New Chromebook Models for Education in 2023

New Chromebook Models for Education in 2023

The Chromebook—the device of the twenty-first-century classroom. Their simplicity, price tag, and mobility make them the most popular choice for K-12 1:1 deployment nationwide. Here are eight new models to be introduced in 2023, all designed to endure the strain of everyday classroom use.

 

Acer Chromebook Vero 712

Release: April 2023
Processor: Intel Core i3-1215U, Intel Pentium Gold 8505, or Intel Celeron 7305
Battery: up to 10 hours
Memory: up to 8GB
Storage options: up to 128GB eMMC
Display: 12”
Resolution: 1366×912, LED-backlit TFT with IPS (touch optional)
Ports: 2 USB-C, 1 USB-A, 1 audio jack

 

Other features:

  • Reinforced hinges and corners, metal-plated ports, and spill-resistant keyboards.
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 720p webcam
  • Wi-Fi 6E
  • Bluetooth 5.2
  • 5mm headphone/speaker audio

 

Acer Chromebook 511 (C736)

Release: April 2023
Processor: Intel Processor N100 or N200
Battery: up to 12 hours
Memory: up to 8GB
Storage options: up to 64GB eMMC
Display: 11.6”
Resolution: 1366×768, optional touchscreen
Ports: 2 USB-C, 2 USB-A, 1 audio jack, MicroSD card slot
Convertible: No

 

Other features:

  • Reinforced hinges and corners, metal-plated ports, and spill-resistant keyboards.
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 720p webcam
  • Wi-Fi 6E
  • Bluetooth 5.2

 

Acer Chromebook Spin 511 (R756T)

Release: April 2023
Processor: Intel Processor N100 or N200
Battery: up to 12 hours
Memory: up to 8GB
Storage: up to 128GB eMMC
Display: 11.6”
Resolution: 1366×768, touchscreen, optional USI stylus
Ports: 2 USB-C, 2 USB-A, 1 audio jack, MicroSD card slot
Convertible: Yes

Other features:

  • Reinforced hinges and corners, metal-plated ports, and spill-resistant keyboards.
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 720p webcam
  • Optional 5MP webcam
  • Wi-Fi 6E
  • Bluetooth 5.2

 

Acer Chromebook Spin 512 (R856T)

Release: April 2023
Processor: Intel Processor N100 or N200
Battery: up to 12 hours
Memory: up to 8GB
Storage: up to 128GB eMMC
Display: 12”
Resolution: 1366×912, touchscreen, optional USI stylus
Ports: 2 USB-C, 2 USB-A, 1 audio jack, MicroSD card slot
Convertible: Yes

Other features:

  • Reinforced hinges and corners, metal-plated ports, and spill-resistant keyboards.
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 720p webcam
  • Optional 8MP webcam
  • Wi-Fi 6E
  • Bluetooth 5.2

 

Lenovo 100e Chromebook Gen 4

Processor: MediaTek Kompanio 520
Battery: up to 16 hours
Memory: up to 8GB RAM
Storage: up to 64GB eMMC
Display: 11.6” anti-glare display
Resolution: 1366×768
Ports: 1 USB-C, 2 USB-A, 1 HDMI, 1 audio jack
Weight: 2.71 lbs.

Other features:

  • Durable keyboard with full skirt keycaps and reinforced ports and hinges
  • Wi-Fi 6 and optional 4G LTE3
  • 720p HD front-facing camera with privacy shutter

 

Lenovo 300e Yoga Chromebook Gen 4

Processor: MediaTek Kompanio 520
Battery: up to 16 hours
Memory: up to 8GB RAM
Storage: up to 64GB eMMC
Display: 11.6” IPS touch display featuring Corning Gorilla Glass, optional garaged stylus
Resolution: 1366×768
Ports: 1 USB-C; 2 USB-A; 1 HDMI; 1 audio jack
Convertible: Yes
Weight: 2.9 lbs.

Other features

  • 360-degree hinge and rubber bumpers
  • 720p HD front camera with privacy shutter and optional 5MP world-facing camera
  • Wi-Fi 6

 

Lenovo 500e Yoga Chromebook Gen 4

Processor: Intel Processor N100 or N200
Battery: up to 16 hours
Memory: up to 8GB RAM
Storage: up to 128GB eMMC storage
Screen: 12.2” IPS touch display with 16:10 aspect ratio featuring Gorilla Glass and TUV certified low blue light
Resolution: 1920×1200
Ports: 1 USB-C, 2 USB-A, 1 HDMI, 1 audio jack
Convertible: Yes
Weight: 2.9 lbs.

