Chromebooks have come a long way since their inception as low-cost cloud notebooks, and the best chromebooks available fit the bill as viable alternatives to MacBooks and Windows laptops. Chrome OS is a lightweight operating system that can do just about anything these days.
The combination of an often affordable price tag and compact design make Chromebooks a great option for kids around the house or students going back to school. While kids may know what a Chromebook is and exactly what they want, parents often have a hard time navigating the wide spectrum of devices. That’s why we’ve put together this guide of seven things every parent needs to know before buying a Chromebook.
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1. Chromebooks have an expiration date
Every Chromebook comes with something called an Auto Update Expiration (AUE) date, after which Google will stop guaranteeing security (and other software) updates. While these Chromebooks won’t suddenly stop working, they won’t be as secure or useful as newer devices that get updates. This fact is often confused by retailers who want to offload older Chromebooks to unsuspecting buyers.
Google has a list of Chromebooks and their AUE dates that you can browse through to see when the Chromebook you have your eye on will stop receiving updates. Even if you find a stellar deal somewhere, a close AUE date means you’re essentially buying a stopgap laptop that will last for years to come.
Chromebooks will not stop working when they reach their AUE date, and if anyone wants to continue updating their Chromebook beyond AUE, there is something called LaCrOs (Linux and Chrome Operating Systems) that allows Chrome to be updated with Chrome OS. separates the browser from which it can receive updates after it receives updates for Chrome OS. LaCrOs is a way to safely keep using your Chromebook in some capacity.
2. Touch displays are a big deal on Chromebooks
Part of the beauty of Chrome OS is that it can handle running many of the best Android apps, giving the user plenty of additional software to play with. These apps, which include everything from games to educational aids, are designed to work with the touch display on your phone, and thus they make a great replacement for the touch display on a Chromebook. And since many kids grow up using touchscreens on phones and tablets, it’s natural to gravitate toward touch-enabled Chromebooks.
While older kids and students certainly do well using the touchpad and keyboard, having additional touch functionality opens up another level of versatility when using a laptop at school. Touch displays typically don’t add much cost to a Chromebook, so finding a laptop with touch is recommended.
3. Consider Durability
Buying a new Chromebook for kids usually means you want something extra durable. It’s perfect for more mature students who take their laptops with them everywhere, and in that case, one of the best Chromebook sleeves can help keep the hardware looking new. It’s hard to tell when buying how well a Chromebook will stand up to regular use and abuse, which is why we recommend reading as many reviews (professional and amateur) as possible. Buying something durable will save you from going back to the store before you’re ready to upgrade.
Likewise, it’s worth noting how easy it is to reset the Chromebook if your child runs into trouble. Factory resetting a system running Chrome OS takes only a few minutes, and all you have to do is wait while your apps are downloaded again on the new system. This makes a parent’s job a lot easier as all they have to do after the system reset is to sign their child back in so they can start where they left off.
4. Large screen means easy multitasking
Many Chromebooks prefer to focus on portability, meaning a larger display set in a smaller chassis. And while it’s always nice to have a portable laptop if you’re going to have to lug it around in a backpack all day, there’s a good one where the tradeoff doesn’t hurt productivity. Most people recommend sticking with something between 13 and 15 inches, especially if you’re buying for a student. Anything smaller and your student will have a hard time fitting everything on the screen, and anything larger, and your student will find that it’s not as easy to carry.
On the other hand, if you’re shopping for a small child, you may want to buy something in the 11-inch range. It’ll be much easier for smaller hands to hold, and you’ll likely pay less.
5. A convertible design adds a ton of versatility
There are three primary designs to be aware of in the laptop world. First, there is the standard clamshell notebook with a lid that opens up to a maximum of 180 degrees; There’s the 2-in-1, where the keyboard and touchpad can separate completely from the tablet portion, and the convertible with a lid that rotates nearly 360 degrees while attached.
While all of these types of laptops will serve the same basic functions, buying a convertible or 2-in-1 for your child will open them up to more uses. They’ll be able to jot down notes with an active pen (as long as the Chromebook supports inking), set the laptop up to watch TV or movies, and ease touch functionality into tablet mode. Keep an eye out for these designs to increase productivity and ease of use for your child.
