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Mommy Gearest

Real life. Real reviews.

Back to school with Microsoft + Staples (sponsored post)

By 292 Comments

When I got my first computer in 1995, it was enormous and cost my parents upwards of $3,500; they sacrificed a family vacation to pay for it. All these years later, they remind me from time to time that the four of us didn’t go to Cuba because of that computer.

Back-to-school shopping can still be expensive — especially once your kids are at an age when computers become an essential tool for schoolwork.

But, thanks to Microsoft, investing in a student-friendly computer won’t hurt my (or your) wallet the way it hurt my parents.

Why? Enter the Asus VivoBook W202.

Asus VivoBook laptop reviews

(Photo credit: Kristina Laukkanen, Pear Studios Photo + Cinema)

We’ve been playing with the VivoBook laptop for a couple of weeks and, so far, I’m impressed. It packs a good punch despite its smaller footprint and economical price tag of around $399.

This laptop will neither take up too much space nor mean the annual family holiday gets thrown out the window!

The Asus VivoBook W202 is the ultimate education laptop — with loads of amazing features:

  • It has a finely tuned keyboard and bigger-than-average touchpad and I like how sensitive the mouse pad is because it means little fingers won’t be frustrated
  • Its anti-glare display will help protect your kids’ eyes (and yours for all those times you’re going to be helping with school projects)
  • The packaging says the VivoBook will give you up to 11 hours of battery life, but in my experience it’s actually far longer in standby mode. And that means students can work and play on the W202 all day — from the kitchen table to the classroom and back again, without being bound to an electrical outlet
  • Perfect for students, this laptop is lightweight at just 2.6 pounds
  • For all those “oops” moments, the Asus VivoBook W202 has slip-resistant grips around all four corners and spill-resistant keys; the reinforced, rugged rubber edges should help withstand physical stress over the long-run and even prevent serious damage if it’s accidentally dropped
  • There’s a full HDMI port and an SD card slot, too
  • The W202 has Cortana built in. If you haven’t met her yet, think of Cortana as your personal digital assistant. She’ll even walk you through the laptop set-up when you turn it on for the first time (truly, you just talk to each other…it’s pretty neat)
  • And it uses Windows 10 S. How’s that different than Windows 10? It’s just as powerful but it helps prevent younger (cough, cough…more naïve) users from accidentally downloading questionable or potentially dangerous content because it will only accept software purchased directly from the Microsoft Store

See the Asus VivoBook W202 in action here:

From projects at home to surfing the Net, the Asus W202 offers functionality for educational needs at every stage. (Don’t forget to add Microsoft Office to your device to help your kiddos power through homework and accomplish even more at school.)

What's the best laptop for elementary students

(Photo credit: Kristina Laukkanen, Pear Studios Photo + Cinema)

The bottom line: with the Asus VivoBook W202’s compact, sturdy construction and added Windows features, you can bring it wherever you like and it’s basically kid-proof — all at a cost that won’t bring you to your knees.

You can get the Asus W202 and so many more of your back-to-school needs at Staples Canada.

But before you head out to shop, enter to win a sweet prize pack!

The giveaway is valued at more than $900 and includes:

  • An Asus VivoBook W202
  • A metal locker
  • A pair of RayBan sunglasses
  • A $50 Urban Outfitters gift card
  • School supplies from Staples (pens, binders, etc.)

But wait — there’s more!

Not only can you enter to win this prize pack here at MommyGearest.com, but you can ALSO enter to win it through Staples, too, giving you two separate chances to win. (Please note that Staples has its own terms and conditions; ensure you read both carefully to qualify.)

Enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
DISCLOSURES: Microsoft compensated me for this post and video. All opinions are my own. Video shot and edited by Kristina Laukkanen.

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Comments

  1. The protective features like the slip-resistant grips and spill-resistant keys would help us increase the longevity of this awesome device, so that has to be my favourite feature.

    Reply

  2. The protective features like the slip-resistant grips and spill-resistant keys would help us increase the longevity of this awesome device, so that has to be my favourite feature.

    Reply

  17. Can I pick 3 or 4 favourite features?? First, I love that it is only 2.6 lbs – my daughter definitely needs something lightweight. I also love that it has an anti-glare display – I want the best protection for her eyes, especially since a lot of time is probably going to be spent doing homework as she gets older. And then my favourite extra features are Cortana and Windows 10 S – they sound great for helping her have a good experience!

    Reply

  18. Can I pick 3 or 4 favourite features?? First, I love that it is only 2.6 lbs – my daughter definitely needs something lightweight. I also love that it has an anti-glare display – I want the best protection for her eyes, especially since a lot of time is probably going to be spent doing homework as she gets older. And then my favourite extra features are Cortana and Windows 10 S – they sound great for helping her have a good experience!

