AIBU to contemplate getting DS1 (aged 7) his own laptop?

[brexitschmexit]

What are people's thoughts on a 7 year old having their own laptop? He would absolutely love one, as he often spends ages using my knackered old one to write his own PowerPoint presentations about Christmas, to write poetry or to make registers for playing schools etc. Mine is so worn out it won't even connect to the Internet, so I can never send stuff he creates to DH to print off which is a pain (I could of course just try and fix our printer at home....) It is also ridiculously slow to do anything and the memory is full.

Also DS often has homework on mathletics and the like. He can't access it on my iPad, and my laptop doesn't work, so he has to wait to use DH's laptop at the weekend, which can be inconvenient. I've been thinking I must get a new laptop, but I rarely use it, whereas I know DS1 would use one loads (and generally for educational stuff rather than games, although that could be something he gets into later) so I started to think why not get DS1 his own and I can just use it for the occasional time I need it.

I would only be looking to spend around the £200 mark as I suspect this would get the sort of thing he needs. He did suggest a laptop for his Christmas list (with little idea how much they cost and that this would be an exceptional present!) but has very few other requests.

One other thing he asked for was a digigo, the vtech thing that can send messages and has a camera etc, basically a kids phone. I'd rather not get him something like that though (he already has a cheap digital camera and has no need to send texts!), plus the reviews aren't great. I feel like I could end up getting him a few smaller £20 ish presents that I know he'd like but aren't that amazing, or just treat him to the laptop this year on the basis of how useful it would be over the next few years (with a couple of small fun £5-10 presents at the side). I know he'd be amazed to open it on Christmas morning too as he wouldn't expect it (I've told him they are very expensive!)

Would you do it and if so (or if you have DC with a laptop), do you have any recommendations please as I'm fairly clueless!

Sorry for going AWOL, and thank you for all the replies, I really appreciate all the tips and pointers, as well as the encouragement to go ahead as it does feel the right thing to do. It will be £200-300 well spent rather than £100 spent on stuff I know he won't use or play with much after Christmas Day. I've also justified it financially as we have v generously been given my DD's main present (2nd hand but in perfect condition) so the money saved there can go towards the laptop!

Off to have a proper look at your links now beggingbehind....

Thanks again

I have an HP Stream and I've not had any of the issues a PP has mentioned wrt internet access.

Mine was £179 from Argos and I got rid of McAfee and installed Avast! on it. It runs scans weekly and I do a big scan once a month or so to keep it running smoothly. It's relatively quick for what it costs - from turning on to accessing the internet is maybe 2 minutes maximum.

I don't use it for games, but I don't really think PC gaming is a very big thing these days anyway - most games are console-based. It's fine for internet use, using Word/Excel and it loads videos/Netflix/YouTube just fine.

You can always buy more storage if you need to, or use the Cloud.

HP stream using a mix of cloud storage and an extra drive (not pricey).

I had to buy a laptop for a new project in work recently, budget was £300. It was very difficult finding anything even approaching half decent at that price. I think really you need to spend a minimum of £400.

Anything below £300 is going to be terrible to use very quickly.

One option is to look at refurbs, our last laptop was was a refurb from PC World, got a £700 laptop for £500. It was for gaming though, you obviously don't have to spend that much!

I don't use it for games, but I don't really think PC gaming is a very big thing these days anyway - most games are console-based.

I guess it's just my DH keeping Steam going then

Raspberry pi?

The Raspberry Pi is brilliant but I know DH links it to the laptop for programming.
Have you looked at chromebooks? The Google office package does the same job as Office without the bloat. Also, don't waste money buying security software - the free packages are perfectly good and don't waste as much room on your system.

DS is 7 and he has one. I'm not sure what exactly as dh bought it and then got a new job that comes with a laptop so passed it on to DS. Just adding to the yes vote for the laptop though...

My ds is 7 and wants a pc. We've said no this year as we have got him an iPad mini for the same reason as you want the laptop - half their school homework is on some form of App that our really old iPads don't support and are not that quick on their kindle. We have also though of our DS enjoying coding but that can be kept for another year. So no, you are not BU to get him a laptop

Thanks folks! I don't think I'll bother with the Mcafee thing then, so that saves a bit. I don't think DS would use it much for gaming. He does like the v basic free games on my old laptop, so if it came with anything like that he'd be happy! Def going to look at coding book for kids too.

UPDATE!!!! I've just ordered the asus recommended by beggingbehind! In red because DS1 loves red. Well he loves pink most of all but they don't do it in pink! So red will be grand. He is going to be so excited as even though he has put laptop on top of his Christmas list I don't think he remotely expects it (since I told him how much they cost!) I added Microsoft office and a laptop backpack plus a red wireless mouse. Might see about a personalised mouse mat with a pic of him with his brother and sister Cannot wait to see his little face on Christmas Day!!!