Best laptop for kids

If you are getting ready to buy your child a new computer, a laptop is going to be right at the top of your list. It is by far the more popular choice when compared to a desktop computer.

Of course, if you are buying for a young child you don’t really have to think too much about specifications. It does help with schoolwork though, so you should look for some decent hardware in the choice you make.

Also read: Best laptop for music production

There is a huge range of laptops to choose from. You need to decide on the best one for the education of your kid. This means that you will be thinking about price, whether you should be getting Windows or a Macbook, whether you should be getting extra storage space or perhaps extra processing power and more.

How to choose best laptop for kids?

Talk To Their Teachers

While your reason for buying a laptop might not be only for your kid’s schoolwork, you should probably talk to the teachers in the school anyway, especially if this is the first time that you are doing something of this sort. Think about the type of technology that is being used in the computer labs at the school and how you can pick a computer that is like those, so that there won’t be any difficulty for your child when transitioning from one to the other.

Talk To Your Kid

If you have a toddler, you would be better off getting them a kid’s laptop (as in, the little toy ones with the weirdly demonic sounding recorded voice that sings the alphabet). However, if you do have older kids who are about 8 to 12 years of age, you can talk to them about what they want to see in their new laptop. Think about how the new tech could complement anything they already own.

In fact, you could get some pretty sound advice from a kid, because they seem to be more in the know about the tech world at 9 years old than you are with decades of experience.

Windows Or Mac?

Deciding your OS is also a very important decision. Back in the day, this choice was made before you even considered it. Windows, all the way.

Now, though, Apple has made a major comeback, especially considering the fact that you probably already have an iPhone in your kid’s hands. With this phone and the relative similarity of the Mac OS, it is actually a good choice to buy a MacBook too.

However, you need to think about your budget. The cheapest MacBook is still more expensive than a high-end Windows laptop, meaning it might not be the most sensible choice.

Don’t Worry About Specs

While you might spend a long time thinking about the hardware of the laptop it really isn’t that important. Since the computer will be used for normal task like schoolwork and homework, nearly all Windows laptops and MacBook will suffice,

For a sample of what a normal laptop for the kid will have, you could go for an Intel Dual Core, Core i3, i5 or i7 processor, 2 to 4GB of RAM, 250 to 500GB of HDD space and an integrated graphics card from Intel.

Speed is not going to be too much of a demand here because of the light nature of use of these laptops in the hands of children.

Think About The Budget And Practicality

When you buy a laptop, the dealer is probably going to try and sell you something with a touchscreen or some other features that neither you nor your kid will need.

These are all just ways for you to sacrifice important specs for added features. While a touchscreen is the way into the future and all the rest of that hoopla, you shouldn’t let a touch screen come in the way of practical features. That said, if you can get a good deal on a touchscreen laptop, seize it!

Physical Features Are Important

While the hardware is important, you need to concentrate on the dimensions and the weight of the laptop. Expensive laptops are typically lighter and more compact than cheaper ones. Think about the use your kid will put it to. If they are going to be carrying it around often, you should think about a lighter, smaller laptop, especially for the younger crowd.

Battery life is also a concern. The longer the battery lasts, the easier it will be to keep your kid distracted on those long car rides across the country.

Who doesn’t want a moment of silence? Taking all these into consideration, we have put together 7 of the top picks when it comes to laptops for children. Make sure you give these some consideration. Maybe you will find the one of your child’s dreams right here!

The 7 Best Laptops For Kids

NameAsus X550ZA

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HP Pavilion 11

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HP Chromebook

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HP Stream 11

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Acer Chromebook

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MacBook Air

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Asus F555LA

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Rating[usr 4.7 tooltip="true"][usr 4.0 tooltip="true"][usr 3.9 tooltip="true"][usr 3.9 tooltip="true"][usr 4.5 tooltip="true"][usr 3.8 tooltip="true"][usr 3.8 tooltip="true"]
Screen Size15.6 Inches11.6 Inches11.6 Inches11.6 Inches11.6 Inches11.6 Inches15.6 Inches
Processor2.5 GHz2.16 GHz2.16 GHz1.6 GHz2.16 GHz1.6 GHz2.1 GHz
RAM8GB DDRAM4 GB SDRAM2 GB SDRAM2 GB SDRAM2 GB SDRAM4 GB LPDDR34 GB
Storage1 TB500 GB16 GB SSD32 GB SSD16 GB SSD128 GB SSD500 GB
DVD R/WNoYesYesNoNoNoYes

HP Pavilion 11-n010dx Notebook

HP Pavilion 11-n010dx Notebook
HP Pavilion 11-n010dx Notebook

At $399.00, this ultrabook from HP is selected for the top 7 laptops because it is light and versatile. The processor is an Intel Pentium N3520 2.16GHz, with 4 cores, making it great for providing high speed processing power for all schoolwork.

