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When is a laptop not a laptop? When it’s a Chromebook. Sure, they might look the same, but underneath they are totally different beasts. There’s a lot to like about Chromebooks, and now more than ever, they’ve become a viable alternative to the Windows laptop.
With super-fast start up times, excellent battery life, lightweight bodies, and the cheap entry price, they are well worth your consideration.
We take a look at the best Chromebooks for your budget, and what features you’ll get depending on what you opt for.
In this guide:
- Which is the Best Chromebook?
- Are Chromebooks Good?
- Best Chromebook Under $250 – Best choice for those on a budget with modest needs
- Best Chromebook Under $500 – Best for those that need a bit more power but want to stay in budget
- Best Chromebook Under $500 – Best for those that want the ultimate Chromebook experience
- Should you buy a Chromebook?
Screen Size
Measured diagonally across.
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Screen Resolution
In pixels - the higher the number, the greater the screen detail.
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Battery Life
As claimed by the manufacturer – actual performance will vary depending on daily tasks.
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Operating System |
Touchscreen |
Processor |
Storage
The built in storage space for files, programs, apps and the operating system
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RAM
More RAM tends to help a computer to run quickly and multitask
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Price From |
Amazon |
Buy | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Samsung 11.6″ Chromebook | Google Pixelbook Go | HP Chromebook 15-inch | Lenovo Chromebook C330 2-in-1 | Google Pixelbook i5 | Acer Chromebook R 11 | Acer Chromebook 14 | ASUS Chromebook 11.6 | Google Pixelbook i7 | |||||
An exceptionally cheap and portable Chromebook that's great value, provided you're happy with a small screen size. | A slick, stylish Chromebook, though less powerful than the older Pixelbook. Pick the i5 model for the best balance of power and cost | A large, detailed screen, quality finish and decent power make this an excellent laptop for work or play | Just one inch thick, with a neat 360-degree hinge touchscreen for tablet mode or watching videos | Chromebook functions with MacBook looks. It's cheaper than the i7 Pixelbook, but this is still a lot of (top quality) Chromebook for a lot of money | A flexible, low-cost Chromebook with a touchscreen. Small enough to carry to work or school with ease. | Great value large screen laptop with a metal finish – well suited to work and school tasks, though the screen lacks detail | A small screen, adaptable Chromebook that can double as a tablet – with a great cheap price point | A true MacBook rival when it comes to looks and build quality. It's arguably overkill for a Chromebook though, especially at such a high price point. | |||||
11.6″ | 13.3″ | 15″ | 11.6″ | 12.3″ | 11.6″ | 14″ | 11.6″ | 12.3″ | |||||
1366 x 768 | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | 2400 x 1600 | 1366 x 768 | 1366 x 768 | 1366 x 768 | 2400 x 1600 | |||||
11 hrs | 13 hrs | 13 hrs | 10 hrs | 10 hrs | 10 hrs | 10 hrs | 10 hrs | 10 hrs | |||||
Chrome OS | Chrome OS | Chrome OS | Chrome OS | Chrome OS | Chrome OS | Chrome OS | Chrome OS | Chrome OS | |||||
Intel Celeron Processor N3060 |
| Intel Pentium gold 4417U | MediaTek MT8173C | Intel i7 7th-gen | Intel Celeron Processor N3060 | Intel Quad Core Atom x5 E8000 | Intel Celeron N3060 | Intel i5 7th-gen | |||||
32GB |
| 64GB | 64GB | 128GB | 32GB | 32GB | 32GB | 512GB | |||||
4GB |
| 4GB | 4GB | 8GB | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB | 16GB | |||||
$175 | $649 (M3) | $449 | $285 | $1,249 | $318 | $239 | $224 | $1,500 | |||||
Are Chromebooks Good?
If you’re after a laptop but value speed and battery life over raw power, then a Chromebook might just be for you. While there are some outliers (like the Pixelbook, which we’ll get to later), Chromebooks are famed for offering fast, inexpensive alternatives to the traditional Windows laptop.
They do this by offering a more streamlined interface which isn’t as resource heavy, allowing them to be built with cheaper components – in some cases with processors that are aimed more at mobile devices – and with minimal Ram. Despite this, they are still able to offer a silky smooth experience.
So, are they good? Well, yes and no. If you want to run demanding software, like complete control over your device, and need the most cutting edge specs, then chances are the Chromebook is not for you. In terms of apps, you’re limited to what Google has made available – furthermore, it’s not possible to install your own from other sources, like the free for all that Windows allows for. It’s also a fairly closed system, and you’re unable to poke around too much in the back end and customize your Chromebook.
However, if you’re not too worried about that stuff, a Chromebook can be an excellent companion. For those that are online more often than not, the Chromebook is a great way to access social media, email, streaming, or work documents without the fuss of a Windows laptop. There will be some period of readjustment for those not used to the system, but plenty have already been won over by the Chromebook, and if you know what you’re getting into, they really are fantastic devices.
Best Chromebook Under $250
Dell Chromebook 11
If you’re after a budget Chromebook, then you’re in luck. Most models tend to be positioned in the lower end of the price range, and there are plenty of excellent entry-level models to choose from.
