Lenovo Rolls Out New Edu Laptops and Chromebooks, Introduces Devices-as-a-Service Solution

Also Announced: New Co-Teaching Feature in LanSchool Air and Enhanced VR Classroom Support for Educators

• By Kristal Kuykendall
• 02/21/23

Lenovo has revamped its education technology portfolio, recently introducing new Windows 11 and ChromeOS laptops, new features for its VR Classroom and LanSchool solutions, and a new device-as-a-service option for K–12 schools.

The company unveiled eight laptop models, expected to be available by the end of March: four that run up to Windows 11 and four Chromebooks; enhancements include better connectivity, more choices for processing speeds and storage space, and improved durability elements such as anchored keys, drop protection, reinforced LCD glass and ports, liquid spill protection, and rubber bumpers, Lenovo said. Scroll down for the details on the new devices.

Lenovo’s new Device-as-a-Service solution gives schools the option of a monthly subscription — instead of outright purchasing devices — for a “consistent supply of quality devices” and device management and security, the company said.

Lenovo TruScale Device-as-a-Service for Education simplifies device management and is more cost-effective over the long-term, the company said. The plan is customizable to each school or district’s needs, offering “affordable monthly payments, specific software and solutions, and flexible support,” Lenovo said.

“Through Windows Autopilot, Lenovo can help deliver devices quickly to students and teachers with a zero-touch out-of-box experience and quickly enroll devices at scale, so users are up and running as soon as possible,” the company said in a news release. “For ChromeOS installations, customers can take advantage of Zero-Touch Enrollment that speeds deployment of devices to end-users while securing endpoints, installing the latest cloud-based education tools and providing auto-enrollment to minimize burden on IT staff.”

Additionally, Lenovo said it will offer Accidental Damage Protection service to cover damage incurred under normal operating conditions that isn’t included in device warranties, and Lenovo is offering CO2 Offset Services to schools wanting to reduce their carbon footprints and combat climate change.

Lenovo classroom software solutions with new enhancements include its VR Classroom solution and its LanSchool Air cloud-based classroom management software.

Lenovo’s VR Classroom solution includes hardware, software, instructional content, and educator support, aiming to provide all the tools needed for an “immersive educational experience through engaging visuals, meaningful content, and explanatory audio that sparks a connection with each student,” the company said. The newest release of VR Classroom includes more lesson plans and improved content-customization features for teachers, Lenovo said.

New features include an Immersive Learning Hub on an educators’ cloud portal, designed to help teachers “find great VR content, create lessons, and manage their class with ease,” and enhanced services now offered to schools include custom installation and training for teachers and staff at schools using VR learning, Lenovo said. VR Classroom also added more powerful headsets with twice as much storage capacity and faster processing power for 3D immersive learning.

LanSchool Air — the cloud-based version of its flagship LanSchool classroom management system — now allows co-teaching, Lenovo said.

The co-teaching feature allows multiple teachers in different classrooms or schools to engage in a class lesson together. “All teachers assigned to the class can not only monitor and communicate with students but can also push websites to their screens to keep them on track, share their screens for more personalized teaching, chat, and manage internet access,” Lenovo said.

“Co-teaching helps train tomorrow's teachers, provides counselors with the necessary information to help at-risk students, and gives administrators the ability to evaluate and observe, ultimately creating a more supportive learning experience,” Lenovo said. “It is also ideal in inclusive classrooms where a paraprofessional can work directly with special education students for a more personalized approach.”

New Lenovo Laptops and Chromebooks for Education

Following are details on the eight devices Lenovo is rolling out this quarter for education users:

Lenovo 100w Gen 4 (Windows 11):

• 11.6-inch anti-glare display
• Weighs 2.56 lbs.
• Intel Processor N100
• Up to 8GB RAM and up to 128GB UFS or 256GB SSD storage
• Wi-Fi 6
• 720p front-facing HD camera with privacy shutter
• Durable keyboard with full skirt keycaps and reinforced ports and hinges
• Ports: 1 USB-C 3.2 Gen 1; 1 HDMI 1.4; 2 USB-A 3.2 Gen 1; 1 audio jack

Lenovo 300w Yoga Gen 4 (Windows 11):

• 11.6-inch IPS touch display featuring Corning Gorilla Glass
• Optional garaged stylus
• Pencil Touch support to use a No. 2 pencil without scratching the glass surface
• Intel Processor N100 or N200
• Up to 8GB RAM and 128GB UFS or 256GM M.2 SSD storage
• 360-degree hinge and rubber bumpers for added protection
• 720p HD front-facing camera with shutter and optional 5MP world-facing camera
• Wi-Fi 6 with optional 4G LTE via eSIM
• Ports: 1 USB-C 3.2 Gen 1; 1 HDMI 1.4; 2 USB-A 3.2 Gen 1; 1 audio jack
• Weights 2.82 lbs.

