The Acer Aspire 5 is a good option for most kids, as it ticks a lot of boxes. It’s robust, inexpensive, and performance is fast enough for everyday tasks like writing assignments and browsing the web. The keyboard has a spacious layout as well, which is perfect for longer typing sessions. While that’s all well and good, the internal components are really what makes this laptop a good buy. Let’s crack open the hood, yeah?

This laptop is packing an Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of PCIe SSD storage. The processor has four cores and eight threads. A CPU with multiple cores generally means more reliable performance. Granted, the design is a little boring. But this laptop clearly favors function over attractive aesthetics. The touchpad takes getting used to, as well. All in all, we feel as though the pros far outweigh the cons. The Aspire is worth every penny.

If you’re looking for a huge screen at an affordable price point, the Acer Swift 3 is well worth considering. According to our reviewer, the 16-inch 1080p display offers “rich, lifelike color.” Will your kid care about the vibrant picture? Maybe. Maybe not. Regardless, a big screen is useful for productivity tasks like writing papers and scrolling through documents. While the screen is the main headliner, the specs are surprisingly impressive for the price.

The Swift features an Intel Core i7-11370H processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of PCIe SSD storage. This is a good value for a sub-$800 Windows laptop. The keyboard is also enjoyable to use and the chassis feels durable. Despite the large screen, the Swift is rather slim, making it a good laptop for travel. That said, battery life is mediocre and there’s lots of bloatware. If you can live with those flaws, then this is a lovely laptop with solid specs.

If you’re looking for phenomenal battery life, the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is a fantastic option. When we ran our battery benchmark, which cycles through videos and various tasks, the laptop lasted 14 hours on a single charge. In other words, your child doesn’t need to worry about plugging in during the school day. The Spin is also a convertible, which makes it really versatile. You can prop it up like a painter’s easel for watching videos or swing the screen around and use it like a tablet. The build is rather robust as well. There was hardly any flex in the keyboard tray.

Thanks to the internal components, the Spin delivers relatively zippy performance. It’s rocking an Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of PCIe SSD storage. The port selection isn’t too shabby, either. You’re getting USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, HDMI, a microSD card slot, and a headphone jack. There are a few trade-offs to be aware of, though. Fan noise can be loud under heavier loads and there’s no physical privacy shutter on the webcam. However, those issues are relatively minor. Overall, the Spin is a decent laptop that performs well and offers outstanding battery life.

The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 has a lot to offer, but its standout feature is its keyboard. Our tester liked the “crisp and taught” feel of the keys. There’s even a decent amount of space around the palm rests, which makes for a more comfortable typing experience. The port selection is a solid combination of old and new. It has two USB-C ports, a single USB-A port, a 3.5mm combo jack, and a microSD card reader. There’s zero need for an adapter, which is always a plus.

Performance is somewhat mediocre, though. The Flex 5 comes equipped with an Intel Pentium Gold 7505 processor, 4GB of DDR4 RAM, and 32GB of eMMC storage. While the processor is fine, the RAM and storage are on the lighter side. Our tester noticed a slowdown in performance when he opened up multiple tabs. However, as long as you’re using the cloud and aren’t running anything too intensive or demanding, the Flex 5 is a decent choice.