The best laptops for kids to help them sail through school
The school holidays have hardly got going – but it won’t be long before you’re starting to think about what you’ll need to sort out for the new school year, including your children’s laptops.
Most schools now encourage their children to do at least a few lessons each week on a computer and your child will almost certainly want to use one at home for fun – messaging friends and watching videos.
A computer will also be required for homework – looking up information and writing. Now may be the time to buy your child’s first laptop, or it could be that you need to replace an old one. But which are the best laptops for kids?
Laptops are essential tools in every school classroom these days, so we’ve put together a handy guide of things you need to consider when buying a laptop for your little darling.
What will it be used for?
The first thing you need to do is ask the question; What will it be used for? Will it also be used for leisure as well as school work? If it’s to be used for gaming and watching movies as well, then there are other things you’ll need to consider.
Also, and this could be very important, it is worth contacting your child’s teacher, or the school to see if there are any particular programs or operating systems they will be using. You don’t want to find out that your child doesn’t have the same programs as everyone else.
The good news is that laptops have come down in price over the last few years, and you should be able to get a laptop which is more than adequate for your child’s needs, without sending you spiralling in to debt!
Another piece of good news is that the best laptops for kis are very easy to set up and use, so you won’t be overwhelmed by complicated stuff.
Size (and weight)
Because children have smaller hands and less strength, then you’ll need to choose a smaller laptop which is easy to carry. Anything from an 11-inch screen to a 13-inch screen is perfect. If a laptop weighs much over 3lbs, they may complain. But then again, they might not. Most small laptops will be fine.
Sturdiness
Kids are in their own little worlds and will happily stuff things in to their backpacks without a thought – including laptops. They are also experts at dumping their possessions on to tables – so it’s important that you buy a laptop with a well-built shell to protect the important components. And delicate glass screens aren’t going to have much of a lifespan.
Specifications
If the laptop is primarily for school work and web browsing, you’ll need minimal specs, such as 2-4GB of RAM (Memory). Go for 4GB if you can. For gaming and graphics, you will need something much more powerful – and they will be much more expensive.
Operating system
Chrome OS is the preferred operating system you teenagers and schools, as it is so difficult for them to become infected with a virus, and they are pretty cheap. The downside is that Chrome OS cannot run most standard systems as Mircosoft Office, so if you plan to do anything that isn’t web-based, you’ll be better off with a macOS or Windows.
Security
Sometimes, children can’t always be trusted to use their computer wisely. From accidentally buying programs, installing viruses or stumbling across inappropriate content – you need robust parental controls to make sure everything is OK. Chrome OS and Windows have parental controls built in. Chromebooks do not have in-built parental controls. You’ll have to buy a third-part security system at additional cost or set-up a ‘Supervised User’ account. Click here for details.
Gaming
If your child is keen on gaming and watching movies on a laptop, then you will need to get a minimum of 4GB of RAM. This will be fine for basic gaming and streaming. 8GB and upwards means you can play mid-range games with older Graphics Processing Units. We’ll leave it at that for now. You’ll see on product descriptions and reviews how particular laptops rate for gaming.
Price
Anything for £75 – £200 will get you a suitable laptop for a child. Click here to take a look at our laptops for kids deals.