If your school had a device refresh scheduled for 2026, finding suitable laptops at a price your budget can accommodate has become significantly more difficult in the current market. Manufacturers have reallocated nearly half of their production capacity this year to AI-specific chips, leaving the rest of us with:
- Memory price spikes: DRAM and SSD costs are at a 3-year high.
- Lead time lag: Standard laptop orders now take up to 9 months to fulfill.
- Asset depreciation: Your old fleet is losing value every month it sits in storage.
While global manufacturing shifts have pushed hardware prices up, school budgets haven’t followed suit. This procurement gap has made a 1-to-1 device refresh feel out of reach for many institutions.
How to unlock cash from your past IT investments
To help, Lenovo ConnectEd provides schools, colleges and universities with a way to gain value from the legacy hardware they’re looking to replace or the old kit that has already been relegated to the cupboard. Offering up to £190 cashback per device, with the flexibility to spend it as you choose, puts the wind back in the sails of even the tightest school budget.
The core motivator of Lenovo ConnectEd is flexibility. Unlike standard grants or hardware-locked discounts, the value you unlock through this programme belongs to your school. Use it to fund a new IT deployment, subsidise an underfunded afterschool programme, or even pay for classroom furniture and playground equipment. It’s up to you.
The value of a zero-landfill commitment
Transforming your tech clutter into a financial asset also comes with a sustainability benefit. The UK is already the world’s second largest contributor of e-waste per capita, with roughly 6 million tonnes of electronics generated annually. Only around 31% of this is officially recycled, meaning over two-thirds is unaccounted for or improperly disposed of. By choosing ConnectEd, you can set a sustainability example for your students, proving that the circular economy works in practice, not just in the classroom.
ConnectEd ensures that your old technology is either refurbished for a second life or recycled with a zero-landfill commitment. Every device is wiped using industry-leading software for your peace of mind that student and staff data is permanently destroyed before the hardware leaves the site in compliance with your institution’s data protection policies.
How to get started
We know your school’s IT teams are already under pressure. As a Lenovo Education Partner, we’re here to handle the heavy lifting so you don’t have to manage the paperwork. Our team can help you audit the legacy hardware so you understand the value Lenovo ConnectEd can unlock.
Reach out to us using the simple contact form below or call us on 01473 240470 for more information.
