Finding the Best Chromebooks

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Finding-the-Best-Chromebooks

Welcome to our monthly updated guide to the best Chromebooks on the market based one expert reviews, consumer and user feedback.

Google Chrome OS is a relatively new operating system. On July 7, 2009 Google first announced ChromeOS but only finally shipped it with hardware on June 15th 2011. Starting out as an almost entirely web based OS, Google ChromeOS has been gaining traction in the last few years as more and more developers get onboard and release offline apps. Don’t expect to completely ditch your Windows or Mac laptop completely just yet as there are still some limitations imposed in ChromeOS, however if you need an incredibly fast and responsive machine to check email, browse the web and stream multimedia then read on, a Chromebook might just be for you. Below we have compiled a list of the best Chromebooks and categorized them by price in order to suite any budget If you are a Linux user, also don’t forget to checkout the top Chromebooks for Linux in our best Linux laptops guide.

There are a ton of Chromebook reviews available for many of the Chromebooks for sale below listed at popular review sites. Alternatively we also collect all available user reviews from leading retailers to help score all of our laptops including all of the top Chromebook deals of the moment. Although there are some high-end Chromebooks available, a cheap Chromebook is usually preferred by most users due to Chrome OS’s limited functionality for more heavy duty applications. If you are still considering a Windows-based laptop feel free to browse our laptops under $300, laptops under $200 and laptops under $400 guides which all feature some Windows laptops at similar price points. Our student laptops guide also has some great contenders for the best laptops for college students

Top Picks >> Runners Up >>


Best Chromebook Under $200 – Top Pick

Samung Chromebook 3 XE500C13-K04US

Samsung Chromebook 3 XE500C13-K04US 11.6-inch laptop
The Samsung Chromebook 3 XE500C13-K04US is priced at under $300 delivers a decent performance that is suitable for basic tasks. The Intel Celeron N3050 processor and 4GB of RAM will allows you to browse the web or create documents with Google Docs easily, while the 16GB of eMMC flash memory offers fast data transfer speeds. Some may find that the storage space is far too little for their specific needs, however, but keep in mind that Chromebooks make use of cloud storage. The battery life is great for all day use, clocking in around 11 hours, making it well suited for college use. The keyboard is easy to use and it is spill-resistant, meaning accidental spills will not lead to damage. The design is stylish and lightweight and the 1366 x 768 resolution Anti-Glare display delivers good picture quality. If you are a college student on a budget, the Samsung Chromebook 3 XE500C13-K04US would make a suitable study companion.

Pros

  • Simplicity
  • Compact
  • Decent for performance for basic tasks
  • Great battery life
  • Price

Cons

  • Tiny storage space
  • Soft speakers

Specs

  • 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels
  • Chrome OS
  • 11 hours battery life
  • 2.5 lbs

Summary & Score

If you are on a low budget and you are looking for a stylish Chromebook for basic tasks, then the Acer Chromebook 3 XE500C13-K04US should not be overlooked.

Samsung Chromebook 3 XE500C13-K04US 11.6-inch
$219.99$157.99
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(as of 27-09-2023 19:06 UTC) Details

Best Chromebook Under $300 – Top Pick

Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C1LK 11.6-inch

Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C1LK 11.6-inch laptop
The Acer Chromebook R11 is a 2-in-1 laptop has a neat minimalist design and it packs some decent specs to drive a decent overall experience. It has an all plastic chassis and matte finish, and it is able to transform from a laptop, to a tent, display or tablet thanks to its 360-degree hinge (that is said to feel somewhat flimsy). With its Intel Celeron N3150 Quad-Core Processor and 4GB of RAM, the laptop runs reasonably well and will easily get you through basic tasks and web browsing, and multitasking shouldn’t make it feel sluggish when compared to the 2GB version of this same laptop. While the IPS touch display is said to be sharp and decent overall, it only has a resolution of 1366×768 (720p), but this is fairly common amongst cheaper laptops, with a FHD resolution screen usually adding a couple of 100 dollars to the price tag. While the 32GB of flash memory may seem limiting, Chrome OS mostly makes use of use of cloud based storage. Most users found that the keypad is responsive and the keyboard is said to have a good amount of travel to make it an overall comfortable typing experience. The 10-hour battery life is good and it will last a day at college or the office without you needing to lug around your charger.

