The HP Stream 11 is a good Chromebook alternative for $200 and perhaps the best cheap laptop available today. The real benefit is that you get a laptop that runs a true operating system, Windows 8.1, instead of a more limited operating system like Chrome OS.
In the classroom, the HP Stream 11 can do things a regular Chromebook cannot. This limitation is usually not an issue with Chromebooks, but it can be in certain situations. For instance, earlier this year a teacher asked for my help with a simple circuit construction activity, but the school’s Chromebooks could not run the program. I found out the program needed Java to work and Chromebooks do not support Java, much like how Apple’s iPad and iPhone do not support Flash. Of course, Windows supports both Java and Flash. The teacher would have been better served in this scenario with cheap Windows laptops.
Ars Technica has an excellent review of the HP Stream 11, which delves into the device’s benefits and shortcomings. In short, the HP Stream 11 has a great keyboard, average screen, and adequate performance for basic tasks. This is not the device to buy for video editing, advanced graphics, or gaming.
For most classroom uses though, the HP Stream 11 could provide the extra functionality needed and lacking from all Chromebooks.