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The Best Chromebook

By Kimber Streams

Kimber Streams is a writer who has been covering laptops and other tech at Wirecutter for more than a decade. They once built a fort out of keyboards.

A good Chromebook can do almost anything that a regular laptop can do, and the best models can feel better to use than their similarly priced Windows counterparts.

After testing most of the Chromebooks released over the past 10 years and testing 25 models so far in 2024, we recommend the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus . It’s an excellent laptop, with the best combination of features and price of all the Chromebooks we’ve tested, including fast performance, a spacious touchscreen, and long-enough battery life for a full day of work or classes.

Everything we recommend

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

The best chromebook.

Reliable performance, a spacious touch display, and long-enough battery life for a full workday make this model the best Chromebook for the price. But it is a bit heavy.

Buying Options

Budget pick.

Asus Chromebook Plus CX34

Less expensive, worse display.

This Asus model is a less expensive option that doesn’t sacrifice performance, but its non-touch display isn’t as tall, vibrant, or convenient as that of our top pick.

Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16″ (82V80009UX)

Best if you want a big screen.

This inexpensive model offers fast performance, a roomy 16-inch screen with a high refresh rate, and an RGB keyboard with a built-in number pad. But it’s huge and heavy.

Upgrade pick

Asus ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus (CX5403CMA-DB588)

More portable.

The ExpertBook is lighter and has longer battery life, a brighter display, and a crisper webcam than our top pick. But it’s more expensive and it lacks a touch screen.

Why a Chromebook?

Many kids already use Chromebooks at school, and these inexpensive, secure, and accessible laptops are great for pulling out of a bag and getting right to work.

Chromebooks can do almost anything that regular laptops can do, using browser-based software and services instead of Windows or macOS apps.

A great $500 Chromebook can feel faster to use—and can be lighter and more compact—than a similarly priced Windows laptop.

If you already have a desktop or laptop, a Chromebook is an excellent and affordable secondary device.

Recommended configuration

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus has a reliable keyboard and trackpad, a tall touchscreen, and surprisingly good speakers. All of those features combined with the IdeaPad Flex 5i’s reasonable price make it the best Chromebook for most people’s needs. It has enough battery life to last a full day of work or classes, but not much longer, and we wish that it were lighter—at 3.6 pounds, it’s heavy for a 14-inch laptop.

The best cheap Chromebook—and the next-best option if our top pick is unavailable—is the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 . It’s just as fast as our top pick and can handle everyday workloads with ease, unlike many cheap Chromebooks, which feel slow with just a handful of tabs open. The CX34 also has a comfortable, backlit keyboard, battery life similar to that of our top pick, and a light, compact body. This model’s display is fine, but it lacks touch input, it’s not as tall, and its colors aren’t as vibrant as what you can get on our top pick.

The best option if you want a big screen is the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16″ . Photos and videos look great on its gigantic 16-inch display with a high refresh rate, and the RGB keyboard is a fun extra feature. But this 4-pound laptop is inconvenient to take to work, class, or even a coffee shop—it’s best used around the house. If you need a more portable Chromebook to commute or travel with, consider our other picks instead.

If you want a more portable Chromebook that weighs less and offers longer battery life, as well as a brighter screen and a crisper-looking webcam, get the Asus ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus (CX5403CMA-DB588) . It’s an excellent Chromebook with premium build quality, a reliable keyboard and trackpad, and a convenient fingerprint reader. But it costs several hundred dollars more than our top pick, and it lacks a touch screen and a 360-degree hinge.

The research

What is a chromebook, why you should trust us, how we picked, how we tested, top pick: lenovo ideapad flex 5i chromebook plus, budget pick: asus chromebook plus cx34, best if you want a big screen: lenovo ideapad gaming chromebook 16", upgrade pick: asus expertbook cx54 chromebook plus, other chromebooks worth considering, what to look forward to, the competition.

A Chromebook is a laptop that runs ChromeOS , an operating system that uses the Chrome web browser as its primary interface. Chromebooks are ideal for students and kids, but they’re also worth considering if you spend most of your computer time in a web browser, if you’re on a tight budget, or if you already have a decent desktop PC . A good Chromebook can do almost anything a regular laptop can do—as long as that task is possible in a web browser or in Android apps . And $500 Chromebooks tend to be faster, lighter, and sleeker than $500 Windows laptops. Chromebooks are also secure and easy to maintain .

But Chromebooks can’t run Mac or Windows programs, including Windows-specific games. They work best with a full-time internet connection, though you can find offline options for Gmail, Google Drive, and other apps , and Chromebook Plus models can automatically sync Google Drive files for offline use. If you use web-based email, if you can get by with Microsoft 365 , Google’s office web apps, and Android app alternatives, and if you stream your music and movies, a Chromebook should do just about everything you need it to.

Most newly released Chromebooks have 128 GB of onboard storage; Google also provides 100 GB of free online Google One storage for one year. (Once your year is up, you have to pay to keep that cloud storage. Right now, 100 GB of storage costs $2 per month or $20 per year.) Most Chromebooks also include USB ports and a microSD card slot that you can use to expand the storage.

Senior staff writer Kimber Streams has tested most of the Chromebooks released since 2014, when they began covering Chromebooks for Wirecutter. They’ve tested and reviewed hundreds of laptops, including Chromebooks, cheap Windows laptops, powerful gaming laptops, and ultrabooks.

A Chromebook doesn’t need to be exceptionally powerful or look fancy. But if slow performance, poor battery life, a horrendous screen, or a bad keyboard or trackpad gets in your way, the Chromebook has failed at its only job. Here’s what we look for:

Performance: We’ve found that fast and reliable performance for a Chromebook requires 8 GB of memory combined with an 11th-generation or newer Intel processor or a 5000- or 7000-series AMD Ryzen processor. When we used Chromebooks with lower-end processors or less memory, we encountered long, frequent delays loading tabs, typing in documents and spreadsheets, and speaking on Zoom calls. One way to guarantee that you’re getting fast-enough performance is to look for Google’s new Chromebook Plus label introduced in October 2023, though some models released before then lack the label but meet the spec requirements.

Avoid Chromebooks that run on Intel’s N-series Celeron or Pentium processors, on ARM-based processors from companies such as MediaTek or Qualcomm, or on AMD’s Athlon A4 and A6 processors; in our testing over the years, we’ve come away frustrated by their laggy, inconsistent performance. Also avoid any Chromebooks with less than 4 GB of memory, regardless of their processor.

Price: As of 2024, Chromebooks that meet our performance requirements typically cost $400 to $550. Options with better performance and more features tend to cost at least $700.

Keyboard and trackpad: Both input devices should be good enough not to get in the way of your work. A backlit keyboard is a nice luxury.

Battery life: A Chromebook should last at least a full eight-hour day of classes or work so you don’t have to hunt for an outlet or be stuck with a dead laptop.

Size and weight: The lighter and more compact a laptop is, the easier it is to carry on a plane, to a coffee shop, or to class. And for Chromebooks with 360-degree convertible hinges, being lighter makes them easier to hold in tablet mode—less than 3 pounds is ideal.

