Choose around the activity your household will use most: a tablet suits portable video and touch-screen apps, a console suits dedicated gaming, and a computer is worth considering when children need a keyboard, browser-based services or broader software access. Before children use a connected device, set up separate child accounts and review the controls available for its platform and services. Those controls manage particular settings; they do not guarantee safety across every online interaction.
If children of different ages share a device, separate accounts let adults consider age settings, playtime and permissions for each child. Apple, PlayStation and Xbox describe family or child-account arrangements, although the setup differs by platform.
A portable screen for video and touch-based apps still needs a supervision route that works with its operating system. Apple describes Screen Time through Family Sharing; Google describes Family Link for eligible Android and Chromebook devices.
For controller-based gaming, check the intended games alongside the console’s child-account and parental-control setup. Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox describe different controls, while PEGI ratings address a game’s content age suitability rather than its difficulty.
Start with the games and video services children will actually use, then check how the chosen device handles individual accounts and everyday sharing.
Consider it when: Portable video and touch-screen apps are the main activities.
Account trade-off: Supervision depends on the operating system: Google says Family Link cannot supervise iPads, while Apple’s family controls use Apple accounts and Family Sharing.
Consider it when: Dedicated gaming, particularly with a controller or TV, takes priority.
Account trade-off: Family settings differ across Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox; adults also need to protect their own profiles and review online features separately.
Consider it when: Children need a keyboard, browser-based services or software that does not suit a tablet or console.
Account trade-off: Check operating-system, browser and service settings individually; Google says Family Link cannot supervise computers other than Chromebooks.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Child accounts and controls | Confirm separate child accounts and the controls available for content, communication, time and purchases on the intended platform. | When children share a connected device, I want settings attached to each child rather than an adult login. Around 31% of consumers put individual account controls first. |
| Sharing between children | Check how children switch profiles and whether guest access or new-user creation can be restricted where needed. | If siblings have different ages or permissions, I need their rules to stay distinct as they take turns. Keeping those rules separate is the primary concern for around 25% of consumers. |
| Games and video fit | Check the planned games and video services against the device, required accounts, online features and controller needs. | I do not want to choose a device before knowing whether the children’s usual entertainment will work on it. That activity fit comes first for around 25% of consumers. |
| Protection, charging and storage | Check capacity against planned downloads, the charging arrangement and whether a case fits the exact model without obstructing ports or controls. | With a device passed between children, I need it ready to use and enough room for their chosen apps or games. Around 19% of consumers make that practical readiness their main concern. |
Settings for an individual child are harder to apply through a shared adult login. Apple says family members should have their own Apple Accounts, and Xbox recommends separate profiles on shared consoles.
Create the adult organiser account, then set up a child account or profile for each child before handing over the device.
PlayStation warns that children may be able to avoid controls if account and console access are not protected, including guest or new-user access.
Set an adult login passcode, review guest and new-user settings, and check what a child can access while signed into their own account.
Google says Family Link cannot supervise iPhones, iPads or computers other than Chromebooks.
Choose the device and its account-management approach together; confirm that the intended controls apply to its operating system before buying.
PEGI ratings describe content age suitability, not how easy a game is to play.
Check the rating and content descriptors, then consider reading demands, controls and online interaction separately for each game.
An iPad route for households prepared to use Family Sharing and individual Apple Accounts rather than one shared adult account.
A control ecosystem to consider alongside eligible Android tablets or Chromebooks.
A dedicated console-gaming route with Nintendo parental controls.
A console route for families using separate child accounts and family-manager settings.
A console or Windows-linked family route using individual profiles and family settings.
These tablets suit households considering portable video and apps; the Xbox consoles suit households focused on dedicated gaming. Check the games, video services and child-account setup you need before choosing between them.
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Consider this for shared console gaming if the household plans to use a Series X and needs to check its chosen games and services. The listed variant has 1TB storage; set up individual profiles and review the Xbox family settings that apply to your accounts.
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Consider this console if the household intends to use digital games. This 1TB Digital Edition has no disc drive, so check digital availability and account requirements for the planned games, as well as the relevant Xbox family settings.
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Consider this Android 15 tablet for portable video and apps if its 32GB storage suits the planned downloads. The named variant includes a blue protective case and states that no adapter is included; confirm the required charger, child-account setup and compatibility with the intended services.
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Consider this digital console for shared gaming when the planned game library fits its storage. The named capacity is 512GB; check space needed for games and updates, digital game availability and the Xbox family settings for each child.
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Consider this 11-inch tablet for portable video and apps if its 128GB storage fits the household’s plans. Before relying on the described parental controls, confirm the exact child-account functions, compatible supervision tools, charging requirements and protection needed for shared use.
Yes, where the platform supports child accounts, set one up for each child rather than sharing the adult login. Apple says family members should have their own Apple Accounts, PlayStation requires a separate child account for each child using its online services, and Xbox recommends individual profiles on shared consoles.
Yes, but check the account and device requirements before choosing it. Apple’s described Screen Time arrangement uses Family Sharing and child accounts, Google Family Link requires an eligible device, and console controls depend on the relevant family and child-account setup.
No. Google says Family Link cannot supervise iPhones, iPads or computers other than Chromebooks, so confirm the operating system if Family Link is central to your household setup.
No. PEGI says its ratings concern content age suitability, not difficulty. Check reading demands, controls and online features separately when deciding whether a particular game suits a child.
No. Apple, Google and console platforms describe controls for specified account, content, communication, time or purchase settings; those settings do not cover every interaction across every service. Review the services children use as well as the device settings.