How to Select a Computer for Your Child

Posted on the 10 February 2023 by Umargeeks

In this tech guide, we shall tell you How to Select a Computer for Your Child. We shall try to discuss the topic in detail. There are excellent solutions for any budget, whether your child aspires to be a live streamer, simply wants to do their schoolwork, or enjoys gaming. We dissect them.

Buying computers is not enjoyable. Yup. I truly meant it when I said it. There is a tonne of options, setups, and lingo. And promotions all the time. When you’re looking for a computer for a child who may or may not have a specific goal in mind, the purchasing scenario becomes much more complicated.

For instance, my kid needs a computer to do her schoolwork. My two boys are avid gamers who want to make a fortune by streaming on Twitch. Two very distinct demands for two entirely different use cases. We shall learn about How to Select a Computer for Your Child.

I’ve included a few of the most frequent requests from children along with their justifications for wanting a computer, such as gaming, academics, or even becoming the next famous YouTuber. Additionally, I’ve included a variety of choices at various price ranges.

Read more: The Best Gaming CPUs for Gamers

How to Get A Computer if Your child Desires to Play Video Games

Anecdotally speaking, a gaming PC has to be one of the most sought-after computer kinds, according to my children. This calls for a computer with sufficient processing power to run games like Fall Guys, Minecraft, Fortnite. And Call of Duty. Also included on that list is Roblox, however, unlike Minecraft, Roblox is a game that can play on virtually any device that can call a computer, regardless of how old it is.

What distinguishes a gaming computer from other types of computers? There are many factors involved. But the general concept is that you should have a specialized graphics card (GPU). Better visuals and performance provide gaming PCs thanks to stand-alone GPUs. Since graphics cards are expensive. Another drawback of adding a dedicated GPU to a computer is an increase in cost. We shall learn about How to Select a Computer for Your Child.

You can get away with a computer that has integrated graphics (a graphics processor that  incorporate into the CPU) if your youngster wants a gaming PC but doesn’t play any resource-intensive games (like Call of Duty or Red Dead Redemption 2). Heck, I’ve even had some luck with Fortnite on a computer I constructed using AMD’s extremely cost-effective Ryzen 3 3200G CPU’s integrated graphics processor.

What to watch out for How to Select a Computer for Your Child

What to look for: In addition to outstanding visuals, a gaming PC should have enough storage space (512GB is a good place to start) and at least 8GB of RAM, ideally 16GB. Here are a few suggestions for a gaming computer. We shall learn about How to Select a Computer for Your Child.

  • Intel Core i5/AMD Ryzen 3 5300G or newer processor.
  • Memory: 8GB minimum, 16GB preferred.
  • GPU for low-resolution gaming: Nvidia GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon RX 5500. For high-resolution gameplay, use the Nvidia RTX 30-series/AMD Radeon RX 6800.
  • Storage should be at least 512GB SSD. More than 1TB SSD is preferable.

The Kid Gaming Picks; How to Select a Computer for Your Child

HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop: includes an AMD Radeon RX 5500 GPU and an AMD Ryzen 3 5300G processor. All of which are more than adequate for 1080p performance on big titles. By including 8GB of memory and 512GB of storage in the Pavilion. HP trimmed corners to lower the price below $549.

Read more: How to Turn on WiFi If Function Key Is Not Working

The Aegis RS 11TC-405US gaming desktop: from MSI is a beautiful machine with a lot of performance for the money. With this choice, you’ll receive a well-rounded design that includes an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060. An Intel 11th Gen. i5 11400F CPU, 16GB of storage. and 1TB of SSD storage. Better still? It includes every piece of RGB lighting that gives a gaming PC its fantastic appearance.

Streaming Pro BLD Kit: The nicest thing about a gaming computer is that you don’t limit to the components that were inside it when you first got it. Streaming Pro BLD Kit If compatibility isn’t a problem, you may update the CPU, GPU, and RAM. Or add extra storage at any time. Building your gaming PC is an excellent option if you want to understand which components belong where. However, purchasing something like the NZXT Streaming Pro BLD Kit is a practical and enjoyable alternative to finding the parts on your own.

You get a toolset, step-by-step instructions. And modest savings in comparison to a pre-built gaming PC. Of the three gaming PCs mentioned here, the Streaming Pro model is the priciest and most powerful. It has a 32GB memory capacity. A1TB hard drive, an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X CPU. And an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. If this is the route you want to go but you don’t want a high-end system. There are more reasonably pricely BLD Kits. Look them up here. We shall learn about How to Select a Computer for Your Child.

Read more: Best 3 Laptops for College students

Only Schoolwork is Required of Your Child; How to Select a Computer for Your Child

You have a broader selection of choices and operating systems for fundamental daily computing chores, including schoolwork. For example, a student may easily complete classwork on a Chromebook. Whether it be on a specific school website or by creating a report in Google Docs. Naturally, there are many other setups and models available for Macs and Windows PCs alike (although the latter is more prevalent).

