Back to school is a time when parents feel confused and often financially stressed. According to the National Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism, the average expense that there will be in this return to classes will be 5,000 pesos; however, they estimate that the purchase of a computer , tablet or smartphone is planned within installment expenses, such as credit card purchases.
That is why, in order to make a smarter purchase, we are trying to explain what are the most relevant details that should be considered when looking for computer equipment in this Back to School.
How to choose a computer for basic education?
According to Carlos Leguizamon, consumer solutions marketing manager at Dell Technologies Mexico, one of the first things to consider is the school grade in which the students are.
“An elementary school child is going to have virtual classes, he will use the computer for video calls and perhaps he will have an extra use for entertainment that requires an internet connection, but in reality it is a more basic equipment where performance will not be challenged,” he specified. Leguizamon.
If your child is in elementary or high school, you should ideally look for a computer with an entry-level processor, starting with an Intel Core i3 or an AMD Phenom II X4. In addition to a memory of 8 GB of RAM, because being a device that will have demand for several applications at the same time, it will not be able to run with less memory than this.
Within this kind of range, you can even find some Chromebooks that are smaller in size.
“Some students begin to require more storage capacity, so it is feasible to buy computers with at least 256 GB of internal memory or have at least one hard drive that allows them to have more space,” Leguizamon pointed out.
In case of choosing a Chromebook, it is important to check that it is a computer with the Kompanio Mediatek chipset portfolio, since they offer input components similar to those of laptop processors, from brands such as Acer, Dell or Lenovo.
Another aspect that must be considered is that of the inputs to USB ports, Jack and the connection to the electrical current.
“It is ideal to have at least two USB inputs, since today many wireless devices use this type of connection to establish better communication with computer equipment,” said the Dell specialist.
Especially if they are elementary or high school students, it is better to choose computers with a jack input for wired headphones, since an extra battery will not be needed on a daily basis.
Ideal computer for high school and college students?
One of the main recommendations that Leguizamon makes is that you can opt for accessories that complement a good user experience, such as: monitor, mouse, keyboard and headset, because with this type of accessories some input equipment can still remain useful.
In case they have gone from middle school to high school, the ideal is to choose a mid-range device, where the minimum size is 13 inches on the screen and a slimmer and more portable design is prioritized.
The minimum for this type of student is a processor with at least five cores, that is, with processors above a Core i5 or FX 4100 from AMD, where the RAM is greater than 8 GB and there is an internal memory, preferably, greater at 256 GB and longer battery life.
“It is also ideal to look for equipment with Full HD cameras, since the video calls that are made will be more constant and therefore better technology will be needed. You can even opt for independent 4K cameras”, Leguizamon pointed out.
Another of the sectors that must be taken into account is that of the battery, where a device with a minimum of six hours of independence must be sought and where tests of this factor of at least 10 hours of use are considered, this because in normal use it does not settings are considered as battery saving.
In addition to verifying that these minimum requirements for computer use exist, one of the recommendations made by Leguizamon is to verify the guarantee offered by both the manufacturing companies and the stores where the computer is sold.
“Some equipment has protection against accidents or theft, where even spills of coffee or liquids are contemplated, in addition to being a good option in case students have a lot of mobility, since it applies to bumps or falls as well.”
