The purchase of a children's computer is determined by many nuances. The main one is, of course, the age of the child. Manufacturers have taken care of both the smallest - 3-5 years old, releasing toy laptops for them, and older children, producing inexpensive computers with fairly broad capabilities. The choice of a children's computer should be approached carefully and reasonably, with a very clear idea of the purpose for which it is being purchased.
Instructions
Step 1
3 to 7 years old. If your child is in this age range, a toy laptop is your best bet. Its capabilities are enough for the kid to learn to play interactive games, put puzzles, get acquainted with numbers, letters, etc. During the game, the child will master the techniques of working on the computer and using the keyboard. This is a good educational and developmental toy.
Better to buy a toy laptop of well-known brands, because leading manufacturers of electrical equipment meet all the stringent requirements for products for children. For example, Disney Netpal (USA) is considered one of the best brands of children's laptops, however, it is not cheap. More budget options are notebooks Vtech Nitro, Vtech V Smile, Oregon Scientific Batman PowerWing Laptop, etc. You can focus on domestic models (for example, the Moscow Toy Factory "Ogonyok") or models of joint production (France / China, computers Vtech Cinderella, Vtech Vinnie, Vtech Lightning McQueen).
Step 2
7 to 14 years old. You must decide which is best for your child - a laptop or a desktop computer. A laptop has a great advantage - mobility (you can take it with you to the country, to friends, etc.), but a stationary computer of the same configuration will cost you less.
If you are planning to buy a computer "seriously and for a long time", and not change it in a couple of years, then opt for more powerful options based on modern 2-core Intel® Core ™ 2 Duo processors, or the popular Core i3, Core i5 families … Thanks to these systems, your child will be able not only to play 3D games, but also to use most of the serious applications.
As for other parameters, for this period your child will need 1 GB of RAM (a guarantee of good working speed) and 80 GB of hard disk capacity (enough space to store movies, music, games, educational programs, etc.) …
Asus Eee PC, OLPC XO-1, Toshiba Satellite L635 Kids PC, Intel Classmate PC, etc. are considered the best brands of laptops for children of primary and secondary school age. Their cost is from $ 100 and more. When choosing, pay attention to those options that matter most to you, and buy the appropriate model.
Step 3
From 14 years old and older. You can save money and not overpay for high-performance, expensive components if your child is planning to use the computer only for school. However, this is unlikely to suit him, for sure he dreams of a computer on which he can play. And these are completely different parameters. Discuss all the nuances with your child in advance.
In any case, it must be remembered that the life of a senior student is fraught with great stress at school and limited time for preparation. This requires him to be extremely mobile. Taking this into account, the best option is to buy an inexpensive laptop model with a dual-core processor, Wi-Fi, a good video card, a standard 15-inch screen, and the necessary communication ports for a child 14 years old and older. The power of such a laptop will allow the launch of any program that a student needs, and will also give him the opportunity to play popular games.
If you intend to buy a desktop PC, choose the universal configuration based on the AMD Athlon X2 / Phenom X3 dual-core processor or Core 2 Duo. RAM is enough 2 GB, 500 GB hard disk capacity, and a 17-inch display. A DVD burner is required. A PC completed in this way will cost you 12-15 thousand rubles. A computer with a similar configuration on the AMD Athlon-64 X2 6000+ platform is a little cheaper. In such machines, a functional motherboard is often installed, allowing, if necessary, to significantly expand the capabilities of the system. That is, as the child grows up, it will be possible to periodically upgrade the PC, increasing its potential.