Screen: We recommend a 1920×1080 resolution or thereabouts for a 13- to 15-inch screen—higher resolutions often aren’t worth the trade-off in battery life, and lower resolutions look bad. A touchscreen and a 360-degree hinge are nice perks since Chromebooks also run Android apps, and an included stylus is a bonus.

Ports: We appreciate a Chromebook that includes both USB-C ports and traditional USB-A ports, which allows you to connect older peripherals.

Support: Google now guarantees 10 years of software updates—including new features and security fixes—for every new Chromebook. We don’t recommend any Chromebooks with a support date that expires before 2029.

We lived with each Chromebook for at least a full day of work to get a feel for the keyboard, trackpad, screen, and speakers, as well as for each laptop’s real-world performance. We checked Gmail and Google Calendar, ran Slack, streamed music, worked in large Google Drive spreadsheets and text documents, chatted on Zoom, and streamed videos from Netflix, Twitch, and YouTube. We paid attention to any performance issues that surfaced.

To quantify how fast a Chromebook felt to use, we gathered results from the Speedometer 3.0 and JetStream 2 benchmarking tools to measure performance, combining those results with what we saw in our real-world testing.

To test the battery life of each Chromebook, we set each screen’s backlight to approximately 150 nits and ran a customized version of the Chromium web-browsing battery test . It emulates typical browsing behavior by cycling through web pages, email, streaming audio, Google Docs files, and video.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is an excellent Chromebook, with the best combination of features and price of all the models we’ve tested. It offers fast performance, a reliable keyboard and trackpad, a tall and spacious touchscreen, and enough battery life to last a full day of work or classes. Though we wish it were lighter—at 3.6 pounds it’s weighty for a 14-inch laptop—it’s the best Chromebook for most people’s needs.

It’s fast enough for everyday tasks. The IdeaPad Flex 5i meets all of Wirecutter’s (and Google’s) spec requirements for smooth performance. It was plenty fast enough to handle all my tabs, including Gmail, Google Calendar, Slack, YouTube Music, a YouTube video, a large spreadsheet of Chromebook test results, a long Google Doc, and five to 10 other miscellaneous retailer and laptop-maker websites. I even threw a Zoom call on top, and everything kept working just fine. This model also supports Google’s new Chromebook Plus features for improving video calls, syncing files for offline access, and more.

The battery will last a full day of work or classes, but not much longer. In our testing, the IdeaPad Flex 5i lasted 9 hours 31 minutes on a charge; we prefer to see a couple more hours, especially since battery life degrades over time. If you need longer battery life, consider our upgrade pick instead.

It has a tall, spacious display and surprisingly good speakers. The IdeaPad Flex 5i’s 14-inch 1920×1200 touchscreen has a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is especially convenient for scrolling web pages and working in long documents. It isn’t bright enough to see outdoors on a sunny day—and the glossy touchscreen is reflective—but it isn’t so dim and desaturated as to be distracting. In addition, we found the upward-facing speakers to be unexpectedly competent; the Flex 5i is a better option for watching movies and music videos than our budget pick.

You can use it as a tablet, but it’s heavy. Our top pick has a 360-degree hinge, so you can flip the screen around and use it in tablet or tent mode. But the IdeaPad Flex 5i’s weight makes it difficult to hold in tablet mode. I was able to open the lid with a single hand, but the tight hinge made the action more difficult than it should have been.

The IdeaPad Flex 5i has a mix of new and old USB ports, so it should accommodate the accessories and cables you already have. It has guaranteed update support through June 2032.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s heavy for its portable size. At 12.4 by 9.0 by 0.8 inches, our top pick is compact enough to fit into most bags to use on the go. But at 3.6 pounds, the IdeaPad Flex 5i is one of the heavier Chromebooks we’ve tested with this screen size. If you need a lighter Chromebook, take a look at our budget pick or our upgrade pick .

Its 1080p webcam is fine but could be better. The webcam produces a dim image even with Google’s new Improve Lighting feature enabled. (It does have a convenient privacy shutter to block it when you’re not using it.) Our budget pick and upgrade pick have better webcams, if you need one for frequent video calls.

The best inexpensive Chromebook, and the next-best option if our top pick is unavailable, is the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 . Unlike many cheap Chromebooks, which can struggle with basic tasks, the CX34 feels as fast as our top pick, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i. And it has a comfortable, backlit keyboard, a responsive trackpad, and a decent 14-inch 1080p display. But compared with the IdeaPad Flex 5i’s screen, the CX34’s display lacks touch input, it’s not as tall, and its colors aren’t as vibrant.

Our budget pick is just as fast as our top pick. Many cheap Chromebooks rely on slow processors or have limited memory; typically those models can’t handle a video call and an open document at the same time, or they bog down with just a handful of tabs open. But the CX34 doesn’t make any sacrifices in the performance department—our budget pick can handle everyday workloads with ease.

It’s light and compact. Our budget pick is easier to lug around because it’s about a third of a pound lighter and a bit more compact than our top pick. The CX34 lasted 9 hours 52 minutes in our battery-life test, about the same as the IdeaPad Flex 5i. Both models have enough battery life to make it through a full day of work or classes.

Its smaller, non-touch display is a step down. The CX34’s 14-inch 1920×1080 screen is fine, but its 16:9 aspect ratio isn’t as nice as the IdeaPad Flex 5i’s taller display for working in documents or browsing the web. This model’s screen also lacks touch input, and colors look more drab and desaturated in comparison with those on our top pick’s display.

You can’t use it as a tablet. Unlike the IdeaPad Flex 5i, which has a 360-degree hinge, the CX34 can work only as a basic clamshell laptop. It’s easy to open with one hand, though.

The CX34 has a 1080p webcam with a built-in privacy shutter. Like the IdeaPad Flex 5i, the CX34 has a variety of useful ports, and it has guaranteed update support through June 2032.

If you want a big screen, the best option is the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16″ . Its 16-inch display provides more room to get work done or to enjoy streaming shows or movies, and its number pad can be useful if you do a lot of data entry. That big screen makes the whole laptop heavier and bulkier, though. If you need a more portable Chromebook to take to classes, to commute or travel with, or to occasionally cart to a café, you may want to consider our other picks instead.

Its gigantic screen is ideal for working or for watching videos. The 16-inch, 2560×1600 high-refresh display gives you more room to work on documents and spreadsheets or to watch shows and movies. Its colors are vibrant, the matte display doesn’t throw distracting reflections, and the 120 Hz high refresh rate makes scrolling and other actions look extra smooth.

The customizable RGB keyboard is responsive and fun. But the backlit keys feel mushy, and the keyboard deck flexes a lot, even under light typing. This model is the only one of our current picks with a number pad, so if that feature is a must-have for you, this is the Chromebook to get. The IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook’s extra-wide trackpad is accurate, and it works well for all taps, clicks, and gestures.

It offers long battery life, but it’s large and heavy. The IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook will last a full day of work or school away from an outlet—the Core i5 model ran for 10 hours 43 minutes in our battery test, and we expect the Core i3 model to last a bit longer. But at 4 pounds, it’s the heaviest of our picks. And compared with our top pick, the IdeaPad Flex 5i, it’s much bigger overall, measuring nearly 2 inches wider and an inch deeper. This Chromebook is more convenient to use at home, rather than on the go.

