Laptop buying guide
Laptops are a popular choice for students due to their portability, although desktop machines are of course suitable for home use. Please avoid tablets, Chromebooks and gaming devices as they don't provide the same functionality as a full operating system.
Download Albion Park High School 2021/22 Laptop Spec Sheet
Many suppliers like Hewlett Packard offer educational discounts and bonus warranties. *Albion Park HS receives no Benefits from offering HP Products.
The following list contains recommended specifications for devices. Aim for a device that meets the minimum standards mentioned in the list:
Operating system
- Microsoft Windows 10, or
- Apple Mac OSX 10.10 or later
Wireless
- If you intend to bring your device to school, it must have 5GHz 802.11n wireless support
- This may be advertised as “Dual Band Wireless”, “802.11abgn”, “802.11agn”, “802.11ac” or “gigabit wireless”
Form factor
- choose a desktop or laptop computer, not a tablet
- devices should have a separate keyboard, not an on-screen touch keypad
- screen size should be at least 10 inch but a bit bigger may be more comfortable when working for long periods
- consider the size and weight of the device if you intend to travel with it frequently
Memory
- 8GB RAM recommended with minimum 4GB RAM
- if you need to use Adobe Creative Cloud software such as Photoshop in your subjects, then 8GB RAM or more is required
Battery life
- for laptops, a battery life of at least 4 hours is recommended
Extras
- webcam – either built in or external
- headset with microphone
- at least one USB port
Software
- Microsoft Office 365 – free to students
- Adobe Creative Cloud (certain subjects only) – free to students
- anti-virus security software
- web browser such as Chrome or Firefox – free online
