Recommend Laptop or Tablet for Middle School

[Anonymous]

DS has needed my laptop for schoolwork more often. We are taking advantage of gift giving this holiday season to get him something he can use for middle school. Any recommendation on what your DC found useful. There seems to be the 2-in-1, the touch screen laptop, traditional laptop, etc. Some laptops have screens that are 14"+ and that seems a little big to carry around but I am not sure if kids prefer this size screen? Any recommendation on which laptop/tablet/2-in-1 device you found to be most useful for an MCPS middle schooler?

[Anonymous]

MAC Air and it will take him through high school with zero problems ever.

[Anonymous]

Many less expensive options than Apple. Lost, dropped stolen..I would not spend that much for a tween unless $ is not an issue.

[Anonymous]

After my middle schooler dropped his father's Mac Air and dented the hardwood floor (laptop had nothing!), we opted for a Chromebook. Infernally cheap, and it's the same machine they use at school. I hate it, personally, because it's all cloud-based, and I don't want my data in the cloud. But for schoolwork it's really easy to use and connect to Google classroom, chat with their teachers and classmates for assignments. I highly recommend it if your child stays in MCPS. The Apple products will perhaps be more helpful in college (and by that time, it won't be MY hardwood floor he dents with them).

[Anonymous]

Just sent one to college (engineering) and school said if you had Mac you did not need to replace it but if you were buying something you should not buy Apple. I imagine for a more artistic major Apple might be preferred but not tech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
After my middle schooler dropped his father's Mac Air and dented the hardwood floor (laptop had nothing!), we opted for a Chromebook. Infernally cheap, and it's the same machine they use at school. I hate it, personally, because it's all cloud-based, and I don't want my data in the cloud. But for schoolwork it's really easy to use and connect to Google classroom, chat with their teachers and classmates for assignments. I highly recommend it if your child stays in MCPS. The Apple products will perhaps be more helpful in college (and by that time, it won't be MY hardwood floor he dents with them).

can you link to exact chromebook you like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
After my middle schooler dropped his father's Mac Air and dented the hardwood floor (laptop had nothing!), we opted for a Chromebook. Infernally cheap, and it's the same machine they use at school. I hate it, personally, because it's all cloud-based, and I don't want my data in the cloud. But for schoolwork it's really easy to use and connect to Google classroom, chat with their teachers and classmates for assignments. I highly recommend it if your child stays in MCPS. The Apple products will perhaps be more helpful in college (and by that time, it won't be MY hardwood floor he dents with them).

can you link to exact chromebook you like?

The one my husband bought for him is the HP Chromebook 14, model 14-ca050nr. The school doesn't use quite the same one, but they all work the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just sent one to college (engineering) and school said if you had Mac you did not need to replace it but if you were buying something you should not buy Apple. I imagine for a more artistic major Apple might be preferred but not tech.

WRONG! Almost every programmer at Google, Apple or any big tech firm uses a mac book pro these days. Sure you can do whatever you want but there are plenty of reasons to use a mac one being UNIX.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just sent one to college (engineering) and school said if you had Mac you did not need to replace it but if you were buying something you should not buy Apple. I imagine for a more artistic major Apple might be preferred but not tech.

This is about the silliest thing I’ve ever read here.

Get a Mac. Run VirtualBox when you must use Windows. Linux runs fine headless so for most Of what you need run it in the cloud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just sent one to college (engineering) and school said if you had Mac you did not need to replace it but if you were buying something you should not buy Apple. I imagine for a more artistic major Apple might be preferred but not tech.

WRONG! Almost every programmer at Google, Apple or any big tech firm uses a mac book pro these days. Sure you can do whatever you want but there are plenty of reasons to use a mac one being UNIX.

Perhaps Google programmers have different needs than engineering students as I was told basically that same thing by 2 colleges in the last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just sent one to college (engineering) and school said if you had Mac you did not need to replace it but if you were buying something you should not buy Apple. I imagine for a more artistic major Apple might be preferred but not tech.

WRONG! Almost every programmer at Google, Apple or any big tech firm uses a mac book pro these days. Sure you can do whatever you want but there are plenty of reasons to use a mac one being UNIX.

Perhaps Google programmers have different needs than engineering students as I was told basically that same thing by 2 colleges in the last year.

Schools are typically just 40-50 years behind the times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just sent one to college (engineering) and school said if you had Mac you did not need to replace it but if you were buying something you should not buy Apple. I imagine for a more artistic major Apple might be preferred but not tech.

WRONG! Almost every programmer at Google, Apple or any big tech firm uses a mac book pro these days. Sure you can do whatever you want but there are plenty of reasons to use a mac one being UNIX.

Perhaps Google programmers have different needs than engineering students as I was told basically that same thing by 2 colleges in the last year.

Schools are typically just 40-50 years behind the times.

Schools have contracts with big tech to push certain products.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just sent one to college (engineering) and school said if you had Mac you did not need to replace it but if you were buying something you should not buy Apple. I imagine for a more artistic major Apple might be preferred but not tech.

This is about the silliest thing I’ve ever read here.

Get a Mac. Run VirtualBox when you must use Windows. Linux runs fine headless so for most Of what you need run it in the cloud.

I have colleagues who do run VirtualBox and they say it doesn't work well with whatever stats program they're using (I think STATA). I don't know details, but they insisted that they needed two computers--they love the Mac but want a PC for the heavy duty data stuff.

[Anonymous]

+1 for a Chromebook. The newer ones have touch screens.

[Anonymous]

PP from above. I have one very similar to this, but it was way cheaper. I think the one I'm linking is the latest and greatest. Mine was about $200 on a super sale. $300+ is the regular price.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-plus-2-in-1-12-2-touch-screen-chromebook-intel-celeron-4gb-memory-32gb-emmc-flash-memory-stealth-silver/6239914.p?skuId=6239914