We’ve picked out the Dell Chromebook 11, mainly so we can show you just how cheap you can go with a Chromebook. At around $200, this Dell is a steal, especially if you can overlook some of the cut corners.
Firstly, let’s start with where the Dell falls down. It feels slightly plasticky and cheap – but then, it is. Remember, we’re talking about a $200 device here.
What you do get is an 11-inch Chromebook with excellent battery life (around 10 hours), a solid build that feels like it can survive the accidental knock, and a generous collection of ports, including USB 2.0, USB-C, HDMI, and an SD card reader.
Powering the Chromebook 11 on the entry-level model is a Celeron N3060 processor, which is good enough for casual browsing, social media and streaming. This Chromebook is also available with more powerful chips, if you’re looking to do something a bit more demanding.
There’s only 16GB storage onboard, although it’s easy to expand this with an SD card, and most Chromebooks will give you 100GB of cloud storage when you first set them up.
We reckon all this is worth $200.
Can't decide between a Chromebook or a Windows laptop? Read our guide to help you choose.
Pros:
- Hard to beat on price
- 10 hour battery life
- 2 USB ports and HDMI
Cons:
- On the heavy side
- Weak specs make it for casual users only
Buy on Amazon
Best Chromebook Under $500
Asus C302 Flipbook
The Asus C302 straddles the middle ground between entry-level and premium. Available for under $500, we think it’s still something of a bargain, and with decent specs and a versatile screen, it’s a Chromebook to watch out for.
At times, the Asus C302 feels like a device that costs more than its price tag. Little quality of life details, such as the backlit keyboard and the aluminium chassis, make it feel more of a premium product.
Then there’s the specifications. An Intel Core m3 processor and 4GB of Ram might seem almost risible for a standard Windows laptop, but for a Chromebook, they can really offer up a power boost compared to more typical lower specifications that we’re used to seeing.
In terms of practicality, Asus has been generous enough to offer up two USB-C ports instead of the usual one, which means that even if you’re using one for power, there’s still one free for other peripherals. There’s no standard USB-A port, though, so if you’re still using anything with that connection, you’ll need to purchase an adapter.
As the name suggests, the Asus C302 Flip also doubles up as a tablet/laptop hybrid thanks to its rotating screen, which can be pushed back almost 360 degrees.
The 64GB is a welcome addition too – most Chromebooks offer just 32GB or less – but of course, you can add more storage with a micro-SD card if you need to.
Pros:
- Rotating screen
- Aluminium chassis with stylish design
- Intel Core m3 processor offers a power boost
Cons:
- Lack of standard USB-A port
Buy on Amazon
Best Chromebook Under $1,000
Google Pixelbook
Chromebooks first muscled their way into the laptop market by being a cheaper alternative to a Windows laptop. Thanks to low-powered processors and little Ram, the component cost was kept down, and in most cases it was more cost effective to buy a Chromebook than a laptop. You’ll find that most manufacturers still produce budget Chromebooks. And then there’s Google.
Bucking the trend considerably, Google has gone premium with the Pixelbook, producing a Chromebook that starts at $999. That’s enough to buy four Dell Chromebook 11s.
The question, then, is what do you get for your money? The first thing you’ll notice is the design. There’s no denying that the Pixelbook looks a lot more appealing than its competitors – with its impressively thin 10mm aluminium frame and rotating 12.3-inch touchscreen, it feels every cent of its price tag.
Powering the Pixelbook is an Intel Core processor – either an i5 or i7, depending on your budget– as well as 8GB or 16GB of Ram. It’s here that the device really stands apart from other Chromebooks, offering up specs you’d usually see in a high end laptop, while its contemporaries tend to offer low-powered processors you’d usually find in mobile devices. This makes for a very powerful and speedy Chromebook.
Google has also added Google Assistant to the Pixelbook, which means that you can navigate the device with voice commands, if you think using a keyboard is slightly old fashioned. It works well, and is the sort of feature that initially feels like a novelty, before wriggling its way into your life as something you can’t imagine doing without.
The Pixelbook is also compatible with Pixelbook Pen, an excellent device with context sensitive commands that is capable of some neat tricks. These include circling a word to automatically search for it, and even doubling as a magnifying glass. It’s just a shame that it costs extra, and isn’t included with the Pixelbook.
There’s a lot to like about the Pixelbook, but starting at $999, you have to be passionate about Chromebooks to invest. If any device is going to win you over, though, it’ll be this one.
Pros:
- One of the most powerful Chromebooks out there
- Google Assistant built-in
- Thin and light
Cons:
- Specs are overkill for most users
Buy on Amazon
Verdict: Should You Buy a Chromebook?
Chromebooks can offer a lot, whether you’re after a cheap device for social media, or need a snappy laptop that can handle your daily work (with the Microsoft Office suite now available on some Chromebooks, they have become much more viable for the office). With their cheap entry price and excellent battery life, they are flexible devices – provided that you don’t need to run any bespoke software that isn’t available on the platform, or really need to be inside the Windows ecosystem.
While originally conceived for students, in recent years it feels as though Chromebooks have expanded their functionality to include anyone who wants to give them a go. No longer the black sheep of the laptop line up, Chromebooks are now a great alternative to the Windows laptop and Apple Macbook..
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