    Reply

  23. My son is in need of a laptop; he only has a desktop which can be frustrating to be limited to one space. He also has special needs & his world is centered around technology so I do love the larger touchpad for him and how tough & resilient this one is in case he were to drop it.

    Reply

  24. My son is in need of a laptop; he only has a desktop which can be frustrating to be limited to one space. He also has special needs & his world is centered around technology so I do love the larger touchpad for him and how tough & resilient this one is in case he were to drop it.

    Reply

  53. I am impressed with the features on the Asus VivoBook W202 which make it ‘kid-proof’. It has slip-resistant grips around all four corners and spill-resistant keys ~ AWESOME!! The reinforced, rugged rubber edges should help withstand physical stress over the long-run and even prevent serious damage if it’s accidentally dropped ~ AMAZING!!

    Reply

  54. I am impressed with the features on the Asus VivoBook W202 which make it ‘kid-proof’. It has slip-resistant grips around all four corners and spill-resistant keys ~ AWESOME!! The reinforced, rugged rubber edges should help withstand physical stress over the long-run and even prevent serious damage if it’s accidentally dropped ~ AMAZING!!

    Reply

  99. I like everything about this laptop and especially that it has a full HDMI port and an SD card slot. Long battery life is important too.

    Reply

  100. I like everything about this laptop and especially that it has a full HDMI port and an SD card slot. Long battery life is important too.

    Reply

  101. I love that it has a long battery and that it’s lightweight. When ever we go anywhere either my husband or I have to carry the family laptop as it’s so dang heavy… this would be awesome – although I’m not sure she’d want to share, lol!

    Reply

  102. I love that it has a long battery and that it’s lightweight. When ever we go anywhere either my husband or I have to carry the family laptop as it’s so dang heavy… this would be awesome – although I’m not sure she’d want to share, lol!

    Reply

  109. Lots of features in the Asus VivoBook I really like, but the long battery life (11+ hours) is what really stands out to me. With two boys in high school and the work loads they carry and long homework times, the battery life is super important to me (and them).

    Reply

  110. Lots of features in the Asus VivoBook I really like, but the long battery life (11+ hours) is what really stands out to me. With two boys in high school and the work loads they carry and long homework times, the battery life is super important to me (and them).

    Reply

  111. I love that it has slip-resistant grips around all four corners and spill-resistant keys. In my house we need this feature!

    Reply

  112. I love that it has slip-resistant grips around all four corners and spill-resistant keys. In my house we need this feature!

    Reply

  119. There are SO many things to love but simply love the fact of how long the battery lasts on one charge! Thanks so so much for such a generous giveaway! Got my fingers n toes crossed super tight to be the lucky winner!!

    Reply

  120. There are SO many things to love but simply love the fact of how long the battery lasts on one charge! Thanks so so much for such a generous giveaway! Got my fingers n toes crossed super tight to be the lucky winner!!

    Reply

  129. Most Amazing
    Contest Ever❗Sooo needed Best Back to School items Ever❗??
    Awesome Laptop ?thats Educational, Anti-glare, Lightwieght, Super Long lasting battery,
    Sunglasses?, Clothing ????
    Coolest Backpack ?in the World❗?
    I would like to Thank
    – Mommygearest and Everyone that made this Amazing Contest Possible
    Thank you❗???
    Good Luck Everyone ❗

    Reply

  130. Most Amazing
    Contest Ever❗Sooo needed Best Back to School items Ever❗??
    Awesome Laptop ?thats Educational, Anti-glare, Lightwieght, Super Long lasting battery,
    Sunglasses?, Clothing ????
    Coolest Backpack ?in the World❗?
    I would like to Thank
    – Mommygearest and Everyone that made this Amazing Contest Possible
    Thank you❗???
    Good Luck Everyone ❗

    Reply

  147. I really like the long battery life. There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of something and it completely dies! I need reliability with my computer!

    Reply

  148. I really like the long battery life. There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of something and it completely dies! I need reliability with my computer!

    Reply

  155. I love how light it is, at a mere 2.6 lbs I can lift it with one hand. Having a coffee, kid or purse in the other!

    Reply

  156. I love how light it is, at a mere 2.6 lbs I can lift it with one hand. Having a coffee, kid or purse in the other!

    Reply

  157. Like the majority I love the light weight. Easy to take with you wherever you go. Backpacks are heavy enough.

    Reply

  158. Like the majority I love the light weight. Easy to take with you wherever you go. Backpacks are heavy enough.

    Reply

  179. I like the HDMI port and SD Card slot, as my previous laptop had the latter. Would allow me to work on videos for my Youtube channel without having to physically connect my camera to the computer.

    Reply

  180. I like the HDMI port and SD Card slot, as my previous laptop had the latter. Would allow me to work on videos for my Youtube channel without having to physically connect my camera to the computer.

