Whether or not the coed on your existence is again in the school room or nonetheless finding out remotely, having a nice pc for schoolwork is as essential as ever. The $249 Floor Pc SE is the most recent try at handing over simply that, distilling Microsoft’s flagship pocket book right into a extra compact, inexpensive and streamlined package deal that’s designed for Ok-8 scholars so that you can select up comfortably.
The Pc SE does so much proper, packing a good-enough show, first rate efficiency and a student-friendly model of Home windows 11 right into a compact design that’s easiest for day by day commutes to elegance. However given its restricted availability and slim center of attention as a tool for educators to shop for for his or her school rooms, it’s now not the perfect selection for any person who desires to each do homework and hop on some after-school virtual hangouts.
Questioning if the Floor Pc SE is smart for the coed on your existence? We labored on it for one week. Listed here are our ideas.
The Floor Pc SE is a good inexpensive pc for Ok-8 educators taking a look to outfit their elegance with computer systems, however person customers are at an advantage with a Chromebook or conventional reasonable Home windows pc just like the Floor Cross 3.
What we adore
A compact, light-weight design
”Wow, this factor is lovely.” That used to be my first concept when unboxing the Floor Pc SE, which is a extra compact, just-the-basics model of Microsoft’s very good Floor Pc collection. The pocket book’s all-white design is understated and sublime, and it feels strong for a most commonly plastic device. I particularly love how light-weight this 11-inch pc is at simply 2.45 kilos — easiest for throwing in a bag on how to college or briefly lugging between rooms when it’s time to do homework. And whilst the keyboard isn’t as satisfyingly snappy as that of the costlier Floor Pc 4, I ultimately were given comfy typing on it for hours at a time.
I typically wouldn’t reward a pc for having simplest two ports, however the Floor Pc SE has simply the suitable connections for many younger scholars. You get a USB-C port (supreme for contemporary equipment and garage drives) and a USB-A port for connecting to the majority of mice, keyboards and webcams you could have mendacity round your house or school room. Maximum top class laptops have lengthy ditched USB-A, but it surely’s a profitable port for legacy equipment, and one who’s particularly helpful on a school-focused pc. There’s additionally a headphone jack to hop on a Zoom elegance or watch a presentation with minimum distraction.
The show, audio system and function are simply nice ample
The Floor Pc SE’s 11.6-inch LCD show isn’t going to wow someone at its low 1366 x 768 solution — particularly with the ones large bezels — but it surely’s greater than serviceable given the pocket book’s aim and worth. An 8K nature video appeared decently detailed on Microsoft’s small display, and the oranges and vegetables of more than a few flora and fauna and foliage have been colourful ample. The Pc SE’s bottom-facing stereo audio system have been enough, pumping out audio that wasn’t tremendous loud however transparent ample to let me experience my day by day song playlist or listen my colleagues throughout a video name.
The similar will also be stated concerning the Pc SE’s efficiency, which is completely nice for a device designed for mild schoolwork. The SE’s Intel Celeron N4120 processor isn’t constructed to care for heavy multitasking or in depth video modifying, or even throughout fundamental use, I spotted some slowness and stutters when leaping between Google Chrome tabs or switching apps in multitasking mode. However the Pc SE used to be in large part dependable for my day by day regimen of writing in Google Doctors, checking e mail and sending Slack messages, and the ones on the lookout for one thing for doing homework or hopping on faraway finding out periods must be simply nice.
Home windows 11 SE has its advantages
The Floor Pc SE runs Home windows 11 SE, a streamlined model of Home windows 11 that’s designed to get rid of distractions whilst being more uncomplicated to make use of for more youthful scholars. For instance, the Home windows Get started menu simplest displays as much as 4 Really helpful apps without delay, as not to weigh down scholars with selection. Many apps open in fullscreen mode through default to offer scholars the most productive viewing revel in imaginable, and because now not all children are multitasking professionals (and in addition for the reason that Pc SE’s display is tiny), the Home windows Snap characteristic simplest allows you to cut up the display between as much as two apps without delay. My assessment unit of Microsoft’s pupil pc got here preloaded with Microsoft Place of business necessities like Phrase and PowerPoint in addition to a couple of extras like Minecraft: Training Version and Zoom, which all appear helpful for a more youthful person logging into elegance each day.
Home windows 11 SE no doubt isn’t the working device for me — as a result of the stern permissions arrange on my unit, I couldn’t obtain the third-party apps I exploit day by day, together with Slack, Spotify and Discord (although I used to be in a position to make use of those products and services on a cyber web browser). Whilst that’s inconvenient for me, it makes easiest sense for the educator (or dad or mum) who desires to limit what their scholars can obtain to stay distractions at a minimal — and to stay more youthful customers protected from doubtlessly irrelevant or destructive content material.