Pros

  • Hybrid design
  • IPS Touchscreen
  • 32GB of eMMC Flash memory
  • Good battery life

Cons

  • Low quality webcam
  • Only 2GB of RAM
  • Slight display and lid flex
  • Not optimized for touch
  • Not Full-HD

Specs

  • Intel Celeron N3150 1.6 GHz [View Benchmarks]
  • Intel HD Graphics Shared
  • 4GB DDR3 RAM
  • 32GB SSD
  • 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels
  • Chrome OS
  • 10 hours battery life
  • 2.8 lbs

Summary & Score

The Acer Chromebook R11 is a great 2-in-1 Chromebook that offers good hardware performance for users after a laptop with all day battery and running Chrome OS.

Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C1LK 11.6-inch
$299.99$263.00
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(as of 27-09-2023 19:06 UTC) Details

Best Chromebook Under $500 – Top Pick

ASUS Chromebook Flip C302CA-DHM4

ASUS Chromebook Flip C302CA-DHM4 laptop
The Chromebook Flip C302CA-DHM4 can switch between a laptop and a tablet, and it comes packed a with decent amount of power to drive a commendable overall experience thanks to its solid state memory and Intel Core M3 processor. The included 4GB of RAM should be more than enough for most, although I wouldn’t go crazy with how many apps you have open when multitasking. With 64GB of solid state memory, you will have plenty of room for a lot of files, and it is upgradable to 256GB if necessary. Chrome OS does make use of cloud based storage mostly, so storage should not be that much of an issue. The included screen is Full-HD, with a resolution of 1920×1080. While it’s not 4K, it’s more than enough resolution to give you a beautiful picture while using your Chromebook. It is lightweight, highly portable, and coupled with its robust design, you get a laptop suited to students or businessman who constantly travel.

Pros

  • Fast Intel Core M 2.2Ghz processor
  • Solid Build Quality
  • Battery Life
  • Backlit keyboard

Cons

  • Limited Functionality in Tablet Mode
  • Price
  • Limited Ports
  • Low amount of RAM

Specs

  • 12.5 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels (IPS)
  • Chrome OS
  • 10 hours battery life
  • 2.6 lbs

Summary & Score

The ASUS Chromebook Flip C302CA-DHM4 12.5-inch is solidly built, and includes high end specs for a Chromebook, but its price and port limitations may be a turn off for some.

ASUS Chromebook Flip C302CA-DHM4 12.5-inch
$499.00$474.99
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(as of 04-10-2022 03:48 -07:00) Details

Top Chromebooks Under $200 – Runners-Up

HP Chromebook 11 G5 X9U02UT#ABA


If you are looking for a portable laptop that offers simplicity and extreme portability, then the budget HP Chromebook 11 G5 X9U02UT#ABA shouldn’t be overlooked. Much like HP’s popular 14-AX040WM 14-inch, it comes with modest specs, including an Intel Celeron N3060 processor and a mere 4GB of RAM, making the laptop less productivity oriented and more suitable for day-to-day task handling, such as basic web browsing, video streaming and basic word processing. We’d definitely recommend using G Suite, which is Google’s online version of MS Office and it comes with Google Drive, as the HP Chromebook 11 G5 X9U02UT#ABA comes with only 32GB of storage, which fills up pretty quickly. The anti-glare LED display’s resolution is 1366 x 768, and while there’s only 32GB of storage, the eMMC is fast, meaning your boot up and app loading times will be quick. Google Apps is supported, which was a bonus for many users, meaning you can run your favorite apps on the laptop, and the 12.5 hour charge is great for college students and users who are on the go. Furthermore, you won’t have to carry around a power cable with you, freeing up additional space in your backpack. It comes with 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Ports, an HDMI port and a microSD slot, so you fortunately not short of connectivity. Some general complaints we directed towards HP’s customer care, with some customers finding the experience to be immensely frustrating. The speaker volume is said to be quite low, but the speaker quality of laptops is generally quite annoying and tinny sounding (which can always be fixed by a pair of headphones or in expensive plug-and-play speakers).

