HP has announced a new line of student laptops that include many of the same features found in rugged laptops to provide them with the durability needed to withstand everyday wear and tear both inside and outside of the classroom.
While student laptops typically remained in the classroom before the pandemic, these days learning is happening beyond the classroom with students studying on the playground, on the bus and at home. For this reason, HP has launched its new Fortis portfolio with devices capable of withstanding drops, resisting spills and keeping keys where they belong: on the keyboard.
While the textured surfaces of the company’s new laptops make it easier for students to grip and handle them, the reinforced power and USB-C ports limit damage from accidentally tugged cables. At the same time, mechanically reinforced corners and co-molded rubber trims absorb shocks and reinforced hinges reduce stress from repeated opening and closing. HP’s new Fortis laptops also feature full-skirted anchored keyboards to prevent keys from being removed but they can also resist spill up to 11.8oz (350ml).
General manager and global head of education and personal systems at HP Inc, Bill Avey provided further insight in a press release on how the education sector has embraced blended learning in the same way that businesses have taken to hybrid work, saying:
“While hybrid work is the new standard for business, blended learning is the new standard for education. This requires technology with increased durability, enhanced connectivity, and large screens so content can be accessible and engaging from wherever learning happens. Designed with features that reduce accidental drops, keep keys and ports intact, stand up to heavy wear and tear, and make it easier to clean and sanitize, HP is committed to providing students with the devices and PC experiences they need to be successful in these new learning environments.”
HP Fortis laptops
As students do more of their work online, HP Fortis 14 devices feature 14-inch diagonal displays to provide students with more screen real estate to help them stay productive.
The HP Fortis 14” G10 Chromebook is purpose-built for cloud-native learning and powered by Intel processors with optional 4G LTE available for reliable connectivity. This Chromebook also features a 180-degree lay-fat hinge combined with an 88-degree wide-viewing angle webcam with dual mics for video conferencing.
On the Windows laptop front, the HP ProBook Fortis 14” G9 and HP ProBook Fortis 14” G10 are both powered by Intel processors and Windows 11. While the ProBook Fortis 14” G9 can run Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 Pro Education or Windows 11 SE, the ProBook Fortis 14” G10 runs either Windows 11 or Windows 11 Pro Education and comes equipped with HP Wolf Security for Business to make it easier for IT to protect student devices with a hardware-enforced, always-on, resilient defense.
HP has also included two 11-inch laptops in its Fortis line in the form of the HP Pro x360 Fortis 11” G9 and HP Pro x360 Fortis 11” G10. These devices have a 360-degree design and can be outfitted with optional world-facing 5 MP cameras and a rechargable pen. Meanwhile on the cheaper end, the HP Fortis 11 G9 Q Chromebook is powered by the Snapdragon 7c compute platform and was designed for cloud-native mobile learning.
Finally, HP has announced two all-in-one webcams in the form of the HP 320 FHD Webcam and the HP 325 FHD Webcam with 66-degree wide angle lenses that offer full HD at 1080p and 30 fps video quality. Both webcams also have 360-degree rotation and a removable lens cover for privacy.
We’ve also highlighted the best student laptops and best rugged laptops
