Microsoft has announced its take on the affordable laptop for schools: the Surface Laptop SE.
Lets jump into the nitty-gritty and talk about everything we know so far about the Surface Laptop SE.
So, its no surprise that its a less powerful machine that gets the job done.
Image Credit:Microsoft Education Blog
This resolution is low for a equipment in 2021, even one with a sub-$300 price tag.
Theres also a 1MP webcam that sits on top of the display and records 720p video.
They are good but the keyboard lacks backlighting.
Image Credit:Microsoft
Rounding off the hardware is a clean plastic build with a good, albeit slightly limiting, port selection.
And repairability was the biggest concern schools had.
So Microsoft has taken a lot of steps to confirm that the Laptop SE is repair-friendly.
Image Credit:Microsoft
First, the Laptop SE will have standard screws holding down the base.
On the inside, you’re free to replace the battery, screen, keyboard, and motherboard.
Microsoft will also sell all of these components to schools, through their authorized providers.
Image Credit:Microsoft Education Blog
This should make repairability hassle-free.
Microsoft has embraced Right to Repairin recent months, vowing to release repair-friendly devices.
Surface Laptop SE is an example of Microsoft following through on its claims.
Windows 11 SE builds on the foundations of the standard Windows 11.
It restricts third-party app downloads from the Microsoft Store.
Pricing and Availability
Microsoft will sell the Surface Laptop SE directly to schools and educators.
This means that you wont be able to buy one in stores.
It will only be available in the US, Canada, UK, and Japan in early 2022.
The base model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage will cost $249.
The one with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage will cost $329.
Surface Laptop SE is a step in exactly that direction.
