New school year, new devices
The new Dell laptop in use, but plugged in.
October 22, 2021
In the first year with the whole student body back in person, there are bound to be some changes, but this year it included the big change in students receiving new laptops. One big impact of the new laptop rollout was that this year the student body received their computers much later than usual. The reason behind the decision was due to the administration being unsure of when the laptops would actually be delivered to the school. Therefore, they choose to delay the distribution. The school ended up receiving them a week earlier than expected, but decided it would be best to hand them out at the scheduled time.
Many students were wondering why the school changed computers in the first place.
“We have a contract with Dell. We get new computers every five years or so. This eliminates bigger issues as they get older,” assistant principal Michael Fennesey said.
One big difference between new and old laptops is their exterior. They look a bit different from the last ones, lighter both in color and weight. While this doesn’t affect the computers’ performance, it is just a noticeable difference that is seen as a positive by some students.
“I personally like the new computers because they are thinner and lighter making them easier to carry around,” senior Brooks Slaski said.
Senior Caroline Brumagin agreed with the improved ability to transport the devices.
“They are much faster and smaller, which is nice, so it fits into my backpack better and isn’t heavy,” Brumagin said.
It is important that the students using the laptops like them since they will ultimately have to live with the new changes day-to-day. While most students like the positives, which include a bigger screen and a faster processor, some say that the new laptops aren’t as good as the old ones because of battery issues.
“They look better and seem to load faster. However, while I haven’t had any problems with the battery life, a lot of my friends have been complaining about how they have their computer charging throughout the school day. Overall, I think the new computers are definitely an upgrade to the previous ones,” Slaski said.
Other students have experienced more severe problems with the charging issue.
“I hate how fast they die. It is actually extremely annoying because I have to charge it at least twice a day just to use it normally,” Brumagin said.
Based on the mixed reviews, it will just be up to the students and staff to decide for themselves if they can handle the change.