BETT: Microsoft's budget Windows 10 laptops tackle the Chromebook

education

Microsoft has unveiled four new low-cost, ultra-robust Windows 10 PCs for schools at the BETT education show in London.

As well as offering all the features customers would expect from Windows 10 PCs, the Lenovo 100e, Lenovo 300e, Lenovo Classmate Leap T303 and Trigono V401 offer faster connectivity to the internet to super-charge students' studies.

The Intel Celeron Apollo Lake-powered Lenovo 100e sits at the bottom of the pricing scale, available from $189 (135), while the Classmate Leap T303 is available for $199. The $279 two-in-one Lenovo 300e and the Trigono V401 2-in-1, which starts at $299, are the pricier of the foursome.

"We know affordability is priority number one for many schools," said Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Windows and Devices Group at Microsoft.

"Shrinking budgets can sometimes force schools to choose devices with a stripped-down experience and a limited lifespan, and, over time, these devices cost schools more and do less to prepare students for the future.

Mehdi added: "Our new Windows 10 devices won't force schools to compromise on features, giving schools cutting-edge tools like touch, inking, and 3D as well as free accessibility technology like Learning Tools, which improve reading comprehension by 10 percentile points for students of all abilities."

All four new Windows 10 PCs offer enhanced features, just for the education sector, including a rugged design to ensure they can withstand the stresses and strains of multiple users, while all-day battery life means they'll stay juiced up throughout the school day.

Microsoft also explained they all support Intune for Education, which enables school IT staff to get them up and running fast at a much lower cost compared to Google's Management Console.

Clare Hopping
Freelance writer

Clare is the founder of Blue Cactus Digital, a digital marketing company that helps ethical and sustainability-focused businesses grow their customer base.

Prior to becoming a marketer, Clare was a journalist, working at a range of mobile device-focused outlets including Know Your Mobile before moving into freelance life.

As a freelance writer, she drew on her expertise in mobility to write features and guides for ITPro, as well as regularly writing news stories on a wide range of topics.