December 6, 2024

Sapiensdigital

Sapiens Digital

The Best Chromebooks for Kids in 2020

How to Choose the Right Laptop

Chromebooks can make ideal work and play companions for kids of all ages. They’re laptops that typically cost a few hundred dollars and run Google’s simple-to-use Chrome operating system. With a Chromebook, parents don’t need to worry about a leaking juice box ruining a significant investment, nor do they need to provide much in the way of tech support. Most Chromebooks are inexpensive, and all are simple to use.

Thanks to those two factors, Chromebooks are now a staple of American classrooms, with school districts large and small issuing them to students at little or no direct cost. Paired with specialized apps like Google Classroom, they’re used for everything from pop quizzes to virtual art-museum visits, and the software can incorporate features handy for educators, too, such as plagiarism detection. 

Lenovo Chromebook C340-11

Even if your child’s school doesn’t issue Chromebooks or use these tools, the need for remote learning that’s skyrocketed during 2020’s pandemic lockdowns may well be making you consider buying one. Here’s what to look for before you click “Buy Now.”

What Is a Chromebook?

You and your kids might have never used a Chromebook before, but you’re almost certainly familiar with how one works. That’s because the Chrome operating system is based on the same Chrome web browser that your kids already use when you let them borrow your existing laptop, smartphone, or tablet. If all your child needs is a portal to the internet, you don’t need to install anything—just launch a browser window.

You can install apps on Chromebooks if you want to, however. The process is much like installing apps on your smartphone, involving little more than a visit to the Google Play Store or the Chrome Web Store. Even apps designed for Android phones will work on late-model Chromebooks. You will also find a considerable library of kid-friendly apps designed for Chromebooks, and not just games: tools for note-taking, podcasting, book publishing, drawing, screencasting, and other 21st-century schoolwork.

Two Chromebooks, one white, one black

The simplicity of Chrome OS means that it allows fewer openings for bugs and security risks. There are no drivers to update, and no sluggish antivirus software suites to buy and maintain. Kids won’t keep up with these tedious computing chores, and you probably don’t want to, either. Assuming it’s got an internet connection, a Chromebook will keep itself secure and updated. 

The disadvantages of this simplicity? They include less flexibility and the occasional frustrating compatibility issue. Now and then, Chromebooks can trip you up with minor hurdles, like incompatibilities with in-flight streaming entertainment systems that use digital rights management (DRM) software, whereas these systems work just fine with iOS or Android devices. Larger issues include missing capabilities that have been a staple of modern computing for years. Chrome OS, for example, offers nothing in the way of out-of-the-box video editing, unlike the simple but powerful tools built into Windows 10 and macOS.

In short, the advantages and drawbacks of Chrome OS mean that a Chromebook is as well-suited to child-friendly computing as it is ill-suited to the needs of power users.

What Chromebook Features Do Your Kids Need?

As a result, your main consideration when buying a Chromebook for a child is not how powerful the machine is, but what kind of physical features it has. Somewhat ironically, the younger your child is, the more features he or she might need. That’s because younger students are typically the target audience for augmented reality (AR) or drawing apps that require multiple cameras, touch screens, and digital pens. Older students who are primarily taking notes and writing term papers may not need these features as often. 

Woman drawing on a touch-screen Chromebook

Some of the most innovative Chromebook designs we’ve seen recently are actually tablets, not laptops. They’ve been slow to catch on among mainstream buyers, but they have great potential as a classroom learning tool. They’re much smaller and lighter than laptops, so they’re easier for younger kids to hold. They also typically have front-facing cameras, which are required for some AR apps and great for capturing a picture of the blackboard before the teacher erases it. 

Inexpensive Chromebook tablets from Acer, Asus, CTL, and other companies are usually sold directly to school districts and therefore difficult to find in retail (for that reason, they’re not in our recommendation list here), but they’re worth a look if you happen to find one in stock. Convertible Chromebooks with 360-degree hinges, however, are good alternatives, since they include a physical keyboard but can still be used as a tablet if needed. 

Convertible Chromebook

A Chromebook tablet or 2-in-1 convertible will have a touch-enabled screen by necessity, since their keyboards aren’t always at hand. But most conventional laptop Chromebooks have non-touch displays, at least in their default configurations. Now that Google has greatly improved the touch capabilities of the Chrome OS versus its early versions, touch screens are at least worth considering.

