Community Newsletter: Q&A: Laptop recommendation for children
- 6/20/08 12:13 PM
BESTTTTTTTTTTTTBUY
by bobbybob3680 - 5/16/08 8:28 PM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
AMASING DEALS! i got a dualcore laptop with webcam, windows vista home premium, wifi built in, 856 mb of graphics, 160gig hardrive data antishock protection, and 2 gigs of ram for only $450 INCLUDING TAX! bestbuy is the BEST
What kind of laptop
by djnova50 - 5/16/08 8:40 PM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
My sons have been using full size keyboards since they were younger than your boys. So, the main thing would be to buy the biggest size laptops that you can afford to buy. The reason is that they won't stay young indefinitely. If you get laptops with full size keyboards, they can last your boys for a long time, maybe even see them through high school.
I don't have any specific recommendations as far as brands go. Shop around and see what you can find.
I'd get something sturdy with a strong battery...
by sircanegiem - 5/16/08 9:06 PM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I work at the PC deployment department for a fortune 500 company, and also have a PC repair business on the side where I see many laptops and desktops every month.
If you're getting a portable laptop for your kids, you'd probably want something durable with long battery life above all else, and from my experience I suggest looking at IBM and Lenovo. Time and time again, I've found they hold up the longest over other laptops and have acceptable battery life. The touchpads and trackpoints are also more accurate than others I've used.
--ThinkPad T41--
The IBM ThinkPad T41 is an older model with a ~1.6GHz Pentium M processor, but is pretty rigidly built and can be had for $300 or so online and could handle Runescape just fine. I've had employees send me back their T41's after their 3 year lease expired and after a good cleaning they still function and look like new. 3D performance for their age is pretty mediocre, but this wouldn't affect Runescape performance, as RS is rendered through the processor. More info is available here: http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/lenovo-thinkpad-t41-2379/4505-3121_7-30567436.html
--ThinkPad T60/T61--
Two of the newer models are the T60 and T61. Cheapest I could find was the T60 for $500. The T60 and T61 come default with Core Duo and Core 2 Duo processors, and also with Radeon x1300 and Intel GMA x3100 video cards, respectively -- but all of the above can be upgraded if necessary. The video cards aren't high-end, but would be fine for light gaming and the Vista Aero interface. If interested in the T61 though, I'd get the 15.4" widescreen, because the 14.1" is rather small.
As far as durability/battery life is concerned, these are by far the sturdiest laptops I've ever held, and I can pick them up from any edge without any chassis flex; however the T61 still feels a bit more sturdy between the two. Battery life is ~4 hours, and up to ~8 hours with the high capacity battery from my experience. The fingerprint scanner is a handy bonus too. More info on the T60/T61 can be found here: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T_Series
There are some other laptops that I could recommend, but if I were a parent I'd want the laptops to be able to survive drops and rough handling, and IBM/Lenovo laptops have always been very tough. I also don't want to make you read a ten-page post! Hope this helps!
T42 series better for about the same money
by ralphclark - 5/17/08 2:56 AM In reply to: I'd get something sturdy with a strong battery... by sircanegiemI agree with everything you said, as per my earlier post. The T42 series has better power management though, and the T42p is available with ATI FireGL T2 graphics, it's based on the MR9600 platform and is DirectX10-capable.
Christopher & Caleb's Dad
by rlwilson11 - 5/16/08 9:31 PM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Bob,
I'm also a father, my son's are 15 and 11. I have learned from experience that making a large investment in electronics and handing it over to my kids, was not my best moments. knowing that there is always the chance their going to do something to destroy it, I hovered over them like a hawk. they did not understand the cost invovled. I know intentions are good, but reality is reality. They're too young Bob, but if you are set in getting them laptops, I would suggest the panasonic toughbook. It can take the abuse, and most likely survive. Buy the extended warranty!
You need to consider the fact that down the road it's not easy to upgrade a laptop(s), I would buy or build them a desktop system(s) for home and two portable DVD players for the road or plane. Buy yourself a laptop that fits your needs, they still can use it to check email, surf the net and play games, when your traveling.
You will get more out of a laptop at this point then they will. I would wait until they're in High School to buy them a laptop, this way they can be involved in the purchase, use it in college, and appreciate the value. You will save alot of stress and a load of money, odds being that boys will be boys and things get destroyed.