Pros

  • Ease of use
  • Light, portable form factor
  • Budget friendly
  • Great battery life

Cons

  • May feel sluggish at times
  • Tiny storage space
  • Poor HP customer service

Specs

  • 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels (IPS)
  • Chrome OS
  • 12.75 hours battery life
  • 2.5 lbs

Summary & Score

The HP Chromebook 11 G5 X9U02UT#ABA is budget friendly and offers a simple overall user experience, but it’s entry level hardware may lead to a somewhat tired feeling laptop, especially under load.

HP Chromebook 11 G5 X9U02UT#ABA 11.6-inch
$149.00
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(as of 27-09-2023 19:09 UTC) Details

ASUS Chromebook C300SA-DH02-RD

ASUS Chromebook C300SA 13.3 Inch laptop
For under $200, you can get yourself a lightweight (it weighs less than 3.1 pounds), ultraportable laptop that you can take anywhere with you. The ASUS Chromebook C300SA-DH02-RD comes in a pleasing red and white design, with a dual-core N3060 Processor and 4GB of DDR3 RAM stuffed under the hood. Users noted that it boots up fast and it is responsive for the most part, allowing them to complete simple day-to-day tasks relatively comfortably. While the 16GB of storage is fairly limiting, one can further upgrade it through the use of an SD card or simply by purchasing an external hard drive. Furthermore, G-Suite has cloud based storage, and since Chrome OS is intended for online use, you will be able to do most of your work online and have access to cloud to based storage. The 10 hour battery life makes the ASUS Chromebook C300SA-DH02-RD great for students who intend on spending the day at college. According to some critical reviewers on Amazon.com, quality control seems to be an issue. A few customers pointed out that within a couple of months, their Chromebook started giving them issues: Chrome OS started failing, the screen was getting faulty, and the laptop randomly started rebooting for no real reason. While this is sometimes only limited to a few bad apples, it is a notable point. ASUS have included an HDMI port that allows you to connect to a larger screen for movie watching or photo viewing, and those who like matte screens enjoyed the non-reflective aspect. However, some noted that it has poor contrast, which was a drawback for them. The display has a resolution of 1366 x 768.

Pros

  • Super portable
  • Fast boot times
  • Commendable performance
  • Non-reflective display

Cons

  • Potential quality control issues
  • 16GB of storage
  • Display may be dim

Specs

  • 13.3 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels
  • Chrome OS
  • 6.25 hours battery life
  • 3.1 lbs

Summary & Score

The lightweight and ultraportable design of the ASUS Chromebook C300SA-DH02-RD has received top marks from reviewers, however, the 16GB of storage is storage is rather restricting if you plan on using the storage as opposed to cloud based storage.

ASUS Chromebook C300SA 13.3-Inch
$229.00
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(as of 27-09-2023 19:09 UTC) Details

Samsung Chromebook 3 XE500C13-K02US 11.6-inch

Samsung Chromebook 3 XE500C13-K02US 11.6-inch
The Samsung Chromebook 3 offers a sleek design with an all-black chassis and matte black covers. The Chromebook 3 has seen little cosmetic change and the external ports remain the same, but the internal hardware has been upgraded with an Intel Celeron N3050 processor that has a lower clock speed, but its smaller size, larger l2 cache and lower voltage offers more power with less heat and better battery performance. The RAM has been doubled and now sports 4GB of RAM for Chrome apps that require more memory. The 16GB of eMMC flash memory offers lighting fast data transfer speeds, but on the down side the 16GB of storage will fill up quickly. But Chromebooks are designed to operate in conjunction with Google’s online services and a Micro SD slot allows user to expand their storage space. The 11.6-inch display remains the same and offers good viewing angles, good colors and the same maximum resolution of 1366×768 as its predecessor. The pros of Chome OS is that it requires less powerful hardware to run apps compared to Windows 10 laptops in the same price bracket. Thanks to the low voltage hardware and the Chromebook 3 offers great battery life and can run for up to 11 hours off of a single charge, making it perfect for users on the go.

Pros

  • Great battery life
  • 4GB of RAM
  • Anti-Glare display
  • Good performance

Cons

  • Less competitive price
  • No Full-HD display
  • 16GB of Storage

Specs

  • 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels (IPS)
  • Chrome OS
  • 11 hours battery life
  • 2.54 lbs

Summary & Score

Following the success of the Chrome book 2, the Chromebook 3 offers better performance and almost 30% better battery life for Chrome OS users on the go.

