Dell 3120 11.6" Intel 16GB Chromebook


Dell 3120 11.6" Intel 16GB Chromebook

These stop receiving auto updates after June 2020. Will they still operate normally??

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@conradw They will continue to operate until the hardware quits. I just had my first HP Chromebook age out of updates. It will still browse just fine, at least as long as websites (esp. the Google ones) support the version it is now stuck at. At some point malicious code might become a problem due to no more security updates. That’s a bit less of a problem with a Chromebook than with normal PC, but just stick to safer websites/extensions and keep an adblocker on.

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What middle school did these refurbs come from?

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I got one of these a few months back as a laptop I can carry on my bike and not worry if it gets trashed. If these are from the same refurbishing company… be warned. Mine was 100% NOT refurbished.

The speakers didn’t work and I had to replace them.
The wifi didn’t work because the wires had come unplugged.
There were at least three different screws from different systems (and one missing)
One of the screws was GLUED into place
The debug screw was missing
And there was a white-crusty substance on the keyboard that I’m REALLY hoping was dried milk.

I was able to fix everything, with one possible exception…

I replaced the software with GalliumOS, which is a Kubuntu-based linux distro created FOR chromebooks. The install is pretty easy. The only issue I’m running into is that the trackpad is a little flaky. Not sure if that’s hardware or software, though. Otherwise, it’s a great little linux laptop.

So… for the price… IF you are prepared to refurbish the laptop yourself, this could be a hell of a deal! But if not, honestly, this is a dice roll.

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When it ages out of updates, check out the Linux alternatives to ChromeOS. I installed Gallium and haven’t regretted it for a minute. Since the hardware is pretty sturdy, and the batteries (usually) easy to replace, no reason to abandon a good machine.

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Hey, thanks for the link! I have a refurb Chromebook I bought over 5 years ago on Woot. It has since aged out of updates but it’s in fine condition. I’ll have to look into switching it over.

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I’ve got one of the same Chromebooks you linked to. Didn’t know it had aged out of updates. Still works great. Use it every day.

I also bought one of these about 3 years ago and it still works great, too:

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Stop it. I’ve bought too many laptops here. lol. I really liked the HP 14 Chromebook. I used it for work as a daily carry for awhile. The keyboard feels a little cheap but it’s been a solid machine and still looks and runs great.

I’m looking forward to breathing new life into it. I don’t know if T-Mobile will still honor the free data.

My free data worked last time the power went out about 3 months ago and I needed to report the outage. I live in a rural area and even out there I got enough signal to get online, albeit slowly.