Best of Luck,
Rob
Don't get 'too much' for them at that age
by nickphotoguy - 5/16/08 10:23 PM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
One thing I would keep in mind when buying a laptop for a child - especially one that's still not a teenager yet, is what are you planning on letting them do with it. If its just simple stuff, or if they 'absolutely have' to have the latest games on it. A few points - one) many of the new games coming out, even kids games, need surprisingly high requirements, so maybe check out what it requires at the low end. I doubt you'll find a bargain laptop with 256megs of video ram and pixel shader and tons of ram and 6 gigs of hard drive space without spending close to a couple grand, and then you're better off just getting them a DS or a Wii LOL
two) once you know what programs you want them to have, find a system that would match it. Now remember that you can get by with a lot less than the requirements.
Since the kids you're buying them for are still pretty young, your best bet is to go the used route. At that age, a laptop is still a 'toy', so you'll more than likely have to clean cookie crumbs, juice, milk and possibly un-determinable goo from it. Would you want to give them even a $500 bargain system if it'll get bricked in a few months - doubtful. So troll eBay or Craigslist or whatever site you happen to like. I would stay in the $50-200 range. I'm doing this post on an IBM Thinkpad T22 that I got on ebay with a DVD/CDRW and wifi card and 2 batteries for less than $200. And it runs at 900mhz, so its still plenty to run XP Pro, Office, Photoshop, even a few games that don't require huge video ram.
They still have at least 2-3 years before they get to the age when they feel like they need 'more power' or something 'cooler'. As long as you have a DVD drive, wifi card (since hey why do you need another cord in addition to power messing up your life?), and at least 2 usb ports or a hub so you can plug in an external mouse and/or keyboard and possibly a joystick. Kids don't want to play a game that requires keypads. I know when I was a little kid playing on Apple ][e's and having to use the keypad was really boring. At least 256 in ram and a decent hard drive, at least 10 gigs. As for monitor size, big is good, but you can find a 13.4" screen model far cheaper sometimes. And its easier for them to pick up and carry or for you to stow in a computer case with your own 'nicer' computer if you so wish. I know in my basic Targus case, I could carry a larger Vaio laptop and this Thinkpad (or the Thinkpad and a Canon slim scan scanner) in the same case.
Now for OS - Mac is pretty easy for kids, and they like the colors, plus if their school is all Mac, then its a big plus if they have the same Operating environment at home. But used Macs hold their value more than their PC counterparts. Even now a 400-500mhz Mac PowerBook will still fetch more than $200 and that may or may not include a DVD or CD-RW drive. But if they're using Mac programs and are learning on Macs, then its worth it to keep that going at home. If their school is running XP or Vista, then yeah get a Windows machine.
But just don't spend more than a couple hundred on it. Laptops are not nearly as robust as a desktop and in the hands of a child, could easily die in a short time. So the less you spend the better. Besides, if you find the right seller, he/she may even give you a deal if you buy more than one. If you've got two kids, then I would really suggest two laptops. Preferably identical or close to it. Or they're going to be playing tug of war with it. So look for a laptop that 'feels' sturdy, don't go necessarily by brand, each is put together a bit different from model to model. But if you can, look for something designed for business/corporate users as they sometimes have more rugged hinges, casings and are intended to be used and abused a bit. Wouldn't be a bad idea to get them to equate "laptop" with "glass". Kids CAN be extremely careful if they want to be. But still going the used route means that even if the kids did break something on it, its a used laptop, you didn't invest lots into it. And hey buying a used laptops keeps them out of landfills and lets them enjoy a longer operational life! Think green HAHa
And this goes without saying, install a good antiviral and NetNanny like program on it as well. Even if you only let them use it when you're around, unless you keep it locked up, a laptop with a wifi connection is an easy thing for a child to hide away and play with.
But I wish you and your two kids all the best in finding them a good computer. Hope you have fun!
A few suggestions
by warpete - 5/16/08 11:39 PM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Bob, firstly, it's no one’s business other than your own what you purchase for your own children. Ages 9 & 11--you have my condolences! 