Samsung Chromebook 3 XE500C13-K02US 11.6-inch
$179.99
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(as of 27-09-2023 18:28 UTC) Details

Acer CB3-111-C670 11.6″ Chromebook

Acer Chromebook CB3-111-C670
Acer has started to make a name for itself in the Chromebook market as of late. With multiple additions to their chromebook lineup the CB3-111-C670 is one of the most popular. Don’t let the 2.16Ghz Celeron processor and 2GB DDR3L RAM fool you, the CB3-111-C670 is lightning fast thanks to Google’s lightweight Chrome OS. Boot up times are around 7 seconds thanks to the 16GB SSD drive and with around 8 and a half hours of battery life this couldn’t be more suited for a on-the-go professional or student. There are a few limitations due to Chrome OS such as only being able to install apps off the Chrome web store as well as a lack of a file browser, however the tech savvy user will easily be able to install Linux to turn this Chromebook into a fully fledged laptop computer.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Affordable
  • Long Battery Life
  • Silent

Cons

  • Low maximum screen brightness
  • Cheap plastic finish
  • Chrome OS Limitations
  • No Bluetooth

Specs

  • 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels (TN)
  • Chrome OS
  • 8.5 hours battery life
  • 2.43 lbs

Summary & Score

The Acer Chromebook 11 CB3-111is fast, light and lasts a long time on a single charge, the only downside is the limitations imposed by Chrome OS.

Acer CB3-111-C670 Chromebook 11.6-inch
$213.99
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(as of 27-09-2023 18:44 UTC) Details

Best Chromebooks Under $300 – Runners-Up

ASUS Chromebook Flip C100PA-DB02 10.1-inch

ASUS Chromebook Flip C100PA-DB02 10.1-inch Chromebook touchscreen
Bridging the gap between tablet and Chromebook, the Asus Chromebook Flip C100PA-DB02 is a compact laptop that offers great performance for its low price. The Flip’s aluminum construction gives it a high quality look and feel and is a far cry from many of its competitors who only offer plastic constructions that feel cheap. But the brushed aluminum is not the only thing that sets it apart from its competitors, the Flip C100PA is also very thin and measures in at a mere 0.61-inches. While many Chromebooks use more costly Intel Celeron and Atom processors, the Asus Flip C100PA features a popular tablet and Smartphone processor from Rockchip. Users can expect performance that is on par with the NVIDIA Tegra K1 and the Rockchip RK3288 Quad Core processor offers good speeds while loading apps and web pages. The processor is backed by 4GB of RAM which is double that of most of its competitors, but storage space is average with 16GB of eMMC flash memory. But Google offers 100GB of Google Drive cloud storage for 2 years and a microSD slot allows users to expand their storage space for multimedia and work documents. Two full sized USB ports allow for users to connect devise and also allows for the expansion of the storage space via external storage devices. While other Chromebooks feature an average display size of over 11-inches, the Flip C100PA comes in slightly smaller at just 10.1-inches and has a lower resolution than most entry level Chromebooks. But with in-panel switching and a fairly responsive touchscreen, the display is still better than some of its competitors.

Pros

  • 2-in-1 design
  • IPS display
  • Aluminum construction
  • Outstanding battery life
  • 4GB of RAM

Cons

  • Lower resolution
  • No USB 3.0
  • Micro-HDMI
  • Only 16GB of storage

Specs

  • 10.1 inch, pixels (IPS)
  • Chrome OS
  • 11 hours battery life
  • 2 lbs

Summary & Score

Overall the Asus Chromebook Flip C100PA offers users a great Chrome OS experience in a small and compact design that looks and feels like a miniature Google Chromebook Pixel.

