadays but if you were given the option to upgrade at no extra cost then go for it.

      So if you're feeling a bit lost, just focus on the first 3 dot points — build quality, weight/ size, battery

      • Twisty on 29/11/2024 - 18:23

        Thanks

  • virgo76 on 30/11/2024 - 07:29

    I thought you had to buy the laptop tte school reccomended.

    • Twisty on 30/11/2024 - 07:32

      Or better

  • singingwolf on 30/11/2024 - 07:45
    +2

    I bought a 1 year old refurbished business laptop for $428. i7 16gb etc. They will be hard on their first laptop. This will be perfect for first one.

  • deandownunder on 30/11/2024 - 08:33
    -1

    After spending over $1k. on a generic laptop for his high school daughter a friend of mine was greeted with " Dad, I can't take this to school all my friends have Apple Computers"
    Just a heads-up.

    • this is us on 30/11/2024 - 13:30
      +2

      With all due respect, that reflects a problem with current society and how kids are raised to become entitled pricks individuals.

      I'd say: too bad!

    • CrispyChrispy on 30/11/2024 - 22:17

      So what did your friend do?

      • deandownunder on 01/12/2024 - 08:48

        Told her no deal but guess what after 3 months the generic died or more likely murdered.

        • bargaino on 01/12/2024 - 11:09

          Did he replace it with Apple? In which case you know how the kid became such an "individual".

  • skillet on 30/11/2024 - 11:27

    Look at all the deals that suits your budget. Then pretend that the laptops you are going to buy is broken. Try the warranty claim process. Make your decision from there.

    1280 x 720 Minimum Resolution
    Please go full HD, 720p screens are not just aweful but extremely rubbish.

    Kids are going to be rough with the laptop, try opening and closing the display lid and watch how the plastic flex. Buy one with the best hinge.

  • Twisty on 30/11/2024 - 13:19

    Like some have mentioned, should I just invest in a MacBook?

    • CrispyChrispy on 30/11/2024 - 22:18

      Unnecessary.

      And will double your budget.

      • lilkid28 on 30/11/2024 - 23:54

        Not true mate, see my comment below.

        • CrispyChrispy on 01/12/2024 - 00:25

          I don't dispute the longevity of MacBooks if kept in good condition, but I don't think a brand new one is suitable for a year 7 student. Even if OP's kid is careful with it, other kids may not be.

    • Nillionaire on 01/12/2024 - 17:46

      Yes

  • this is us on 30/11/2024 - 13:36

    I have a Lenovo Z13 after owing a MacBook Pro for years. Obviously more expensive, but I love how light it is, and battery life. I like MacBooks, but I prefer Windows compatibility.

    Check the options you can find with decent battery life, and light weight.

    Consider MacBook Air or Lenovo options depending on your (revised?) budget, or refurbished if you keep your budget.

  • this is us on 30/11/2024 - 23:15

    *owning

  • lilkid28 on 30/11/2024 - 23:53

    Apple Macbook M2 $1327 at OW, price match Costco $1299.99, less 5% to $1235. Use 10% off gift cards to bring it down to $1111.50. Claim TRS of $112.27 to bring down to $999.23. 10x Flybuys points of $1235 worth another ~$61.75. Final cost about $937.50. And credit card points from buying the gift cards.

    In fact, this is what I did for my dad who finally upgraded his 10 year old Macbook Air after I convinced him how much he could save.

  • Schikitar on 01/12/2024 - 08:53
    +1

    I typed out a whole friggin response but wasn't logged in and then it wiped it out! Gah!

    Given that, I'll be brief! Look into education discounts with OEMs for both hardware and software, don't buy at full retail from big box stores without first checking edu pricing.

    Depending on what subject/interests your daughter has, check with the school (pref their IT department) about what they recommend.

    Macbooks can be a PITA for software compatibility sometimes, but cheap Windows laptops will compromise on performance.

    Always get SSD storage and 16gb RAM minimum.

    Don't buy a Chromebook.

    Install ad blockers and antimalware software regardless if MacOS or Windows, yes Macs are prone to viruses and browser hijacks too.

    Have an admin account but use a standard account day to day.

    Double your budget, invest in the tools for her education, and involve your daughter in the process to get buy-in on the device.

    Sorry, I had a way better response typed out before, shouldn't have done it on my phone! 🤣😭

    • Twisty on 01/12/2024 - 08:58

      Thanks for redoing it tho

      Appreciate it

  • The Hawk on 01/12/2024 - 09:20
    +1

    Each of my kids destroyed their first device in the first year. They just aren't used to moving around a school environment like that let alone doing while carrying books, pencil cases and a laptop.

    My real recommendation is to spend as little as possible on a second hand 8th gen Intel i5, something like this would be fine.
    https://metrocom.com.au/shop/computers-tablets-networking/la…

    I've got a kid going into year 7 with a Lenovo L13 with similar specs, we will monitor the battery and consider replacing it, otherwise run it until it's not good enough. For most year 7 kids this should be more than enough.

  • EyyBanane on 02/12/2024 - 18:35

    I have been on the same predicament. Mac or one of the various Lenovo/ HP laptops.

    Finally pulled the trigger to buy a M2 MBA for $1599.
    * 6.5% cashback from TopCashback ~ -$116
    * 10% TRS -$160
    * Apple giftcard worth -$240
    * Price match 28 degrees against JB/Costco ~ -$310-$330
    * Final price around $765-785

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