Are you looking for the best laptops for tweens, today’s post is especially for you. As parents, it’s quite hard to select the best laptop for kids in 2024, since in this era the bad things are just a click away and you have to think about the online safety and much more.
Top Rated Budget Laptops
Last update on 2024-12-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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Whether it’s about school or play, nowadays a laptop is a must for your kids. They’ll undoubtedly use it for homework (making a book report and saturating their curiosity through finding some information) along with something fun activities (playing games, watching videos, or chatting with friends).
Kids are not less than a destructive machine because they are overfilled with curiosities and always want everything to unfold. Therefore, don’t forget about a durable body or water-resistant keyboard along with parental controls. The best thing, you don’t need to worry about the cost at least. For the best laptop for tweenagers in 2024, you don’t need to spend more than 600$. Because of the lower price, it doesn’t mean these laptops are slower or has a poor build quality.
Before going to recommendations of the best laptops for younger kids in 2024, I would like to discuss what you should keep in mind before making your purchase.
Best Laptop for Tweens and Younger Kids in 2024 – Buyer’s Guide
Which operating system is the best for kids?
It’s not about choosing a laptop for engineers or musicians, and not a debate between Mac and Windows. Moreover, if we talk about the Apple laptop, they are not available less than 600$ not even close to this range. However, if you are an Apple fan and want to make your son or daughter be on too, then you can give then your old MacBook and buy a new one for yourself, it would be the best.
Forget about the reused Macs; nowadays besides Mac and Windows, the Chrome OS is very popular. It’s a very lightweight OS which is specially crafted for running web-based apps. Moreover, the latest Chromebooks also support all Android apps designed for Android smartphone and tablets along with the Microsoft Office. If your child is demanding a smartphone for playing mobile games, a Chromebook would be a good compromise, which would be much advantageous for study as well.
Windows 10 is undoubtedly a very powerful OS, which also has a separated S mode for students. The Windows 10 S mode is specially made for the educational purpose which has enhanced security features for children. For instance: children can’t install the apps from any untrusted source unless they aren’t available on the Microsoft Store. If you think that your son your daughter is responsible enough, the Windows 10 S mode upgradable in the future to the full version.
Another thing, if your child’s school has any specific software designed for the Windows operating system, then you can’t think about other OS. If not, on the other hand, Chromebooks could be the right choice because they are offering many kid-friendly features.
How much would hardware configuration be enough for a kid’s laptop?
Well, it depends on how your kids will use your laptop; it will clear the picture of processor, memory, and storage that you should select. For instance, for making PowerPoint presentations or taking notes, an Intel Celeron or Pentium processor can do the job. Intel Atom processor isn’t suggested as they are just ideal for single-tasking due to their sluggish and lower-end performance.
If we move the needle, then the next step is Intel Core i3, which is recommended if your child requires some advance internet surfing or educational video streaming. If you go with Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, then it’s not possible to find them in a laptop or Chromebook that cost about 300$, and which is also a bit extravagant for tweens.
Nowadays 4GB memory is quite generic, and you can find it most of the laptops easily, while for storage 64GB is minimum recommended because the operating system and other programs also going to take a crucial part of it. For instance, the Windows 10 OS can take more than 20GB space; there will be measly 40GB of space remain; therefore, you should think about even ample storage such as 128GB or more.
For kids, the 2-in-1 or detachable laptops are relatively much viable; your child can play games, watch videos, or make some drawing, via folding them on the 360-degree angle. The convertible laptops are something expensive, but there are some models available with falls under our price range that we have discussed for children.
Higher durability
Durability should be the priority when choosing the best laptop for tweens. It doesn’t matter how much memory, storage, or processing power a notebook has. If it isn’t durable enough, then it won’t be much advantageous because your child might destroy it within a few months.
Some laptops come with a spill-resistant keyboard which could withstand in few ounces of water strikes, but you won’t find an entire laptop that is waterproof; if some available such as Panasonic’s Toughbook series or Dell’s Latitude Rugged Extremes, then they are drastically expensive and certainly not for kids.
What should we do then?
Don’t worry; there are plenty of laptops available, which are offering reinforced lids. You can also buy some rubberize cases which can help to neutralize the damage when dropping from a few feet. However that’s true, you won’t find a fully-rugged laptop, especially for this price range.
The portability is another crucial thing which you should take into account while choosing the best laptop for younger kids. Usually, laptop form 11-inch to 13-inch won’t cross the 2.5 lbs, which is just ideal for kids. Going above this range might be annoying for children; it would put an extra burden on their shoulders.
Our team has put hours into the research to forge this list of the best laptops for tweens in 2024, so let’s find out what we have for you.
