Help me chose a laptop for a 9yo

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jonboy

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#124570 12-Jul-2013 13:52

We are looking to purchase a laptop for our 9 year old son and the range is pretty daunting. On the wish list is: Windows7 64bit, a minimum of 4gb ram, possibly some dedicated graphics as he is getting into gaming and an optical drive for playing DVDs'. Hoping to not spend much more than $1000, but prepared to spend whats necessary to get a capable lappy.

Cheers, Jon

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#854434 12-Jul-2013 15:40

Whose wish list? My experience is that 9 year olds don't look after things, and laptops may not handle being knocked around.
Why not get a desktop that you can keep in the living room, so it can be used under supervision, and so the child doesn't become reclusive. Also a desktop will handle gaming better, at a more affordable price.

Nancyjj

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#854440 12-Jul-2013 15:50

Hi, judging by our 2 grandchildren, they are very responsible, and at 9 years, he is old enough to use most of what you have suggested. What about Window 8, 64 bit, then RAM can be upgraded if needed. I, and my man, both have Toshiba, and like them a lot. I would go for at least 8 GB RAM, ours have 4 GB, but would like more. I have Windows 7, MS Office, Picasa, and other software, for photography. Who knows where he will go with this, I think for your nominated budget, you will find what you want easily. Do you have BB, and will he need a bag? The best thing with a laptop, he can take it when you go on holiday?? Can be watched if he has friends over, and next year, or already now, will need it for school ,homework and more. Great thinking on your part, and I will wait to see what he gets. Cheers to you both, Nancy J

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jonboy

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#854443 12-Jul-2013 15:57

mattwnz: Whose wish list? My experience is that 9 year olds don't look after things, and laptops may not handle being knocked around.
Why not get a desktop that you can keep in the living room, so it can be used under supervision, and so the child doesn't become reclusive. Also a desktop will handle gaming better, at a more affordable price.

We already have a pretty powerful desktop in the study that is mirrored to the lounge flat panel.

wellygary

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#854447 12-Jul-2013 16:03

Fairly sure that you will find Win 8 is the standard install on anything out of the box today, The Win 7 boat has sailed....

robjg63

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#854453 12-Jul-2013 16:29

There are still win7 laptops on the market - Have a look at pbtech.co.nz under laptops and try the operating system filter. Win 7 home gives a few 64bit win7 home possibilities

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jonherries

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#854517 12-Jul-2013 18:51

Think about durability, as a nine year old I was always playing bag wars at school (like a pillow fight with your school bag), dropping stuff, standing on things.

Therefore durability is your biggest concern. Maybe an ultrabook, with an aluminium casing?

Jon

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#854519 12-Jul-2013 18:52

i'm really tempted to say pencil and paper, but I won't

raytaylor

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#854670 12-Jul-2013 22:56

Talk to your child's school

I think a 9yo is about standard 3 and most of the schools around here are offering the parents to put the kids in an I.T centric class for standard 4, where all the students have laptops. If the parents decide they cant afford it, the kids are getting put in the normal standard 4 class while the teachers work out the best cirriculum for an all-I.T class at each school over the next couple of years.

So if your childs school has anything like that - buy the laptop that the school will be recommending so the kids all have the same model and its easier on the teacher.

Some schools are choosing netbooks though.

KimiOra primary school in hastings has one of the I.T all-laptop classes and about 5 of the netbooks (owned by the kids) got damaged in the first term and came in for screen replacments. The teacher must have changed her supervision standards and we havent seen any recently

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mattwnz

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#854673 12-Jul-2013 23:06

I thought schools required kids now to get ipads. For someone to have both at that age is over kill not to mention expensive. But an apple mac book or air maybe a good option as they are well built to a business grade and good compatibility.

martyyn

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#854757 13-Jul-2013 08:53

Crikey, that's some spec for a 9 year old :)

My kids have $100 ex lease Dell630's with 4GB ram and W8. They do everything and more than they need to do.

What games exactly is your kid playing ? Going second hand would mean you could still get those specs but for half the price, probably lees.

As for HP's....three of my friends have had their DV6's cook themselves in the last two months.

UrbanMyth

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#855585 15-Jul-2013 06:37

Personally I wouldn't be buying a 9 year old kid a laptop. My own kid is nine and has had her own tower PC since 5; but I still wouldn't trust her with a laptop.

But if you're determined... as mentioned; look around for ex-lease. See how that goes; and then possibly buy new in 6 months or so

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jonboy

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#855701 15-Jul-2013 11:10

Thanks for everyone's replies, but I'm still no closer to finding a model that will suit what I need. We have our reasons for getting him a laptop which which I'm not going into here, so what I need to know is what brands are better than others?

surfisup1000

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#855786 15-Jul-2013 12:41

wellygary: Fairly sure that you will find Win 8 is the standard install on anything out of the box today, The Win 7 boat has sailed....

You can always upgrade from windows 8 to windows 7 ... I did this on the laptop I just bought.

Lenovo make pretty solid laptops, but they are a bit higher priced -- a few weeks ago you could have snagged a T430s for 1280, but, they increased prices by $300 just recently.

wasabi2k

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#855803 15-Jul-2013 12:59

mattwnz: I thought schools required kids now to get ipads. For someone to have both at that age is over kill not to mention expensive. But an apple mac book or air maybe a good option as they are well built to a business grade and good compatibility.

While you are handing out thousands of dollars of gear to a 9 year old, could I get some too?

iPads are more than 700 dollars, macbooks start at crazy and head north from there.

No school I have come across require iPads, if they did I would expect a massive subsidy or tell them to get knotted.

My reccommendation is to keep an eye on graysonline.co.nz - you can normally get 2nd hand previous gen i5-i7 laptops, usually with dedicated graphics too for $600-700.

I am running on a $600 laptop - i5, 8gb, radeon 7650m, 750gb hdd. 17" screen, 1600x900. HP Probook.

that way WHEN it gets broken it isn't a big deal.

Jemahl

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#855865 15-Jul-2013 14:23

joker97: i'm really tempted to say pencil and paper, but I won't

I think you just did :)

It doesn't hurt to suggest a few constructive alternatives though ...

(edited for syntax errors)

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