So I'm looking to get junior (age 14) and his sister (12) a laptop. Something entry-level & relatively inexpensive, but won't fall apart in a year.

I'm also looking to get the little one (10) a tablet.

For the 2 laptops I want something for around $350-$425 range.

For the tablet, I'm considering either the Google Nexus 7 or the Kindle Fire - both $200.

I have scoured the internet for laptops, and found decent deals on Walmart.com and even QVC.com (since I can break up the payments).

Toshiba and HP are what I'm leaning towards. I see alot of Acer and Asus units, but I think that one of them is supposed to be crap.

Anyone have any advice?

Also, I know that protection plans are a rip-off...but these being KIDS, I think I ought to get them.

When my kids where younger we got them dell's and three years insurance, so glad we did as they broke down. Still to this day I do not know if it was down to kids not taking care of them or the dell's where rubbish but I have no complaints with the dell insurance repair service. They repaired laptops in my house within seventy two hours. So whatever make you chose my advice would be take insurance out.

TypoQueen said:

When my kids where younger we got them dell's and three years insurance, so glad we did as they broke down. Still to this day I do not know if it was down to kids not taking care of them or the dell's where rubbish but I have no complaints with the dell insurance repair service. They repaired laptops in my house within seventy two hours. So whatever make you chose my advice would be take insurance out.

I swear by Dell. My PC is from 2001(?) and it's still running strong (although slow as molasses by today's standards).

Kids are vicious with electronics, which is why I'm having a hard time hitting the "BUY" button on the cheaper machines (Acer, Toshiba, Samsung...).

But yeah, I def would buy the "Drop & Spill" insurance.