Other features:

  • Touch display support and optional active stylus pen
  • 1080p or 720p front-facing camera with shutter and optional 5MP world-facing camera
  • Wi-Fi 6 or 6E2 and optional 4G LTE3

 

Lenovo 14e Chromebook Gen 3

Processor: Intel Processor N100 or N200 or Intel Core i3-N305 processor
Battery: up to 14 hours
Memory: up to 8GB RAM
Storage: up to 128GB SSD
Ports: 1 USB-C, 2 USB-A, 1 HDMI, 1 audio jack
Convertible: Yes
Weight: 3.2–3.3 lbs.

Other features:

  • Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E
  • 720p or 1080p front-facing camera with privacy shutter
  • Water resistant keyboard, up to 350 mL

 

Find out why 7,500 districts and counting have trusted AGParts Education for Chromebook buyback, parts procurement, and more. Contact us today!

Chromebook 101: Parts of a Chromebook

Chromebook 101: Parts of a Chromebook

If your district is implementing a computing program, Chromebooks are an essential consideration. Low in price and secure, Chromebooks are internet-heavy devices running on Chrome OS.

One of the most attractive features about a Chromebook is the fact that they are relatively low maintenance. With little to no software, OS and app updates are often automatic and occur in the background. In terms of hardware, there are very few moving parts in the device.

 

Parts of a Chromebook

Even though they are lean on hardware, you should still be familiar with their parts. Here are the parts of a Chromebook:

 

Motherboard

The heart of your Chromebook, the motherboard is the main circuit board. It holds and enables all communication between many crucial systems in your Chromebook. The motherboard holds the central processing unit (CPU).

 

Battery

Chromebooks use lithium-ion batteries, which are rechargeable. Another draw about Chromebooks is their long battery life. Most Chromebooks can support an eight-hour school day easily on a single charge.

 

A/C Adapter

Also referred to as a power cord or charger, a Chromebook’s A/C adapter is its external power supply that recharges the battery.

 

Display

Referred to by many names, a Chromebook’s display is composed of an LCD and the glass screen. Depending on your Chromebook, it may also have a digitizer.

  • LCD: Liquid-crystal display, or LCD, is a flat-panel display that uses liquid crystals in its primary operation. LCDs are extremely common today, and largely replaced light-emitting diode (LED) displays.
  • Screen: The protective glass that covers the LCD
  • Digitizer: If your Chromebook features a touch screen, it will have a digitizer which enable s the touch screen functionality.

 

Bezel

Typically made of plastic, the bezel is the border around the display.

 

Web Cam

The web cam is located above the display in the bezel.

 

Microphone

The microphone is typically located beside the web cam.

 

Ports

Chromebooks come equipped with a variety of ports which can include:

  • USB ports: type A, C, or both
  • Headphone and/or microphone jack
  • Micro SD slot for expandable storage
  • SIM card slot for Chromebooks with LTE capabilities

 

Keyboard, Touchpad, and Palmrest

Often sold as one part, the keyboard, touchpad, and palmrest is where the action occurs on the Chromebook.

  • Keyboard: Although still in QWERTY format, Chromebook keyboards differ from a Windows laptop or MacBook. The caps lock key has been replaced with the search/launcher key. There are also no enhanced function keys (F1-F12).
  • Touchpad: Also referred to as clickpad or trackpad, the touchpad is a touch-sensitive panel that controls point-and-click functionality.
  • Palmrest: The plastic cover surrounding the keyboard and touchpad is the palmrest.

 

Top and Bottom Covers

The shell of the Chromebook is comprised of the top and bottom covers. They can be made of plastic or aluminum.

 

Repairing Your K-12 Chromebooks

Although Chromebooks are low maintenance, they sometimes do need to be repaired. The good news is that they are generally easy to repair and oftentimes the repairs can be completed in house.

All you need is a reliable Chromebook parts supplier to source parts and a tutorial. That’s where we come in! AGParts Education has the capability to support school districts of any size in parts procurement with:

  • An inventory of 350,000+ OEM new and reclaimed parts
  • Orders that ship the same day plus free shipping
  • Discounts on bulk order
  • A dedicated sales executive to simplify and assist your district in managing your 1:1 program
  • A comprehensive YouTube library of 100+ repair tutorials for a variety of models and variety of repairs

 

AGParts Education has been in the classroom since Chromebooks were first introduced, partnering with Council Bluffs School District, one of Google’s pilot schools. Find out why 6,000+ school districts, including Council Bluffs, rely on us for their Chromebook parts, technology buyback, and more. Contact us today to see how we can help your school district today.

