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Best Laptop for Kids: Great Picks & Buying Guide
Getting gadgets for your kids can be challenging, especially if you want to buy a quality product that they would love. Getting a good laptop for kids will need you to be discerning and careful when picking from the many products on the market. In this guide, we have gathered some of the best laptops for kids, as well as the buyer's guide to help you determine how to choose the best laptop for kids.
These devices are a window to the internet, and they allow your child to expand their mind and discover more about their immediate and extended environment. So let’s take a look at some of the best laptops for kids.
Five Best Laptops For Kids That You Can Buy
It can be confusing when looking for a laptop that fits your child’s needs online or offline. There are so many choices available to you, and it can sometimes be overwhelming. This section streamlined your choices to five of the best laptops you can buy for your kid. Using our buyer’s guide, we are sure you will find a good fit for your child. Here are five of the best laptops that you can buy for your child.
Best Overall: Dell Chromebook 11 Review
Dell is a renowned manufacturer of laptops and laptop accessories; therefore, it is of no surprise that they are on this list. The Dell Chromebook 11 is a lightweight laptop with decent specs that we are sure your kid will love. It has a touch screen, and it uses an Intel Celeron processor, which gives the laptop speeds up to 2.8GHz. It is an excellent device for educational purposes as it has a long-lasting battery (Primary 3 Cell, which gives 13 hours of battery life), 5.0 Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi for great connectivity. The ports are protected from damage with brackets, and they are easy to use when needed.
The laptop uses the chrome OS as its operating system, and the laptop can survive extreme falls and drops, making it suitable for the school environment. You never have to worry about water spillage because the device is splash-proof and can withstand up to 354ml of liquid. The compact keyboard prevents liquids from seeping in while the hinge attaching the screen to the monitor can rotate 360 degrees to support four distinct viewing modes.
Pros
- Splash proof
- 360-degree hinge
- Lightweight
- Long-lasting battery
Cons
- Small screen
- Some tasks will be harder to perform, e.g., picture editing
Ultra Narrow Bezel: ASUS NanoEdge Chromebook Review
ASUS is well known for their bigger brands and heavy involvement in high performing laptops and spin-off brands, but little is known about their kid-friendly products. With a 14 inch display and Intel Celeron processor, ASUS has placed themselves on this list with their NanoEdge Chromebook. The laptop runs on Chrome OS and has 4GB of RAM and 32GB storage. It has a crisp, clear HD webcam for video calls and other activities that may require a camera. This product is an attempt by ASUS to plant its foot in the kids market firmly, and it is not a bad attempt as it manages to balance functionality and fun in one device.
The ASUS NanoEdge Chromebook is not in the “computers for baby” segment, but it has a dual-band wireless connector, two USB-C ports, a mouse, and a jacket. It does not have a touch display, but the crisp colors from the screen engage your child as they use the device. There is an SD card slot for use if the inbuilt 32GB is not enough storage for all your child's needs.
Pros
- Large screen
- Webcam
- Lightweight
- Durable Battery
Cons
- Poor editing capacities
- It is not suited for gaming
Powerful Processor: Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Review
Lenovo have brought their marvelous manufacturing capabilities by creating this masterpiece. The 14-inch version runs on a Windows operating system with 8GB RAM and 256GB ROM, which will serve all your kid's storing and processing needs. The AMD processors make it a very reliable system as it is quite powerful and can run multiple tasks/commands without slowing down. The thin bezels give you more room for viewing without any distractions, and the compact keyboard and ample armrest give your child a pleasurable user experience. It's not in the “computers for toddler” segment, but the flexible hinges allow the laptop to be turned into a tablet for easier use.
It comes with three USB ports, crisp audio, and an HD webcam that allows you to get clear video while you are on a video call or other activity that requires video. The shutter Webcam promotes privacy by allowing you to protect your camera when you’re not in active use of it. The IdeaPad is an overall solid device that gives your child flexibility and ease of use. This is a great device we know will allow your child to explore and experiment through play.
Pros
- Large screen
- Flexible hinge
- Protected webcam
- Multiple ports
Cons
- It does not support USB-C charging
Great Battery: Microsoft Surface Go Review
Microsoft is one of the undisputed giants in the PC market, and although they didn't begin their journey by creating hardware, they have made some strides after they joined the hardware race. The Surface Go is a smaller and compact version of their Surface line of Laptops. The 10-inch touch display screen and a pen allow your kid to navigate easily. It runs on Windows 10 and has extra security, which will help keep your child safe while they are on the computer. The laptop can be used in tablet, laptop, or studio modes, making it easier to use depending on the conditions.
