When your son or daughter gets older and more responsible, you can easily upgrade to the full version of Windows to remove these limitations. This means you've got the ability to block games and apps based on their content ratings (something you can also do with Google Play apps). Windows 10 and Windows 11 have also become more useful for kid-oriented laptops thanks to S Mode, which is aimed at the education market and, among other security enhancements, prevents apps from being installed unless they're available on the Microsoft Store. If you've decided against buying a smartphone for your kids but they talk your ear off about wanting to play mobile games, buying a Chromebook might be a good compromise. In addition to running web apps within the Chrome browser, Chrome OS can also run apps from the Google Play store designed for Android smartphones and tablets, including Microsoft Office.

Reused Macs aside, most parents will choose between Windows and Chrome OS, the operating system from Google. If you're an Apple fan and want to raise your son or daughter to be one too, you're best off giving them a hand-me-down and buying a new MacBook or MacBook Pro for yourself. The MacBook Air, Apple's least-expensive notebook, starts at $999 and is still overkill for an elementary- or middle-school student. New Apple laptops aren't available for less than $500-not even close. Which Operating System Is Best?īefore you begin to evaluate features, you'll start with the essential question that has plagued PC shoppers for decades: Which operating system should I choose?

We'll address that in a section near the end of this article, but know that gaming machines cost more than our other picks here. If your child is also of the age that they may be looking to play PC games on the same machine that they'll use for schoolwork, that is a whole other set of considerations. Also check our top picks for the best Chromebooks for kids for more on Chrome OS concerns and education aspects, especially for the lower grades. And you'll find even more choices in our overall roundup of the best budget laptops. If your child is at the university level, check out our roundup of the best laptops for college students. Buying a kid-friendly laptop need not break the bank-all of our recommended models cost less than $700, and most are well under $500-and the even better news is that just because they're inexpensive doesn't mean that they are necessarily slow or poorly made.

At least you won't have to worry about the cost. Don't forget about parental controls, durable plastic, and water-resistant keyboards. Kids being kids, the list of factors to consider doesn't end there.

Small gaming laptop for kids dell