Unlike our top pick, this model can’t work as a tablet. The IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook lacks a 360-degree hinge, but it’s too bulky and heavy to use in a tent mode or tablet mode, anyway. I consistently needed both hands to open it. If you want a large-screen laptop that you can open using a single hand, I suggest the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (CB515-2H) or HP Chromebook 15a-nb0023dx .

Despite being a “gaming Chromebook,” it doesn’t have an Ethernet port. It comes with three months of Nvidia GeForce Now, but the lack of Ethernet made streaming games unreliable in our testing. It does have a variety of USB-C and USB-A ports for most other needs, though. The webcam is about as good as those of our other picks, and it has guaranteed update support through June 2032.

If you want a lighter Chromebook with longer battery life and a more flattering webcam, we recommend the Asus ExpertBook CX54 Chromebook Plus (CX5403CMA-DB588) . The ExpertBook CX54 also has a brighter, higher-resolution display, a convenient fingerprint reader, a more satisfying keyboard, and a more premium build quality. But it typically costs a couple hundred dollars more than our top pick, and it lacks a touch screen.

The backlit keyboard feels comfortable and satisfying. I enjoyed typing on it more than on our top pick’s shallower keyboard, though the backlight on our review unit looks patchy and uneven. The ExpertBook’s gigantic trackpad is responsive and accurate, and we didn’t encounter any issues with palm rejection.

The ExpertBook CX54 is light and portable, with long battery life. In our battery-life tests, this model lasted 12 hours—about two hours longer than our top pick. That’s plenty long enough for the machine to get through a full day of work or school without needing to be plugged in. At 2.87 pounds, it’s more than half a pound lighter than our top pick, too.

Its display is brighter and higher resolution than our pick’s, but it lacks touch. Because the 14-inch 2560×1600 display gets much brighter than that of the IdeaPad 5i, you can still see it outdoors on a sunny day. And like our top pick, the ExpertBook has a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is particularly nice for browsing the web.

You can’t use it as a tablet, only as a laptop. The ExpertBook CX54 doesn’t have a 360-degree hinge or a touchscreen, so you can’t use it in tent or tablet mode like our top pick. But its lid is easy to open with a single hand.

Its webcam is a significant step up over those of our other picks. In our tests, this model’s webcam produced a brighter, more flattering image on Zoom calls. The webcam also has a physical privacy shutter to block it when you’re not using it.

The ExpertBook CX54 has a fingerprint reader on the palm rest. And it has guaranteed update support through June 2034.

If our top picks are out of stock: The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook Plus is the next best option thanks to its solid performance and long battery life. It costs a bit more than our top picks, its keys feel stiff, and our top pick’s taller-aspect-ratio display is more convenient, but the IdeaPad Slim 3i is a perfectly serviceable Chromebook.

If our budget pick is sold out: Get the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (CB514-4HT-359X) . It has reliable performance, decent battery life, and a 14-inch 1080p touch display. Compared to our budget pick, the Chromebook Plus 514’s keyboard doesn’t feel as satisfying to type on and its webcam doesn’t handle low light as well. But for a $350 Chromebook, this model provides a great value.

A cheap Chromebook with a good webcam: If you need an inexpensive option with a more flattering webcam for frequent video calls, get the HP Chromebook Plus x360 (14b-cd0133wm) . It had 9 hours of battery life in our tests, as well as a snappy keyboard and a reliable trackpad. The tradeoff is this model’s dim display—it maxed out at 233 nits, which is fine indoors, but impossible to see outside.

If our big-screen pick is unavailable: We recommend the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (CB515-2H) or the HP Chromebook Plus (15a-nb0033dx)  instead. Both models are fast-enough, reliable Chromebooks with long battery life; get the HP model if you want a number pad, otherwise get whichever one is cheaper. Compared with the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16″ , both of these models have smaller, lower-resolution, dimmer displays with a standard 60 Hz refresh rate, and as a result, scrolling and other animations don’t look as smooth.

If our upgrade pick is unavailable, or if you spot a sale: The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (CP714-1H-54UB) is an excellent premium Chromebook with a 360-degree hinge, solid performance, and long battery life. But compared with the Asus ExpertBook CX54, the Spin 714 is heavier, and it has a dimmer, lower-resolution display and a smaller trackpad.

If you want a Chromebook for streaming games: The Acer Chromebook Plus 516GE (CBG516-2H-59S4)  is the best of the so-called gaming Chromebooks because it’s the only model with an Ethernet port to provide a reliable internet connection for streaming games. It also has a vivid 16-inch, 2560×1600 display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a responsive, comfortable RGB keyboard. Every gaming Chromebook we’ve tested on Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now (Priority and Ultimate tiers) has encountered frustrating hiccups over Wi-Fi on a 500 Mbps internet plan, so we don’t recommend getting a Chromebook to stream games over Wi-Fi.

At Computex 2024, Acer announced the $550 Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (CP514-4HN) . We plan to test it for our next update.

The Asus Chromebook Plus CX3402CVA-I5128 is nearly identical to our budget pick, but it has a cheap-feeling, non-backlit keyboard and it costs more at around $500.

The Acer Chromebook Vero 514 (CBV514-1H-38VS) is fast enough for everyday tasks and offers long battery life, but it has a dim, non-touch screen compared to our top picks and it costs more than our budget picks.

The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 (CB514-3HT-R8C2) offers fast performance but has a notably dim display with desaturated colors.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 (CP514-1H) is large and heavy, and its update support ends a year sooner than our top pick’s. The Acer Chromebook 514 (CB514-2H) is too slow for everyday tasks, and our review unit stopped turning on.

During our tests, the N6000 processor in the Acer Chromebook 314 (CB314-3HT-P6QW) and the Acer Chromebook Spin 314 (CP314-1HN-P138) struggled to support a Zoom call and document editing at the same time.

The ARM-based processor in the Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (CP513-1H-S338) faltered in simultaneously running a Zoom call and allowing work on a spreadsheet.

The Asus Chromebook Flip C433 and Asus Chromebook Flip C434 won’t get Chromebook Plus features and will stop receiving security updates years before our top picks.

At a whopping 4.08 pounds, the Asus Chromebook Plus CM34 Flip is too heavy; this 14-inch model weighs even more than our pick with a 16-inch display . The CM34 Flip is an otherwise good Chromebook with long, 13-hour battery life, fast-enough specs, and Chromebook Plus features.

Upgrade options

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (CP714-2W-56B2) is an older model of the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (CP714-1H-54UB) with pointier edges and two years less support—it’ll stop receiving updates in June 2032. But it has longer battery life than the newer model, and it’s a good Chromebook if you spot it on sale.

Compared to our upgrade pick, the HP Chromebook Plus x360 (14c-cd0053dx) ’s battery life is shorter, it’s a bit heavier, its display doesn’t get as bright, and it’s harder to open with a single hand.

Though the Lenovo ThinkPad C14 Gen 1 Chromebook has a top-notch keyboard and trackpad, our upgrade pick is smaller, lighter, and cheaper, with longer battery life and a taller-aspect-ratio display.

