Buying the right laptop is no easy task in general, but purchasing a laptop for elementary school can be that much harder to choose.
Since your child will likely be dashing from the classroom to the library and everywhere else, two factors that you must consider are the overall weight and battery life. The former determines how uncomfortable your child is as they lug said laptop hither and yon as they attend elementary school, while the latter determines exactly how long they can use the laptop without requiring a recharge. To help your child excel, the selected laptops are classified as ultra-light or very lightweight and have amazingly long battery lives to keep them learning for hours and hours.
Anyone who has or has been around children of elementary school age should expect any electronic equipment given to them will likely suffer a multitude of abuses, including drops, kicks and spilled drinks. If you didn’t plump for the extended warranty for a laptop that costs at least $500, you’d be kicking yourself for quite some time to come.
Unless your child happens to attend a private school or a wealthy school district that can provide your child with a laptop for academic usage, there’s a very high chance you’ll need to keep an eye out for seasonal sales on electronic equipment. Given that your child needs a robust and reliable PC for elementary school, they deserve a laptop that doesn’t break the bank. However, you should only purchase a decent laptop manufactured by a well-known company since you very much get what you pay for when buying a laptop.
Depending on which apps your child’s elementary school will be making use of, it is worth considering what kind of operating system and apps can potentially run. For example, laptops running Chrome OS known as Chromebooks are capable of running programs like Microsoft Office and apps from both Android and Google. Laptops that use Microsoft Windows 10 as their operating system offer impressive parental controls so that their vast library of apps cannot download age-inappropriate content.
Though a conventional laptop will serve your child’s elementary school career for years to come, it’s well worth considering a two-in-one laptop/tablet PC. If you want your child to see what laptops are truly capable of, imagine their joy at being able to make their own artwork or take notes in class using a stylus or seeing their amazement at being able to transform their computer between a tablet and a conventional laptop.
Expensive technology and the inherent clumsiness of youth are a potent and often destructive combination that has led to the ruination of many laptops. As such, you should be sure that any laptop you purchase will prevent your child from experiencing unnecessary frustration and save you from having to buy a brand new laptop. Above all else, ensure that the laptop can withstand all the drops, scraps, spills and other damage that the unit will most likely incur.
Since the worries of elementary school students shouldn’t extend beyond what’s on the cafeteria menu and hanging out with friends at recess, they certainly don’t need a heavy laptop that slows them down. Modern times have made it even more crucial to have a laptop with a reliable webcam and that can easily connect to both Wi-Fi and ethernet for any online learning, especially when considering the global pandemic.
Though this may not be surprising, a decent laptop that will get your child through elementary school can easily cost you between $600-$1,000 or more. If you include other expenses like an extended warranty, increased RAM and processor upgrades, the costs can increase sharply.
A. Your child’s school will likely have the minimum laptop requirements available for your convenience, but the latest generation will surpass a typical laptop in approximately four years.
A. Setting up your child with basic programs, including Microsoft Office Suite and the Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, will only help set them up for future success. Though, it is likely you will have to install specific software as directed by your child’s middle school.
What you need to know: Give your child a laptop that weighs barely over a pound while commanding some of the best technology available.
What you’ll love: It is capable of restoring 80% of maximum battery life in 1 1/2 hours, as well as including the Digital Pen and a 10.5-inch touchscreen.
What you should consider: Users have reported issues with Wi-Fi connectivity and downloading necessary software updates.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 10.1-Inch 2-in-1 Laptop
What you need to know: This laptop will boot up in a matter of seconds, so your child will never need to wait for load times.
What you’ll love: It comes with a 10.1-inch FHD IPS display.
What you should consider: Users have reported issues integrating Google Chrome and Android programs and noted the lack of a USB port compared to other models.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Acer Spin 3 Convertible Laptop
What you need to know: The newest iteration of Acer’s popular Spin series has very impressive capabilities.
What you’ll love: It comes with the 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1, 14-inch FHD Widescreen IPS LED touchscreen and fingerprint sensor.
What you should consider: Some users have reported this unit spontaneously failing after several months.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Daniel Martin writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