ASUS Chromebook Flip C100PA-DB02 10.1-inch
See Price at Retailer
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(as of 09-03-2018 04:33 -07:00) Details

Acer Chromebook CB3-431-C5FM 14-inch

Acer Chromebook CB3-431-C5FM 14-inch
The Acer Chromebook 14’s all-aluminum chassis make it look and feel like it costs much more than its modest price tag. This makes it stand out amongst competitors, and despite the metal design, it remains light enough to carry around easily. Sporting a 1920 x 1080p resolution, its display is sharp and reproduces colors accurately. However, it is not bright enough for comfortable outdoor use, and its color palette is middling at best, but understandable at this price point. Moving on to input devices, the keyboard offers nice feedback and is well spaced out, but we would have liked deeper travel. It is by no means bad, but it tires you out faster than other keyboards. The touchpad, however, is smooth, accurate, and correctly registers multi-touch gestures. Acer fit an Intel Celeron N3160 processor and backed it up with 4GB of low power RAM. Office apps run like a breeze, and there is no visible lag during multitasking. Intel Celeron processors are also designed to be as efficient as possible, and this allows the Chromebook a long 10-hour battery life that will last any school day. Unfortunately, the integrated graphics will not tolerate anything except light gaming. This might actually be a good thing, seeing as how you should be studying rather than playing computer games.

Pros

  • Premium metal design
  • Sturdy build
  • Full-HD screen
  • Long battery life
  • Great speakers
  • Solid performance

Cons

  • Shallow keyboard
  • Dim light
  • Underpowered processor
  • No SD card slot

Specs

  • 14 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels (IPS)
  • Chrome OS
  • 12 hours battery life
  • 3.42 lbs

Summary & Score

The Acer Chromebook CB3-431-C5FM offers much more than its modest price tag suggests, and with its long battery life and compact design, it makes for a great carry-on device.

Acer Chromebook CB3-431-C5FM 14-inch
$299.99$239.95
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(as of 27-09-2023 18:24 UTC) Details

Acer CB3-532 15.6-inch

Acer CB3-532
We are used to seeing Chromebooks sporting 11 – 13-inch displays, such as the popular Samsung Chromebook 3 XE500C13-K04US and the Acer Chromebook R 11 CB5-132T-C1LK, but Acer’s CB3-532 breaks the mold, sporting a larger, 15.6-inch display. This makes text easier to read, and for this reason it is ideal for reading smaller text. The only drawback with the display is its narrow viewing angles and the accompanying washed out looking colors doesn’t make it that great for photo and video media consumption. It comes with a larger keyboard thanks to the larger overall design that most thought was comfortable and easy to use, and many customers agreed that the Chrome OS is easy to use, reporting a positive overall experience. Under the hood, you’ll find a the Intel Celeron N3060, a processor we often see in the budget laptops. The 4GB of LPDDR3 RAM will allow basic processes and multitasking to run smoothly, but there are multitasking limits with this much RAM. You do get a speedy eMMC solid state drive that boots up your Chromebook fast, but it only has 16GB of space. It does come with two USB 3.0 ports though, so you can easily plug in an external HDD with all your multimedia on it. The Chromebooks are generally efficient with their power usage, and the Acer CB3-532 is no different. It has a battery life of around 12 hours, so working away from a power source is not an issue.

Pros

  • Battery life
  • Fast boot up
  • Large display
  • Larger keyboard
  • Fast SSD

Cons

  • Limited storage space
  • Not strong at multitasking
  • Quality control issues
  • Subpar display

Specs

  • 15.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels
  • Chrome OS
  • 12 hours battery life
  • 6.33 lbs

Summary & Score

The Acer CB3-532 has a large 15.6-inch display and a larger keyboard than most of its Chromebook counterparts, but like most Chromebooks in this price range, it has very little storage space and the 4GB of RAM could limit your multitasking ability.

Acer CB3-532-C47C (2018) 15.6-inch
$203.00
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(as of 27-09-2023 19:12 UTC) Details

ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02 11.6-inch

ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02 11.6-inch
If you are looking for a strong and sturdy Chromebook that can handle the abuses of the classroom, then the ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02 is well worth considering. It has been specially designed with nano-molding technology to ensure that it is tough as nails and the rubber bumpers help to protect this Chromebook from impact in unforeseen accidents. It has even been tested by ASAS to endure a 3.9 foot drop. ASUS have also given the Chromebook C202SA-YS02 a spill-resistant keyboard to ensure that this Chromebook will still function in the event of an unforeseen spillage while it is being used. The 180-degree hinged display allows for easier viewing while in group discussions and gives the ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02 a bit more flexibility when relaxing with your feet up on the sofa. Powering the ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02 is an Intel Celeron N3060 processor and 4GB of RAM, which combined are more than powerful enough for most Chrome OS tasks. While the standard Microsoft Office cannot be installed on Chrome OS, you will be able to use Google Docs, QuickOffice and Microsoft Office Online for all of your word processing needs. The 16GB of storage will allow for a handful of applications and documents to be stored on the ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02, however, it has been designed to be used in conjunction with Google’s Drive cloud storage. You get 100GB of cloud storage space for 2 years from Google, thereafter it will cost $1.99 a month to keep the same amount of storage. If you would prefer an offline solution, then we recommend purchasing a 128GB MicroSD card and installing it into the MicroSD slot for a more permanent storage solution.

Pros

  • Rugged design
  • MicroSD slot
  • Spill-resistant keyboard
  • Price

Cons

  • Limited storage space
  • No optical drive
  • Non-upgradable
  • Limited amount of apps
  • Linux not supported

Specs

  • 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels (TN)
  • Chrome OS
  • 10 hours battery life
  • 2.2 lbs

Summary & Score

The ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02 is a rugged Chromebook that has been designed for the classroom and features double the RAM as many of its competitors.

ASUS Chromebook C202SA-YS02 11.6-inch
$229.00$208.99
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(as of 27-09-2023 18:15 UTC) Details

HP Chromebook 14 14-inch

HP Chromebook 14 14-inch laptop
Chromebooks have become extremely popular for their amazing value for money and for their alternative operating system. While you won’t see an all-metal chassis or a backlit keyboard for its price, the HP Chromebook 14 still remains an elegantly designed laptop. In comparison to many of its Windows-based competitors, the HP Chromebook 14 features a far larger trackpad which makes navigating around Chrome OS a breeze. While the operating system is limited and you cannot use your Windows-based applications, Chrome OS does come with some added benefits. You will no longer be bombarded with those annoying Windows 10 updates, and you will no longer need to fear the dreaded onslaught of viruses that has caused so much fear for Windows users. While there might be far fewer applications on offer, you will still find everything that you need for day-to-day use. The battery life is also impressive and some users have claimed to easily get 8 hours while browsing the web or watching videos online. This makes it great for college students who need a laptop that will last an entire day of lectures without running out of juice. If you are looking for a laptop to store all of your media files, then you will have to use a good external storage drive as the HP Chromebook 14 only features 16GB of storage space of which some is used up by the operating system. The display has also received some criticism for its brightness and seems to be slightly dimmer than competing Chromebooks.

Pros

  • Attractive price
  • Good build quality
  • Large trackpad
  • Good battery life

Cons

  • Limited applications
  • Dimm display
  • Small amount of physical storage

Specs

  • 14 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels (IPS)
  • Chrome OS
  • 9.25 hours battery life
  • 3.4 lbs

Summary & Score

The HP Chromebook 14 offers great value for money, however, Chrome OS offers fewer applications and the display is slightly dim.

HP Chromebook 14 14-inch
$259.99
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(as of 27-09-2023 18:24 UTC) Details

Best Chromebooks Under $500 – Runners-Up

Samsung Chromebook Pro XE510C24-K01US 12.3-inch

Samsung Chromebook Pro XE510C24-K01US 12.3-inch
When it comes to Chromebooks, there is very little variety among the budget friendly versions, and they all boast similar processors and 16GB of storage space. However, when you start moving into the premium Chromebooks, you start seeing features that are not available on the sub $300 models. For one thing, the Samsung Chromebook Pro features a brilliant Quad-HD display with a touchscreen panel. This means that the Samsung Chromebook Pro offers a far higher resolution than the average Chromebook, meaning far superior image quality. The display can also be folded 360-degrees to transform the Samsung Chromebook Pro into a Chrome OS based tablet. The Samsung pen will allow you to easily draw and illustrate in the various Google applications, though its best use is for quickly and easily taking notes at work or at college. While the store is still quite small for modern standards, you do get double the storage space of most Chromebooks, allowing you to store more of your offline documents. However, Chromebooks are designed to work in conjunction with Google’s online applications and its cloud-based storage option, Google Drive. Still, you may want to get yourself a good external hard drive for those times when you find yourself offline. While the Samsung Chromebook Pro is fairly similar to the Plus, it boasts a far more powerful Intel Core M3 6Y30 processor. This will allow you to get the most out of this Chromebook without it feeling sluggish when you need it the most.