 

How to Tune Up a Chromebook in 15 Minutes

How to Tune Up a Chromebook in 15 Minutes

When it comes to a device, Chromebooks simply can’t be beat in terms of maintenance. Chrome OS updates and security patches are regularly delivered by Google and run in the background. There is little to no software and Chromebooks are also lean on hardware. However, there are a few tips and tricks on how to tune up a Chromebook to boost performance and your user experience.

 

How to Tune Up a Chromebook

Here are eight tips and tricks to tune up a Chromebook. Most of these tips, or combinations thereof, can be done in 15-20 minutes.

 

Uninstall Unnecessary Apps & Extensions

Required Time: 3 minutes
Recommended Frequency: Quarterly, or as needed

A great tip for all your devices—uninstalling unnecessary apps and extensions. Apps that you don’t use can slow your Chromebook’s speed and performance. They sometimes run in the background eating bandwidth and slowing load times of web pages.

Also, extra apps and extensions:

  • Open the door to unnecessary data sharing
  • Take up limited local storage
  • Are a visual eyesore

How: To remove unwanted apps, access chrome:extensions in a new browser window. Review the items thoroughly and remove any unneeded apps or extensions. If you are on the fence about certain apps, toggle the app off. This deactivates the app but leaves the app on your Chromebook. If you miss it after a few days, activate it. If you don’t notice its absence, delete it.

 

Clear Your Cache

Required Time: 1 minute
Recommended Frequency: Daily, or after every browser session

Is Google Chrome especially sluggish or behaving squirrely? Clearing your browser’s cache could be just the fix you need.

Clearing your browser’s cache is a great performance tip for any device. It removes unnecessary files and cookies that are stored when you visit websites. It’s one of the quickest and easiest hacks, too!

It’s good to get into the habit of clearing your cache after each browser session or at the end of the day. Another great feature about clearing your cache is you can customize what you delete. For example, you can choose to remove cookies and cached files, but leave your browsing history intact.

How: In Google Chrome, click the snowman menu (three vertical dots) in the top right of the browser window. From there, follow these commands: Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. Be sure to select exactly what you want to remove under both the Basic and Advanced tabs.

 

Review Extension Permissions

Required Time: 5 minutes
Recommended Frequency: Quarterly, or after new extensions are added

You can control how and when an extension is allowed to access data on your device, a feature introduced in 2019.

There are several options available now. Extensions can:

  • Access browsing data all the time without restrictions
  • Access browsing data only during the period of use
  • Never access browsing data

How: Access chrome:extensions. Review access for each extension under Site access in Details.

Choose wisely. Most extensions need access to some sort of browsing data to function. If an extension keeps requesting a higher level of permission, chances are it needs it to run. You can upgrade its access or remove it entirely.

 

Uninstall/Update Unnecessary Android or Linux Apps

Required Time: 3 minutes
Recommended Frequency: Every 6-12 months

Much like the first tip, you can also remove any unneeded Android or Linux apps. The same benefits for removal apply.

For Android or Linux apps that survived, be sure to check and install updates. These apps don’t always update automatically.

How to Uninstall Apps: From Chromebook’s launcher, review apps. To remove unwanted apps, right click or long press, then Uninstall.

How to Update Android Apps: Access My apps & games in Google Play Store. Follow on-screen prompts to download updates.

How to Update Linux Apps: From Chromebook’s Terminal app, enter sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade into the prompt command to update.

 

Optimize Shortcuts

Required Time: 5 minutes
Recommended Frequency: Every 6 months or as needed

At its best, a Chromebook is equipped with all sorts of possible shortcuts to save time and boost productivity. It’s up to you to harness their power.

Update Shelf/Tray

A Chromebook’s tray or shelf is akin the Windows taskbar or a MacBook’s dock. Customize your tray to reflect the apps you use most frequently by adding/removing apps and website shortcuts:

Add an app: Use the launcher key to find the app you wish to pin to your shelf. Right click on the app icon and select Pin to Shelf.

Add a webpage: Open the site you wish to add to your shelf. Click the snowman menu (three vertical dots), then select Create Shortcut. For a desktop experience, select Open as Window.

Remove an app: Right click on the app icon in your shelf that you wish to remove and select Unpin.

