STACK #207 Jan 2022

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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School laptops The pow

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Do the homework mesh We’ve touched on Wi-Fi 6 and the improvement it brings when multiple devices are connected online at once. To get the benefit of a laptop boasting Wi-Fi 6, you also need to upgrade to a router with Wi-Fi 6. There are already plenty on the market. It can get hectic during homework time, especially if other members of the family are enjoying some bingeing or gaming, so it might be worthwhile looking at a mesh router incorporating Wi-Fi 6. With a mesh network, you have a main router connected directly to your NBN broadband, and then a set of “satellite” routers that you position around your home. These all work together as a whole-home wireless network to make sure you have fast, reliable internet that you can count on, no matter where you are in the house. It just might help lower those stress levels, when online homework assignments are due while the rest of the family want to get on Netflix and Disney+.

We expect more from our computers, and the school laptop is no exception, as more learning resources become available online.

When choosing the right school laptop, it might be tempting to settle for the minimum system requirement. But if the last year has taught us anything, it’s how we rely on our portable computers and appreciate their flexibility. So, taking into account your child’s lifestyle and how they might use it out-of-school could ensure they are more likely to cherish and look after their laptop. SCREEN TIME Laptop screen size can stretch as far as 17-inch screens, but hanging around the 13-inch to 15-inch mark is a great midpoint between portability, price and plenty of screen real estate to see what’s going on. Not to mention battery life. It also helps that there’s a trend towards minimalist screen bezels, which means bigger screens in smaller chassis. Screen resolution is an important consideration alongside screen size, too: the higher the resolution, the easier it is on your pupil’s pupils. Just be sure to get your kid to tweak default icon sizes and zoom levels in display settings if things are looking a wee bit too small on high-res screens. Another key consideration is screen brightness, which makes everything easier to see, as well as detail clearer in

darker areas, but bear in mind that the brighter you make the screen, the more it drains the battery. If the laptop will be used for streaming and gaming, a higher refresh rate will improve the experience. The standard refresh rate for most laptops is 60Hz. You can get laptops running 120Hz and gaming laptops running even higher, although be prepared to pay for a better CPU. WHY WI-FI Much of school-based learning and homework will require reference to online material. There’s also the chance for remote learning opportunities over Zoom, Teams or Webex. Smooth constant connectivity is becoming a priority, so a laptop that’s Wi-Fi 6 capable is a worthwhile consideration. Wi-Fi 6 became available in 2019, with devices shipping the

protocol from 2020, so there should be plenty of devices

Ready for 11 Windows 11 is the just-released

introduces new ways for a laptop to talk to a router, when there are many other devices on the network that might otherwise lead to congestion. To get the most out

to choose from now. Though Wi-Fi 6 has a higher theoretical download speed than Wi-Fi 5, most networks won’t be fast enough to take advantage of that. However, Wi-Fi 6

operating system from Microsoft. The latest laptops shipped to stores will be Windows 11 ready. If you are looking at an older model that comes with Windows 10, fear not, most should still be eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 11. If you’re not sure, check with your JB Hi-Fi staff member.

of it, Wi-Fi 6 devices need to be paired with a Wi-Fi 6 router. Wi-Fi 6 devices

Bring Your Own Device– Check before you buy All schools will have individual BYOD guidelines and programs in place. So the first stop in any BYOD purchase decision should be the school website or portal. Generally, schools will also send this information out to new students and parents. A school BYOD checklist might include device operating system, as well as minimum and recommended hardware requirements. These may also vary depending on the grade the student is embarking on – for example, a stylus and higher storage might be required for later years. Knowing the school BYOD guideline will help narrow your decision and ensure you get a quality device that’s fit for purpose.

are backwards compatible with older Wi-Fi standards, though, so Wi-Fi 6 devices can still connect seamlessly today. In a nutshell, a laptop with Wi-Fi 6 is a future-facing feature. The average number of online devices in the household are only rising, so a laptop and router running Wi-Fi 6 can be a combo in your house for optimal connectivity, for online school course work or assignments.

JANUARY 2022

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