While the Pentium series is one of the older types of Intel processors, it is more than capable of providing fast processing of most kids’ applications. The 4GB DDR3 RAM means that multitasking is a lot easier for your child, although they probably will be running something like a browser and a game of Minesweeper at the same time and call it multitasking. A 500GB SATA hard disk allows them to store all their favorite movies as well as their homework assignments with ease.

The screen is a 11.6” touchscreen that is convertible into a tablet PC as well. While it doesn’t have the greatest battery life, it is perfect for doing homework and watching movies with no problems at all. The best part about the smaller size is that it can be carried around easily. The graphics card is integrated Intel HD Graphics, and it has USB 3.0 as well!

Pros

• Small size, low weight
• Large hard disk
• 360 degree flip and fold design
• Convertible to a tablet

Cons

• Small battery life
• Older generation processor

HP Chromebook 11-2110nr

HP Chromebook 11-2110nr
HP Chromebook 11-2110nr

Chromebooks are a rising star with their simple, web-based OS by Google, making them perfect for nearly anything a kid wants to do.

The simplicity of the system makes it so that a child won’t have to look at a steep learning curve in order to be able to take full advantage of the laptop. It comes in two different editions: The Graphite Black Edition is only $185 while Piano White is $259.

The color choices allow for your kid to look “cool” too. Chrome isn’t a taxing OS, so the Intel Celeron Dual Core N2830 processor is more than enough for all applications, although it is definitely on the older side of Intel processors. It also features a 16GB SSD, which allows for extremely fast loading speeds on everything from games to office applications.

The small size of the hard drive may be a problem if your child is older and has a lot of movies and TV shows to store on the laptop. It also has a 2GB DDR3 RAM, which packs a pretty heavy punch as long as too much isn’t demanded from it, and a nice, small 11.6” screen, powered by Intel HD Graphics. This smaller screen means that the laptop is lighter and can be carried around more often. The battery life is great at 8 hours total.

Pros

• Small size, easy to carry
• SSD for faster loading of apps
• Huge battery life
• Chrome OS

Cons

• Low capacity HDD, RAM and CPU making it better for homework than gaming

HP Stream 11.6-Inch Laptop

HP Stream 11.6-Inch Laptop
HP Stream 11.6-Inch Laptop

This HP laptop is great for kids who like colorful things. There is a variety of color combos such as Violet Purple, Cobalt Blue, Horizon Blue and Orchid Magenta available.

If you give your kid the choice of color that they want for their new laptop, they are going to be over the moon.

The small 11.6” screen is perfect for most applications a child needs to use, such as Word and other homework-style apps, and makes the size of the laptop small enough to be carried around by a younger child as well without tiring them out.

The Intel Celeron N3050 processor is ideal for speed at 1.6GHz, although it won’t be winning any awards for game performance any time soon. This is made for a schooler who needs a homework and casual entertainment laptop.

It is complemented by a 2GB DDR3L SDRAM, which can be expanded up to 4GB if necessary (although this probably won’t be needed), and comes with Windows 10 as well as an Office 365 subscription so your kid doesn’t have to worry about installing new applications for homework. There is an integrated, super-fast 32GB SSD for incredibly fast loading of anything. While it isn’t huge on size, it is perfect for schoolwork and documents.

Pros

• Color combinations
• Small size
• Fast application loading
• Expandable RAM slot
• Windows 10 + Office 365

Cons

• Smaller HDD
• Older processor

Asus X550ZA-WH11 15.6-Inch Laptop – Our Pick

Asus X550ZA-WH11 15.6-Inch Laptop
Asus X550ZA-WH11 15.6-Inch Laptop

This new generation laptop by ASUS is one of the best for kids out there for a number of reasons, and one of the biggest is its versatility.

It is a 15.6” laptop, which means that it is going to be a little heavier than most of the other picks on our list. However, this screen has a native resolution of 1366×768 HD, meaning that all their entertainment needs are going to be satisfied.

The CPU on this laptop is an AMD Quad Core A10 3.4GHz processor. This is very fast indeed, and can easily process just about anything a child will need to work on. It is helped by the 8GB DDR3 RAM which allows for smooth, clean multitasking in any situation.

The HDD on this laptop is a 5400RPM 1TB hard drive. This may not be as fast as an SSD, but it is still extremely quick on the jump, and has a lot of storage space for all the needs of a growing kid.

IceCool technology has been incorporated into the body of the laptop, so your child won’t experience overheating and discomfort from prolonged use of the laptop. Couple this with the ergonomic design of the keyboard and you have yourself a laptop that is perfect for any kid of any age, which is what makes it the best of our list!

Pros

• Core i5 processor
• Larger, FHD screen
• Large RAM and HDD size
• IceCool technology
• Ergonomic keyboard

Cons

• No dedicated GPU
• Larger size – more weight

Overall, you really should consider some of the laptops featured here, but you shouldn’t just take our word for it. Make sure you talk to other people as well and make a wise, informed decision. Good luck, and remember to consult your kid about the process when and if it is possible.

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