Question Minecraft for a 9yr old - which platform?

[oneunder]

Yeah - I was thinking of getting her a Raspberry Pi as I know that can run a version of Minecraft, plus it is easy to cart from living room to bedroom being a small device that uses a TV as a monitor. She is well up to speed with computers through home and school use and has to show her grandparents, Aunt & Uncle etc what to do sometimes. (Windows 8 is rubbish Uncle Mike - what did you get that for?!?! )

She can't have her console in the living room due to space limitations and the fact she'd drive us mental with it. Plus there would always be a battle for screen time between us all.

From this discussion on here I am leaning towards getting a laptop so that she can play it in the living room or at the dining room table, where we can easily see what she's up to and where she'll feel monitored to some extent - plus we can look at the device when she ain't around, install Family Safety etc. Easier for me to lock down/limit usage and access than on a console (is it?)

Do I need a four grand laptop or will something like this do??
http://www.ebuyer.com/669147-hp-255-g3-quad-core-laptop-k7h92es-abu?utm_source=2015-04-14&utm_medium=campaign_email&utm_campaign=B2C_(Tuesday)_Openers_FS

The latest raspberry pi will run a version of windows 10 when its released apparently..handy little things..if it doesnt suit you can use it as a media player..cheap too.. 100's of projects online that are suitable for children..

 

[friedaweed]

Ahhhhh, money.

So with consoles they can talk/visit if they pre-arrange a time or just happen to be online - OK - thanks.

I yearn for the days of my ZX Speccy and Manic Miner.....she'd love that instead of this lego bollocks

Yup. Larden does this on ps3 with his school pals and his cousin. He's 9. They have worlds that they build together, they then invite other school friends and terrorise them as far as I can see. I like it better than Lego though as there's no tidying up, just a five minute warning and then a flick of a switch for non compliance. He wants the PC version but there's no way he's hogging my machine

 

[Citizen66]

The problem with playing online with the x-box version is someone hosts the world locally and friends can join. But then you're wholly reliant on whether they are online or not if you want to continue playing in that world. Online play for the pc version is on servers so the worlds are persistent.

 

[Chilli.s]

Consulted The Kid for you, definitely a PC (laptop) for the full Minecraft experience.

The Kid is an expert in this.