Create Keyword Shortcuts

A great time-saving tip is to create shortcuts for internal functions or webpages based on keywords. For example, you can create a shortcut to pull up Chromebook settings simply by typing cs into your search bar.

How: Go to the website you want to create a keyword shortcut for. Copy the URL. Access chrome:settings/searchengines in your search bar. Click Add, then enter the information about the following information about the shortcut:

  • Search engine will be the name of destination URL
  • Keyword is what you type into the address bar to return URL
  • Paste the URL you’ve copied into URL

 

Clean Cloud Storage & Sync Downloads Folder

Required Time: 3 minutes
Recommended Frequency: Every 1-3 months, or as needed

Remove unwanted or unneeded files from your Chromebook’s Files app every couple of months. This will reduce your clutter and keep your files organized.

Since Chromebooks have limited local storage, sync your downloads folder to your Google Drive. After you complete this step, all downloads will be saved to the cloud instead of locally.

How: From chrome:settings > Advanced > Location > Downloads > Change. Then, select a folder, or create a Downloads folder.

 

Enable Night Light

Time Required: 1 minute
Recommended Frequency: Once

Night Light adjusts your Chromebook’s display to make it less bright in evening hours or in limited lighting.

How: Two ways to do this. Enable Night Light under Quick Settings panel or within Chrome OS settings. From chrome:settings > Displays > Night Light. From there, edit the schedule to turn on the Night Light during certain hours of the day.

 

Enable Universal Voice Input

Time Required: 1 minute
Recommended Frequency: Once

You can enable system-wide dictation on your Chromebooks, just as you can use Siri on a MacBook or Cortana in Windows.

After this option is enabled, a small microphone will appear in the lower right corner of your screen next to notifications. Tap it any time you wish to use this option.

How: From chrome:settings > Advanced > Accessibility > Manage accessibility features > Enable dictation (speak to type).

 

For more Chromebook tips and tricks, check out our blogs on Chromebooks Basics and Chromebook Tips for Power Users.

 

AGParts Education supports 6,000+ innovative 1:1 school districts in Chromebook parts supply and technology buyback. Contact us today to see how we can help your school.

 

AUE in 2023: Are Your District’s Chromebooks on the List?

AUE in 2023: Are Your District’s Chromebooks on the List?

Managing your Chromebook’s lifecycle can be tricky. Unlike other devices, Chromebooks have a specific shelf life with an end-of-life date, called the Auto Update Expiration. What is AUE? What Chromebook models have a AUE in 2023? What should your school do if it deploys Chromebooks with a 2023 AUE?

We’ll answer all these questions today.

 

What is AUE?

Auto Update Expiration is the date when the Chrome OS will no longer support auto updates on your Chromebook model.

This doesn’t mean your Chromebook will self-destruct after this date. Think of AUE like a best by date, not an expiration date. Your Chromebook will still power and function, but it won’t receive software updates for new features or critical security patches. You also do not have access to technical support after the AUE.

 

Chromebooks with an AUE in 2023

Below is a list of Chromebooks with an AUE in 2023.

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AUE in 2023? What to Do Next

Although Chromebooks still function after their AUE, upgrading your district’s Chromebooks is critical. Chromebooks that eclipse their AUE no longer receive OS updates or those vital security patches to ensure student success and privacy.

The question remains: what should your district do with its fleet of end-of-life Chromebooks? Old Chromebooks can’t just be thrown in the dumpster as their components are harmful to the environment. Rather than letting your used fleet collect dust in storage, your best option is to turn those old devices into cash through Chromebook buyback.

Chromebook buyback is the process of selling back your used devices to a company that processes used electronics devices. That company will evaluate your devices and assign a value to each device.

Tech buyback falls under the umbrella of IT asset disposition (ITAD). ITAD is the process of disposing of used or unwanted IT assets in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. This includes securely wiping data of the devices prior to disposal.

When choosing a company to sell your Chromebooks to, remember the acronym C.H.E.A.P.:

  1. K-12 Chromebooks contain sensitive information. Compliance with National Institute of Standards (NIST) is important. This guarantees data is wiped clean according to NIST guidelines and ensure your student data is protected.
  2. A hassle-free process will save your district many headaches. The buyback process should be simple and smooth, with flexible options to accommodate your district’s needs.
  3. Experience can be challenging to find as Chromebooks aren’t even ten years old, but that doesn’t mean it should be overlooked. Ensuring your district partners with an experienced company in tech and Chromebook buyback is paramount. Experience means less stress and pain in the buyback process and can often translate into more money for your used fleet.
  4. As stated above, Chromebooks contain components that are harmful to the environment. Adherence to responsible recycling practices is essential. Be sure your tech buyback company takes environmental responsibility seriously.
  5. A company that values you as a partner, and not just a number, is key. They should be with you from start to finish, available for your needs.

