You’re looking for laptops for kids, but you’re not sure what to buy or even if a childrens laptop is the best choice. You might be thinking that tablets for kids might be a better choice than laptops for kids.
We’re going to make the case that laptops for kids are a better choice than tablets and fully capable laptops are better than proprietary laptop computers designed for kids.
It never ceases to amaze us at what kids are capable of. Kids are being asked at younger and younger ages to accomplish educational objectives that would have been unthinkable just a generation or two ago. To meet those objectives, our children need more powerful tools.
Tablets
Why not buy them a tablet? There is nothing wrong with a tablet for kids, but you need to keep in mind
that although tablets have touchscreens, for most, the keyboard is an afterthought. The sooner you introduce your child to the keyboard, the better off they will be in the long run. It’s possible that in the future keyboards may be replaced by a more intuitive data entry device or even voice control, but for the foreseeable future keyboards are in.
Tablets can be fun for games and even educational software, but they aren’t teaching kids the mechanics of using a computer that has become more important at younger and younger ages.
Also, most tablets don’t run Windows or Mac OS software like Microsoft Office which can be an integral part of your child’s education.
Laptops
You could buy a laptop computer designed specifically for kids, especially if you have young children, with the thinking that educational companies that produce laptops probably have better children’s software and games. Not only that, but kids love colorful toys and laptops designed for kids can be very colorful.
Want to see other laptop and tablet choices? Be sure and see our other articles about some of the best:
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The problem is exactly that most of the educational laptops notebooks are proprietary and don’t run software generally available for mainstream operating systems. That means that you are stuck with the software available from the proprietary notebook and you’re on their schedule for new releases. If you’re lucky, the proprietary laptop company will still be in business in two years.
A PC laptop or Apple laptop that uses a mainstream operating system gives you much more flexibility in your choices of software available. Plus, your Mac OS or Windows applications can move from laptop to laptop while proprietary software in most cases cannot.
Touchscreen
You don’t have to leave all of the convenience of a tablet behind when you buy a laptop. Just make sure you get a touchscreen model. A touch screen laptop, like a tablet, allows your child to operate the lap top using the screen. This is particularly helpful for younger children and makes software for younger children easier to use.
Convertible Laptop
You can get the best of both worlds with a convertible laptop for kids that converts between a laptop and a tablet. They are more expensive, but the extra capability may make the convertible more useful over a longer period of time for your child. If your child is very young, convertible laptops are not as durable in general as standard laptops for students. They usually incorporate a complex hinge that may not be able to take the abuse children can dish out. We believe that a convertible laptop is your best choice so all but one of the laptops in our list are convertible.
Form Factor
Many parents choose a tablet for their younger children just because their children have small hands. Kids with small hands may find it more difficult to carry a laptop between bedroom and family room as an example. Laptops are generally heavier than tablets and their battery life is not as good. The good news is that there are small form factor laptops that get excellent battery life.
Software
Whether your child is five or 15, there is software available for Windows and Mac OS to help them with their education or entertain them.
Multi-Purpose
With a proprietary kid’s laptop, when your child isn’t using it, it’s not much good for anything else. On the other hand, if you get a “real” laptop that can Windows or Mac OS software, the laptop can be shared by others in the family.
Take a look at our recommendations and see if one of these laptops is one of the best laptops for your needs!
Laptops for Kids: Top 5 Best Rated Kids Laptops
#5 – HP Stream 11.6-inch HD Laptop
The HP Stream 11.6-Inch HD Laptop is the only non-convertible, non-touchscreen model in our list. It features an LED-backlit display, a fast N3050 Intel Celeron processor, 2GB of RAM and comes with a 1-year subscription to Office 365, 1 TB of OneDrive online storage, and a budget price. It stands out with its purple color and compact keyboard. Here’s what you need to know.
Features
- Stand out design features a purple finish
- Intel Celeron N3050 1.60 GHz with Intel Burst Technology up to 2.16 GHz
- 2GB DDR3L 1600 MHz RAM
- 32GB eMMC SSD storage
- 11.6-inch HD WXGA (1366 x 768p) LED-backlit display
- Compact keyboard
- Intel HD Graphics
- Integrated webcam with microphone
- Latest 802.11b/g/n Miracast-enabled wireless connectivity
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Integrated DTS Studio Sound
- Quiet, fanless operation
- Windows 10 Home 64-bit
- 1-year subscription to Office 365 Personal and 1 TB of OneDrive online storage included
- Dimensions are 11.81W x 8.1D x 0.72H inches and it weighs in at only 2.6 lbs.
Ports
- 1 – USB 3.0
- 2 – USB 2.0
- 1 – HDMI
- 1 – Headphone input/output combo
- 1 – Micro SD card reader
#4 – ASUS Transformer Book Flip 11.6″ IPS HD 2-in-1 Convertible Touchscreen Ultrabook
One of the newer laptops in our list, the ASUS Transformer Book Flip 11.6-Inch IPS HD 2-in-1 Convertible Touchscreen Ultrabook comes with Windows 10 and one year of Office 365. It easily transforms between a tablet and a laptop and it has a high-quality touchscreen display. With a 1.60 GHz Intel processor, 2 GB of RAM, and a 32GB SSD, this model can handle whatever your child needs from entertainment to education. We would suggest upgrading the RAM to at least 4 GB if you’re planning to use it for more intense applications. Here’s what you need to know.