I love that you said "maybe I'm being delusional"--possibly, but we need to look at what is factual, and what is not. The real stumbling block here is "Gaming". No matter what anyone tells you, the words "Laptop" and "Gaming" don't belong in the same sentence. Any Bob's Bargain Basement Laptop will surf the net and do word Processing, but gaming is an entirely different story and I sense that you are aware of that. That being said, I would first insist that both Laptops have Windows XP Pro installed---not Vista. This is still possible, although you may have to purchase the Vista upgrade for the "future" (after June 30th). A good bet here would be Dell. I have owned three Dell Laptops--the first purchased in 2000 (Inspiron 5000e). My 5000e still works like a charm, although I removed all of Dell's “stuff” and installed XP Pro. I am one who will probably go from Xp straight to Windows 7. Secondly, with a 9 year old it is possible that his Laptop may occasionally be used as a Frisbee. My top priority, if I were wearing your shoes, would be purchasing both Laptops from reputable companies and ensuring that you have both normal coverage AND also accidental damage coverage. I had one instance with a Black Lab maniac Puppy who thought my Dell XPS-M1710 was home plate and slid into it. When a Black Lab’s nose hits a 1920 x 1200 UXGA Laptop screen at approx. 12 MPH, damage can (and did) result. I would want this coverage through the manufacturer----not the “extended warranty" a store may offer. Please remember, it's not certain that some retail stores will survive this economy, and if the store where you purchase your Laptop's goes belly-up, you could be in for a large headache. Many Laptops can be "user upgraded" at a later date which has its benefits. The price of DDR2 memory has fallen so much in the past year that you should consider 2GB’s of memory. One Gigabyte at a minimum is a must. The most powerful Graphic's Card available for the model you choose is also a must. That is even more important then a faster CPU.
I think it IS possible to get what you want, as long as the boys don't intend to play games such as "Crysis". That just simply isn’t possible with a lower-end Laptop and even gives my Dell XPS-M1710 Gaming laptop fits. I’ve been a system’s builder for many, many years, and I do a lot of service work for clients. By far the easiest Laptops I have worked with are Dell, and let’s face it, Dell didn’t get to be a big as they are because of junk products. I may also suggest that you email Dell (or any other manufacturer) with the same question you asked here. Email Dell, HP, Acer to name a few. With the introduction of 45nm Technology for Laptops, power requirements (and heat output) have eased up a bit and battery life extended somewhat. I would suggest purchasing Laptops with this Technology if at all possible.
Lastly, times have changed since I was a child. My parents purchased one of the first TV sets in our area. I think that if a child is “shielded” from computers and the Internet, they could be severely hindered later on. Kids today can’t believe that a world ever existed without computers---and who was Elvis? So, getting them to learn at a very young age is a smart thing to do. Your prowess as a parent will dictate how they use the Internet. I applaud you for seeking advice and good luck!
Re: Suggestions for notebooks for your children.
by dwinget - 5/17/08 1:33 AM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I would recommend that you consider the ASUS EEEPC line of notebooks. These notebooks are built rugged and are reasonably priced. The hard drives are actually solid state chips instead of mechanical drives with moving parts. Although these ultra notebooks are good, there are some limitations. The limitations include a low amount of hard drive space (4gb - 20gb, no built-in optical drive, small keyboard, and small screen (7" or 9").
These notebooks come with either Linux or Windows XP. The Linux version comes with many applications preinstalled and many users have praised the ease-of use.
For a higher price, you could get an HP 2133 mini-note. However, there is not much price difference between this and several lower-end notebooks that are more powerful and have features not included on the mini-note.
You're not delusional!
by lhillstad - 5/17/08 3:01 AM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Bob's question is one that I see more and more. Protecting a laptop or notebook PC is a big business, everything from carrying cases to ruggedized PC's have been or are being used. I would recommend 2 things: #1. Teach your children that they are working with an expensive piece of technology that is going to be their connetion with the world. Show them the proper way to use, carry and store their laptop. #2. Buy accidental damage insurance for the first year. If the kids forget to take care of their laptops, you will only lose the time it takes to repair or replace. Just remember that if you do #1 correctly, you will never have to worry about #2.