QUICK OVERVIEW:
Best laptops for tweens at a glance
ASUS CHROMEBOOK C202 MOST AFFORDABLE |
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| DELL CHROMEBOOK 11 3180 |
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| ACER CHROMEBOOK R 11 |
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ASUS TRANSFORMER MINI MOST PORTABLE |
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| ASUS C302 CHROMEBOOK |
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SAMSUNG CHROMEBOOK PLUS PREMIUM NOTEBOOK |
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MICROSOFT SURFACE PRO 6 MOST POWERFUL |
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Last update on 2024-12-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Laptops for Tweens and Younger Kids in 2024 – Reviews
1. ASUS Chromebook C202 (Best Affordable Laptops for Kids in 2024)
Processor: Celeron N3060 @2.48GHz | Memory: 4GB | Storage: 16 GB eMMC | Screen: 11.6-inches, 1366 x 768 | OS: Chrome | Battery: 10-hours
The ASUS Chromebook C202 is undoubtedly a fantastic laptop for kids in 2024, which is specially designed for withstanding in inappropriate conditions such as drop and spills. Thanks to its reinforced rugged construction with rubber guards and spill resistance keyboard. The best part, despite having such incredible durability it has only 2.65-pound weight and also offering 10 hours of impressive battery life.
Besides this exceptional protection, the C202 is powered by the Intel Celeron N3060 processor, 4GB memory and 16/32GB storage, which is just enough for a younger child. Moreover, it has an 11.6-inch HD display with anti-glare technology; therefore, image quality is pretty good for playing games or watching videos.
Because of the ChromeOS, as a parent, you will get even more peace of mind – you can control your child activities such as screen time, individual website visits, or block any potential harmful chrome extension that could compromise the user experience.
As this Asus Chromebook is only offering max 32 GB of flash storage, but you’re getting an embedded card reader, which comes in handy to add some extra space. Moreover, it also has two USB ports along with a full-size HDMI port and headphone jack.
Like Lenovo’s business series laptop, this laptop has 180-degree hinges, which allow to it fully open and could be useful for kids group study or discussion.
PROS
- Affordable price
- Sturdy build quality with spill resistance and reinforced rubber guard
- Beautiful anti-glare display with HD resolution
- Lightweight and good battery life
CONS
- Limited performance
2. Dell Chromebook 11 3180 (Most Durable Laptop for Tweens)
Processor: Celeron N3060 @2.48GHz | Memory: 4GB | Storage: 16/32/64GB eMMC | Screen: 11.6-inches touch/non-touch, 1366 x 768 | OS: Chrome | Battery: 10-hours
However, there is no laptop which is fully kids-proof, but Dell has tried to make this as much as durable. The Dell Chromebook 11 accompanies a spill-resistant keyboard, rubberized edges, and drop protection; therefore, whether it’s about classroom, buses, lockers or lunchroom, it can withstand any harsh conditions.
The battery life is quite excellent as well; it can juice up this Chromebook up to 10 hours, so your kids don’t have to worry about the whole day. The best part about this laptop is, it’s just not capable of 180-degree flat positions, but also can be bend as a tent or a tablet.
Besides the flexible design, this laptop is offering up to 64GB storage capacity with 4GB memory and Intel Celeron N 3060 processor, which is pretty enough for editing text, watching videos or surfing internet. Moreover, it’s also available without the touch-screen, which is something cheaper; you can choose as per your child requirements.
As compared to the previous Chromebook, this laptop is a bit heavy, but don’t worry it’s a still below 3 lbs range. Moreover, it’s offering a full HDMI port along with the two latest USB 3.1, USB card reader, and headphone jack. Therefore, you can extend the storage capacity with an SD card, connect an external display, or share data between computers easily.
This Dell Chromebook has an 11.6-inch screen with HD resolution, along with portability it can deliver decent quality images. Additionally, due to the ChromeOS, you can apply parental controls to restrict your child activity.
PROS
- Cheaper price, especially the non-touch variant
- Outstanding build quality can withstand dropping and spilling
- Available up to 64GB storage
- Good display quality
- USB and HDMI port with SD card slots
- A whole day battery life
CONS
- Not so powerful
3. Acer Chromebook R11 (Best Parental Control)
Processor: Celeron N3060 @2.48GHz | Memory: 4GB | Storage: 32GB eMMC | Screen: 11.6-inches touch, 1366 x 768 | OS: Chrome | Battery: 10-hours
If you’re looking for the highest control over your child activities, especially for online, the Acer Chromebook R11 can solve the problem. It’s a convertible 2-in-1 notebook powered by the Intel Celeron 3150 processor, which accompanies 4GB memory and 32GB storage. The performance is slightly better than our previous Chromebooks along with a whole day battery life, but the enhanced parental control feature makes it stand out from the crowd.
