Laptops for kids have not become just a requirement, but also a necessity. With many schools and programs offering distance learning, the opportunities for kids to learn have grown over the past years. It’s true that every kid is different: some like to play video games and surf the web, while others prefer to do homework or write stories. There are many reasons to buy laptops for kids. But as parents, the goal is to provide the most accessible, most secure, and more importantly, the best performance-to-cost ratio for any laptop you will buy. To help narrow down your choices, here are some of the laptops that would work well as a kid’s computer.
Apple MacBook Air M1
PROS
- Easy to Use
- Good specs, great performance
- Great battery life as well
CONS
- Expensive
Specs:
- CPU: Apple M1
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 256 GB
- GPU: Apple M1
- Display: 13.3″
- OS: Mac OS
- Battery Life: up to 18 hours
The MacBook Air is a great laptop for kids. It’s lightweight, has long battery life, and is easy to use. The touchpad on the MacBook Air is also really easy to use, making it a great laptop for school as well. Although a bit expensive for a kids’ laptop, Apple Macbook Air M1’s versatility also makes it a great choice for a family laptop. With more than adequate processing power and up to 18 hours of battery life, Apple Macbook Air M1 can handle distance learning in the morning and games and media use for kids in the evening. Documents, modules, and learning materials can easily be accessed through this laptop without so much familiarization (in comparison to Windows).
Apple MacBook Air M1
Acer Chromebook 15
PROS
- Best Chromebook overall
- Inexpensive
- Good Chromebook battery life
CONS
- Trackpad feels uncomfortable at times
- May not be able to handle multiple tabs
Specs:
- CPU: Celeron N4000
- RAM: 4 GB
- Storage: 32 GB
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 600
- Display: 15.6″
- OS: Chrome OS
- Battery Life: up to 12.5 hours
When your kids want both a tablet and a laptop, take a look at Chromebooks or 2-in-1 laptops. Not only do they cost less, but Chromebook is made to be more versatile, especially for children. The Acer Chromebook 15 is a great laptop for younger kids or those who need something larger than the average Chromebook. With a full-size keyboard and a trackpad, the Acer Chromebook 15 can be used as a device for school, especially by older students. Acer Chromebook 15 can be upgraded with a touchscreen display for drawing on in tablet mode, which might be fun for some kids—but if you want to protect your screen from damage, it’s not likely to be as useful.
This laptop comes with an Intel Celeron N4000 processor and 4GB of RAM; 32GB of storage will give you enough room to install games like Minecraft and educational apps like Google Classroom while still leaving plenty of room for other files and programs. It also has up to 12.5 hours of battery life per charge so that you can take it on long trips without worrying about running out of power before getting home again!
Acer Chromebook 15
Dell Chromebook 11
PROS
- Budget-friendly
- Durable rugged laptop
- USB ports
CONS
- No SD card slot
Specs:
- CPU: Celeron N4020
- RAM: 4 GB
- Storage: 16 – 32 GB eMMC
- GPU: Intel HD Graphics
- Display: 11.6″
- OS: Chrome OS
- Battery Life: up to 14 hours
If you’re concerned about durability when it comes to Chromebooks, take a look at Dell Chromebook 11. A great, budget laptop for kids, it has a large 11.6-inch screen and uses an Intel Celeron N402 processor, which should be sufficient for most tasks like web browsing, watching videos, and playing simple games. The battery life is also fantastic, lasting up to 14 hours on one charge (which will come in handy when you’re traveling). Made with durable chassis, the Dell Chromebook 11 is known for its reputation as a strong rugged laptop, perfect for kids who may not be too careful in taking care of their devices.
The downside to this Chromebook is the 4GB of RAM (the minimum amount recommended for Windows 10) so it might not have enough memory to run some more resource-intensive programs or multitask smoothly. In addition, it comes with no external SD card slots, so adding memory can only be done by purchasing the Dell Chromebook 11 with the best memory. However, if your child uses their computer mainly for typing papers or watching YouTube clips then the Dell Chromebook 11 fits perfectly for their everyday use.
Dell Chromebook 11
HP Chromebook x360 14a
PROS
- Good specs from a Chromebook
- Lightweight and portable
- High RAM
CONS
- Display and speakers could be better
Specs:
- CPU: Celeron N4020
- RAM: 64 GB
- Storage: 64 GB
- GPU: Intel Integrated
- Display: 14″
- OS: Chrome OS
- Battery Life: up to 12 hours
If you want a Chromebook, but you still feel on the edge due to it commonly having low specs, then try out the HP Chromebook x360. Lightweight, portable, and durable, HP Chromebook has enough power to handle your kid’s needs, whether it’s online school or online gaming sessions. Packed with a strong 64 GB RAM and higher storage of 64 GB compared to other Chromebooks on this list, this one would probably be the best option for Chromebooks if you’re not on a budget. The display and the speaker could be better, however, considering most Chromebooks are used for media consumption like Netflix, Google, Youtube, and music.
HP Chromebook x360 14a
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go
PROS
- Great specs
- Portable and lightweight
CONS
- Small display
Specs:
- CPU: Intel Core i5
- RAM: 8 GB
- Storage: 512 GB
- GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
- Display: 12.4″
- OS: Windows 10
- Battery Life: up to 13 hours
If Chromebooks aren’t your thing, then this laptop may be the best choice. The Microsoft Surface Laptop is your best bet for online classes or casual gaming. It comes with an Intel Core processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB – 512 GB SSD, and Windows 10 Pro. It’s lightweight at around 3 pounds and has a 12.4-inch touchscreen display with an amazing display.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go
These are some of the best laptops for kids.
When it comes to looking for the best laptops for your kids, always make sure to look at four things:
- Easy to use
- Long battery life
- Durable
- Affordable
With this checklist in mind, you can find find the right device that fits your budget and your family.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Which laptop is best for primary school students?
1. Apple MacBook Air 2. Google Pixelbook Go 3. HP Chromebook x360 -
What is a good age for a kid to have a laptop?
According to surveys, 41% percent of parents said they think age 12 to 15 for kids to have a laptop, with 26% say ages 9 to 11 are good, while 20% choosing ages 16 to 18 for the best age to have a laptop.