The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook has a thin and light body, a vibrant 13.5-inch 1080p touchscreen, a comfortable backlit keyboard, and a huge responsive trackpad, and in our tests it offered excellent performance and plenty of battery life. But it retails for more than $1,000.

15- and 16-inch options

The Asus Chromebook Flip CM5 (CM5500FDA-DN344T) has worse performance, a smaller screen, and a higher price than our pick, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16″ .

The Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 (CX5601) is heavier, dimmer, and more expensive than our big-screen pick.

The Acer Chromebook 315 (CB315-4HT) and the Lenovo 3i Chromebook (15″) had too-slow processors that struggled with video calls and other simultaneous tasks in our tests.

Gaming Chromebooks

Google worked with manufacturers to design “gaming Chromebooks” that come with cloud-gaming subscriptions, high-refresh displays, and RGB keyboards. After testing these models, we don’t recommend Chromebooks as gaming devices—they’re limited to Android games (which you can play on any decent Chromebook) and game-streaming services, which are dependent on fickle internet connections. The Acer Chromebook Plus 516GE (CBG516-2H-59S4)  is the only one with an Ethernet port, which makes it more reliable for game streaming, while the Asus Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip and Asus Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip cost more and lack Ethernet ports. We like the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16″ more for its large screen and low price than its gaming capabilities.

Budget options

The HP Chromebook Plus 14a-nf0050nr is comparatively expensive when it’s not on sale, and it has a mediocre keyboard and a dimmer display than our picks.

Equipped with only an N100 processor and 4 GB of memory, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook (82XH0001US) had difficulty handling simultaneous tasks and video calls.

The MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor in the Asus Chromebook CM30 (CM3001DM2A-M8186) , Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook (14″) and the Asus Chromebook CM14 and Asus Chromebook CM14 Flip was abysmally slow in our tests.

The base Dell Latitude 3445 Chromebook is comparatively expensive for a machine with a low-resolution display, 4 GB of memory, and only 32 GB of local storage.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook Duet 3 (11″) is a detachable ChromeOS tablet that comes with a keyboard, but its processor is too slow.

Budget models that rely on the Intel Celeron N4500 processor are too slow for even light use. We also found the MediaTek processor in the Asus Chromebook Flip CM3 (CM3200FVA-DS42T) to be exceedingly slow.

A laptop should last at least five years, so we don’t recommend Chromebooks with a support date that expires before 2029—such as the Asus Chromebook Flip C302 (C302CA-DH54) , which is still available at this writing even though it stopped receiving updates in June 2023. Even if you find one cheap, it’s a bad deal.

This article was edited by Caitlin McGarry and Signe Brewster.

Meet your guide

Kimber Streams

Kimber Streams is a senior staff writer and has been covering laptops, gaming gear, keyboards, storage, and more for Wirecutter since 2014. In that time they’ve tested hundreds of laptops and thousands of peripherals, and built way too many mechanical keyboards for their personal collection.

Further reading

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Best Chromebook

• Best Budget
• Best Multimedia
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Notable Mentions

Recent updates, all reviews, the 5 best chromebooks - summer 2024 reviews.

Chromebooks are increasing in popularity as more people work or attend classes remotely. Although they aren't powerful computers that can handle demanding workloads like video editing or 3D rendering, they're more than adequate for those who can access their work or class material online through a web browser. Because Chrome OS is a lightweight operating system designed to run on lower-end hardware, Chromebooks also tend to be more affordable than Windows and macOS laptops, making them a great option for students or those on a tight budget.

We've tested more than 130 laptops. Below, you'll find our recommendations for the best Chromebooks. You can also see our picks for the  best laptops for battery life , the best student Chromebooks , and the best travel laptops .

The best Chromebook we've tested is the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024). This 2-in-1 convertible feels surprisingly well-built compared to most Chromebooks, and its compact design makes it easy to carry around. It provides a great user experience, sporting a nice FHD+ display, an amazingly comfortable keyboard, and an excellent 1440p webcam. The display gets pretty bright, so you get good visibility in well-lit settings, and since this is a 2-in-1 convertible, you can flip the screen around and use it as a tablet. There's pen input support if you want to take handwritten notes or draw, but unlike the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022) we tested, it no longer comes with a stylus, and there isn't a place to dock the pen for transport. The port selection is decent; it has two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s, a USB-A, an HDMI, and a headphone jack.

Configuration-wise, although Acer had announced several Intel Meteor Lake CPU options (up to a Core Ultra 7 165U), it's only available with a Core Ultra 5 115U at this time. Don't worry, though, as the Core Ultra 5 is more than adequate to handle most productivity tasks like text processing, web browsing, and video playback. Battery life is great at around 10 hours of light use, enough to comfortably get you through a typical school or workday, and the laptop charges over USB-C, so you don't have to carry around a proprietary charger. Unfortunately, there's no fingerprint sensor or facial recognition camera for quick logins, which isn't all that surprising for a Chromebook. If you're new to Chromebooks, know that most applications that run on Windows and macOS don't work on Chrome OS, so you must ensure you can do everything through a Chrome browser or Android app.

See our review

Best Budget Chromebook

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook 14 (2023) is our best budget pick. This affordable 14-inch model feels reasonably well-built and is easy to carry around. It's a good choice for younger students or anyone needing a simple device for light productivity tasks, web browsing, and video playback. You can configure it with an Intel N100, N200, or a Core i3-N305 CPU; we recommend the latter, as the N100 and N200 are much slower and only suitable for those with an extremely light workload. The Core i3 configuration (with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage) is often on sale for around $400 USD on Lenovo's website .

This model sports a 1080p touch-sensitive IPS panel. It looks very sharp, and unlike most budget-friendly Chromebooks, it gets bright enough to combat glare and doesn't look washed out. You also get an excellent 1080p webcam for video calls, another rarity among Chrome OS devices. The keyboard feels spacious but a bit mushy, and unfortunately, the touchpad is small and not always responsive, so it's best to use a mouse. The Intel Core i3-N305 can handle productivity tasks like text processing, web browsing, and video playback; just don't expect to do anything remotely intensive. If you're a heavy multitasker and need even more processing power, you're better off getting the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 above. Battery life is excellent at around 13 hours of light use.

Best Cheap Chromebook

If you want to spend as little as possible, consider the Acer Chromebook 315 (2020). This 15-inch device is great for younger students or anyone needing a simple laptop for emails and web browsing. Its compact design makes it easy to carry around, and its battery lasts a full day of light use, so you don't have to worry about bringing a charger. It has a full-size keyboard with a numpad, a reasonably large touchpad, and a decent 720p webcam. Ports include two USB-As, two USB-Cs, and an SD card reader. The USB-Cs support charging and video output.

You can choose between a 720p or 1080p panel for the display (with or without touch input). We recommend the 1080p option, as the 720p resolution just doesn't look that great on a 15.6-inch screen. The 1080p panel looks decently sharp and provides plenty of space for multitasking, but it doesn't get very bright, meaning you might have some visibility issues in well-lit settings. This laptop is only available with Intel Celeron CPUs. They can handle light workloads just fine, but you'll likely experience some slowdowns, more so than on the models we recommend above.

