These are our best laptop for kids picks on the market right now
（Image credit: Future / Acer)
The best laptop for kids needs to fulfill a few important criteria. It should be easy to use, with a solid battery life, good portability, and tough enough to stand up to a few hard knocks here and there. In addition, the best laptops need to offer decent performance when it comes to web browsing, homework, and media streaming.
For a great overall performance, we recommend theAcer Chromebook Spin 311. As with many other best Chromebooks, this is a 2-in-1 model that can be used in laptop or tablet modes, making it versatile and adaptable to your child’s way of working. It’s compact, portable, and sturdy enough to withstand the rigors of the daily school or college commute.
Elsewhere, theLenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebookis an ideal laptop for kids, if you happen to be shopping with a smaller budget. It may not win any prizes in the style stakes, but it has a solid performance, a decent battery life, and a robust build quality. Plus, it also offers 2-in-1 functionality.
Of course, the practical applications aren’t the only factors to consider with the best laptops for kids. As with the best student laptops, they represent more than just a work tool. For younger kids, they can be a means to stay in contact with friends and family (under supervision, of course), a gaming device, or a way to enjoy their favorite TV shows and movies.
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The best laptops for kids: our top picks
The best laptops for kids in 2024
1.Acer Chromebook Spin 311
The best laptop for kids
Specifications
CPU: AMD A4-9120CGraphics: AMD Radeon R4
RAM: 4GB DDR4
Screen: 11.6″ HD (1366 x 768) 16:9 IPS touchscreenStorage: 64GB Flash Memory
Reasons to buy
+Very affordable for a 2-in-1 laptop
+Sturdy chassis and hinge
+Pleasingly compact
Reasons to avoid
-Dim screen
-Chunky bezels
TheAcer Chromebook Spin 311opts for an AMD APU, which utilizes the well-known Radeon graphics technology for better 3D capabilities – if you have time out of your studies to play some games from the Google Play Store! The dual-core AMD processor does offer Intel-Celeron-beating abilities, by a little at least, and so Chrome OS is going to remain more responsive.
More importantly, the Acer Spin 311 feels durable and well-made, meaning it can handle being dropped in a school backpack or thrown onto the back seat of your car. It’s highly portable and, although the screen disappoints a little by being a touch dull, perfectly usable. At just over eight hours the battery is good though not spectacular for a Chromebook, but balancing that against the great price makes this a strong choice.
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2. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook
The best cheap laptop for kids
Specifications
CPU: Intel Celeron N4020 Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 600
RAM: 4GB DDR4 Screen: 11.6″ HD (1366 x 768) 16:9 IPS touchscreen Storage: 64GB eMMC
Reasons to buy
+Incredible value
+Sturdy build quality
+Good battery life
Reasons to avoid
-Weaker performance
-Old-fashioned design
If you’re on the hunt for something super-affordable, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Flex Chromebook is an excellent choice. we still gave it four stars.
No, it’s not going to measure up to more expensive laptops when it comes to performance, but the sturdy chassis, long battery life, and touchscreen with a 360-degree hinge for swapping into tablet mode make this the perfect first laptop for a younger child. It should survive whatever your kid throws at it – and thanks to Chrome OS’s parent mode, you can rest assured that your child’s digital safety is secure.
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3. Google Pixelbook Go
Still one of the best Chromebooks for kids
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core m3 – i7 Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 615
RAM: 8GB – 16GB Screen: 13.3-inch Full HD – 13.3-inch 4K Ultra HD Molecular Display
Storage: 64GB – 256GB
Reasons to buy
+Incredible battery life
+Amazing ‘Hush’ keyboard
+Rare 1080p webcam
Reasons to avoid
-No biometric login
-Higher-spec models are pricey
Google might’ve sadly shuttered its own laptop division so we won’t be getting a new model, but you can still pick up a Pixelbook Go for a reasonable price – and it’s basically the best Chromebook ever made.
When we tested it, we marveled at the super-long battery life and excellent ‘Hush’ keyboard, with the entire construction of the laptop feeling sturdy yet sleek. It’s got a sharp 1080p webcam – perfect for virtual classes or video calls with friends – and naturally runs Chrome OS smooth as butter; the perfect union of Google’s hardware and software.
Bear in mind that it’s at the premium end when it comes to Chromebook pricing, so if you’re on a budget, you might be better served elsewhere. That’s just about our only real criticism, though: you get a lot for your money here, and Google is committed to ensuring Chrome OS remains a stable, secure, and child-friendly virtual environment for years to come.
4. Acer Aspire 5 (2022)
An affordable Windows laptop for kids
Specifications
CPU: 11th-gen Intel Core i5 Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: 8GB DDR4 Screen: 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, non-touch
Storage: 512GB SSD
Reasons to buy
+Competitive price
+Durable but not too heavy
+Decent battery
Reasons to avoid
-Average performance
-Limited port selection
Chromebooks can be super-cheap, but the downside of Chrome OS is that it lacks the versatility and widespread support of Windows. If you’re looking for a more conventional laptop without a high price tag, the Acer Aspire 5 is the way to go.