Lenovo 500w Yoga Gen 4 (Windows 11):

• 12.2-inch WUXGA IPS touch display with 16:10 aspect ratio; featuring Gorilla Glass and TÜV Rheinland-certified low blue light
• Intel Processor N100 or N200
• Touch display support, Pencil Touch, and garaged stylus pen optional
• Up to 8GB RAM and 128GB UFS or 256GB SSD storage
• Wi-Fi 6
• 720p front-facing camera with shutter or optional FHD 1080p camera
• Optional 5MP world-facing camera
• Ports: 1 USB-C 3.2 Gen 1; 1 HDMI 1.4; 2 USB-A 3.2 Gen 1; 1 audio jack
• Weighs 2.84 lbs.

Lenovo 13w Yoga Gen 2 (Windows 11 Pro):

• 13.3-inch WUXGA IPS touch display with Gorilla Glass
• Garaged active stylus, Pencil Touch support
• Up to AMD 7000 series R7 processors
• Integrated AMD Radeon VEGA graphics
• Up to 16GB DDR4 RAM and up to 512GB SSD storage
• 1080p FHD camera with privacy shutter; optional 5MP world-facing camera
• Optional IR scanner for login through Windows Hello
• Wi-Fi 6 and optional 4G LTE3
• Ports: 2 USB-C; 2 USB-A; 1 HDMI 2.0; 1 full SD card reader; 1 audio jack
• Weighs 3.2 lbs.

Lenovo 100e Chromebook Gen 4:

• 11.6-inch anti-glare display
• Weighs 2.71 lbs.
• Powered by MediaTek Kompanio 520
• Up to 8GB RAM and up to 64GB eMMC storage
• Wi-Fi 6 and optional 4G LTE3
• 720p HD front-facing camera with privacy shutter
• Ports: 1 USB-C; 2 USB-A; 1 HDMI; 1 audio jack
• Durable keyboard with full skirt keycaps and reinforced ports and hinges
• Up to 16 hours of battery life

Lenovo 300e Yoga Chromebook Gen 4:

• 11.6-inch IPS touch display featuring Corning Gorilla Glass, optional garaged stylus
• Powered by MediaTek Kompanio 520
• Weighs 2.9 lbs.
• 360-degree hinge and rubber bumpers
• 720p HD front camera with privacy shutter and optional 5MP world-facing camera
• Wi-Fi 6
• Up to 16 hours of battery life
• Ports: 1 USB-C; 2 USB-A; 1 HDMI; 1 audio jack

Lenovo 500e Yoga Chromebook Gen 4:

• 12.2-inch IPS touch display with 16:10 aspect ratio featuring Gorilla Glass and TUV certified low blue light
• Intel Processor N100 or N200
• Up to 8GB RAM and up to 128GB eMMC storage
• Touch display support and optional active stylus pen
• Wi-Fi 6 or 6E2 and optional 4G LTE3
• 1080p or 720p front-facing camera with shutter and optional 5MP world-facing camera
• Ports: 1 USB-C; 2 USB-A; 1 HDMI; 1 audio jack
• Weighs 2.9 lbs.

Lenovo 14e Chromebook Gen 3:

• 14-inch display with aluminum top cover and 82% screen-to-body ratio
• Intel Processor N100 or N200 or Intel Core i3-N305 processor
• Up to 8GB RAM and up to 128GB SSD
• Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E
• 720p or 1080p front-facing camera with privacy shutter
• Up to 14 hours battery life
• Ports: 1 USB-C; 2 USB-A; 1 HDMI; 1 audio jack
• Weighs 3.2–3.3 lbs.

Learn more at Lenovo’s K–12 education solutions website or download Lenovo’s full spec sheets for education laptops.