One more thing to bear in mind: all Chromebooks have an expiration date, meaning the date at which they stop receiving software updates. This Chromebook's end of life is in June 2026. It'll still work after that date, though you'll miss out on important security updates and bug fixes.

Best Chromebook For Multimedia

For media consumption, we recommend the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021), a 13-inch Chrome OS tablet with a kickstand and detachable keyboard. This form factor lets you take the keyboard off when viewing content, which is convenient in tight spaces like an airplane, and it also makes the device easier to hold and use as a tablet. You can pop the keyboard back on when you need to type something out; however, it feels cramped, so there are better options for typing long essays.

The feature that makes this device amazing for viewing media is its OLED display. It's sharp, bright, and colorful, and like all OLEDs, it displays deep, inky blacks. The speakers get reasonably loud. However, they don't have much bass and sound slightly unnatural. The battery lasts around eight hours of video playback or 10 hours of light use, and it charges over USB-C, so you don't have to deal with a proprietary charger. The display supports pen input if you want to take notes or draw, but you must buy the stylus separately.

Best Gaming Chromebook

The best gaming Chromebook we've tested is the Acer Chromebook 516 GE (2022). Chromebooks aren't typically associated with gaming, as, except for Android games from the Google Play Store, most games don't run on Chrome OS. Also, most Chromebooks lack the processing power to drive demanding titles. However, with increasing internet speeds, cloud gaming is a viable option, which is what this device is for. Cloud gaming services like NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Xbox Cloud Gaming (in Beta) do all the processing on their servers and stream the image to your device. As for games from the Google Play Store, some will run just fine, but some might not because the developers designed them for Android smartphones and tablets with an ARM chip. Also, you may come across titles with no keyboard, mouse, or controller support.

Let's talk about the laptop itself. The overall build quality is good, and while it's on the bulkier side, it isn't too heavy. It sports a 16-inch QHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a good response time, so you get a clear image in fast-paced, movement-heavy games. There's Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity and an Ethernet port for a fast and stable internet connection, which is essential for a good cloud gaming experience, as a slow connection will increase latency and cause a loss in graphical quality. The keyboard feels spacious and tactile, doesn't get hot under load, and has RGB backlighting. Battery life will depend on the type of game; you can only get about an hour when playing locally processed games, but for cloud gaming, which is more similar to video streaming, you can likely get around four to five hours.

• Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (2023): The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (2023) is a good alternative to the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook 14 (2023) if you need a Chromebook with more processing power. It also has a better keyboard and touchpad. However, its display doesn't get nearly as bright, meaning visibility may be an issue in well-lit rooms, and its battery life is much shorter at around eight hours of light use. See our review
• Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 (2022): The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 (2022) is a good alternative to the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (2021) if you want something more compact. The downside is that it uses an IPS panel, so you won't get the deep blacks you would get on the Duet 5's OLED display. See our review

Aug 28, 2024: Replaced the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2022) with the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024) because the 2022 model is discontinued and hard to find.

Jul 25, 2024: Verified that all picks are valid and available. No change in recommendations.

May 28, 2024: Minor changes to shorten text and improve clarity. No change in recommendations.

May 02, 2024: Confirmed that picks are accurate and available. There are no changes in the recommendations.

Apr 08, 2024: We've verified that the picks are still valid and available. Our recommendations remain the same.

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best Chromebooks you can get. We factor in the price (a cheaper laptop wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no laptops that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).

If you prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all of our Chromebook reviews, sorted by price from low to high. Most laptops are available in various configurations, and the table only shows the results of the model we tested, so it's best to see the full review for information about other variants.

The best Chromebook to buy this year

Chromebooks are getting better, and good ones are getting cheaper..

By Monica Chin and Nathan Edwards

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Chromebooks are no longer just laptops that run a browser and a few Google apps. They can cover a wide variety of computing needs now, and a good Chrome OS laptop or two-in-one can be more useful than a mediocre Windows laptop — especially now that many can run Android and Linux apps.

That’s assuming you get one with enough power to actually function, though — cheap Chromebooks are notorious for creaky processors, inadequate RAM, and slow, skimpy storage, while decent Chromebooks often cost just as much as Windows machines. Fortunately, the message that many people actually want good Chromebooks rather than just cheap ones has gotten through to manufacturers and to Google. The latter has recently launched the Chromebook Plus certification , which guarantees a baseline level of hardware as well as ten years of software support.

• What’s the best student laptop? We asked students
• The best laptops you can get
• Chromebook Plus is Google’s new certification for premium Chromebooks

You can get a decent Chromebook for about $400. Many are around $500 or $600, though there are good options in the higher and lower ranges as well. The extra money goes a long way toward getting something you’ll be happy with.

For the first time, the quality of the Chromebooks in this range has been consistent. There are so many similarities between the offerings from Asus, Lenovo, Google, HP, Dell, and Samsung that a conspiracy-minded person might suggest they’re all sourcing their components from the same factory. That’s great news if you’re comparison shopping; the majority of this list would be good buys if you can find them at a discount. In some cases, we’ve left older models on the list precisely because they’re regularly discounted. A laptop that was great at $500 two years ago can still be a good deal at $300 today.

What we’re looking for

Price is a very important factor. We’re seeking Chromebooks that offer great value for their asking price and that are the best of the best compared to other laptops in their price category. The more expensive a device, the more exceptional it has to be.

Not every Chromebook needs high-end specs, but they do need enough power to be functional. The Chromebook Plus baseline — a Core i3 or Ryzen 7000 CPU, 8GB RAM, and 128GB of storage, plus 1080p IPS screen and webcam — is the bare minimum for any Chromebook that costs more than $400, and any Chromebook that doesn’t meet those specs has to justify its existence.

Displays should be at least 1920 x 1080. Since Chromebooks can run Android apps, which aren’t usually optimized for trackpad and keyboard, touchscreens are useful here.

Design and build quality

Chromebooks are popular among schools and students. We’re looking for laptops with a solid, durable build that can handle bumps, jostles, and backpack wear.

Battery life

Students may go several hours without having an opportunity to plug their devices in. We like Chromebooks that can guarantee at least several hours of continuous use.

Port selection

The more ports, the better. USB-C and headphone jacks are mandatory; USB-A, HDMI, and SD card slots are good to have.

Best Chromebook

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (2024)

Acer’s latest Spin Chromebook is configured with Intel’s first generation of processor with an NPU. It also has Google Gemini baked right into the OS, and if you sign up for a new Google One AI premium plan, your first year of service is free.

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 115U / GPU: Intel UHD / RAM: 8GB, 16GB LPDDR5 / Storage: 256GB, 512GB / Display: Touch 14-inch FHD 1920 x 1200, 60Hz IPS with stylus support, 340 nits / Dimensions: 12.35 x 8.84 x 0.71 inches / Weight: 3.21 pounds 

Acer’s newest Chromebook Spin, which is part of the Plus line of Chromebooks , is the best Chromebook we’ve seen so far in 2024. Like the rest of them, the Plus Spin 14 has Google Gemini features integrated with ChromeOS, and comes with 12 free months of Google One AI premium, which includes 2TB of cloud storage space.

