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Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

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​​​​​​Purchasing Guide

The laptop needs to be suitable for general purpose computing. Subjects which require video editing and graphic design programs are supported by computer labs with suitable devices and software. 

​Device
Specifica​​tion​​Entry Level
​General
​High Level
Windows ​OS
​​Storage
​HDD: 128GB 
​HDD: 256GB 
​HDD: 512GB+ 
​Ram memory
​Ram: 8GB 
​Ram: 16GB 
​Ram: 32GB+ 
​Wireless card
​Wireless 5Ghz 802.11AC 
System
​Windows 10 or later 64bit 
Battery
​Battery sufficient to last 6 hours on Balanced Power Mode 
​Mac OS
​Storage
​HDD: 128GB 
​HDD: 256GB 
​HDD: 512GB+ 

Ram memory
​Ram: 8GB 
​Ram: 16GB 
​Ram: 32GB+ 
​Wireless card
​Wireless 5Ghz 802.11AC 
Battery
​Battery sufficient to last 6 hours on Balanced Power Mode ​
Windows in S-Mode
​Some retailers are now selling laptops with Windows 10 S Mode as the pre- installed operating system (OS). This OS locks the computer down to a state where the user is unable to install any programs that are not from the windows store. 

This version of Windows is not compatible with our schools BYOD program. However you can choose to switch out of S mode at no extra charge. Switching out of Windows 10 S mode guide.​
Unsupported OS's
Older versions of Windows such as 7. 8. and 8.1 
Linux 
Android  
Chromebooks running ChromeOS 
Mobile Phone
Older versions of MacOS from v11 (Big Sur) and earlier

Please note that you DO NOT need to purchase Microsoft Office 365 as all Queensland State School students are able to download the software for free once they are enrolled at school and provided with their network username and password. 

Anti-virus Software - Windows Security is included within Windows (for free) has proven to be suitable and also causes no issues on the school network unlike some 3rd party solutions. 

Windows in S mode is not suitable for our school. It is free to switch out of S mode please click on the link below: 


Possible Device Options


​Company
​Link
​Benefits
​Flyer
Refurbished
​Acer​​

Visit Acer website here.
Optional 3 Years Accidental Damage Policy .​


Visit Acer website here.
​Apple
​Visit Apple website here.
​10% off through Apple Education pricing.

Visit Apple website here.
​Asus
​Visit Asus website here.
​Discounted prices for students.
Visit Asus website here.
​Dell
​Visit Dell website here.
​Register to receive 7 - 10% off.
Access Dell flyer here.
Visit Dell website here.
​HP
​Visit HP website here.
School Code: pacificpinesshs
Optional 3 Years Accidental Damage Policy.
Access HP flyer here.
Accidental Damage Protection information.
Visit HP website here.​
​Lenovo
Visit Lenovo website here.
Discounted prices for students.
​Microsoft
​Visit Microsoft website here.
10% off on select devices.
​One Education
Visit One Education website here.​
​Durable laptop aimed at younger students.
Access One Education flyer here.​

Some of the companies above will also have reconditioned devices that come with varying warranties. 

Please don't purchase: ​
  • MS Office 365 - free for students. 
  • Antivirus - Microsoft Defender is free with Windows 10/11. 
Reminder: Please avoid purchasing unsupported devices, they will NOT connect to our school network: 

Setting up your Device 

After unpacking the laptop, following a basic guide like this is a good start - Windows 11 OOBE Setup​.

You will need to also ensure:
  • When setting up your child's account, ensure their account has Local Administrator privileges so they can install apps. 
  • Microsoft Family Safety can be very restrictive at school, until Microsoft allow a 'disable at school' option we recommend NOT utilising this feature.  
  • Save money and uninstall any Antivirus trial software - let Microsoft Security manage your Antivirus needs for no additional cost.
  • Install all updates - On Windows devices, check under optional updates for new drivers that can prevent hardware issues. 

Tip: To reduce restart/login times it's worth opening Task Manager and disabling the majority of Start-up Apps (keep OneDrive and Windows Security).

Enrolling your Device in Intune 


Students who have access to their school username and password are able to connect to the School's BYOD Network prior to school commencing each year.  We encourage this process to occur at home to reduce the delays in connection during class time. 

You will need the following: 
  • Student's school username (Example):    user123 
  • Student's school Passwords (Example):   Password123 
  • Email address (Example):                           user123@eq.edu.au 

This is a relatively simple process following the instructions below. 

  1. Before you begin, please ensure you have ALL (may have to restart your device several times) of your OS updates installed.  
  2. Once updated, you can now enrol your device using your school account and following these instructions​ or by watching one of the videos below: 

Installing or Activating MS Office 365 

Microsoft Office 365 Is free for all students, if it's already installed on you device all you will need to do is sign in to Word using your school email address. ​Download the following guides to assist with your installation of MS Office 365:


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Last reviewed 07 March 2024
Last updated 07 March 2024