TechNow: How to pick a laptop for teens - save or splurge

• Find a decent laptop in the $500 range
• Google Chromebooks are a holiday hit
• Buying tip: Look for good battery life, durability

Many teens want laptops this holiday season. Do you splurge on the new, or save on last year's model? In this TechNow, find out how to find a teen-friendly laptop that won't break the bank.

You can get a decent laptop even in the $500 range. HP's compact and lightweight Pavilion Sleekbook, for instance, has a 14-inch HD diagonal display, a full array of ports for fast connections to mobile devices and accessories and up to one terabyte of storage for apps, movies, music, and photos. Google's new Chromebooks are also a holiday hit with a starting price around $200.

Check out buying tips and more in USA TODAY's new daily digital video series TechNow.

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Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy award-winning consumer tech contributor and host of USA TODAY's new daily digital video show TechNow. Email her at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JenniferJolly.