What is the Best Computer to buy for my Kid? Parenting Guide

Computers have become a necessity in everyone’s life whether a person is a kid. Teen, professional, etc. It has become a need of time. Introducing technology with kids at the right time and the right age is important. The timely adoption of technology makes kids clear, expert and confident in a respective technology. The COVID teaches us the importance of technology, the internet and computers. And the computer is the basic device that helps in technology adoption.

Kids have been taking online classes since the pandemic came into our lives. But in physical classes kids were also struggling with shared computers and most of the time only one kid took advantage of technology. But as parents this is our responsibility to step forward and give them the opportunity to learn with comfort. Computers are no more luxury; it is a need. So when parents want to purchase a computer for their kid they get confused about a variety of computers. But choosing what type of computer should be chosen is very challenging. There are a lot of factors to consider such as categories, features, durability, flexibility, budget, etc. to purchase a computer for a kid. But don’t worry we have developed this guide for you, in which we will discuss the factors to consider when searching a computer or laptop for kids, let’s start

Laptop or Desktop

What to choose between Laptop or a PC? Most parents think for kids PC is best due to lots of reasons such as, they can place it in a common area to watch their kid’s activity. But we recommend to go with a laptop, it’s portable and easy to handle. Kids can take online classes and complete assignments in their rooms because the common area can’t be vacant all the time in your school timing. Parents can also track and safe kids online by following Internet Safety for Kids: Guideline for Parents.  This article resolves their kid’s activity concerns. With a laptop, you can travel easily anywhere without disturbing studies. Another benefit of having laptops is that in higher grades kids need laptops to complete assignments and reports. We can say buying a laptop is a long term investment. Just teach kids the importance and usage of laptop

Windows or Mac OS?

It is complicated. The Mac is more expensive than Windows but it has some exciting features that attracts us. The biggest problem with Mac is that it is not compatible with every app and software. Because Apple has its own hardware and software that are expensive. Whereas in the case of Windows, the hardware and accessories for Windows laptops are much less expensive than for OS X laptops. Windows is available on the majority of the devices, and you can easily choose the device you want. Don’t choose chrome books, rugged laptops and android-powered operating systems. But everyone has their own preferences, budget and required specs. Well, we are in favor of Windows.

Think About Your Budget

Parents allocate a budget for everything. Buying a laptop will require an expensive budget. Having a specific budget is a good thing but don’t compromise over durability, specification and features which we will be discussing later in this article. Along with studies, if you want to buy a laptop for coding and gaming purposes, you will need a powerful laptop. You can find a good one with the price range of $200- $500. Parents can also go with a used computer because when kids are having their first computer they are going to break it eventually. So initially it will be a cheap and affordable investment to teach them the importance and handling of laptops. There are new laptops having a warranty that covers accidental damage like spill of water on keyboard, etc. If you don’t have a budget constraint go with the power version of a laptop.

Check Out Durability

It’s a very important factor when it comes to handling kids. Kids are not careful about laptops and can break it unintentionally. For this, check out the body of the laptop and examine their warranty policy in case of any damage.  Also check reviews and take feedback from social parenting groups about specific laptops to learn from real life experiences. This activity will help you a lot. Parents can minimize the risk of damage by getting a protective case and screen protector. These are the precautionary measures.

Required Spec

Computer is a multi-purposes device such as used in video gaming, graphic designing, coding, office work and studies. Every task needs different specifications like gaming needs high processing features, etc. It is a critical step, parents come with these questions, “How much RAM should I consider?” or “how much hard disk storage works fine?”. Once you identify your purpose for buying a computer then decide specs accordingly. Let’s have a look at the following requirements that covers most of the thing

• Intel core ix processor 
• 4GB of RAM, (bare minimum, 8GB is better)
• 500GB or greater hard drive (solid state preferred due to its ability to withstand being dropped)
• Wired and wireless internet connections
• Upgraded graphics card for running intensive programs and video games

Final Thoughts

Maybe your kid’s school identified the spec for a laptop then the decision will not be in your hand. While choosing a computer also consider weight, screen size, age of a kid and touch screen features. The weight of the laptop should be lighter to carry easily.