Laptops & Tablets
Check to see if there is a specific computer assigned by your child’s school for virtual learning. If not, or if you child is heading off to college, there are a few things to look for in a new laptop. The following tips come from our deal editor and tech expert, David.
The top 3 things parents should look for in a laptop for their kids
A good processor is important. We recommend starting with the 9th or 10th gen Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen 3. An Intel i5 is better, as is And AMD Ryzen 5.
Nothing below 4GB or RAM (aka memory). Get 8GB if you can. Anything above that overkill unless the child will be working on heavy graphics programs (which they likely will not be.
For storage, an SSD drive is preferable to the traditional hard drive. While they may be smaller in capacity, they have no moving parts, which makes them faster and less likely to fail or be damaged. Since many things are stored on the cloud these days (such as Google Docs), storage capacity is not as much of a concern as it once was.
What you DON’T need in a laptop for your kids
Extras such as fingerprint readers or super slim design factors. These are nice, but often add extra to the cost and are not essential. Also, if they won’t need a ton of hard drive storage, don’t spend extra on a larger internal storage drive. 128 to 256GB is probably enough if you are buying a model with a solid-state drive (SSD) as recommended above. Nothing over 1TB if it is a model with a hard drive. We recommend SSDs because they are more durable and less susceptible to hard drive failure.
The best price range for a kid’s school laptop
Something in the $350 to $600 range. There are a lot of options out there for under $500. Be mindful of checking the specs of a laptop under $350. They are cheap but might have low or older components that may shorten the life of the laptop. If you want a laptop that lasts long than two years, you don’t want to spend too little.
Our Favorite Tablet and Laptop Deals
HP 15.6″ Laptop $350 Shipped
Asus 14″ VivoBook Laptop $399 Shipped
Dell Touch All-in-One PC $588 Shipped
AirPods with Mac for Students
Lenovo 32GB Android Tablet $120 Shipped
Office furniture
If you don’t already have a dedicated space for your kids to complete their schooling, you may want to set on up if you are able. A desk and computer chair cover the basics and you will likely need to spend more on the chair than the desk. When shopping for a computer desk chair, look for chairs with adjustable heights and lumbar support to make sure your child is comfortable and able to sit for long periods of time.
