What’s the Best Free Tool to Image Laptops for Exams?

You might also consider using Rufus to create a bootable USB drive with your desired image. Build one machine, get it set up just right, and then clone it to the others using Clonezilla. It's pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it.

Building the first laptop, setting it up, and then cloning it to an external SSD with Clonezilla is usually the way to go. Just remember that if you don’t need to join a domain, you can skip sysprep.

If you're using Dell machines, Dell ImageAssist could save you a lot of time. Otherwise, just stick with Clonezilla for a more generic solution.

For your situation, Clonezilla is a solid choice if you're planning to use USB sticks. Alternatively, FOG is great for a PXE boot setup if you want to clone over a network. Just remember to sysprep the system to avoid issues, especially if you’re joining an Active Directory.