St Paul's Collegiate School Device Information

Information for 2024

St Paul's Collegiate School is a full BYOD school, so all students are required to bring a device with a full keyboard. With some subjects sitting NZQA exams online already, it is important that students use a device with a full keyboard daily to prepare them for this. 

Year 9 and 10 students are required to bring a Chromebook. The Chromebook will be added to the School's Google domain and settings and permissions will be managed by the school. This allows us to more closely monitor and manage junior student devices. 

Students may continue to use their Chromebook in Year 11,  however, if students wish they may use a Windows or Apple laptop in Year 11 instead. 

Recommended Chromebook for 2024 - Year 9 and Year 10 Students

If students already have a Chromebook from a previous school, we are happy for them to continue using that device. If buying a new Chromebook, we strongly suggest buying the device below. We have tested it thoroughly and found they are much stronger and resistant to damage, and appropriately spec'ed for academic use. We do not recommend students buying or using any of the low end sub $500 Chromebooks. These often have keyboard and screen issues. The device has a touch screen, which is tougher than traditional screens and has the added benefit of providing access to all the touch-based apps on the Google Play Store. 

Recommended Device - Lenovo 500e Yoga Chromebook Gen 4 12.2" FHD Intel N200 8GB 64GB 1YR WTY - $808

The Gen 3 12.2" 64GB Multi-Touch 2-in-1 500e Chromebook from Lenovo is a lightweight and compact system with a rotating 360° hinge. It's equipped with a 1.1 GHz Intel N200 quad-core processor and 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM for efficient multitasking. It is drop resistant and has a Corning Gorilla Glass touchscreen. 

Where to buy from?

We have a partnership with Cyclone. This enables us to deal directly with Cyclone in the case of after sales support and warranty claims. This is very helpful for boarding families, as it means we can get laptops sent back for repair and replaced on your behalf.  Parents are welcome to purchase from any retailer they wish, however. 

Cyclone Instructions


When to purchase?

Because Chromebooks are almost exclusively used in education by schools and students, buying one in January can be very frustrating, as many retailers have issues keeping them in stock at that time of the year. We advise ordering one in December. 

2018 Year Orientation