Whether or not the best Chromebooks for kids is better for the budding young minds in your family than the best laptops for kids is you and your children’s decision. The important factors to consider when whittling down your choice to one device, however, stay mostly the same. Chromebooks are essentially laptops, after all; they simply run on a different – if more lightweight – operating system, the ChromeOS.
Much like when deciding on the best laptop for your mini-me, the most important factors to consider when picking the best Chromebooks for kids are price, ruggedness, reliability, and longevity. So, don’t just go for the cheapest one you can find. Instead, do your research and choose the most affordable one you can find that boasts a solid build, enough power to see the kids through their schoolwork, and battery life to last a whole school day, if not longer.
If that sounds like too many metrics for you – whether it’s because you don’t know much about laptops or because you are simply too busy as a parent juggling an endless list of responsibilities – don’t fret. You can count on us to share our computing wisdom, and that’s what we’re here to do. For your perusing pleasure, here are the best Chromebooks for kids in 2021. All you need to do is pick the right one for your youngster and hit buy.
There aren’t a lot of Chromebooks out there that can surpass the Acer Chromebook Spin 311’s price to performance ratio, let alone add a great feature set to the mix. This is not just among the best Chromebooks out there; it’s one of the best value ones as well, offering that coveted 2-in-1 design, excellent touchscreen functionality, a 720p HDR webcam, and a USB-C port for a price of entry that’s less than those of its rivals. That design is great too, as are its keyboard and touchpad, which are surprisingly satisfying to use and more than what you’d usually find in a laptop this cheap.
Parents will appreciate the built-in malware protection of ChromeOS and this Chromebook’s 15-hour battery life while the kids will appreciate its light 2.31-pound weight because no child enjoys carrying a heavy backpack around. Finally, while Acer hasn’t shared any rugged ratings, this is a robust piece of kit, which everyone will appreciate.
Read the full review: Acer Chromebook Spin 311
One of the best looking Chromebooks is also among the most premium ones. The Google Pixelbook Go may be Google’s most affordably-priced offering, but as far as student Chromebooks go, it still costs a fortune. It’s perhaps not the best option for the younger kids. Middle and high school kids, however, will love that stylish chassis that they can show off to their friends and peers.
There’s more to it than its good looks, however. For a premium offering, there are some missing premium features here: a biometric login, perhaps. Yet there’s still plenty to love here.
You’re getting a premium Chromebook experience as well, its excellent performance only matched by its amazing keyboard that delivers a hushed operation and satisfying feedback. Since tweens and teens can’t help but stay in touch with friends, they’ll love that 1080p webcam – a feature that you’ll rarely find in most laptops these days.
Read the full review: Google Pixelbook Go
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook comes with many advantages for kids. It’s small and incredibly lightweight, making it an ideal addition to heavy backpacks full of books. It has a removable keyboard so that they can seamlessly switch to tablet mode when their homework is done. And, it has a breathtakingly long battery life, yielding a whopping 21-hour result during our testing. Since most laptops and Chromebooks top around 12 hours, this is pretty impressive.
Best of all, it’s cheap, which means you’re getting all that versatility for practically nothing. Some compromises have been made here and there, of course. Its trackpad and keyboard could be better. However, you’re already getting a lot for less – or at least, your kids are. That’s especially because they’re essentially getting two devices in one. In fact, we’d go as far as to say that this is among the best value 2-in-1 laptops out there.
Read the full review: Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook
The HP Chromebook x360 maxes out at more than $700, but that’s only if you want the works, internal-wise. While high school students might benefit from such higher configurations, they’re probably more than what the younger kids need. But, that’s exactly what makes this Chromebook from HP great – it comes in several configurations that tout various levels of power and three different screen sizes. That means that there are several options to choose from. Whatever grade your kid is in, there’s something in this line you’ll deem worthy.
As for the fun stuff, it has a great screen with touch and stylus support… if you want to give your creative child a little extra, that is. The stylus may not be included in the price of the Chromebook, but it’s an excellent addition if someone in your family dabbles in art or design (or really if they just want to be cool and take notes in class sans wasteful paper).
Read the full review: HP Chromebook x360
Young matriculating minds may be mostly focused on classroom duties when utilizing their Chromebook, but that doesn’t mean that accidents won’t happen. Drops, spills, and bumps are a kids’ laptop’s worst nightmare, and if you’re dealing with a particularly rowdy or accident-prone child, the Asus Chromebook Flip C214 is among the best Chromebooks for kids. This clamshell is designed to take a beating, with an all-round rubber bumper, a chassis that’s scratch-resistant, a keyboard that’s spill-resistant, and hinges that will probably outlive your kid’s childhood days.
The two USB-C ports, stylus support and touchscreen, 2-in-1 design, and long battery life are mere – though still much appreciated – icing on the cake. Need more? It even has two cameras – on above the screen and one below the keyboard that’s meant to be world-facing when it’s in tablet mode. That’s quite a feature set from a laptop that’s way under $500.