Search for a Mac or Windows system that has at least 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage within your specific price range. With 128GB and a cloud storage service like iCloud Drive, Google Drive. Or One Drive, you can get by. With 4GB of RAM, a Chromebook may still be used effectively. Because Google Drive is integrated into Chromebooks, storage capacity is less important than storage performance. Anything having eMMC storage should avoide as it is slower than an SSD and will affect performance.

  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 or newer, Intel Core i3
  • Memory: at least 8GB
  • N/A for the GPU
  • Storage: at least 256GB

Our Academic Work Picks Up; Lenovo Chromebook Duet: 

Lenovo Chromebook Duet: A Chromebook is a dependable and simple method to get a young person started with computers. They have a good track record for security, reasonably price, and often get software upgrades. The applications or websites that students use for learning operate on a Chromebook since they often use in educational settings. We shall learn about How to Select a Computer for Your Child.

You will also get access to the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides suite. One of my all-time favorite Chromebooks is the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, a 2-in-1 that costs around $300 and features a detachable keyboard. You also don’t need a Chromebook with a lot of storage because everything on it stores in your Google Drive account.

A Reasonable Choice

The Surface Pro 8; How to Select a Computer for Your Child

The Surface Pro 8 from Microsoft may not the most recent Surface Pro model, but it’s still a great choice for a student. The keyboard cover does not include with the basic model, which is present $400 less expensive than its usual $1,199 cost. Options for the Surface Keyboard start at $139, depending on the model and whether a stylus desire. An Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD are included in the Surface Pro 8 basic model. A Surface Pro 8 at this price is just as worthy of consideration as any other Surface choice from Microsoft.

Premium Choice; MacBook Air

Apple just revealed and unveiled a newly revamped MacBook Air. It has Apple’s newest M2 CPU, a bigger 13.6-inch display, and the company’s first significant overhaul in many years. The M2 features an 8-core CPU, an 8-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage in the basic model MacBook Air. Although the speed of the MacBook Air with an M2 CPU is excessive for elementary academics, your child can eventually grow into it. Even someone who performs light picture and video editing might benefit from it.

Your Child Aspires to Become a YouTuber

Any child above the age of five who doesn’t want to be a YouTube celebrity has yet to encounter. For the majority of youngsters, YouTube is their world, whether they are watching trick shots, playing video games, or unboxing gifts and playing with them. But if you want to a YouTuber, you need a machine that can handle hours and hours of video editing. We shall learn about How to Select a Computer for Your Child.

What to watch out for There are many similarities between a computer designed for gaming and one that is effective at video editing. To speed up the editing process, you need to to use a Windows PC with a dedicated GPU. However, unlike a gaming PC, editing films gives you the freedom to choose between Windows and Mac. With the most recent Apple Silicon processors having the processing and graphics capacity to complete the task, Apple’s Mac series is frequently utilized for video editing.

  • Intel Core i5/AMD Ryzen 3 5300G or newer processor.
  • Memory: 8GB minimum, however 16GB or 32GB is preferable for video editing.
  • GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5500 or Nvidia GTX 1650, or newer.
  • Storage should be at least 512GB SSD. More than 1TB SSD is preferable.

Our favorite young YouTubers

As a solid entry-level gaming laptop, the Acer Nitro 5 will tackle video and picture editing with the same zeal. A 15.6-inch monitor, an Intel Core i5 CPU, an Nvidia RTX 3050, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage are all included in this sub-$800 setup. It’s a simple setup that may get someone started with video editing and maybe even play a few games in their free time.

a reasonable choice; the 13-inch MacBook Pro

The M2 Apple Silicon processor was recently included in the 13-inch MacBook Pro. While the 13-inch MacBook Pro’s exterior hasn’t changed, the new CPU gives it greater performance. The 13-inch MacBook Pro’s standard configuration has an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. To have adequate space to keep and edit film, I’d advise increasing the RAM on this design to 16GB and maybe double the storage to 512GB. To make up for the storage capacity, you could always utilize an external SSD.

Premium Choice; the 14-inch MacBook Pro

The first Mac to sport Apple’s updated design, with a bigger display and a notch at the top, was the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Additionally, the MacBook Pro offers three Thunderbolt 4 connections, an SD card reader, and a MagSafe 3 connector for charging. The 14-inch MacBook Pro features a fresh look in addition to Apple’s M1 Pro Apple Silicon CPU, which performs as promised. For those who are concerned with specifications, the basic model has a 512GB SSD, an 8-core CPU, a 14-core GPU, and 16GB of RAM.

Keep in Mind that Many of the Possibilities are Similar

It doesn’t imply a computer can’t accomplish other things just because it can be used for gaming or video editing for your aspiring YouTuber. We shall learn about How to Select a Computer for Your Child.

For instance, video editing would be completely supported by all gaming computers. Parents who have children studying 3D or CAD design for video games or 3D printing have a variety of alternatives, including Windows and Mac. Both the gaming machines and any MacBook will do the job.

Although Macs are becoming more potent and game developers are beginning to pay attention, they are still not a viable gaming choice. You’re only truly constrained to one operating system in that situation.