Best laptop for 11 year old

[DOREEN1779]

I am looking to buy my 11 year old a laptop for Christmas. I want him to get used to using one because next year his program at school will require a lot of e-mailing to the teacher and PowerPoint presentations. I don't want top of the line but would like something around the $750.00 range, give or take a $100. Any suggestions?

 

[LJSquishy]

Costco always has great prices on laptops if you are a member. They mostly carry HPs and Dell.

You will be able to get a great laptop for around $800 so that is good news! I would focus on a laptop with a core i5 or i7 processor, and make sure it has an internal CD/DVD drive -- not all do! It's easy to hook up an external drive, but kind of a pain and it's something extra that has to be carried around with the laptop. If you don't think he'll need to use a CD very often, you probably don't need to worry about it.

If you get one with Windows 8 installed (which I'm not a fan of), you may want to consider a touchscreen laptop. Touchscreen laptops are still definitely in your budget. Windows 8 does have a "regular" mode that mimics Windows 7 more, but it's not quite as nice as the real thing...and Windows 8 is just easier with a touchscreen.

Take a look at reviews on Amazon, Best Buy, Cnet, etc.

 

[lindsmom]

I would recommend you look at either an ASUS or a Lenovo. Asus is actually a primary manufacturer of most hardware you will find in other computers (like HP and Dell) so you get more bang for your buck by buying the ASUS directly. I have had an ASUS for years - the print on the letter keys is wearing off, yet this little trooper is going strong (knock on wood).

I got my daughter (11 last year) a lenovo last year - you'll find lots of IT people like them. They are sturdy (she can be flaky about where she leaves it and I wanted something that would bounce well).

I agree about Windows 7 versus 8. I can't stand windows 8 at all, but haven't tried it on a touchscreen - it was designed for tablets, which you can see when you use it. But if you use a standard laptop it is a hassle.

$750 is a generous budget for a starter laptop.

 

[wiigirl]

I would recommend you look at either an ASUS or a Lenovo. Asus is actually a primary manufacturer of most hardware you will find in other computers (like HP and Dell) so you get more bang for your buck by buying the ASUS directly. I have had an ASUS for years - the print on the letter keys is wearing off, yet this little trooper is going strong (knock on wood).

I got my daughter (11 last year) a lenovo last year - you'll find lots of IT people like them. They are sturdy (she can be flaky about where she leaves it and I wanted something that would bounce well).

I agree about Windows 7 versus 8. I can't stand windows 8 at all, but haven't tried it on a touchscreen - it was designed for tablets, which you can see when you use it. But if you use a standard laptop it is a hassle.

$750 is a generous budget for a starter laptop.

x2 for ASUS

 

[DOREEN1779]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. Based on what has been said, do you think I budgeted too high for a 11 year old? I want him to have something nice but will he really use some of these features?

 

[lindsmom]

I would think you could find something in the $500 range (that doesn't include office, though - if you need powerpoint) that would be plenty for an 11 year old. Keep in mind the lifespan of a laptop is really no more than about 3 years so I wouldn't want you to be disappointed spending too much and it not lasting. Look for the best processor you can find - i5 or i7, moderate ram but you don't need a terrabyte (sp?) of memory. You also don't NEED smoking video or sound - those are upsold for serious gamers.


I am currently looking for something for my DH for xmas and I hope to spend in the $300 - $400 range, although we usually go refurbs.

 

[MarciaBrady]

I have my mom's old MacBook (she gave it to me when she bought a new one) and I really like it, even if it is a bit quirky and acts up sometimes. But IDK how much new Mac laptops cost.

 

[3angelsmom]

I researched and purchased a laptop about a month ago primarily for our DD12 and DD10 to use for school. I received a lot of recommendations for Dell and Lenovo. I had about a $500-$600 budget.

I ended up with a Windows 8 touch screen Dell with i5 processor purchased on sale at Sam's Club. So far we like it and have not had any issues, but there is a definite learning curve with Windows 8. Definitely budget for MS Office. We had a compatibility issue when DD12 had a group project. The free Office software we've never had a problem before with caused problems for a power point presentation.

I strongly recommend staying away from HP. The HP I bought a few years ago was a decent machine but developed problems after a year. Their customer service was the absolute WORST I have ever encountered and I will never purchase another for that reason alone.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

The latest version of Windows is 8.1. It is a big improvement over 8.0.

 

[jannylynn]

The latest version of Windows is 8.1. It is a big improvement over 8.0.

The best thing is that it boots up so fast compared to older Windows. No more waiting just to get started! I LOVE IT!!!

BestBuy currently has a touch screen ASUS for $399 that seems decent. I'm doing some research on it as we might buy 3 of them.

 

[lauradis]

750 is alot for starter laptop. think around 300-500, then use difference for software.

people are right about laptops are throw away computers for most part think every 3-5 years.

expect to get him new one no later then 10 grade.

you can buy student version of power points for around 100-150 which is good for 3 different computers.

we have two asus in house haven't had any werido problems. ones 4 years old and its mostly used as a glorified dvd player, other one is 1 old and used alot.

 

[ldo]

our practice: we buy as cheap as we can with decent performance--as we have had several computers that got viruses and it cost a lot of $$ to get rid of some viruses. The more kids go online for lyrics, youtube, online games, etc. the greater the chance for viruses--at least in our house. We are not tech savvy, so we can only do limited things to try to get rid of the viruses--and yes, we had anti-virus software.
We pay under $500 and then just toss it in a few years--as upgrades have come out anyway. We did this for our desktop--bought it for $299, bad virus 4 years later, bought a replacement for $399 (just missed black Friday sales). I would look for a good deal after Thanksg. Also, my tweens/teens use Word and Powerpoint for school and that's about it. If you have to buy that separately, that will be an additional $100 or so--sometimes you can get a package.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

our practice: we buy as cheap as we can with decent performance--as we have had several computers that got viruses and it cost a lot of $$ to get rid of some viruses. The more kids go online for lyrics, youtube, online games, etc. the greater the chance for viruses--at least in our house. We are not tech savvy, so we can only do limited things to try to get rid of the viruses--and yes, we had anti-virus software.
We pay under $500 and then just toss it in a few years--as upgrades have come out anyway. We did this for our desktop--bought it for $299, bad virus 4 years later, bought a replacement for $399 (just missed black Friday sales). I would look for a good deal after Thanksg. Also, my tweens/teens use Word and Powerpoint for school and that's about it. If you have to buy that separately, that will be an additional $100 or so--sometimes you can get a package.

That's crazy! I got my first PC in 1983 and not once have I gotten a virus. You need better protection.

To the OP, consider spending enough to get a laptop with a touchscreen. Windows 8.1 was designed for a touchscreen and works much better if you have one.