With back-to-school time rolling around in 2025, I bet a bunch of you parents are scratching your heads over whether to get your child their own laptop. It’s not a straightforward call, right? But hey, no need to stress—I’ve got some solid thoughts to share.
Just so you know, I’m not raising kids myself, but I’ve chatted with plenty of folks who are, from buddies and work pals across the pond to my next-door neighbors and even my mom—she’s been teaching in schools her whole career. I mixed all their insights with what I’ve learned from eight years of hands-on testing and writing about top laptops, so what I’m passing along here is stuff that actually helps.
These days, everything’s so hooked up to the internet that it’s pretty normal for youngsters to have their gadgets. As a parent, you’ve gotta keep an eye on what tech they’re messing with. If you’re on the fence about a laptop, odds are your kid already owns a smartphone or tablet, and they’ve likely borrowed yours or the home computer a ton. They’re probably sharper with this stuff than we are, and yeah, they might use that to nudge you into saying yes. But is it worth shelling out the cash? Let’s break it down.
School Requirements
School stuff comes first. Back when I was growing up, I didn’t snag my own laptop until college at 18, but that was ages ago—over ten years now. Today, kids at all sorts of ages pretty much need steady computer time for learning.
Your little one in preschool? Nah, skip the laptop. And for most early elementary years, schools don’t make kids haul one in. Still, by first or second grade— that’s like year two or three if you’re in the UK—some assignments might call for a computer. Come fourth grade or so (year five), watch out: they’ll hog the family machine for homework if they don’t have something personal. Easiest fix? Just reach out to their school and ask what kind of tech work is coming up.
Now, if we’re talking high school or secondary, and they don’t have a laptop yet? Come on, it’s probably overdue. Even without bringing it to class, they’ll need it at home for sure. We’ve got a roundup of great student laptops that work well for teens. For younger ones who still require one, poke around our picks for kid-friendly models.
What Your Kid Wants
But laptops aren’t only about classes, you know? They can handle learning, fun stuff, and creative projects all in one go. So sit down with your kid and really hear them out on what they’d do with it—that makes a big difference.
If it’s mostly streaming shows on Netflix, scrolling YouTube, or checking social feeds, you’re in luck: no need to break the bank. Grab one of those solid Chromebooks. These run on Google’s system, so they’re not built for heavy-duty programs, but they’re cheap, easy to carry around, and super light. Plus, ChromeOS has built-in tools to help you keep things safe for them as a parent.
Gaming? That’s a whole different story—a Chromebook won’t cut it there. For most PC games without lagging badly, you’ll want something with its own graphics card. Keep an eye out for Nvidia RTX labels; that means it’s got the muscle from Nvidia.
I’m not pushing you toward some fancy, expensive gaming beast, though. A budget option, or maybe even a used one, should do fine. Kids’ favorites like Fortnite, Minecraft, or Roblox don’t demand crazy power. Heck, some modern laptops pull off those with just the built-in graphics from the processor. Look for chips like Intel Core Ultra, AMD Ryzen AI, or Snapdragon X Elite if you want to keep it simple for lighter play.
And get this: laptops with separate graphics cards rock for creative things too. If your child digs editing photos, making videos, or drawing digitally, an Nvidia-equipped machine will breeze through apps like Photoshop, Blender, or Procreate. I tried my hand at 3D stuff as a kid, and let me tell you, struggling on a weak old Intel i3 was rough. Wish I’d had today’s options back then. So if they’ve got that spark for art or design, a stronger laptop could really encourage it.
Picking the Right One
When it comes to picking one out for your kid, you probably aren’t dropping big bucks on a top-tier MacBook Pro or whatever. Makes sense— these things don’t last forever, and replacing it in five years isn’t fun if you overpaid.
That said, don’t go too bargain-basement either. Tech changes quick, and a super weak setup might conk out or slow down way sooner than you’d like. Quick tip: Search online for the laptop’s processor to see its age. If it’s pushing three or four years old, maybe steer clear.
Think about the programs they’ll run too. Not everything works on ChromeOS or macOS, so if school or their hobbies need specific software, double-check that. Windows machines are usually the most flexible bet.
Oh, and don’t skip reading up on reviews to find ones with decent battery. That’s key for kids’ laptops, especially if they’re lugging it to school. Running out of juice mid-assignment? Total nightmare!