On the first boot, it allows making an administrator account called “owner” which provides absolute control over the whole ChromeOS. After that, you can enable the “supervised users” feature for making a distinct user account for your kid, which allow you to blacklist websites, or analyzing your child’s browsing history. The “supervised user” won’t able to delete the browsing history or turn off the Google safe search options without administrator permission. Moreover, the Chromebook has a narrow users and software application in contrast to Windows or Mac; so there are almost no chances of viruses.
As a 360-degree rotatable design, this notebook can serve the purpose of a powerful tablet along with a laptop. This Chromebook also support the Google Play store, and your child can take advantage of millions of paid or free educational games, apps, books, movies, or magazines.
Usually, Chromebooks doesn’t offer a large storage capacity because they are specially designed to run the web-based application; therefore instead of ample inbuilt storage, the Google is offering 100GB cloud storage to ensure that all of your files are backed up automatically.
For connecting peripherals, there are two USB (3.0 and 2.0), and HDMI ports are given. Additionally, it’s also offering a decent quality HD webcam for video conferencing.
PROS
- Beautiful 2-in1 design with a lightweight and sleek body
- Long battery life
- Supports Android Apps with Play Store
- Higher Parental control
- Somewhat good performance
- 100GB Google Drive storage
CONS
- Build quality isn’t too great
4. ASUS Transformer Mini (Best Portable Windows 10 Laptop for Kids)
Processor: Atom Quad Core x5-Z8350 | Memory: 4GB | Storage: 64/128GB SSD | Screen: 10.1-inches touch, 1280×800 | OS: Windows 10 Home | Battery: 12-hours
Chromebooks have somewhere limited functionality as compared to the Windows or macOS because it’s majorly designed to run the web-based application. For instance, you can’t install the Windows or Mac desktop versions of Office 365 or Office 2016 on a Chromebook; instead, you have to use the Android variant from the Play Store, or you can just run office online in the web browser.
If your child is more sensible, then he/she deserves a powerful Windows Machine. Don’t worry; there are plenty of parental control features available in Microsoft Windows 10. The Asus Transformer laptop could be a perfect choice if you don’t want to spend extra on your kid’s laptop.
Under the hood, this buddy has the Atom Quad Core x5-Z8350 processor with the 4GB memory and 128GB SSD storage. The performance isn’t the skyrocket, but it does the job.
The 10.1-inch screen with a versatile 2-in-1 design allows taking the full advantage of Window 10 OS. The best part, its keyboard is detachable so that you can use it as a free tablet. Moreover, with the included pen stylus child can take notes, or make drawings in Windows Ink Workspace.
This Asus laptop is crafted from the magnesium alloy, which provides impressive durability with a remarkably lightweight body. Despite having such a compact body, it’s offering a stable 12 hours of battery life, that’s just great.
For connecting some external devices, it’s equipped with USB port along with micro HDMI, micros USB, SD card reader, and headphone jack.
PROS
- Higher durability with magnesium alloy body
- Very slim and lightweight design for easy carrying
- Bright HD touchscreen delivers excellent image quality
- Detachable keyboard design provides a flexible user experience
- Great battery life
CONS
- Performance is just fair
5. Asus C302CA-DHM4 (Great 2-in-1 Chromebook for Kids at Budget Price)
Processor: Intel Core M3 | Memory: 4GB | Storage: 64GB SSD | Screen: 12.5-inches, 1920 x 1080 | OS: Chrome OS | Battery: 10-hours
The Asus C302 is another great Chromebook from Asus, which is offering a big display, premium design, and higher performance. This premium looking notebook is fully armored with a sleek aluminum body, which makes it extremely durable without putting any extra weight on your child’s shoulders.
From the performance aspect, this laptop is powered by an Intel 2.2 GHz processor, 4GB memory, and 64 GB storage, which is pretty good. Moreover, with the automatic updated and built-in anti-virus protection, it ensures a comfortable user experience.
The C302 is equipped with the 360-degree rotatable hinges; therefore, you can use it as a powerful tablet, productive notebook, or entertainment device. Additionally, it has a backlit keyboard, which allows working in low light conditions.
At first glance, this Chromebook can amaze anyone from its affordable price due to the premium and durable aluminum design. Additionally, it’s coming with a full HD 12.5-inch to ensure sharp and vivid image quality.
With just a 2.65 lbs weight and 10 hours of battery, the kids will love the convertible design and astounding display of this Chromebook while drawing, typing, watching videos, or taking notes.
Another best part, this laptop is featuring the latest USB Type-C ports along with embedded micro SD card reader.
