They're cheap, secure, and can be lots of fun
Over the last year, the need for online learning skyrocketed during the pandemic lockdowns across the globe. The uncertain circumstances around schooling led to an increase in demand for laptops or mobile devices for kids that make e-learning an easy and enjoyable experience.
Chromebooks are popular with students and teachers alike because they’re easy to use and manage, making them the ideal remote learning tool. For parents or guardians, Chromebooks are inexpensive, secure, and make ideal play companions for kids of all ages.
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Best Chromebooks for Kids
If you’re looking for the best Chromebooks for kids, you won’t go wrong with our top picks below.
1. Lenovo Chromebook Duet
Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet is great for kids for two main reasons: it’s streamlined for use with a Google account and is designed for light computing needs.
The 2-in-1 device doubles as a laptop and tablet so you won’t have to share your computer with your kids anymore. Some of its kid-friendly features include a full but detachable keyboard with kid-sized keys, touch-sensitive screen, and a folding kickstand for propping it up in laptop mode.
The Duet comes with 4GB of memory and 64GB of onboard storage, which should be enough for media streaming and schoolwork, plus a one-year free trial of Google One for extra storage.
Like most 2-in-1 devices, the Duet’s screen is small but impressively sharp for the device’s price range. In addition, the speakers are loud enough so your child can hear clearly without using headphones.
Coupled with nearly 13 hours of battery life, decent cameras, automatic security updates, and Android phone integration, the Duet is a great double-duty performer. The main downsides with this Chromebook are its small screen, limited storage, and limited port options.
2. Acer Chromebook Spin 11 Convertible Laptop
Versatility meets fun in this convertible, 2-in-1 Acer Chromebook Spin 11. If your child is at elementary level and needs a laptop primarily for communication and remote learning, this Chromebook for kids is a good option.
Some of its kid-friendly features include a stylus so your child can get creative with design or art and handwrite on the screen to show their work. Double cameras make the Acer Chromebook Spin 11 a great choice for easy video chats and Zoom meetings.
The rugged laptop boasts a super solid build that can handle drops, water spills, and rough handling, which is common with younger children.
Battery life is up to 10 hours, and it packs a surprising number of port options including DisplayPort, two USB-C ports, and two USB 3.0 ports. The laptop runs the Google Chrome operating system and Google apps, which feel familiar for most kids at elementary level, and you can install Android apps for added functionality.
The main drawbacks with this Chromebook are that it lacks built-in storage for the stylus, low battery life, and low quality speakers.
3. ASUS Chromebook Flip C214
Asus designed the Chromebook C214 as a laptop for schools, which makes it ideal for kids attending remote classes or doing their schoolwork.
The laptop has a rugged design, kid-friendly interface, spill-resistant keyboard, a drop-proof body, and lay-flat design to protect against breakage. Plus, it has several port options including HDMI, two USB 3.0 ports, an SD card reader and headphone jack.
Inside, there’s 4GB of memory and 32GB of storage, which may not be sufficient for your child’s files, but you can rely on Google One and Google Drive cloud storage apps.
The Chromebook Flip C214 is small and more compact than other models of similar size making it the best lightweight Chromebook for kids. Your child can use the laptop outdoors thanks to its 11.6 inch touchscreen display, which is bright enough to see in direct sunlight.
If your child is a beginner typist, the Chromebook Flip C214 offers a comfortable keyboard with larger letters and quick key travel. If you want, you can add a dockable stylus for drawing at an extra cost.
4. Google Pixelbook Go
The Google Pixelbook Go is a well-built, stylish and lightweight Chromebook with a ribbed underside base that makes it easy to grip and hard for kids to drop.
Inside is 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage coupled with a low-wattage, quick and responsive 8th generation Intel Core processor that’s fast enough for most of your child’s work.
Pixelbook Go has a backlit keyboard with whisper quiet keys and a spacious touchpad. Its brilliant HD touchscreen display, 1080p webcam and dual stereo speakers deliver good picture and audio output for media streaming and video chatting.
The laptop is quiet, comfortable, and offers security for your data and passwords through the built-in antivirus software, Titan C security chip, and automatic ChromeOS updates.
You’ll get up to 12 hours on a single charge, and up to 2 hours battery use with a quick 20-minute recharge. However, the Chromebook costs comparatively more than other Chromebooks, and it doesn’t offer digital stylus support.
5. HP Chromebook 14
The HP Chromebook 14 is a clamshell-style laptop that can get most of your child’s basic needs done without breaking the bank.
The laptop has plenty of kid-friendly features including a 14-inch WLED-backlit display whose resolution is sharp enough for a decent browsing experience. Its AMD A4 processor delivers reasonable performance for internet use, casual gaming, and movies.
The 4GB system memory is enough to run multiple browser tabs and apps all at once, and the 32GB of storage is the bare expected minimum for a Chromebook. Fortunately, you can expand the storage via the microSD card slot or easily save your files to Google Drive for secure and easy access whether your child is at home or school.
The Chromebook also has lots of ports including two full-sized USB-A ports and two USB-C ports and weighs 3.4lbs, making it ultralight for maximum portability.
6. Samsung Chromebook 4
The Samsung Chromebook 4 is a straightforward, kid-friendly Chromebook for basic school work and remote learning.
The laptop has a spill-resistant keyboard, decent build quality thanks to its durable aluminum build that’s rated for hardiness against drops, extreme temperatures, and dust. You also get 4GB or memory and 32GB of flash storage with an option of up to 6GB RAM and 64GB flash storage.
Unlike other Chromebooks in its price point, this device offers a solid battery life of up to 12.5 hours, and ultrafast connectivity with Gigabit WiFi to stream or download files rapidly.
For peace of mind, the secure ChromeOS environment provides multiple layers of built-in virus protection and parental controls to help you keep an eye on your child’s activity.
The Samsung Chromebook 4 lacks touchscreen functionality. While its processor isn’t super speedy, it’s still reasonably priced, which is another selling point for parents of younger or school-going kids.
7. Lenovo Chromebook 100e
If you want a good, solid performer that can make it through the school year with your child, Lenovo’s Chromebook 100e is an excellent choice.
The portable, rugged and productive Chromebook is good for elementary school kids because of its drop-resistant design, touchpad with rubberized edges, and water-resistant keyboard.
Under the hood is a four-core ARM SoC (system on chip) MediaTek processor, with sufficient storage of 4GB RAM and 32GB SSD expandable with a microSD card.
Plus, it has a kid-friendly design 11.6 inch screen with anti glare technology, front-facing HD camera, and battery life of up to 10 hours so your child can learn all day on a single charge. However, the Lenovo Chromebook 100e is short on ports.
While the Lenovo Chromebook 100e is a budget-friendly laptop, it’s still strong and fast enough for schoolwork or light browsing – just don’t try to run anything too fancy on it.
Get the Right Chromebook for Your Child
Like most laptops, there’s huge demand for Chromebooks these days. You and your child may never have used a Chromebook before, but if you’ve used the Chrome web browser, you’re almost certainly familiar with how one works.
The best part about using a Chromebook for kids is that you can install and run more learning apps to teach your child math, music, writing, and reading. If you have an older child and want more than a pared down Chromebook, check out our guide on how to pick the right MacBook for you.