Pros

  • QHD touchscreen display
  • Pen for drawing
  • Thin and light
  • Intel Core M3 CPU
  • Great battery life

Cons

  • Limited applications
  • Chrome OS
  • Small amount of storage
  • Only USB Type-C ports

Specs

  • 12.3 inch, 2400 x 1600 pixels (IPS)
  • Chrome OS
  • 9 hours battery life
  • 2.4 lbs

Summary & Score

The Samsung Chromebook Pro brings a premium look and feel to the Chromebook market and its powerful hardware make it a great choice for college students and bloggers alike.

Samsung Chromebook Pro XE510C24-K01US 12.3-inch
$599.00$597.99
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(as of 04-10-2022 03:48 -07:00) Details

Acer Chromebook 15 CB5-571-362Q


The Chromebook 15 CB5-571-362Q is new and improved big brother of the Acer Chromebook 13 with a relatively unique 15-inch display usually not found on competing Chromebooks. It features an attractive all-white casing with a microweave pattern on the outer surfaces. Larger screen means larger dimension, leading to a total weight of nearly 5 pounds, which means it’s not as travel friendly as other Chromebooks. Despite a larger size, it uses the same keyboard as on its 13-inch Keyboards. The extra space near the ends of the keyboard is used by two high quality stereo speakers. In terms of connectivity it includes a USB 3.0 port, USB 2.0 port, a full-sized HDMI-out port, and an SD card slot. Despite its larger display, the battery life is excellent, running over 7 hours in half brightness with video streaming on. You will easily get the advertised 9 hours with light use. Its Intel Core i3-5005U processor offers a significant performance jump over its Celeron equipped competitors. It even beats the recently released Chromebook powered by the much hyped Tegra K-1 processor. The 4GB memory is largest you will get on any Chromebook, and it’s adequate for all Google applications. If save up some more, you can get more a powerful Windows laptop, but it won’t offer the same quality display and the same lengthy battery life. If you are a daily traveller who wants something for typing on the go, you’re probably better off with an 11-inch Chromebook. However, if you watch lots of movies at home and edit photos at work, the more powerful 15-inch Acer Chromebook 15 is without a doubt a top choice as an all-purpose home or office cloud PC.

Pros

  • Full-HD screen
  • Fast processor
  • Clear and loud audio
  • Long battery life
  • Comfortable keyboard

Cons

  • The white chassis shows up dirt
  • Not as portable as other Chromebooks

Specs

  • 15.6 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels (TN)
  • Chrome OS
  • 9 hours battery life
  • 4.85 lbs

Summary & Score

While lacking slightly in the portability department the Acer Chromebook 15 CB5-571-362Q delivers high definition audio and video while maintaining an impressive battery life.

Acer Chromebook 15 CB5-571-362Q 15.6-inch
$449.99
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(as of 27-09-2023 18:48 UTC) Details

Acer Chromebook R 13

Acer Chromebook R 13 CB5-312T-K5X4 13.3-inch
For under $400, Acer’s convertible Chromebook R13 is packed with hardware and a 12-hour battery that easily competes with other laptops and convertibles within the price range. The quad core 2.1 GHz MediaTek M8173C delivers a respectable performance for web browsing, streaming Full-HD videos and word processing, but throwing anything heavier at it will be met with some resistance. The 4GB of RAM backing it is slightly limiting too, as this will make any heavy multitasking a somewhat strenuous affair. But if you are out looking for a well-priced 2-in-1 that gets the basics right, then the Chromebook R13 is perfect for you. The aluminium chassis gives it a very professional look and its Full-HD, 1920×1080 IPS display easily rotates from a notebook to a display, tent and tablet position. Its build quality has received criticism due to its overall flexibility, with many pointing out that the rotation hinge feels flimsy. On the left side of the Chromebook R13, you will find a USB Type-C port, an HDMI port, a USB 3.0 Port and a microSD card reader slot, with Acer placing the headphone jack and lock slot on the right side. The Chrome OS can take some getting used to and it does run Android apps, which is quite a great bonus for Android fans. The keyboard is comfortable, but the fact that it’s not backlit surprised some reviewers, who directed some criticism towards this fact. The Acer Chromebook R13 is good for casual use, but productivity users and heavy multitaskers would do best to find something that packs a bit more power.

