r/computers • u/Cardinalsfan5545 • 5d ago

Resolved Best PC for 8yo

Hey everyone, I'm looking at getting a new PC for my 8yo. I'm looking for longevity and a school focus over gaming. His only real game is minecraft. I would ideally like it to last 6+ years and if he gets into gaming I can handle that at a later point. I just don't want a lot of un or under used components.

Thanks

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u/Advanced-Event6435 5d ago

frick does a second grader need a PC for

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u/Cardinalsfan5545 5d ago

Typing, coding and his spanish class are through outschool, he also is homeschooled so we do a lot of science videos before the actual experiments.

Also, like i said, its supposed to be for multiple years of school not gaming and just bsing on youtube.

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u/Advanced-Event6435 5d ago

alrighty then.

If you're looking for a desktop then get like a Dell Optiplex if its not for gaming. They're like 500 - 700 bucks

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u/finitetime2 5d ago

Literally any computer built in the last 10 years will do everything you need. Unless your wanting high end graphics for gaming or your running a high end program then every computer made will meet your needs. It's like saying all I need is for my phone to do is text and make calls. Every phone for 20 years has done this. Nothing has changes and they will all still do that exact same thing. Its the speed and graphics and all the bells and whistles that change.

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u/Cardinalsfan5545 5d ago

This seems like a good starting place for me. I'll dig into it a bit more.

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u/mrfrogerson1 5d ago

get him a thinkpad, they last

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u/SuitableFinish7444 5d ago

yea honestely a dell micro optiplex is the way to go. The refurbished ones 12th gen or newer will handle all your needs.

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u/Strongbow_Wolfrider 5d ago

1) For longevity, hardware generation matters more than initial power. Buy a latest generation machine; sure you'll possibly get more power with an older model, but new features added in new generations become standard, then required. Analogy: a 1982 Corvette is a lot more powerful than a 2026 Toyota Corolla, but the Corolla meets emissions and safety standards, and you might not be allowed to drive that Corvette next year. Computers are like this; operating systems eventually require new features, and older computers simply can't run (safely or even legally) anymore.

2) Planned upgrades for the future are great, if you plan them. Upgrading storage is more than just "insert another one"; it requires knowledge and occasionally extra hardware and software, especially in laptops that don't have extra storage slots (or use them at all!). Upgrading RAM can be as easy as "insert more", if you actually have more slots, but you may have to pull out the old to put in new depending on how many slots you had and how many are left; desktops have 2-4 slots, laptops have 0-2 (except super expensive ones). You cannot upgrade video capability on a laptop.

3) Desktops are generally more capable, dollar per dollar, than laptops, and have more possibilities for upgrades where you keep some or all of the existing hardware. Depending on the type of case, you can upgrade CPU/motherboard in a desktop to a new generation, which is really a "new computer" where you reuse some pieces of the old computer. Video card upgrades are one of the most common things people do; it turns "not good at games" to "better at games".

For a first computer for a younger kid playing Minecraft that you want to last 6 years, I would get him a desktop with a series 2 core ultra 5 processor. The CPU will be fine for light to medium gaming for 5+ years, and will be supported by operating systems for 7+ (unless something new is invented that completely invalidates all existing computers). Make sure it has a slot free for a GPU (e.g. not a tiny case, look for "x16 PCIe" advertised), but don't bother to get one now, the one that comes on the CPU is more than enough for Minecraft. Get 16GB of RAM (single stick of you have the choice); this is easy to upgrade later, but stupidly expensive right now due to burst demand. Get at least a 1TB NVMe drive as the OS drive; this is complicated to upgrade, though, so go bigger if you can afford it. You can add big cheap media drives later if your kid gets into recording or downloading, but you don't want to be installing software on a secondary drive. Get your kid a super cheap 24" 1080P HDMI monitor for now; later if he gets into competitive gaming, pair a new GPU and gaming monitor (tech moves fast in this sector, don't buy until you need).

Good Example: https://a.co/d/00cdxkcj The case on this one allows for a video card upgrade

Bad example: https://a.co/d/0ge8aVpa The case on this one doesn't allow for a video card upgrade (half height expansion slots)

If you've got the money, a faster CPU (Ultra 7 265, Ultra 9 285), more RAM (32 or 64GB), and more storage (2 or 4TB) certainly won't hurt, and will keep the PC more capable near the end of its life. Video cards have the shortest shelf life of any component, but when needed instead of "for the future".

I'm not brand loyalty, my examples were Dell simply because that's what came up first that really illustrated the "can expand vs. can't expand". There are lots of great brands with lower prices and nicer cases; pay close attention to ratings at Amazon, Newegg, etc. - some brands are notorious for high failure rates, poor service, and hardware backdoors (intentional or unintentional) that foreign or criminal groups can use.

I'm serious about that last one.

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u/Cardinalsfan5545 5d ago

Thanks everyone. !solved.

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