Another consideration for your kid’s Chromebook display is its resolution. As with any laptop screen, you’ll want to avoid displays with resolutions below full HD (typically 1,920 by 1,080 pixels, or 1080p) if you can. There are inexpensive full-HD Chromebooks out there, but they’re sometimes hard to find among the sea of others with lower-resolution displays. (Lower resolution usually manifests itself as a screen with a 1,366 by 768 resolution.) Your kids’ eyes will thank you for going with full HD, especially if the Chromebook has a screen 13 inches or larger.

Should You Buy a Rugged Chromebook for Kids?

It’s always a good idea to choose a Chromebook that’s designed to withstand bumps, bruises, and the occasional liquid spill. And it’s a requirement if your child will be lugging his or her Chromebook to school every day. You might not be able to find a Chromebook in your budget that passes true MIL-SPEC testing, but you can find other rugged options. Look for water-resistant keyboards, keys with anti-wear tops, and non-slip chassis textures or coatings. 

In addition to being sturdy, a kid-friendly Chromebook should also be made of materials that are easy to clean. Look for darker colors, and choose a metal finish over a plastic one if you can. A few past Chromebooks have even included innovative materials like display lids that double as scrawl-on whiteboards, giving kids additional creative leeway to customize their Chromebooks without leaving permanent damage. 

Chromebook touchpad

Since your kid will mostly use a Chromebook to connect to the internet wirelessly, it doesn’t require a lot of ports for peripherals or Ethernet connections. The most important connectivity consideration is Wi-Fi. Look for the 802.11ac or 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) standards, and avoid the older 802.11n standard. Bluetooth is also nice to have for connecting a wireless mouse or streaming audio to external speakers.

Many inexpensive Chromebooks have proprietary charging cables, which could be difficult to replace if they’re lost. A USB Type-C charging cable is better, especially if you have other USB Type-C devices, since you can usually swap charging cables between them in case your kid loses one. 

What CPU Should a Chromebook for Kids Have?

Simple software needs only simple hardware to run. It’s a key reason why most Chromebooks are less expensive than Macs and Windows PCs—you don’t need tons of CPU cores or a powerful graphics processor to write essays and browse the web. Nor do you need capacious hard drives to house tons of video files when you’re using Google Docs and streaming multimedia content from the internet. 

You can find “prestige” Chromebooks with Intel Core i7 processors and 256GB solid-state drives (SSDs) if you want them, including models from Samsung and Google itself. But these machines, which hover in the $1,000 range, are overkill for most users, especially children. 

Acer Chromebook

Instead, we recommend spending $300 or less on a kid’s Chromebook. That amount should get you at least 4GB of memory and at least 32GB of storage space. It will also get you a Chromebook with an Intel Pentium or Celeron processor, or an ARM processor. 

If you’re used to buying Macs or Windows laptops, you might balk at those specs, but they really are all your kid needs, and you should resist the urge to upgrade. A $300 Windows laptop with a Celeron processor and 4GB of memory might be unpleasantly sluggish in everyday use, but a Chromebook with those same specs should offer an adequate experience for kids who are generally doing just one thing at a time on the machine. Even demanding apps that use ARCore, Google’s platform for building AR experiences, work on devices with as little as 4GB of memory and a dual-core processor. 

So, Which Chromebook Should I Buy for My Child?

We’ve outlined our favorite kid-friendly Chromebooks we’ve tested below. Click through for deep-dive reviews of each.

Thinking about buying one for yourself, too? Check out our guide to the best Chromebooks overall. If you’d like to consider Windows laptops, as well, check out our complete list of best laptops for kids (incorporating both Chrome OS and Windows models), as well as our top laptop picks for college students. 

Other shopping and advice resources you might want to check out include our general roundup of budget laptops, as well as our roundup of Android, Apple iOS, and Amazon Fire OS tablets for kids.

  • Acer Chromebook 514

    Acer Chromebook 514

    Pros: Sharp-looking aluminum design for a budget machine.
    Excellent battery life.
    Touch display (as tested) looks great.
    Comfortable backlit keyboard.
    Big touchpad.

    Cons: Processor could use a pick-me-up.
    Ho-hum speakers.

    Bottom Line: Aluminum-clad and ready for all day off the plug, the Acer Chromebook 514 is a reasonably-priced standout on the premium Chromebook stage that’s right-priced for students and budget buyers.