The Intel Core i5 processor will smoke the majority of Chromebooks around the same price point, even if it’s nothing particularly impressive for a Windows laptop. With the Aspire 5’s aggressive pricing though, it’s great value – and you’re getting plenty more, too.
The battery life is solid, and the full HD display is good for both homework and watching videos after school. There’s a 720p webcam for video calls and distance learning too, and the whole design is pleasingly robust without being incredibly heavy. There aren’t quite as many ports as we’d like (only one USB-C is a shame) but at this price point, it’s honestly hard to argue.
5. Acer Chromebook 516 GE
A great Chromebook for work and play
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i5-1240P Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: 8GB DDR4 Screen: 16″ WQXGA (2560 x 1600) 16:10 120 Hz
Storage: 512GB SSD
Reasons to buy
+Great all-rounder performance
+Fantastic display
+Lightweight and portable
Reasons to avoid
-Fairly expensive for a Chromebook
-Sub-par speakers
-Can’t use Steam directly
If your kid wants a machine for both schoolwork and gaming, you may want to consider a gaming Chromebook. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE is our current favorite of this rare breed of laptops, providing great performance in a sleek and sturdy chassis with a truly excellent screen. You’ll pay a bit more than some of the cheapest laptops on this list, but the build quality justifies the price tag – this is a machine for a slightly older kid.
Bear in mind that these ‘gaming Chromebooks’ still use Chrome OS, so they can’t directly run games from platforms such as Steam or the Epic Games Store. Instead, you can download and play games from the Google Play Store, and use cloud gaming services such as Xbox Game Pass and Nvidia GeForce Now. These require a subscription and a good internet connection, but grant you access to a wide library of games to stream on-demand – great for indecisive kids who are always looking to play something new!
6. MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
The best Apple laptop
Specifications
CPU: Apple M1 chip with 8‑core CPU Graphics: Integrated 7-core – 8-core GPU
RAM: 8GB – 16GB unified memory Screen: 13.3-inch 2560 x 1600 Retina display
Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD
Reasons to buy
+macOS Big Sur is fast and responsive
+Battery life is great
+Silent in use
Reasons to avoid
-Fanless design could impact performance
Although it might’ve been replaced by the faster, sleeker M2 MacBook Air (2022), the 2020 model – equipped with Apple’s first-generation M1 chip – is still no slouch. A powerhouse productivity machine, the M1 MacBook Air is perfect for students no matter what level of education they’re at.
Not only is it still capable of going toe-to-toe with many newer laptops in terms of performance, but the M1 model offers phenomenal battery life and the passive cooling design means that you’ll never have to listen to noisy laptop fans. Back when we reviewed it, we praised the speedy performance, bright display, and comfortable keyboard – all things that hold true to this day. Oh, and it’s quite a bit cheaper than the newer M2 model, too!
7. HP Pavilion 15
The quintessential learning laptop lives on
Specifications
CPU: up to 11th-generation Intel Core i7
Graphics: up to Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 RAM: 8GB – 16GB
Screen: 15.6″ diagonal, HD (1366 x 768), micro-edge BrightView 250 nits – 15.6″ diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080) touch IPS micro-edge BrightView 250 nits
Storage: up to 1 TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
Reasons to buy
+A few affordable configurations
+Capable performance
+Touchscreen model is great
Reasons to avoid
-Design is nothing special
-Battery life could be better
It’s hardly the most exciting laptop around, but the HP Pavilion 15 is a reliable workhorse – and that’s what makes it one of the best laptops for kids. It touts impressive specs (the kind you might expect from a pricier laptop) and an optional touchscreen display model, potentially a boon for kids who prefer a more tactile laptop experience.
HP Fast Charge is also a nifty inclusion, and a valuable one since in our review we did note that the battery life was a bit unimpressive. There wasn’t much else to complain about though, and there’s a variety of configurations available to suit your budget, though, so you won’t have to spend the world to pick one of these up.
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The best laptop for kids: FAQs
What is a good first laptop for kids?
There’s a wealth of choices when it comes to laptops for kids, with some great options from manufacturers like Dell, Lenovo, and Acer. And although there’s no definitive answer here, we were impressed by the Acer Chromebook Spin 311.
This 2-in-1 Chromebook is versatile, lightweight, portable, and has a reasonable battery life. It’s not too expensive and is powerful enough to comfortably cover any kind of junior homework assignment.
Plus, if the worst comes to the worst and it gets unceremoniously dropped, it’s durable enough that it shouldn’t cause any lasting damage.
What is a good laptop for an 8-year-old?
As with the above, a suitable laptop for an eight-year-old should cover the same bases, while offering reliable security measures to protect your child while they’re web browsing.
Before buying, it’s worth checking whether your child needs access to certain software for their school work, as this will determine what type of laptop might be suitable (e.g. some software that runs on Windows won’t be supported by a laptop that runs on Chrome OS).
Beyond this, it’s a good idea to stick to more household brands that you know can be trusted, and pick a laptop capable of providing what your child needs it to do.