British PC manufacturer Stone has included Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge CPUs in its new desktop line-up for schools.
The company’s latest Ultra Small Form Factor, MiniTower and MidiTower PCs are all powered by second-generation Core i5 2300 processors, giving schools access to the latest chip technology.
The desktop systems offer other cutting-edge components, including two USB 3 ports and up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM.
The consequences of waiting for Becta-approved suppliers and centralised buying has traditionally meant schools were often lumbered with ageing hardware, but the Government’s decision to give schools complete autonomy over their IT spending means they can now benefit from the latest technology.
Stone’s group marketing manager, Daley Robinson, said the demise of Becta has helped level the playing field, claiming that previously the school’s local authority often determined “how much they were guided from above”.
Robinson added that “some schools will always go for the cheapest hardware”, but that many will see the benefit of the lower total cost of ownership offered by the latest Core i5 processors, which offer significantly higher performance and lower power consumption than their predecessors.
Prices for the Stone Ultra Small Form Factor start from £579 exc VAT, while the MiniTower system is available from £569 exc VAT.
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