It’s configured with an eight-core Intel Core Ultra 5 115U with a max clock speed of 4.20GHz. That’s, technically, slower than last gen’s ten-core Intel Core i5-1335U with a max clock speed of 4.20GHz — but the Ultra Core has an NPU, which means it’s better suited for running AI-related tasks on-device. The new Spin Chromebook also supports the current LPDDR5 memory standard, which is faster than the previous generation in the 2023 Spin 714 .

The Plus Spin 714 also now has two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, instead of two USB-C 3.2 ports, for much faster data transfer and power delivery.

The best Chromebook Plus laptop under $400

Asus Chromebook Plus CX34

The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is the most affordable Chromebook with the new Plus label. It has a 12th Gen Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 1080p screen for just under $400. Read our review .

CPU: Intel Core i3-1215U / GPU: Intel UHD / RAM: 8GB / Storage: 128GB, 256GB UFS / Display: 14-inch IPS, 1920 x 1080, 60Hz, non-touch / Dimensions: 12.9 x 8.4 x 0.74 inches / Weight: 3.17 pounds

The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is the least expensive laptop with Google’s new Plus certification . At around $400 for a Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, it’s the baseline Chromebook you should consider if you can’t spend any more.

It’s so easy to get a bad Chromebook at this price, so it’s a relief that the Chromebook Plus CX34 is so good. Not only does it have respectable internals, but the 1080p screen and 1080p webcam are good for the price, the keyboard is great, and the trackpad is fine, if a bit stiff. Battery life is decent, too, and like all Plus Chromebooks, it comes with 10 years of software updates. You can spend more on a laptop, and you probably should, but don’t buy a Chromebook less powerful than this one.

Read our review of the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 .

Last year’s best chromebook.

Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 (Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD)

The Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 is a powerful device with impressive features for a Chromebook, including a 57Wh battery, a stunning 15-inch screen, and a range of ports (including an HDMI port and a microSD slot). Read our review .

CPU: Intel Core i3-1215U / GPU: Intel Iris Xe / RAM: 8GB, 16GB / Storage: 128GB / Display: 15.6-inch IPS, 1920 x 1080, 60Hz, touch option / Dimensions: 14.08 x 9.48 x 0.73 inches / Weight: 4.3 pounds

The Chromebook Flip CX5 was a hard sell for most people at $800 in 2021, even with a Core i5 processor and 15GB of RAM, but it really was that good. It’s sturdy enough to withstand all kinds of jolts and jostles in a backpack or briefcase, and has a unique velvety texture that’s very pleasant to hold. Add a wide port selection, a smooth and comfortable keyboard, and a vivid display, and you’ve got a chassis that can hold its own against plenty of midrange Windows laptops. 

It’s no longer the best Chromebook you can get, but if you can find a good configuration at a good price, it’s still worth considering. Battery life is quite satisfactory and easily lasted us all day. And the CX5 delivered some of the loudest audio we’ve ever heard from a Chromebook.

The model linked above, with a 12th-gen Intel i3, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, is almost as powerful as the Chromebook CX34 above — though the webcam isn’t as good — and unlike that model, it’s convertible.

Read our Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 review.

Best oled chromebook.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 (8GB/128GB)

The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 comes with a lovely 13.3-inch Full HD OLED touchscreen and long battery life but lacks biometric authentication.

CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 / GPU: Qualcomm Adreno / RAM: 8GB / Storage: 128GB / Display: 13.3-inch OLED, 1920 x 1080, 60Hz, touch option / Dimensions: 12.05 x 7.32 x 0.27 inches / Weight: 2.22 pounds

The Chromebook Duet 5 is a compact convertible device with an OLED screen. It’s thinner and lighter than most Chromebooks out there, and its back cover doubles as a kickstand. And it’s often available for under $400, making it one of the cheapest OLED devices you can buy.

The OLED display makes for quite enjoyable viewing, and the detachable keyboard is great as well with excellent spacing and satisfying feedback. Performance (our unit was powered by the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2) was surprisingly snappy, and the device could handle our standard office workload with no issue. But the standout feature was battery life: We saw between 10 and 12 hours to a charge, even when doing fairly demanding tasks like Zoom calls and high-resolution YouTube videos.

There are a few unfortunate omissions: there’s no fingerprint sensor, and there’s no included stylus (though one is supported). But Chrome OS fans who want a great screen for multimedia viewing can’t do better than this Chromebook at this price. 

Read our Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 review.

Best business chromebook with rgb for some reason.

HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook

The HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is a premium Chromebook with an RGB keyboard targeting freelance professionals.

CPU: Core i5-1235U / GPU: Iris Xe / RAM: 16GB / Storage: 256GB / Display: 14-inch IPS, 2560x1600, 60Hz, touch option / Dimensions: 12.4 x 8.7 x 0.7 inches / Weight: 3.33 pounds

If you want a Chromebook with RGB lighting that isn’t specifically a gaming Chromebook — and who doesn’t? — your only option is the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook. This device doesn’t have quite as premium a build as the old school Elite Dragonfly, but it’s still quite nice. It’s also got a solid 8MP webcam, excellent speakers, and one of the brightest screens I’ve ever seen on a Chromebook. But the real differentiating factor is the colorful keyboard, which you won’t find on any of the other products listed here.

The one thing I will warn potential buyers of is that the colorful keyboard and bright screen take their toll on battery life. I only saw around six hours to a charge here. That’s not terrible, but we’d hope to see more from a device this expensive. Still, the Dragonfly Pro offers a premium build and unique combination of features, and that makes it worth a look from deep-pocketed business customers.

Read our HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook review.

Updated November 22nd, 2023: Changed top pick, added a new Chromebook Plus model, removed some older models, and repositioned others to account for lower prices.

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The best Chromebook in 2024: our top picks

These are the best Chromebooks money can buy in 2024

• Best overall
• Best budget
• Best premium
• Best gaming
• Best for students
• Best 2-in-1
• How to choose
• How we test

The best Chromebooks offer an accessible, family-friendly, and typically more affordable alternative to Windows laptops and MacBooks - all while still offering the strong performance and lightweight designs needed to get ahead in school or work.

Have a look at the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 , for example. Packing a 12th-gen Intel processor and an excellent 1080p display, it's the perfect laptop for anyone who just needs a straightforward device for browsing the web, answering emails, and editing documents. The cloud-based nature of ChromeOS means it's fast and responsive even on lower-end hardware, so you don't need to spend a fortune to get a laptop that feels great to use.

Because of this, many Chromebooks will offer better value for money than the best Windows laptops despite providing similar everyday performance. Since Google unveiled its new Chromebook Plus format last year (and more recently pushed ahead with implementing its Gemini AI into ChromeOS), there are now more Chrome-powered laptops on the market than ever.

I've personally reviewed a good number of Chromebooks over the years - and the TechRadar team as a whole has reviewed dozens, so we're here to use our many years of combined experience to help you find the best Chromebook for your needs and budget.

The quick list

Want to cut to the chase and find out what the best Chromebooks are? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices, and you can jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.

The best Chromebook overall

If you’re on a budget but still want decent performance and a Full HD resolution display, not to mention that versatile 2-in-1 form factor, then consider the Spin 314 (2023).