Features
- Classy design features metal finish
- Intel Celeron N3050 1.60 GHz with Intel Burst Technology up to 2.16 GHz
- 2GB DDR3L 1600 MHz RAM
- 32GB eMMC SSD storage
- 4 viewing modes including tablet, tent, stand, and laptop
- 11.6-inch HD WXGA (1366 x 768p) touchscreen rotates from 0 to 360 degrees
- 10-finger sensitive precision touchpad with multi-touch support
- Compact keyboard
- Intel HD Graphics
- Integrated webcam
- Latest 802.11ac Miracast-enabled wireless connectivity
- Bluetooth 4.1
- Integrated audio
- Windows 10 64-bit
- Up to 6 hours of battery life
- 32 GB Samsung MicroSD Card included
- 1-Year subscription to Office 365 included
- Dimensions are 11.69 x 7.92 x 0.72 inches and it weighs in at only 2.58 lbs.
Ports
- 1 – USB 3.0
- 1 – USB 2.0
- 1 – USB-C Gen 1
- 1 – Micro HDMI
- 1 – Headphone input/output combo
- 1 – Micro SD/Micro SDXC/Micro SDHC card reader
#3 – Lenovo Flex 3 2-in-1 11.6 inch HD Touch-Screen Convertible Laptop
Another great convertible laptop, the Lenovo Flex 3 2-in-1 11.6-Inch HD Touchscreen Convertible Laptop comes to you from a trusted name in durable business laptops. While not as colorful as some of the laptops in our list, it does come with 4GB of RAM and a large 500 GB HDD instead of the much smaller SSDs of some. It also has an integrated 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN port. Here’s what you need to know.
Features
- Intel Celeron N3050 1.60 GHz with Intel Burst Technology up to 2.16 GHz
- 4GB DDR3L 1600 MHz RAM
- 500 GB 5400 RPM HDD storage
- Converts from laptop to tablet
- 11.6-inch HD WXGA (1366 x 768p) touchscreen with 10-finger multi-touch support
- Compact keyboard
- Intel HD Graphics
- Integrated 720p HD webcam with microphone
- Latest 802.11ac Miracast-enabled wireless connectivity
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Integrated audio with dual 1.5W speakers
- Windows 10 Home 64-bit
- Weighs in at 3.06 lbs.
Ports
- 1 – USB 3.0
- 1 – USB 2.0
- 1 – HDMI
- 1 – 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN
- 1 – Headphone input/output combo
- 1 – SD card reader
#2 – HP Pavilion X360 13.3-Inch WLED HD Touch-screen Convertible Laptop
The HP Pavilion X360 13.3-Inch WLED HD Touchscreen Convertible Laptop features a 5th Gen Intel Core i3-5010U processor with 3 MB L3 cache, 4 MB of RAM, and a larger 13.3-inch touchscreen. It is more powerful and more capable than most other models in our list. With performance and capability, you can expect this model to also cost more. We feel that the extra money you spend will be worth it in the long run. Here’s what you need to know.
Features
- 2-in-1 design features a 360-degree hinge that supports four modes including notebook, stand, tent, and tablet
Stylish brushed natural silver finish - 5th Gen Intel Core i3-5010U processor with 3MB L3 Cache and 2.1GHz processor speed
- 4 GB DDR3L SDRAM
- 13.3″ WLED-backlit HD (1366 x 768p) anti-glare touchscreen display
- Intel HD Graphics 5500
- 500 GB 5400 RPM HDD
- Front-facing TrueVision HD webcam with integrated digital microphone
- Full-size, island-style-keyboard in brushed aluminum
- 802.1ac wireless connectivity
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Windows 8.1 64-bit
- 6 months of 25 GB DropBox storage included
- Weighs in at 3.97 lbs.
Ports
- 2 – USB 3.0
- 1 – USB 2.0
- 1 – HDMI out
- 1 – 10/100 Ethernet port
- 1 – SD card reader
#1 – Microsoft Surface 3 Tablet
The Microsoft Surface 3 Tablet is a popular student convertible for nearly all ages and has some of the best features of any tablet or laptop. It has the smallest screen of all the models in our list at 10.8 inches, but makes up for it by being a full HD touchscreen. Super lightweight at only 1.4 lbs. it is easily carried by younger children. Using an optional available Surface Pen, your child will delight for hours in all that they can do with this powerful computer. This convertible is very thin and so doesn’t have the number of ports that others in our list have. Also, be aware that the keyboard is sold separately and it’s not cheap. Here’s what you need to know.
Features
- 2.4 GHz Atom Z8700 processor
- 2 GB RAM
- 10.8-inch Full HD 1920 x 1280p touchscreen display
- 64 GB SDD
- Integrated Dolby-enhanced audio
- 68 MP rear webcam
- 802.11abg wireless connectivity
- Windows 10
- Long 10 hour battery life
Dimensions are 14.02L x 8.64W x 1.58H inches and it weighs in at a lightweight 1.4 lbs.
Ports
- 1 – USB 3.0
Best Laptops for Kids Comparison
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