For many parents, the idea of buying a laptop for their child can be daunting. In a world where screens are everywhere, it’s easy to mistake a PC for just another source of distraction. But today’s AI-powered PCs, especially 2-in-1 convertibles, are redefining how children learn, create, and stay engaged inside and outside the classroom. Convertible laptops blend a tablet’s portability with a full-fledged laptop’s performance. As such, these devices support everything from attending online classes and completing school assignments to exploring creative skills like digital art and video editing.
With the power of an Intel Core Ultra processor, these laptops go a step further with built-in AI features that help students transcribe lectures in real time, blur backgrounds during video calls, and edit documents more efficiently. In short, they make learning more intuitive and less stressful for students. For families seeking the right device to support their child’s academic and personal growth, this is the kind of smart investment that will pay off, especially when learning complex topics. Take photosynthesis, for example, while traditional methods might only show a simple diagram, AI assistants might be able to better explain the concepts using terms and examples that the student will better understand. It’s a level of personalisation of education that simply wasn’t possible before.
A smarter processor
Unlike regular laptops, devices powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra processors come with something called a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which works along with the CPU and GPU. Intel calls this NPU AI Boost, and as the name would suggest, it is designed to make everyday tasks faster and smarter via AI. This means your child’s laptop can handle things like real-time translation, background blur during video calls, or even helping organise school notes more efficiently. As such, it can help children focus better, learn faster, and study without any distractions.
AI to the forefront
Take Microsoft Copilot as an example. The digital assistant comes integrated with Windows 11. With Copilot, students can feel free to clarify any doubts or even ask for assistance in a manner that best suits their interests. This helps them break away from traditional rote learning systems and enjoy a personalised learning experience wherein concepts are explained based on personal interests and abilities as compared to a common learning experience. For example, a student who loves skateboarding might better understand concepts like Newton’s laws of motion when they are explained using examples they are familiar with. They can also use Copilot to summarise notes into points or even mnemonics that can be easier to remember.
Of course, convertible laptops tend to greatly facilitate the use of a stylus, which can help with note-taking. The Microsoft OneNote app not only features a handwriting-to-text feature, but the integration of Copilot takes things to a new level. With Copilot, students will be able to generate summaries and even rewrite the notes for better clarity.
The stylus’s usefulness does not stop there. With the Cocreator feature in Paint, users can generate images to turn their rough sketches into artwork. This can be extremely useful for school projects where finding the perfect image might take time. Students can use the feature to create the right images within a few seconds.
Reducing daily friction
Aside from all this, AI can reduce friction that can hamper everyday usability and decrease student productivity. Take battery life, for instance. Poor battery life can hamper studies, and the hunt for a charging spot can be a distraction. AI helps improve overall battery life through intelligent resource optimisation. This is done by ensuring that the laptops are only using power-hungry hardware components when needed.
But that’s not all. Online learning can also get a productivity boost when using apps like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. All students in the class can access advanced features such as Portrait Light and Voice Focus to improve their visibility on camera while also ensuring that they are audible. Students will also be able to generate a transcript of the class, which will help them take detailed notes that cover everything that was discussed in class.
Now that we know how convertible AI PCs can help students, let’s take a quick look at a few options to consider.
ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip
The ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip is an excellent option for those looking for a compact and portable machine. For its very modest asking price, the laptop offers an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor with eight cores and threads of performance and a max clock speed of 4.8GHz. In terms of memory, it offers 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB PCIe NVMe 4.0 storage, which should be more than enough for most students. Aside from the AI features mentioned earlier, ASUS has added a few of its own AI features like AiSense Camera and AI Noise Reduction that helps ensure students look their best and can listen to the teacher. Finally, the physical shutter ensures a high degree of privacy.
The display is a 14-inch OLED panel with a 1920x1200p resolution. It supports the ASUS Pen 2.0 stylus, which offers 4096-level pressure sensitivity along with interchangeable tips. This is useful for budding artists looking to turn the Vivobook 14 Flip into their canvas.
HP ENVY x360 14
Parents looking to offer their wards a great display experience should look no further than the HP Envy x360. This compact laptop packs a 14-inch OLED panel with a 2.8K resolution for crisp and detailed visuals. It is also an IMAX-enhanced display, which means that viewing content on this laptop should be an amazing experience. The laptop supports the HP Rechargeable MPP 2.0 Tilt Pen, which promises a smooth experience for writing and drawing.
In terms of performance, the laptop packs a very capable Intel Core Ultra 7 155U processor that offers a whopping 12 cores and 14 threads of performance. Aiding this is 32GB LPDDR5 RAM, which should ensure smooth operation. Meanwhile, the 1TB PCIe NVMe storage should ensure plenty of space for school work. Further, the laptop features a 5MP camera with temporal noise reduction for exceptional clarity, while the addition of a physical shutter for added privacy. Add to this Windows Studio Effects like Auto Frame, Background Blur, and more. In addition, the laptop offers AI noise reduction and audio tuning by Poly, which should ensure that students can listen to every word said by the teacher clearly.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 360
The Samsung Galaxy Book5 360 is a great option for students looking for a little bit of everything. For starters, the laptop packs a large 15.6-inch FHD OLED panel, which should offer students more room for note-taking or drawing. Speaking of drawing, the laptop is compatible with the S Pen stylus. The laptop is also a good option for consuming multimedia content thanks to the support for Dolby Atmos audio. Combine this with the FHD camera, and parents can be sure that their child cannot only hear teachers clearly, but also look their best.
An Intel Core Ultra 5 226V processor with 8 cores and threads each and a max clock speed of 4.5GHz keeps things running smoothly. This is further aided by 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB PCIe NVMe storage, which should be more than enough for most students. Finally, Samsung promises an exceptional battery life, which should ensure that students can study for extended periods without any distractions.