Simplest IT directors can obtain apps to the Floor Pc SE, and the pc is constructed to get computerized updates outdoor of faculty hours by means of Microsoft’s Intune for Training. It’s additionally designed for simple repairability, with a backside panel that you’ll be able to take off to change out elements after casting off only a handful of screws with a screwdriver. So whilst the Pc SE no doubt isn’t constructed for standard private use, educators on the lookout for one thing they may be able to simply arrange for his or her scholars would possibly in finding so much to love about Microsoft’s pupil pc.
What we didn’t like
The webcam and battery existence aren’t nice
I wasn’t anticipating a super webcam from a $249 pc (heck, even the cameras on some $1,000-plus fashions are unhealthy), however making an allowance for how prevalent faraway finding out has grow to be, I wish to name out the Pc SE’s puny 1-megapixel shooter. Whilst I were given via a video name without a proceedings, the pictures I captured on Microsoft’s pc have been extraordinarily pixelated and blown out. It’ll get the activity completed for fundamental check-ins, however in the event you or your pupil need to glance as transparent as imaginable throughout digital periods, you’re at an advantage plugging in one in all our selections for the absolute best webcams.
Microsoft guarantees as much as 16 hours of battery existence at the Floor Pc SE, however the pocket book fell method in need of that during my trying out. This inexpensive pc tapped out after about six hours of standard workday use, which integrated leaping between a couple of dozen Chrome tabs and hopping on a 30-minute video name, the latter of which appeared to be further arduous at the device’s battery. That may well be ample to get more youthful scholars via a complete college day, however for everybody else, I’d suggest preserving the charger at hand while you’re at the highway.
This isn’t your standard reasonable pc
The Floor Pc SE and its distinctive tackle Home windows are perfect for a managed school room surroundings, but it surely’s on no account a pc you’ll purchase off of the shelf for a child. In reality, you’ll be able to’t — the one method to buy this pc is to touch a Microsoft Training specialist or get in contact with a Microsoft Approved Reseller and hash out what number of gadgets you’ll want to your college.
Those that need one thing that may be simply purchased for a person and used for each schoolwork and private playtime are at an advantage with a Chromebook just like the Lenovo Chromebook Duet or a full-fledged Home windows device just like the Floor Cross 3. Higher but, either one of the ones gadgets double as capsules for sketching and taking notes.
Final analysis
For those who’re within the very particular area of interest the Floor Pc SE is focused at — educators looking for an inexpensive set of laptops for his or her school room — there’s so much to love about this uniquely student-focused pocket book. Its show, efficiency and keyboard are completely nice ample for Ok-8 scholars, and it gives a streamlined model of Home windows 11 that has complete, uncompromised variations of apps like Phrase and PowerPoint (reasonably than the web-based variations you’ll have to make use of on a Chromebook).
However except you’re purchasing in bulk for a trade, the Floor Pc SE isn’t for you, and there are many profitable sub-$300 choices for individuals who need to purchase the coed of their existence a competent all-purpose paintings and play device. For those who’re cool with the usage of essentially Google products and services and Android apps, the $299 Lenovo Chromebook Duet is among the absolute best Chromebooks we’ve examined. And in the event you’re keen to pay a bit of extra for a full-fledged, unrestricted Home windows revel in entire with higher battery existence and digicam high quality, the $399 Floor Cross 3 will higher serve you.
The way it compares to different reasonable laptops we examined
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|---|---|---|---|
| Show | 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 LCD | 10.5-inch 1920 x 1280 PixelSense contact show | 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS touchscreen |
| Processor | Intel Celeron N4020 / N4120 | Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y / Intel Core i3-10100& | MediaTek Helio P60T |
| Reminiscence | 4GB/8GB | 4GB/8GB | 4GB |
| Garage | 64GB/128GB | 64GB/128GB | 64GB |
| Ports | USB-C, USB-A, headphone jack | USB-C, MicroSDXC card reader, Floor Attach, headphone jack | USB-C |
| Dimensions | 11.17 x 7.6 x 0.7 inches; 2.45 kilos | 9.65 x 6.9 x 0.33 inches; 1.2 kilos | 9.64 x 6.66 x 0.71 inches; 2.03 kilos |
| Instrument | Home windows 11 SE | Home windows 11 House (S mode) | Chrome OS |
| Webcam | 1-megapixel 720p | 5-megapixel 1080p entrance digicam with Home windows Hi; 8-megapixel rear digicam | 2-megapixel entrance digicam; 8-megapixel rear digicam |
| Value |
$249.99 |
$399.99 |
$249.99 |
