I Need a Cheap, Reliable Chromebook for My Kid! What Gadget Should I Buy?

In this edition of “What Gadget Should You Acquire?” we endorse the greatest funds Chromebook for a school child.

I’ve tapped our attractive audience in past article content for this sequence, but currently I have the pleasure of aiding a colleague. Gizmodo senior reporter Andrew Liszewski is in research of a laptop computer for his six-calendar year-previous son who will generally use it for homeschooling.

As this system is intended for a K-12 pupil, it won’t have to have to run demanding duties in simple fact, Andrew tells me the laptop will be perpetually jogging Google Meet and otherwise uploading documents. Moreover ample efficiency to electricity straightforward responsibilities, the laptop desires at least a 13-inch display screen, a resilient chassis that can face up to a few knocks, and ideally a convertible variety issue (or at least a touchscreen). Andrew, who is changing an outdated MacBook that stopped charging, would like to commit no more than $US400 ($555).

Given their ease of use and lessen charge of entry, my intuition is to propose a Chromebook, a laptop computer that runs on Google’s light-weight, cloud-centric Chrome OS. Decent price range Home windows equipment exist, but if you want an cheap notebook that is simple to use and performs reliably over time, Chromebooks are commonly the best put to start out.

With that claimed, the Acer Chromebook Spin 513 is a sturdy solution. At $US350 ($486) to $US400 ($555), the Spin 513 sneaks into Andrew’s finances and checks all the proper packing containers. It flaunts a modern-day design and has a crisp 13.3-inch, 1080p screen, a convertible chassis, and extensive battery everyday living. The display screen is alternatively dim and this isn’t the quickest equipment thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c, but it’ll get the work finished so prolonged as Andrew’s kid does not sprout dreams of getting to be a famed YouTuber.

Picture: Lenovo

If Andrew can locate just one in his spending plan, the Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook is a very similar selection with rapidly performance, a handsome design, and a webcam Monica Chin at The Verge phone calls “surprisingly usable.” It can be acquired on Amazon for $US400 ($555) but I cannot guarantee our resident Canadian will locate a single for the exact price.

These are, admittedly, on the edge of Andrew’s funds and in all probability additional top quality than they require to be. If we’re wanting at the least expensive Chromebooks that’ll get the position finished, Acer’s Chromebook 315 Touch fees only $US229 ($318) and packs a huge 15.6-inch, 1080p touchscreen exhibit, and a decent Intel Celeron N4000 processor HP’s Chromebook x360 14 has excellent performance and a modern structure (although a aspect of me dies suggesting a laptop computer with a 1366 x 768-pixel display screen) and the Asus Chromebook C424 charges only $US250 ($347) and has a 14-inch, 1080p show, but lacks touch support.

Andrew explained to me he’d desire a convertible about a removable but if the latter is not completely out of the question then Lenovo’s Duet 5 Chromebook should really be a contender. It has an OLED show, an eye-catching structure, and the provided keyboard is surprisingly usable. Is it overkill? No doubt. But regretably, the less costly version of Lenovo’s hybrid pill is as well compact, as is the direct Asus rival, the Chromebook Removable CM3.

Photo: Alex Cranz/Gizmodo

Put down your pitchforks Home windows consumers, I will not exclude finances Personal computer options solely. Microsoft’s Surface area Laptop Go has a smaller 12.3-inch display screen and couple of ports, but the establish high quality is exceptional and you can get one on sale with a 10th Gen Intel Main i5 for just $US399 ($554). Asus’s Vivobook 15 is even much less expensive and comes with astonishingly capable factors, but once more, no touchscreen.

If I had to advise only a person machine to Andrew, it’d be the Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (or this on-sale Spin 514) for its modern, functional design and extensive battery lifestyle.

Would you endorse a thing else? Permit us know in the remarks! And if you require assistance choosing on which gadget to obtain, then fill out our uncomplicated questionnaire.