6. Battery life is especially important at school
Many Chromebooks list long battery life as a major selling feature, but not every Chromebook can live up to the advertised numbers. I would say that most laptops sold anywhere in the world come with an increased number of hours you can get from a charge. That’s why it’s so important to check out Chromebook reviews that provide real-world battery life tests.
Something that hits closer to eight hours is great (meaning it’ll last most of the school day), but if you’ve got to splurge on something with less battery life, always consider a battery bank or some extra AC adapters. There is an option to add. Chromebooks use a USB-C cable to charge, and almost any laptop charger with an oval hookup will work in a pinch. Our collection of the best Chromebook chargers has both an adapter and a bank to help your kid get as much battery life as possible.
7. Get the Right Display for Your Child
Parents buying a Chromebook for young children won’t need to worry too much about getting enough performance to handle normal games and video streaming. Even a budget Chromebook can handle these tasks with relative ease, so don’t just go with a thousand-dollar Chromebook for your young child.
Students, on the other hand, will need to multitask and — depending on their age and education level — work with apps that add up to more system resources. Intel’s Core processors are among the best processors you’ll find in today’s Chromebooks. Even some Intel in Core i3 flavor will provide adequate performance compared to the Celeron or ARM-based CPUs you’ll find in budget laptops.
There’s also memory (RAM) and storage to address. Chromebooks for younger kids typically don’t need more than about 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. For older students, it is generally recommended to find a Chromebook with 8 GB of RAM and more storage space. This will help with multitasking and especially with memory hungry apps. On the storage side, a Chromebook with a genuine M.2 solid-state drive (SSD) will see much faster load times than a Chromebook with slower eMMC storage. How much RAM a Chromebook actually needs depends on what the student plans to do on it.
Buying a great Chromebook as a parent
Parents buying a new Chromebook for their kids can make the landing smooth by avoiding the pitfalls mentioned here. Checking out our collection of the best Chromebooks can help too, as all of these devices have been tested by pros who know what to look for.
One of the best ways to get your child up and running on a Chromebook is to know how it works; That’s why having your own Chromebook isn’t a bad idea. As a bonus, you can always give it to the kids if they outgrow theirs or if they need a temporary replacement while they’re being repaired. If we’re making any suggestions in this regard, the Lenovo Duet 3 Chromebook is a great choice for parents due to its 2-in-1 versatility, 2K resolution touch display, and ample configuration options.
In short, touch displays go a long way on Chromebooks, and adding touch functionality doesn’t drastically increase the price in most cases. You’ll want to make sure AUE isn’t in the very near future (or risk missing important security and software updates), and you’ll want to research overall durability by reading reviews.
Next, determine how large a display works best for your child or student, and you may want to buy a convertible for added versatility. Finally, make sure the display hardware in the Chromebook you’re considering can keep pace with your child’s workflow.
bonus tip
Port selection matters in that it can help boost productivity for your child or student. Fret not if everything else checks out while the ports aren’t as generous as you’d like. You can always add one of the best Chromebook docks and docking stations to broaden the connectivity potential with any laptop.
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lenovo chromebook flex 3
great for grade school
The 11-inch Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook is compact, has a convertible design, and doesn’t go overboard with expensive display hardware. It’s great for young children or grade schoolers who want to use a touch display, and it will get them used to keyboards and touchpads as well.
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Source: Acer
acer chromebook spin 513
great for high school
Acer’s Chromebook Spin 513 is a convertible laptop that features a 13.3-inch FHD IPS touch display with more screen space for easy productivity. It is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 7c processor with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage. best part? The battery just settles and goes. Some models even have 4G LTE connectivity, which means your student can stay in touch even when out of Wi-Fi range (very important as a teen).
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acer chromebook spin 714
a step to college
College students and older kids will be more likely to engage in workflow beyond the usual lightweight productivity apps, so a laptop that’s better suited for multitasking makes sense. Acer’s Chromebook Spin 714 features a 14-inch touch display with crisp 1920×1200 resolution, 12th-generation Intel Core i5-1235U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD.