As far as what to purchase, I believe that your requirements will lead you to models in the 900.00 to 1400.00 range. This is the most popular price range and you can get some good deals, just remember to do your research and scan the costomer reviews on CNET or other sources before you put your money down.
Hope that I could be of help!
Larry H.
Laptop for children
by tomhinin - 5/17/08 3:52 AM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Asus makes a eeePC that is dynamite for children. You can get it with windows or Linux. Small but still gets the job done. It has built in wireless, no hard drive(flash memory), and best of all its relatively cheap. $350-$450 so if they drop it you are not out a lot of money. I like how the keyboard is sized for children. I am trying to get 25 for a kindergarten computer lab that I teach. Take a look, I think you'll be impressed.
EEE PC?
by Hodgelett - 5/17/08 3:55 AM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I'm no expert, but the EEE Pc is a fiarly budget ready-to go notebook system http://eeepc.asus.com/global/product.htm and as you can see from the pictures it's tiny.
Frankly in terms of hardware 'RuneScape' doesn't qualify as 'gaming'. It's extremely light on graphics etc, unless it's changed radically in the 4 or so years since I played it! (Ah memories!) When people talk about gaming pcs they're asking if it will run the latest games found on the store shelves with crazy fps, shadows, blood splatter etc. In which case...a notebook isn't really an option, they need good video cards and those really only apply to desktops.
So in the end it really depends what games you are allowing them to play 'offline' and how long you expect the notebook to last them. I can foresee the 11yr old outgrowing a basic one quickly and requiring a high-end gaming one, which would start at $1000.
Hope that helps!
Well, depends on the price.
by Sasuto Uchiha - 5/17/08 4:01 AM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
There are several laptops out there, and i hope you try to go out and see which ones interest you at a local store like best buy, however, do NOT buy them from best buy, always buy online or a website, (www.newegg.com), as they are so much cheaper than local stores. A gaming laptop is going to be quite expensive, since i don't know your spending budget, a good starting laptop would be the ASUS EEE PC, howeever, if your budget is around the $900 dollar range, the ASUS F3 Series F3KA-X4 NoteBook has quite a good video card. Website's here http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220305
Just keep looking around and try to find a laptop with more than 2GB of ram, if it has Vista and only has 1 GB of ram, don't buy it, it'll be really slow.
Laptops:
by LonnieJJ - 5/17/08 5:05 AM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
My kids were young when they started ,too. Never got laptops but had the whole PC problem. Look for some obvious things like a huge hard drive, plenty of ram and core 2 or the latest processor that's out. A fast processor is good to have for gaming, so is alot of ram. Also get something with a pretty good video card. Gaming requires good graphics, net gaming especially. PRICE?? Don't think I've seen good prices for this type of product anywhere. In a laptop you're probably looking at anywhere from 1400 and up. Get something they can grow with. Less expensive, less productive and not up-to-date PC's will probably become dinosaurs quicker.
Lonnie
I agree with the 'cons' replies
by jboroman - 5/17/08 6:33 AM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Laptops aren't particularly suited to kids. Right off the bat you mention gaming. That's gonna be the main cost factor because a laptop capable of gaming is necessarily a high-end computer. For travel you're way better off with portable DVD...and books and writing pads. A kid can't wait a few days to read 'important' email? Sounds like 'conspicuous consumption' and 'spoiling' to me.
Out of luck
by deaths_little_helper - 5/17/08 6:46 AM In reply to: Laptop recommendation for children by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
With Vista quickly becoming your only option, as it is also a hardware hog, you're not going to get anything resonable...the price jump with vista, just in hardware makes any "deal" on the rest insignificant. Also, no child (under age 15) should be alowed there own email address, and I think 13-15 should have a parent-guided email address...buying one laptop may cut your costs, and maybe even help teach some sharing/carring between the two as well...I don't pretend to know your kids, they may be the best of friends so lets not go any further down that road...
On to the next point, durability, there kids...they will break it, so if you do buy them one, or one for each, go to Best Buy, they have a three-year warranty that allows "accidental" damage (dropping, spilling etc) and will replace it no questions asked...but it's more expensive (trust me, you get your money's worth!) Also, have you thought about wireless networking yet?
Good luck, don't want to give you the wrong idea here, just be safe, and don't let them talk to strangers etc etc etc
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