Pros

  • Great battery life
  • Attractive body
  • Good display
  • Quick boot times
  • Performance to price ratio

Cons

  • Heavy for a 2-in-1
  • Flimsy feeling
  • No backlit keyboard
  • Average performance for productivity users

Specs

  • 13.3 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels
  • Chrome OS
  • 12 hours battery life
  • 3.3 lbs

Summary & Score

For the price, the Acer Chromebook R13 is an affordable option with some competitive hardware, but its performances are slightly underwhelming, especially for those looking to maximise on productivity.

Acer Chromebook R 13 CB5-312T-K5X4 13.3-inch
$314.99
Order Now
on Amazon.com
(as of 27-09-2023 19:04 UTC) Details

Samsung Chromebook Plus XE513C24-K01US 12.3-inch

Samsung Chromebook Plus XE513C24-K01US 12.3-inch
If you are looking for a thin and light laptop for your studies, then the Samsung Chromebook Plus XE513C24-K01US is well worth considering. It features a sleek design, weighs in at 2.38-pounds and at just 0.51-inches thick, it is among the thinnest of the Chromebooks on the market. While other ChromeBooks are generally inexpensive, the Samsung Chromebook Plus XE513C24-K01US commands a higher price due to the fact that its features are more in line with that of mid-range Windows laptops. The Samsung Chromebook Plus XE513C24-K01US sports a Rockchip Hexa-Core OP1 processor with 4GB of DDR3L RAM, which give it the edge over some of its slightly cheaper counterparts. While you might not get an Intel processor, the Rockchip OP1 has been optimized in conjunction with Google for Chrome OS. You also get double the storage space of most Chromebooks, however the 32GB will fill up quickly if you intend on storing larger documents or multimedia files. You can purchase a large MicroSD card to extend the laptop’s storage space and we recommend a good 128GB MicroSD card. If you are permanently connected to the Internet, then you can make use of Google Drive as they offer great packages for under $10 a month. With a good battery life, the Samsung ChromeBook Plus will easily make it through all of your classes at college. The high resolution QHD display can be folded 360-degrees and with the included pen you will be able to take notes with ease. While it does run the more limited Chrome OS, you will still be able to use Microsoft Office thanks to Microsoft Office Online. The only major downside is that it only features two USB 3.1 Type-C ports that require adapters in order to use a standard USB port. Luckily Samsung have included an adapter in the box, which is more than what you get with Apple’s MacBook.

Pros

  • Thin and light
  • 8-Core processor
  • Pen for drawing and taking notes
  • Good battery life

Cons

  • Only 2 USB 3.1 Type-C ports
  • Limited apps
  • Chrome OS
  • Limited storage space

Specs

  • Other Rockchip OP 1 Cortex-A53/Cortex-A72 2.0GHz
  • Mali-T860 MP4 Shared
  • 4GB LPDDR3 RAM
  • 32GB SSD
  • 12.3 inch, 2400 x 1600 pixels (IPS)
  • Chrome OS
  • 10 hours battery life
  • 2.38 lbs

Summary & Score

The Samsung Chromebook Plus XE513C24-K01US is a powerful Chromebook that is perfect for all of your college classes. The included pen will make taking notes much easier and will allow you to save them as digital copies.

Samsung Chromebook Plus XE513C24-K01US 12.3-inch
$449.99
Order Now
on Amazon.com
(as of 27-09-2023 18:15 UTC) Details

 

By LaptopNinja Editorial Team

The LaptopNinja editorial team is dedicated to helping you choose the right laptop for your needs and spreading knowledge about everything tech. Founded in 2012, the LaptopNinja team of motley tech specialists spend countless hours every week scouring the best deals across the web to help save you time and money based on more than half a decade of experience researching and recommended the top value for money and high performing laptops on the planet.

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