It has a durable battery that can last up to 9 hours while unused, although the battery will last less during powered use. It has fast charging capabilities, which means your device will not need to stay plugged in for long before you can use it. As a Microsoft product, the Surface Go has access to all Microsoft products' suite, which will be extremely beneficial to their learning. With 64GB and 128GB options to choose from, the Surface Go gives you more options.
Pros
- Secure OS
- Large ROM
- Flexible modes
- Touch display
Cons
- Restricted OS
- Average battery life
Retina Display: Apple MacBook Air Review
Few companies are associated with innovation and creativity like Apple, and this list will be incomplete if we do not mention one of their devices. The MacBook Air is a simpler version of MacBooks' Pro line, and it offers your child the freedom and flexibility to create and explore. It runs on the macOS, and it has a 13-inch display. The other laptop specs are equally as good with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD, which is more than enough space and processing power for your child. It is incredibly thin and lightweight, which will be good for your kid if they need to move the device around.
The MacBook is one you should buy if you want a simple and easy to use design backed by solid engineering and design. It’s definitely not in the babies laptops toys segment, but it can be used by elementary school children and upwards. It has clear graphics and a webcam that allows for smooth video calls. The touch ID adds an extra layer of security but makes the laptop easy to operate as your child can open the device with the swipe of a finger.
Pros
- Retina display
- Touch ID
- Fast processor
- Strong battery life
Cons
- It is pricey
Buying Guide When Looking for Best Laptops for Elementary Students
When you want to find a laptop, it’s important to understand what makes it a good fit for your kid. When you’re choosing a toy laptop, or a more advanced version, it must meet all your child’s requirements and needs.
So in order to help you find only the best laptop for your child, you have to keep in mind several little, but very important factors. Checking them out will ensure that you get only high-quality products, regardless if it’s an infant laptop or one for older kids.
Age
This is one of the most important things to consider when you’re buying a laptop for 3-year-olds or any other age group. Your child’s age will help you select a product that they can easily use. After all, you wouldn’t buy a toy laptop for 1-year-olds for your 8-year-old child, would you? They are simply way too different in build and functions.
Purpose
You need to determine why does your kid need a laptop. It could be for one of or a couple of these reasons:
- Entertainment (gaming, watching movies, Internet)
- Education purposes (online classes, webinars, and assignments)
Sorting it out will help you buy a device that will best serve your child’s needs: for example, a gaming laptop will have better components (more RAM, better video card e.t.c).
Operating System
There are various operating systems available for laptops: Linux, macOS, and Windows. The laptop you buy must come pre-installed with an OS (operating system) your child will feel comfortable with. This is not such a deciding factor because they can be mastered after a short and easy learning curve. If this is your kid’s first PC, it doesn’t matter, but if it is their second or third computer, it is best to buy a laptop with an OS that they are comfortable with. The Laptop OS may also limit the tools that your kid has access to because some applications/software are only available for specific OS.
Weight
You will also need to understand how the child will be using the laptop. If they will be carrying it around, it would be better to get a lightweight laptop for kids, and if it’s mostly for home study, then go for the ones with a bigger screen. Just keep in mind that they are usually heavier and are uncomfortable to carry around. But overall, do try to go for either a lightweight laptop or a perfect balance.
And if you have to purchase a big-screen laptop for a smaller child, then try not to have a kid carry it around too much, since they can accidentally drop and break it because of weight.
Budget
Understand how much you can and want to spend on a laptop. Setting a budget will help you to save money and look for the best deals on laptops. Otherwise, you may end up spending more than you need to. Just keep in mind that the higher specs the laptop has, the more expensive it will be.
Laptop Specs
The difference between toy laptops and the best laptops for elementary students lies in the specs. The specs include the RAM, video card, motherboards e.t.c. The higher the specs the better the performance. So it’s always important to make sure that the laptop has high specs if your child needs it for gaming. If you’re on a budget though, and your son or daughter needs the best laptop for kids only for studying purposes, then opt for at least the one that has normal specs, with at least 4-6 gigs of RAM.
Conclusion: What is a Good Laptop for Kids in 2023?
Overall, the best laptop for kids is the one that allows your child to work on it fine, without any lags, and at a fast speed. So it’s essential to sort out what your child needs: do they need it for gaming? – choose a laptop with higher specs, but it might be more costly. For studying – choose a mix of performance and price.
And remember that even when you’re buying a toy laptop for 1-year-old it is always better to look at the reviews and user feedback. These will also help pick only the best laptop for kids and not waste your money.
So hopefully now you now know how to choose only the best laptop for kids, and make your little one happy! Which model did you decide to go with? Feel free to share with us in the comments!
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