Best laptops for kids

Apple's MacBooks are *the* choice for high school grads heading off to college or into the workforce. If you're struggling to decide between the Air or Pro, here's a good rule of thumb: Unless the device's primary user will be doing intense work like editing 4K videos in Adobe, buying a Pro at full price is unnecessary.

Five years ago, this probably wasn't the case. But with a razor-sharp Retina display, a Touch ID sensor, and the wicked M2 chip on board, the latest Air is a productivity juggernaut in its own right. It packs the power into less than three pounds and keeps the efficiency sailing for up to 18 hours.

If you'd prefer to drop a little less money, the 2020 Air is still a solid choice — and frequently on sale for $749.99.

Older kids will dig the freedom of going from a laptop to a tablet and back without switching devices. Microsoft's third-gen Surface Go surpasses the sluggish 2-in-1s meant mostly for streaming with heftier computing skills. That performance boost is essential for schoolwork involving special statistics or creative software, ideally preventing any system restarts due to overheating (and resulting file loss). 

Its lightweight design and dual high-def webcams are checkmarks for any student, but Microsoft went above and beyond to make the Surface Go 3 a true learning sidekick. Kids can use a special camera app (built into the rear-facing camera) to scan documents and whiteboards for quicker note-taking or studying. The included Surface Pen is also clutch for jotting things down, doodling, sketching, and tracing.

There are a ton of affordable, reliable Chromebooks out there. But tech brands have been less successful at harnessing the Chromebook way of life into tablet form — let alone at a price point that's justifiable for most parents. Lenovo's release of the convertible Chromebook Duet was groundbreaking in the age-old choice between Chrome OS and the convenience of a tablet, and the 2022 version of the Duet pushes the value even further.

The Duet has impressed us since its debut for several reasons, from the power of its general-purpose octa-core processor to its included detachable keyboard to the fact that it barely weighs more than two pounds with that keyboard on. Its 11-inch touchscreen display (now 2K) is also compatible with Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) pens for drawing and doodling, which comes included with the more expensive versions of the Duet.

Your kid is begging for a gaming laptop. You're not about to drop $1,000 (or more) on that. Acer's $649.99 cloud gaming Chromebook is the ultimate compromise, securing specs like an Intel Core i5 processor, 120Hz display, and Intel Iris Xe graphics that run circles around most other Chromebooks on the market.

The 16-inch screen's bright colors (matching the bright rainbow backlight in the keyboard) are equally great support for streaming or even making a slideshow for school more attention-grabbing. The hefty SSD storage and hefty weight of the laptop itself probably aren't necessary for the kid who will only clock a few days of usage a week, but it's ideal for kids who will study hard if high-end PC gaming is in the cards.

Handing a device to a kid is like watching a drop or spill flash before your eyes. Designed to withstand the rigors of daily life in the classroom, at home, and in between, this 2-in-1 Dell Chromebook nails the kid-ready trifecta: rugged, affordable, and ready for streaming.

Measuring just over 11 inches wide and weighing less than three pounds, the 3110 can be carried safely in little arms or little backpacks. The sturdy chassis is supported by rubber bumpers for absorbing shock (specifically up to 30 inches on steel and 48 inches on plywoof) and a spill-resistant keyboard that can handle 12 ounces of liquid.