    Read Review

  • Asus Chromebook C523

    Asus Chromebook C523

    Pros: Bargain-basement price for a large-screen Chromebook.
    Sleek, part-aluminum design.
    1080p panel looks crisp.
    Comfortable keyboard and touchpad.

    Cons: Glossy screen coat is a glare magnet.
    Mediocre battery life.
    No keyboard lighting.
    Poor audio output.

    Bottom Line: With its sleek design and big 1080p touch screen, the 15.6-inch Asus Chromebook C523 is a unusual bargain: a budget-friendly big-screen Chromebook.

  • CTL Chromebook J41

    CTL Chromebook J41

    Pros: Compact, rugged design.
    Comfortable, spill-resistant keyboard.
    Both USB-C and USB 3.0 ports.
    All-day battery life.

    Cons: Soft-touch finish picks up fingerprint smudges.
    Stiff touchpad.
    Keyboard isn’t backlit.
    Subpar audio.

    Bottom Line: The inexpensive, rugged CTL Chromebook J41 fits within student budgets and can withstand potential drops, spills, and other abuses.

    Read Review

  • Google Pixelbook Go

    Google Pixelbook Go

    Pros: Chic styling.
    Magnesium alloy body.
    High-quality 1080p camera.
    Good audio output.
    Long battery life.

    Cons: Expensive for a Chromebook.
    No digital stylus support.

    Bottom Line: The Google Pixelbook Go is a well-built and stylish ultraportable, albeit one that costs far more than most of its Chromebook brethren.

    Read Review

  • HP Chromebook x360 12b

    HP Chromebook x360 12b

    Pros: Appealingly petite convertible design.
    Welcoming 3:2 aspect-ratio touch screen.
    Comfortable keyboard.
    Good battery life.
    Convenient ports and optional stylus.

    Cons: A tad pricey given the CPU and screen size.
    Dim display.
    Marginal processing performance and skimpy storage.

    Bottom Line: HP’s Chromebook x360 12b is a handsome compact convertible that falls short of excellence due to a murky screen and leisurely CPU.

    Read Review

  • Lenovo Chromebook C340-11

    Lenovo Chromebook C340-11

    Pros: Affordable.
    Attractive Sand Pink hue.
    Good battery life.
    Comfortable keyboard.
    Four USB ports plus microSD card slot.

    Cons: Dull, small, low-resolution display.
    Not exactly peppy performance.

    Bottom Line: Remember 11.6-inch Chromebooks? Lenovo’s C340-11 revives the genre with a compact convertible that’s more likable than its low screen resolution and low-powered CPU might suggest.

  • Lenovo Yoga Chromebook C630

    Lenovo Yoga Chromebook C630

    Pros: 4K screen available as an option.
    Impressive performance and battery life.

    Cons: Big and heavy.
    Display could be brighter.
    No video-out port.
    No stylus.
    Base model lacks backlit keyboard.

    Bottom Line: In the Yoga Chromebook C630, Lenovo adds a plus-size convertible with the unusual option for a 4K display to its Chrome OS laptop line.
    It’s speedy and packs a long-lasting battery, but it could be lighter and a bit cheaper.

  • Acer Chromebook 315

    Acer Chromebook 315

    Pros: Inexpensive.
    Two USB Type-C and two USB Type-A ports.
    Above-average audio.
    Big screen supports touch input.

    Cons: Chassis is big and heavy.
    Lackluster performance.
    Mediocre panel quality.

    Bottom Line: Acer’s AMD-powered Chromebook 315 is an affordable 15.6-inch touch-screen model with no glaring faults, but its plastic bulk and just-okay display make clear its budget roots.

    Read Review

  • HP Chromebook 14 (2019, AMD)

    HP Chromebook 14 (2019, AMD)

    Pros: Affordable.
    Nice keyboard feel.
    Two USB Type-A 2.0 and two USB Type-C 3.1 ports.

    Cons: Tepid performance.
    Screen could be brighter.
    Mediocre battery life.
    Keyboard isn’t backlit.
    No dedicated video-out port.

    Bottom Line: HP’s low-priced, AMD-powered Chromebook 14 offers a spiffy keyboard and 1080p resolution in a trim 3.4-pound package, but the touch screen is dim and both performance and battery life are marginal.


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