In French high schools, students are increasingly receiving personal computers as part of their education. These devices are distributed by regional education authorities and vary in type and specifications. For example, the Grand Est region has been providing Windows 11 laptops since 2017 as part of its Lycée 4.0 program. These are standard Asus ExpertBook B1 models with 8 gigabytes of RAM and 256 gigabytes of storage. Meanwhile, Île-de-France has opted for a different approach, planning to equip second-year high school students with Chromebooks—lightweight devices running ChromeOS, a system developed by Google that focuses on browser-based tasks. Both regions agree that students will eventually own the devices after remote management features are disabled at the end of their studies. The scale of these initiatives is considerable. The Grand Est distributes over 64,000 computers annually, while Île-de-France equips around 150,000 second-year students each year. The financial commitment is also significant, with the Île-de-France program expected to cost 23 million euros in 2026, up from 20 million euros in 2025. Distribution is managed through a regional application, and students collect their devices using a personal QR code, with confirmation sent to parents via a school communication platform called Pronote. In practice, these computers handle typical school tasks well, such as web browsing, word processing, video conferencing, and accessing digital learning platforms. However, they struggle with more demanding applications like 4K video editing or 3D modeling due to their limited processing power and memory. Storage space is also limited, ranging from 128 to 256 gigabytes, which can fill up quickly with large files. For streaming services like Netflix or YouTube, the devices perform well thanks to built-in video decoding chips. However, entertainment platforms may be blocked at school due to the Wi-Fi network's bandwidth restrictions, not the device itself. When it comes to gaming, the performance varies. Native games installed on the device are limited by the hardware, with titles like Minecraft running smoothly but more demanding games like Fortnite lagging. Chromebooks cannot run Windows-based games at all. However, cloud gaming platforms like GeForce NOW or Xbox Cloud Gaming allow students to stream high-end games over the internet, provided they have a good home Wi-Fi connection. In terms of privacy, the devices are managed through a system called MDM (Mobile Device Management), which allows the region to monitor device status, update software, and block access if a device is reported stolen. However, the region does not have access to webcams, microphones, or the contents of the hard drive. Some models include a physical cover for the webcam to further protect privacy. Additionally, in Île-de-France, the region has chosen to exclude Google Workspace from the Chromebooks, ensuring student data is stored on local servers rather than on Google's platforms. The key distinction in privacy concerns lies in the network used—while the region has no access to home Wi-Fi activity, school networks log web traffic to ensure compliance with educational policies. Overall, these computers effectively support the core functions of schoolwork and home entertainment, with limitations that are more about hardware capabilities than privacy concerns.