That may seem like a daunting list of considerations, but we have good news. AGParts Education has all those qualities! In the classroom since Chromebooks were first introduced, our process is simple and designed with our school partners in mind. We even offer two methods of payout—cash or credit. With our credit option, your district will earn 10% more, keeping those funds in your technology budget. You’ll never have to worry about data falling into the wrong hands or components carelessly thrown away. Plus, your dedicated sales executive will be with your district every step of the way, and beyond.

 

Find out why 7,500 districts and counting have trusted AGParts Education for Chromebook buyback, parts procurement, and more. Contact us today!

Guide to Chromebook Keyboard Shortcuts

Guide to Chromebook Keyboard Shortcuts

Ready to work like a pro on your Chromebook? Integrate these common Chromebook keyboard shortcuts to boost your productivity. For more tips, check out our guide to Chromebook basics.

 

Keyboard overlay of all shortcuts: Press Ctrl + Alt + ? 

Lock your Chromebook’s screen: Press Search + L or Launcher + L

Log out of your Google account: Press Ctrl + Shift + Q twice

Screenshot: Press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows, select Screenshot, then full screen, partial, or window screenshot in the bottom menu

Record Screen: Press Ctrl + Shift + Show Windows, select Screen Record, then full screen, partial, or window screen record in the bottom menu

Toggle Caps Lock: Press Alt + Search or Alt + Launcher (the Search/launcher key is in place of the caps lock key on a Chromebook keyboard)

Launch the Task Manager: Press Shift + Esc

Launch apps 1-8 in the shelf, starting on left: Press Alt + 1-8

Launch last app in the shelf: Press Alt + 9

Split screen: Press Alt + both bracket keys [ ] 

Dock window to the left side of your screen: Press Alt + [

Dock window to the right side of your screen: Press Alt + ]

Open the Files app: Press Alt + Shift + M 

View notifications: Press Alt + Shift + N

Rotate screen 90 degrees: Press Ctrl + Shift + Refresh (F3)

Magnify whole screen: Press Ctrl + Search + M or Ctrl + Launcher + M

Partial magnification: Press Ctrl + Search + D or Ctrl + Launcher + D

 

Looking for more? Visit the complete library of Chromebook shortcuts.

 

Web Shortcuts

 

If you are savvy with keyboard commands on a Windows laptop or MacBook, you may recognize some of these.

Open new window: Press Ctrl + N

Open new tab: Press Ctrl + T

Close current tab: Press Ctrl + W

Activate tabs 1-8, starting on left: Press Ctrl + 1-8

Go to last tab: Press Ctrl + 9

Go to next tab in window: Press Ctrl + Tab

Go to previous tab in window: Press Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Maximize window: Press Alt + = 

Minimize window: Press Alt + – (minus)

For more web shortcuts, learn the 47 keyboard commands that work in all web browsers.

 

Text-Editing Shortcuts

 

Just as Chromebooks support a bevy of web shortcuts, they also supports most text-editing shortcuts.

Undo: Press Ctrl + Z

Copy: Press Ctrl + C

Cut: Press Ctrl + X

Paste: Press Ctrl + V

Select All: Press Ctrl + A

Delete previous word: Press Ctrl + backspace

Delete: Press Alt + backspace

 

AGParts Education is your complete partner for your 1:1 Chromebook initiative. Supporting over 7,500+ U.S. school districts, find out how we can help your district. Contact us today!

 

Updated on 8/2/22. Originally published on 11/19/20.

UL-Certified AC Adapters 101: Everything You Need to Know

UL-Certified AC Adapters 101: Everything You Need to Know

With any educational technology program, AC adapters, aka power chargers, are crucial to sustain the daily functionality of your Chromebooks. AC adapters are a high-failure item, and therefore commonly replaced. It’s imperative when doing so to only purchase and use UL-certified AC adapters. While generic adapters may seem like a more budget-friendly option, they may cost more in the long run. More importantly, they could put your students and staff at risk. AGParts Education stocks 500,000 OEM new and recertified Chromebook parts, including authentic UL-certified AC adapters.

So, what exactly is a UL-certified adapter? Why is it so important to use only authentic UL-certified AC adapters? And, how can you spot a counterfeit adapter? Today, we’ll answer these important questions.