Read more below

The best budget

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook teams rugged build quality with a whopping 16-hour battery to make a laptop that's well-suited for younger users.

The best high-end Chromebook

The HP Elite Dragonfly is one of the most powerful Chromebooks we've ever tested. If you want a machine that can cut it for work and play, it's this one.

Load the next 3 products...

The best for gaming

Can you game on a Chromebook? This Acer suggests you can, thanks to a QHD 16:10 display, gamer-friendly features and great battery life.

The best for students

Balancing performance with budget, not to mention some eco-friendly materials, the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 is more than enough computer for most people’s day-to-day needs.

The best 2-in-1

If you want plenty of power, a nice touch display, and a high-resolution webcam, then the Spin 714 might be for you.

I've spent more than seven years of my life testing and reviewing every type of computer under the sun, from high-end gaming desktops to detachable Chromebook tablets, so you can trust that the laptops I recommend are ones I genuinely believe are worth buying. You won't find me playing favorites or pushing dodgy Amazon brands you've never heard of - these Chromebooks are the real deal.

The best Chromebooks in 2024

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best Chromebooks in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

1. Acer Chromebook Spin 314 (2023)

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

✅ You’re on a budget Acer keeps it simple but sweet here: this is a plain laptop that is designed to get you through the day, and for the price you're getting a good, reliable product.

✅ You’re often on the move There are lighter machines and smaller machines, but for a 14” laptop this is tough (and cheap) enough to happily withstand the hustle and bustle of commuting.

❌ You need more computing power If you need a machine to run statistical programs or withstand some heavy-duty workloads, this isn't for you. 

❌ You need to use specific programs If you need to use rendering software, want to dive into animation, or play the latest games, you're not going to be doing that on this.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 314 (2023) is ideal for those who just want a straightforward and cheap solution to getting that full laptop experience. Unlike other budget-level ChromeOS models, it comes with a 14-inch 1080p display and enough power to do everyday tasks.

In fact, it handled day-to-day performance well when tested. Of course, we were not so impressed by its 128GB of storage. But, that’s one of the compromises here. Along with the fact that it can get a little warm if you push it beyond its limits as it’s powered by an Intel Pentium chip and 4GB of RAM. 

Keeping in mind its price, we like how portable it is. At just under three and a half pounds, chucking it in a backpack or messenger bag is no work at all. Add in a solid typing experience and battery life, and you could take this anywhere to get some work done. If you do want to get a little spicy, the Acer Chromebook Spin 314 (2023) does have that 2-in-1 form factor so it can easily double as a tablet if you so choose.

Read our full Acer Chromebook Spin 314 (2023) review

The best budget Chromebook

2. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook

✅ You’re looking for true all-day battery life: The Flex 3 is good for working mains-free or surviving a long day of college and commuting with over 16 hours of video playback.

✅ You’re after a fantastic value 2-in-1 Chromebook: The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 really is an awful lot of machine for the money and performs much better than the on-paper specifications imply, the perfect college companion.

❌ You value sleek, contemporary design: With fat bezels and dowdy styling, the Flex 3 looks like something from last decade.

❌ You need a device with decent CPU and storage performance: It would be a poor choice for anything more demanding.

We're always learning, but some of us are learning more than others. Younger students are sure to benefit from the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3, which packs a rather rugged build quality that is well-suited for users who want to quickly stuff everything in their backpack or are likely to drop things on the floor. The keyboard base is solid and the hinge is very robust, enabling it to survive any amount of careless handling.

This isn't the most powerful Chromebook, but students need reliability more than power - especially if they're only really using it for homework, note-taking, and perhaps the occasional bit of Netflix. Fortunately, the IdeaPad Flex 3 has a seriously impressive battery life – our testing yielded a whopping 16-hour-and-20-minute result – which will allow them to make it through a whole day of school without needing to plug in. It's also very affordable, which should provide a nice bit of financial relief for parents who need to buy their kids a school laptop.

Read our full Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3 Chromebook review

The best premium Chromebook

3. HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook

✅ You want the best enterprise Chromebook: Between the security features, performance, and connectivity options, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better Chromebook for your business.

✅ You want a great-looking Chromebook: The Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is gorgeous inside and out and will stand out in any meeting room.

❌ You're on a tight budget: This Chromebook starts at more than a grand, so its easily the most expensive Chromebook out there. 

❌ You need exceptional battery life: If battery life is important to you, you can find better longevity for much cheaper. 

The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is still the best Chrome-powered laptop on the market - even if its pricing means that it won't be the best pick for everyone, at least not in its higher-end configurations. While it's probably the most premium Chromebook ever to hit retail, there are a few more affordable entry-level models that will make a strong case for any students looking for a slick, powerful laptop with Chrome OS.

It's one of the most powerful Chromebook we've ever tested. In fact, it's the best scoring Chromebook in our Kraken and Jetstream 2 tests, beating out the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 by nearly 200 points. Even the entry-level 12th-gen Core i3 configuration still packs some seriously solid specs that would make a lot of other Windows and macOS laptops blush.

Featuring some of the best security features we've ever seen on a Chromebook, including the first Chromebook to ever come powered by Intel vPro, this is the perfect lightweight and portable productivity Chromebook. Just be prepared to spend a whole lot of money for the privilege.

Read our full HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook review

The best Chromebook for gaming

4. Acer Chromebook 516 GE

✅ You need excellent game streaming performance: If you already have or were thinking about getting a game streaming service like Nvidia GeForce NOW, this is the perfect machine to utilize it.

✅ You want a great battery life: The battery life beats out the vast majority of gaming laptops on the market, lasting seven hours during a normal session.

❌ You want to use Steam directly: There's no way to currently install Steam on this Chromebook, so using a game streaming service is the only way to game on it.

❌ You need good sound quality: The sound quality is pretty bad, especially at louder volumes, which means you need a gaming headset.

'Gaming Chromebooks' are still a topic of some debate. Many will argue that they're not truly gaming devices, since they rely on cloud-based game-streaming services - such as Nvidia GeForce Now - to actually run the latest games without the need for powerful local hardware. By this metric, any Chromebook can be a gaming Chromebook.

With the 516 GE, though, Acer is making a surprisingly strong case for this new breed of Chromebooks. GE naturally stands for 'Gaming Edition', and this is just that: a solid Intel-powered Chromebook, with some slick new features added in to appeal to the gaming audience.

Chief among these is this display, a crisp and colorful QHD panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio to provide more screen real estate. With 100 sRGB color reproduction and good maximum brightness, it's one of the best screens we've ever seen on a Chromebook. The 120Hz refresh rate is also vital for ensuring a smooth framerate during intense gameplay.

The speakers have seen an upgrade, we've got Wi-Fi 6E and a physical Ethernet port to ensure a speedy connection, and the keyboard has been given a gamer-inspired RGB makeover. The only real downside here is that you'll need to pay for a subscription service like GeForce Now or Amazon Luna, but there's some good news - Google is handing out three-month subscriptions for free with gaming Chromebook purchases!

Read our full Acer Chromebook 516 GE review

The best Chromebook for students

5. Acer Chromebook Plus 515

✅ If you need a productivity machine This is definitely meant as a productivity machine, not only thanks to its extremely fast startup and ability to juggle multiple tasks without breaking a sweat.

