So while the Laptop SE certainly isn’t built for typical personal use, educators looking for something they can easily manage for their students may find a lot to like about Microsoft’s student laptop. It’s also designed for easy repairability, with a bottom panel that you can take off to swap out components after removing just a handful of screws with a screwdriver. Only IT administrators can download apps to the Surface Laptop SE, and the laptop is built to get automatic updates outside of school hours via Microsoft’s Intune for Education. While that’s inconvenient for me, it makes perfect sense for the educator (or parent) who wants to restrict what their students can download to keep distractions at a minimum - and to keep younger users safe from potentially inappropriate or harmful content. Windows 11 SE certainly isn’t the operating system for me - because of the strict permissions set up on my unit, I couldn’t download the third-party apps I use daily, including Slack, Spotify and Discord (though I was able to use these services on a web browser). My review unit of Microsoft’s student laptop came preloaded with Microsoft Office essentials like Word and PowerPoint as well as a few extras like Minecraft: Education Edition and Zoom, which all seem useful for a younger user logging into class every day. Many apps open in fullscreen mode by default to give students the best viewing experience possible, and since not all kids are multitasking experts (and also because the Laptop SE’s screen is tiny), the Windows Snap feature only lets you split the screen between up to two apps at once. For example, the Windows Start menu only shows up to four Recommended apps at once, as to not overwhelm students with choice. The Surface Laptop SE runs Windows 11 SE, a streamlined version of Windows 11 that’s designed to eliminate distractions while being easier to use for younger students. But the Laptop SE was largely reliable for my daily routine of writing in Google Docs, checking email and sending Slack messages, and those looking for something for doing homework or hopping on remote learning sessions should be just fine. The SE’s Intel Celeron N4120 processor isn’t built to handle heavy multitasking or intensive video editing, and even during basic use, I noticed some slowness and stutters when jumping between Google Chrome tabs or switching apps in multitasking mode. The same can be said about the Laptop SE’s performance, which is perfectly fine for a machine designed for light schoolwork. The Laptop SE’s bottom-facing stereo speakers were sufficient, pumping out audio that wasn’t super loud but clear enough to let me enjoy my daily music playlist or hear my colleagues during a video call. An 8K nature video looked decently detailed on Microsoft’s small screen, and the oranges and greens of various wildlife and foliage were vibrant enough. The Surface Laptop SE’s 11.6-inch LCD display isn’t going to wow anyone at its low 1366 x 768 resolution - especially with those huge bezels - but it’s more than serviceable given the notebook’s purpose and price. The display, speakers and performance are just good enough There’s also a headphone jack to hop on a Zoom class or watch a presentation with minimal distraction. Most premium laptops have long ditched USB-A, but it’s a worthwhile port for legacy accessories, and one that’s especially useful on a school-focused laptop. You get a USB-C port (ideal for modern accessories and storage drives) and a USB-A port for connecting to the vast majority of mice, keyboards and webcams you may have lying around your home or classroom. I normally wouldn’t praise a laptop for having only two ports, but the Surface Laptop SE has just the right connections for most young students. Microsoft Surface Laptop SE Mike Andronico/CNN Underscored Your CNN account Log in to your CNN account
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