1.66GHz Intel Atom N4501GB RAM
160GB hard drive
None
10.1 inches (1,024x600 native resolution)
Integrated Intel GMA 3150
3.8 pounds
1.5x10.6x8.4 inches
Windows 7 Professional (32-bit)
The Classmate PC has certainly come a long way since its first iteration. No longer a better-than-nothing netbook for children in third-world countries, the Classmate PC has enough unique and compelling features to make educators in first-world regions sit up and take notice. Intel has updated its Classroom PC and rebuilt it using Pine Trail architecture, the latest standard for the guts inside netbooks. Hardware-wise, we're impressed with the durability of the Classmate PC and with its tablet abilities. But hardware is just the beginning for this system.
While we focus on the laptop (because that's the part we can test and review), you need a little more background on Intel's Learning Series, which is the company's ecosystem that encompasses hardware, software, infrastructure, content, training, and support. Basically, Intel has come up with a reference design of an educational mini-laptop here, which then gets sold to different manufacturers in various regions of the world. As part of the package, Intel offers capabilities beyond mere hardware blueprints. Those who buy a variation of the Classmate PC can opt for other features for "enhanced collaborative learning." In layman's terms, this is a classroom system that keeps the teachers connected to the students, allowing them to push information to—and pull information from—students in real time, enabling everyone to be on the same page.
Intended for schoolchildren aged 6 to 12, the Classmate PC is available in custom configurations from manufacturers worldwide, and prices are set accordingly. (CTL, Equus Computer Systems, M&A Technology, and MGD are the options for North America.) That being said, some Classmate PCs are sold at retail, too. (Check Amazon.com and the manufacturers listed above to get started.)
All models are built around an Intel Atom N450 processor and offer integrated Intel GMA 3150 graphics. Hardware, software, design, and warranty options will vary depending on the manufacturer, however. The reference model we looked at was the Quanta NL, with a 160GB hard drive and running Windows 7 Professional (a bonus, considering how prevalent Windows 7 Starter is in the netbook market). It's powered by 1GB of RAM, which is still pretty standard among netbooks.
While the main reason netbooks exist is sheer portability, the Classmate PC’s big differentiatior is instead durability. Weighing 3.8 pounds and measuring 1.5x10.6x8.4 inches, this is not your average netbook. The rugged features add more than a pound to the weight, but we think it’s worth the extra heft. These PCs will likely be spilled on, dropped, and stuffed into cluttered backpacks without regard for the delicate internal components. Wisely, Intel has included hardware protection that can help the device survive drops from desk height.
With its somewhat drab gray-and-white color scheme and its scratch-resistant frame coated in no-slip-grip rubber, the Classmate PC we looked at looks similar to the no-nonsense PeeWee Pivot Tablet Laptop, an educational PC we reviewed back in 2009. Like with the PeeWee, the Classmate’s screen swivels 180 degrees and converts the system from a clamshell notebook to a tablet. Topping the Classmate’s display is a 1.3-megapixel Webcam that rotates 270 degrees—a feature standard notebooks omit, but one that works well, for example, with kids taking pictures on a field trip.
The keyboard’s springy letter keys are responsive, although the tiny right-Shift key takes some getting used to, and overall, we did feel a little cramped when typing. The keyboard deck is water-resistant, so it’s easy to keep clean without risking damage to the system. (Some manufacturers even offer an antimicrobial keyboard treatment in their versions of the Classmate.) The touch pad, on the other hand, is a decent size and is responsive to taps and scrolling, though it doesn’t support multi-touch navigation (touch control using two or more fingers, similar to what you see in the iPhone commercials). The pad's dual rocker buttons function well, too.
Along the sides of the chassis are a basic array of netbook ports, such as VGA, two USB ports, a microphone jack, two headphone jacks, a five-format flash-card reader, and a cable-lock slot. As for connectivity, the Classmate PC has an Ethernet jack and an option for Bluetooth. Manufacturers may also include options for mobile broadband with GPS functionality. There is also a slot for the stylus, which is anchored to the system by a nonretractable cord looped into the lock slot. Tethering the stylus might keep you from losing it, but the cord is short and limits the stylus’s reach. Not only that, but the cord just dangles from side of the system—it’s an accident waiting to happen, and we recommend removing it.