Shopping for a laptop can be stressful – doubly stressful if you or your children will be learning online for the first time. Students of different ages have a range of different laptop use cases and different needs.

My recommendations are meant to accommodate a variety of preferences and price ranges. But they’re a jumping-off point rather than an exhaustive list. I’ll do my best to keep this article up to date with items that are in stock.

For younger students, a touchscreen device is easier to use than a keyboard and touchpad. Michelle glogovac’s five-year-old son uses an iPad for WebEx meetings with his kindergarten class.

Glogovac has to type her son’s meeting codes and passwords for him, which can be cumbersome on the iPad’s flat screen.

As kids get older, their best laptop choice will vary depending on their needs. As a parent, you and your child are in sync about how they intend to use it and the size of the programs they want.

Kristin Wallace purchased a budget HP laptop for her daughter, Bella, but did n’t realize how quickly the nine-year-old would fill up 32GB of storage. I need a computer with more storage space,’ she said.

Audio quality is an important consideration for kids’ laptops. Lisa Mitchell, an elementary library media specialist, says her students use their devices to watch YouTube videos in addition to their online classes.

If you’re using a tablet, get a protective case. Durability is also worth paying for, according to Mitchell.

Middle school students do n’t use their laptops for much more than web-based schoolwork and browsing. Prioritize a machine that’s comfortable and easy for your child to use.

‘we just got the most basic Chromebook and it is totally perfect,’ says Gabrielle Hartley, an attorney and mother of three children.

‘most eighth graders are n’t going to be running any video games on their laptops or any software that requires a lot of power’.

Max mostly uses his laptop for Google classroom applications. He describes it as’ a run-of-the-mill Samsung Chromebook’.

Sam Hickman, an eighth grader from the UK uses his laptop for photo and video editing. He says any processor developed within the last two years will be able to handle any tasks they can throw at it.

An 11- to 13-inch model is nothing larger than 15 inches. It’s easy for middle school kids to typing for long periods of time.

Miles riehle, a student at Laguna Beach high school, has a high-end Surface Pro 7 but finds it overwhelming.’there is so much other stuff that I do n’t use very often,’ he said.

Aryan nambiar, a student at Barrington high school in Illinois, has an iMac at home and enjoys using an iPad for schoolwork. He says he would prefer a Chromebook because he has an Android phone and often uses Google services.

The most important feature of a high school laptop is portability. There are a 13- or 14-inch screen, or a lighter 15- to 17-inch model.

High schoolers can throw their laptop in their bag without too much care. Backpacks can be jostled in the hallway as well.

Many high schoolers do n’t have frequent breaks to juice up their devices, so try to find something that can last a full day.

The touchscreen is always a bonus for drawing diagrams. riehle uses a surface pen to fill out school forms and annotate copies.

A junior at Yahya Kemal college in North Macedonia recommends an LTE model. Matej plavevski, a junior, recommends looking for an Internet port. There’s a slew of affordable dongles and docks to consider.

Assad Abid, an electrical engineering undergrad from Pakistan, needs to run simulation software for his assignments. Students also noted that it’s worthwhile to pay for a laptop that will last for a few years after graduation.

Students stressed that a college laptop should be light. Expect to bring it between classes, meals, meetings, the library, and other locations on campus.

Waseem, who uses an HP spectre, says the all-day juice gives him’the flexibility to study in a bunch of different locations, and even outside’.

Many college students are now back to in-person classes. Some will still be meeting with clubs and attending events online. Some college students still have to attend in-person classes.