A priori, the idea of Chromebooks being very low-cost computers that allow access to the Internet is a good idea for the educational sector. They can order them in large quantities for the computer rooms, so that teachers and students can carry out classes at a distance, and without spending a lot of money, and making sure that the children are not going to install games. But we already know that technology degrades a lot, more than by its use, by the growing demands of web services and more.
This is causing schools to be in regular phases of renewing their Chromebook fleets. And what about the old ones? That old Chromebooks can't be recycled and end up as junk when they can't be fixed.
Chromebooks weren't designed to be recycled or repairable, and that's a huge expense.
Although many companies are embracing the idea that laptops pollute less when transported, make them easier to repair, and allow their components to be improved. Thus, the useful life of a laptop is extended and it does not have to be renewed so quickly. But this time, we're talking about Chromebooks from several years ago that weren't designed to be upgradeable or recyclable.
A report by the nonprofit consumer advocacy group PIRG states that the planned obsolescence of Chromebooks provided by public schools is costly to taxpayers and the environment. These devices provided to students last, on average, about four years. In March 2021, 48,1 million students received Chromebooks, with distance learning becoming more common due to the pandemic. With this it is calculated that a student will go through several Chromebooks throughout their school career.
The most common factor is that Chromebook OS essentially has an expiration date, after which you can no longer receive updates. With this, and are forced to upgrade to newer models. On the other hand, many public school systems require up-to-date hardware in order to access their online testing services.
Then there is that Chromebooks are hard to repair, and hard-to-find replacement parts. This forces you to buy new devices because disposing of your broken Chromebook is easier than repairing it. With only a third of Chromebooks being recyclable, this means that most of it becomes e-waste.
PIRG suggests that extend the life of Chrome OS software to 10 years after the product release date. Many perfectly good Chromebooks end up in a trash heap because Google has removed their support for them. The second, more complex solution is for Google to pressure Chromebook makers to improve repairability, and to increase production of replacement parts to extend the life of the products. Doubling the lifespan of Chromebooks sold in 2020 would have reduced carbon pollution equivalent to 909.000 cars on the road.
Source: PC Gamer
1.- All computers – Chromebooks too – work with their original OS. Rare is the one that lasts more than 4 years and can continue updating its OS, be it MS WOS, Apple or even GNU/Linux, which is the most versatile, but using special versions for old devices.
2.- Chromebooks with expired Chrome OS can be installed Chrome OS flex or GNU/Linux. Its competition MS WOS or Apple could not be updated either, and similar GNU/Linux devices in 4 years would also be obsolete, although they might last longer (same as switching to Chrome OS devices).
3.- It is true that there are modular X86 computers, which would take advantage of the casing, keyboard and screen, changing the motherboard, RAM processor and solid disks (formerly hard drives), but screen technology also evolves, and in 4 years they have improved a lot and made much less eye damage. BUT these computers are very new, more expensive, and don't seem to fit educational budgets.