    Reply

  181. My fiance’s PC stopped working. This would be perfect for him as it is small and doesn’t take up too much space plus you can carry it with you

    Reply

  182. My fiance’s PC stopped working. This would be perfect for him as it is small and doesn’t take up too much space plus you can carry it with you

    Reply

  183. Perfect timing! BTS this year has a laptop on the list. There are so many great features on the Asus VivoBook so it’s hard to pick *one* favorite so if I had to pick just one then the anti-glare display…close second is the full HDMI port and an SD card slot.

    Reply

  184. Perfect timing! BTS this year has a laptop on the list. There are so many great features on the Asus VivoBook so it’s hard to pick *one* favorite so if I had to pick just one then the anti-glare display…close second is the full HDMI port and an SD card slot.

    Reply

  187. There are many things I like about this and one of them is the anti-glare display as my son sometimes get irritated eyes. Also like the long battery life.

    Reply

  188. There are many things I like about this and one of them is the anti-glare display as my son sometimes get irritated eyes. Also like the long battery life.

    Reply

  203. I like the feature of the ASUS Vivobook W202 that has Cortana and you can ask her questions and get answers right there. This is such an awesome prize to have for back to school. We have eleven grandchildren so I really try hard to help out with the shopping.Good luck to all.

    Reply

  204. I like the feature of the ASUS Vivobook W202 that has Cortana and you can ask her questions and get answers right there. This is such an awesome prize to have for back to school. We have eleven grandchildren so I really try hard to help out with the shopping.Good luck to all.

    Reply

  207. What I love is the long battery pf 11 hrs, perfect light weight 2.6 lbs where it would be easy to carry. Sure is perfect for a college student.

    Reply

  208. What I love is the long battery pf 11 hrs, perfect light weight 2.6 lbs where it would be easy to carry. Sure is perfect for a college student.

    Reply

  217. Honestly, it is hard to come up with just one feature. Because I like them all! But, if I must choose, with all the talk lately about children using screens and having eye troubles in life, I like the anti-glare display that will help protect your kids’ eyes!! 🙂

    Reply

  218. Honestly, it is hard to come up with just one feature. Because I like them all! But, if I must choose, with all the talk lately about children using screens and having eye troubles in life, I like the anti-glare display that will help protect your kids’ eyes!! 🙂

    Reply

  219. wow lots of great features – i like that it is lightweight and the non-slip grips on the corners would be useful!

    Reply

  220. wow lots of great features – i like that it is lightweight and the non-slip grips on the corners would be useful!

    Reply

  227. I like that it uses Windows 10 S , the feature is a great idea for a family sharing a computer , I know from past experience that some really bad things can happen when the wrong things are downloaded

    Reply

  228. I like that it uses Windows 10 S , the feature is a great idea for a family sharing a computer , I know from past experience that some really bad things can happen when the wrong things are downloaded

    Reply

  253. All the features sound amazing, but I guess my most favourite is the price and that Asus VivoBook W202 has slip-resistant grips and spill-resistant keys.

    Reply

  254. All the features sound amazing, but I guess my most favourite is the price and that Asus VivoBook W202 has slip-resistant grips and spill-resistant keys.

    Reply

  271. The feature I like the most is the Asus VivoBook W202 is lightweight at just 2.6 pounds. Those backpacks get pretty heavy at times so this is a great feature to save their backs.

    Reply

  272. The feature I like the most is the Asus VivoBook W202 is lightweight at just 2.6 pounds. Those backpacks get pretty heavy at times so this is a great feature to save their backs.

    Reply

  277. I love that it is light and has an 11 hour battery life ! Especially as a family on the go, this is just an amazing feature to have!

    Reply

  278. I love that it is light and has an 11 hour battery life ! Especially as a family on the go, this is just an amazing feature to have!

    Reply

  281. I WOULD LOVE TO WIN AND GIVE IT TO MY GRANDCHILD. I HAVE 8 BUT ONLY HAVE TO BUY FOR 5. I LOVE THE PRICE. I ALSO LOVE THE ANTI-GLARE. ITS AN AMAZING BOOK THAT I KNOW ONE OF MINE WOULD LOVE GRAMMA EVEN MORE. SURE HELP ME OUT. HA

    Reply

  282. I WOULD LOVE TO WIN AND GIVE IT TO MY GRANDCHILD. I HAVE 8 BUT ONLY HAVE TO BUY FOR 5. I LOVE THE PRICE. I ALSO LOVE THE ANTI-GLARE. ITS AN AMAZING BOOK THAT I KNOW ONE OF MINE WOULD LOVE GRAMMA EVEN MORE. SURE HELP ME OUT. HA

    Reply

  285. This is an amazing giveaway and I would love to win the computer to keep for myself and not share with any of my 3 kids and their sticky fingers! ?

    Reply

  286. This is an amazing giveaway and I would love to win the computer to keep for myself and not share with any of my 3 kids and their sticky fingers! ?

    Reply

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