The best laptops for kids

If it feels like someone's always hogging the family desktop, it wouldn't hurt to grab a laptop specifically for homework time. Enter the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, a remarkably lightweight 2-in-1 laptop with a solid general-purpose processor, a built-in kickstand, and a compact, detachable keyboard that's perfect for small hands. 

Its 10.1-inch touchscreen display is also compatible with Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) pens for drawing and doodling, but you'll have to buy one of those separately. 

The really great thing about the Chromebook Duet is that it comes with a free one-year trial of Google One on top of 128GB of internal memory. That'll get you an additional 100GB of cloud storage for assignments, essays, study guides, and notes.  

If streaming Netflix and Disney+ is your kid’s thing — and let’s be honest, what kid doesn’t have a thing for streaming Netflix and Disney+ for hours on end? — look no further than the Acer Chromebook 314. It's made for stream-a-thons.

It has a 14-inch screen that delivers a clear, crisp picture — not to mention enough battery life (an impressive 12 hours) to get through a good binge watch. Taking a long journey with the kids? Or need to get them quiet for a few hours? This laptop will do the trick — and at a very reasonable price.

It’s built for much more than streaming, too. It has features for keeping tasks and documents organised — ideal if the kids also need it for schoolwork — and it powers through multitasking with relative ease.

Older kids will dig the freedom of going from a laptop to a tablet and back without switching devices. Microsoft's Surface Go 3 surpasses other, more sluggish 2-in-1 models by packing heftier computing skills.

Its solid design and high-def webcam — the best webcam you’ll find at this price — make this a great option for students who take remote classes, or kids who love to video call. They can also combine with an Xbox Games Pass to access 100+ games.

Microsoft’s Snap Assist feature helps keep things organised, by having multiple windows open at once. And they can switch between touchscreen and keyboard, though the keyboard is sold separately.

The Surface Go 3 boasts an 11-hour battery life but reviewers have found it to run out faster. So make sure you keep the charger close.

Apple's Macbooks are the preferred choice for secondary school graduates heading off to university or into the workforce. If you're struggling to decide between the Air or Pro, here's a good rule: Unless the you're planning to edit 4K videos in Adobe or can't live without a Touch Bar, buying a Pro (for an even heftier price) is unnecessary.

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

It's less expensive than the Pro but not exactly cheap.

Google's Chromebooks are a strong option for people who want a high-performance laptop without giving up the security of ChromeOS. The latest iteration, the Pixelbook Go, welcomes upgrades like an 8th-Gen Intel Core processor, a larger touchscreen display, and a longer battery life.

Google opted out of the 360-degree hinge for this one, but tech bloggers agree that the traditional notebook design feels sturdier and more professional. The rounded corners and muted colours scream maturity, which secondary schoolers will appreciate. 

The lack of a 4K screen like the Galaxy Chromebook isn't cause for concern, either — older kids (and most adults who aren't editing videos or designing) simply don't need to pay for that. The Pixelbook Go is undoubtedly solid enough for school projects, streaming, and running multiple apps simultaneously for 12 hours on one charge. 

There aren’t many kids, tweens, and teenagers in particular, who wouldn’t count games among their top priorities. Not only in terms of laptop spec, but – let’s be honest – life.

The Dell G15 5520 is a great option. Sure, it doesn’t look cheap at a touch under £1,250, but trust us: In the world of gaming laptops, that’s a reasonable price. Not to mention the fact that it’s well rated for performance for features.

The main gaming feature is the Game Shift function. Just press the button and the laptop optimises a dynamic performance mode for gaming (i.e. faster processor speed and fans working overtime). This is controlled through the Alienware Command Center, an interface that allows you to customise hardware performance and the overall gaming experience — with access to games and settings.

Obviously, there are better (which also means pricier) gaming laptops out there, but for our money the Dell G15 5520 is an overall winner.