 

What is UL?

UL stands for Underwriter Laboratories. Founded in 1984 in Chicago, they are a third-party certification company that provides benchmarks and standards for products and processes in regard to safety, quality, security, and sustainability. Their mission is to make the world safer, smarter, more secure, and more sustainable.

UL holds manufacturers to higher standards during the manufacturing process, reducing risk and increasing safety. When a product bears the UL Mark, it means the product:

  • Has completed and passed rigorous UL testing to ensure reliability, functionality, safety, sustainability, and overall quality
  • Has been manufactured according to UL guidelines
  • Meets operating standards set by the Original Design Manufacturer (ODM)

Non-UL-certified products may have been manufactured using substandard parts or under inconsistent manufacturing processes. This could lead to unpredictable output voltages, higher-than-normal operating temperatures, and overall lower quality and reliability for products. Overt time, this could lead to damage, failure, and possible fire hazards.

 

What is a UL-certified AC adapter?

A UL-certified AC adapter bears an authorized UL Mark. This means it has been evaluated and meets the appropriate Standard for Safety. These adapters comply with UL safety requirements for the US.

It’s important to understand that if an AC adapter bears a UL Mark, this does not mean that it is not a counterfeit or generic adapter.

 

Why is it so important to use a UL-certified AC adapter?

It’s simple: generic AC adapters are dangerous. We understand that electronic devices are expensive and generic accessories could seem like a good way to cut costs. But their risks far outweigh the money saved.

Counterfeit and generic AC adapters are often are made with substandard parts that fail to meet basic safety requirements. These faulty parts are a serious safety risk because they can overheat. Overheated parts can damage your equipment. More importantly, these sub-standard parts pose an immediate fire and burn risk and hazard.

Since generic parts are made with substandard parts, they also have a higher risk for failure. The money saved on buying a generic part quickly vanishes when your district has to replace the generic parts with authentic UL-certified adapters.

When you use a UL-certified AC adapter, you have the peace of mind knowing that this product has met stringent requirements for safety and quality.

 

Head-to-Head Testing: UL Certified Vs Generic

We internally tested generic adapters against the UL-certified adapters in our inventory. Here are our observations and results:

  • Substandard parts which pose a risk for part and device failure, fire hazard: The generic adapters used substandard parts. One had a clip-type plug for the grounding wire, whereas a UL-certified adapter uses a solder joint. Another generic adapter had additional exposed wire not covered by an insulator.
  • Above-average operating temperatures posting a potential fire hazard: Internal testing showed that some generic adapters ran 14% warmer than their UL-certified counterpart.
  • Continuous voltage and current ratings outside of UL specifications: Internal testing showed output voltages registering less than the 5% variance acceptable under ODM standards.

While we could not verify the differences in the components, the results indicated that the clear difference between a reliable UL-certified adapter versus a substandard generic adapter.

How can you spot a counterfeit AC adapter?

If an AC adapter is branded and bears a UL Mark, this does not necessarily mean that it is a UL-certified AC adapter unfortunately. Most counterfeits will closely resemble an authentic UL-certified AC adapter.

To truly discern whether a product is fake it should not only be examined for label inconsistencies, but it should be tested by a trained technician. Below, we’ve outlined our process for authenticating AC adapters.

The first step is label inspection. There are several tell-tale signs on the label of an AC adapter to help you identify a counterfeit. These are easy indicators that you can spot yourself. The trick is to look for inconsistencies. Counterfeit products have phony printed logos, texts, and in some cases, typos. See photo below.

 

UL-Certified AC adapters should include:

  • OEM logo
  • Matching OEM part numbers
  • UL Mark
  • Clear text and no typos

If the label passes inspection, this still does not guarantee it is an authentic UL-certified AC adapter. That’s why further mechanical testing and inspection are required.

After label inspection, AGParts Education tests the AC adapters for power and current under load. Once the adapter passes, our technicians then perform an internal component inspection. We perform a spot check, opening a percentage of each shipment to verify:

  • Industry-standard construction methods
  • Authentic OEM identifiers
  • Safety compliant materials

The best way to ensure that your school district has UL-certified AC adapters is to purchase from a supplier that sells authentic UL-certified AC adapters. At AGParts Education, the safety of your students and teachers are our number one priority. We only sell authentic UL-certified AC adapters.

For more information on how we can help with your district’s 1:1 Chromebook program, contact us today!

Originally published 7/14/2020. Updated on 8/25/2021, 3/30/2022.