PROS
- Unbelievable price
- Premium design with the solid aluminum build
- Excellent performance with built-in anti-virus protection
- Google Play Store compatible
- Astounding full HD touch display with 2-in-1 design and Gorilla Glass protection
- Latest USB Type-C port and backlit keyboard
- A whole day battery life
CONS
- No HDMI or USB Type-A port are available; you have to purchase the USB Type-C adapters
6. Samsung Chromebook Plus (Premium Laptop for Tweens)
Processor: Celeron N3060 @2.48GHz | Memory: 4GB | Storage: 32GB SSD | Screen: 12.3-inches touch, 2400 x 1600 | OS: Chrome | Battery: 10-hours
The Samsung Chromebook Plus is somewhat similar to our previous laptop, but the more appealing and durable design with ultra-sharp display makes it stand out.
Yes, this Samsung laptop is furnished with the 2K (2400×1600) resolution; the display quality is excellent, which can deliver life-like color with extreme sharpness. Moreover, with the included stylus that can snug fit into the laptop itself, is very precise and responsive and can be used for taking notes, make a sketch, or capturing a part of the screen. If your kid is interested in drawing, then it would be the perfect option for polishing his/her skills.
Like ASUS C302 Chromebook it’s also offering a full metal aluminum body, but the rounded corner and narrow bezel design makes it more appealing. In addition to the attractive design, this laptop is quite sturdy, compact, and lightweight; and kids won’t have any problem while hauling it for a whole day.
Besides schoolwork, the Samsung Chromebook Plus could be an ultimate entertainment buddy, because of the convertible design and high definition screen it can deliver an immersive experience while playing games or watching videos.
With the latest and secure Chrome OS, you can restrict apps, games, or website that you don’t want to let see your child, thanks to the parental -control features. Moreover, you’re getting the Google Play Store support, it means, you can also run the apps that you use on your Android smartphone.
The touchpad buttons require some extra pressure then it should, and it might be a bit annoying for younger children.
Overall, the Samsung Chromebook Plus is one of the best Chromebooks for kids in 2024, which has everything that children will need, such as lightweight body, portability, gorgeous display, longer battery life, and powerful performance.
PROS
- Super impressive 2K touch display ensures the very sharp and vivid image quality
- Premium metallic design with rounded corners and narrow bezels
- Extremely lightweight and portable
- Longer battery life
- Very responsive and precise stylus for accuracy drawing and taking notes
CONS
- Only USB Type-C ports are given, might need adapters for connecting other peripherals
7. Microsoft Surface Pro 6 (Most powerful Laptop for Tweenager)
Processor: i7-8650U 4.20 GHz | Memory: 16GB | Storage: 1TB NVMe | Screen: 12.3-inches touch, 2736 x 1824 | OS: Windows 10 Pro | Battery: 13.5-hours
I admit, the Surface Pro 6 is an expensive laptop, and it’s crossing out the limits that we have discussed earlier, but think about the future. If you can spend a bit extra on your kid’s laptop, you should think about a powerful Windows machine instead of a cheap Chromebook, which will stay with your child for a few more years. Usually, the lightweight and portable laptops don’t offer the upgradability feature; therefore, you won’t have any option besides buying a new one.
Even if you choose the lowest variant of the Surface Pro 6, which is coming with the Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB memory and 128GB storage, would be more than enough for your child’s upcoming five years. Additionally, in terms of durability, it won’t disappoint you. The Pro 6 is offering a metal uni-body design with in-built stand, which confers the additional reliability.
Even aesthetically, the Surface Pro 6 looks just amazing. Moreover, with the detachable keyboard design, you can take the full advantage as a tablet for drawing or taking notes on-the-go. The Microsoft is selling the Surface Pen and Keyboard cover separately which might be heart-broken for some.
Not only in performance or design but also Surface Pro 6 is best in battery life, it can go up to 13.5 hours with a single charge on video playback. Even more surprising, despite having a 12.3-inch big display, extremely durable body, and longer battery life, this buddy falls under 2 lbs.
As I said, the Pro 6 has a 12.3-inch display like the previous laptop, but it has the wealthiest resolution of 2736 x 1824 pixels; therefore, the image quality is going to be the best. Additionally, the brightness level is also higher, which makes it usable in the bright light as well.
PROS
- Versatile design: use as a tablet or laptop
- Most configurable, can choose as per your requirements
- The sharpest and most color-accurate display quality
- Longest battery life
- Top-notch build quality
CONS
- Very expensive
Thanks for the great review. I was thinking of getting a Chromebook for my child. I sent you a private message also.
Thanks again
It’s really helpful, thank you very much!
Glad to know!
Teens are teens; whatever you give them is never enough. Though, this article saved me some money because my son instantly agreed to the Samsung Chromebook when I showed the article to him. Thank you!
It’s our pleasure. Thanks for your delightful comment.
My child is eight; he was insistence for a laptop for a month, I wasn’t sure where to start and which laptop should I choose, core i3 or i5 something like that. This guide remarkably helped me th choose the right laptop, thank you so much.