✅ You're eco-conscious Google has put plenty of effort into making the Chromebook as eco-friendly as possible, with the recycled glass trackpad and the use of recycled plastics in the chassis and keycaps. 

❌ You want a very powerful device While the specs on this one are higher than many previous models, if you need processing power for creative works and hardcore editing then this isn't the laptop for you.

❌ You need specific software or programs Chromebook OS is limited to what is available on the Play Store in terms of software, so if you need to use very specific numeric, scientific, or creative programs, look elsewhere.

Just because the bar is a bit lower performance-wise with Chromebooks doesn’t mean you should live with a sluggish laptop. The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 may just about hit that budget-level price range, but with its 12th-gen Intel Core i3 and 8GB of RAM, it’s more than enough power to get most users through their day-to-day needs.

When we tested it, we found it to not only do wonderfully with those everyday tasks. But, it was powerful enough to run Adobe Photoshop , newly available on ChromeOS, as well as the Nvidia GeForce Experience, meaning you can use this for some forms of gaming. 

The battery life is a bit underwhelming for a Chromebook. When tested, it lasted only five of the ten advertised hours in our battery test. But, at least, it takes less than an hour to charge back up. The rest of the package here is strictly on the positive side as the keyboard and touchpad are satisfying to use and the 15.6-inch 1080p touch display offers quite a bit of screen real estate. 

Oh, and if you’re environmentally conscious, you'll be happy to know that quite a few materials are made of recycled materials.

Read our full Acer Chromebook Plus 515 review

The best 2-in-1 Chromebook

6. Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023)

✅ You want a Chromebook that can perform This portable is powerful and can get you through just about any task you could run on a ChromeOS-powered machine.

✅ You want a more premium feeling Chromebook While this is a mid-range laptop, it has some premium appointments from its sturdy hinges and reasonably powerful specs to the WUXGA 16:10 touch screen.

❌ You want to run demanding tasks There are certain things that these types of laptops just can’t do such as high-level gaming or video and photo editing.

❌ You’re on an extreme budget $699.99 is a very good price for this laptop, but there are cheaper, more stripped down options that still work well.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) may be a little pricier than many Chromebooks, but that’s because it comes with just a bit more power. And, if you’re using one of these notebooks for work, it’s better to have too much than not enough. 

In fact, when we tested it, its 13th-Gen Intel Core i5 and 8GB or RAM easily handled running 20 Chrome tabs, including three streaming ones, at once without any noticeable slowdown. Of course, that slightly more powerful hardware is also there to power the 1920 x 1200p touch display as well as its stunningly clear 1440p webcam. 

While we found the speakers to be a bit of a weak point due to their hollow audio quality and we wish the keyboard was a little more pleasing to type on, At least, its battery life is very good. While not the 15 hours advertised, this Chromebook lasted a good 12 hours during our battery life benchmark. Since its hinge is rock solid, anyone wanting to use this in the various modes that you get with a 2-in-1 will find it to be very sturdy whether it’s in tent or display mode.

In essence, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) is worth the extra cash. It’s a more premium looking, feeling, and performing device than many of the alternatives.

Read our full Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) review

The best Chromebook: FAQs

What is a chromebook.

But, what is a Chromebook exactly, and how is it different from other notebooks? In simple terms, a Chromebook is a device (usually but not exclusively a laptop) that runs the lightweight ChromeOS rather than Windows or macOS. This operating system relies heavily on Google’s Chrome browser and connectivity to the Internet for most of its tasks, which means that it requires less power and storage space when performing those tasks. 

It doesn't allow for quite the same degree of utility and user customization as Windows 10/11. However, it’s just as capable of seeing its users through their daily multi-tasking needs, whether it’s doing productivity work all day while streaming shows and movies, getting through a bunch of school assignments, or even some photo editing and gaming. Just bear in mind that because of ChromeOS's lower hardware requirements, Chromebooks tend to be technically less powerful than Windows laptops and MacBooks.

More recently, it’s even expanded to run Android and Linux apps without internet connectivity, which means that its users are no longer limited to the Chrome browser. Finally, the lightweight nature of the operating system also lets the best Chromebooks beat out traditional laptops in some key areas, like portability and battery life. 

Which is better, a Chromebook or a laptop?

Knowing which is better, a Chromebook or a laptop with a more traditional OS like Windows or macOS, really comes down to your needs and how you intend to use your laptop.

If you do almost all of your work and play online using web apps like Google Docs, SalesForce, GeForce Now, or other similar products, then a Chromebook is just as good at handling that kind of work as a more traditional laptop, since all of the actual application processing takes place in the cloud, which then displays the contents in a browser. 

If you have a fast enough internet connection, you basically won't be able to tell the difference between a Chromebook and a fully-featured Windows laptop or a MacBook.

If you plan on using locally installed apps like Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, or Steam, then you're going to find Chromebooks simply aren't well-equipped to deal with that. The Android apps available through the Google Play marketplace are great, but they aren't as fully featured as similar desktop software. In most cases, Chrome OS simply can't run most of the installable software you'd find on a Windows laptop or a MacBook, so a Chromebook would be a bad choice for anyone hoping to use major flagship software offline.

How is a Chromebook different from a laptop?

A Chromebook is different from a laptop in a few key ways, but it’s important to note that Chromebooks are laptops, they just function differently. What you’re using a laptop for will ultimately determine whether or not you should invest in a Chromebook or something more powerful with better processors and graphics cards .

Chromebooks run on Chrome OS, which is a web-based operating system very similar to Google Chrome, so if you’re familiar with Google Chrome, a Chromebook might be a good option for you. Traditional laptops typically run the Windows operating system, and Macbooks run macOS, and will usually be full of RAM to make sure the laptop runs without lag or performance issues - something Chromebooks don’t have to worry about.

If you’re going to university, you may want to consider getting the best Chromebook as a student laptop because it’s lightweight - plus the cloud storage means you won’t have files clogging up your computer. However, if you’re planning on studying something like graphic design you’ll want to invest in something more powerful than a Chromebook that can handle design software.

A slight drawback to Chromebooks is that they don’t have the same programs available as other laptops, so for example you can’t get the full Microsoft Office suite, but you can open, edit, and convert files to and from Microsoft Office with Google Drive apps, or use Microsoft’s own Office web apps. Skype will work on a Chromebook because it’s available as an app on the Google Play Store, but iTunes will not work.

If you tend to want to play PC games on your laptop or do more energy-consuming tasks like photo and video editing, you may want to look into other laptop options like gaming laptops. But, if you’re in the market for the best Chromebook to help you accomplish daily tasks or business-related tasks, check out our list on this page.

How to choose the best Chromebook for you

When it comes to choosing the best Chromebook, price is most people’s first consideration. That’s because a lot of these laptop alternatives end up in the hands of more casual users who don’t need a whole lot from their PC. In such a case, a cheaper yet still capable option is the better value – one of the best cheap Chromebooks , perhaps.

Of course, if you have more demanding needs, there are pricier options as well, and they will come with higher-end specs like more RAM, better processors like Intel Core CPUs, and perhaps more storage space. So, if you want to save more files, do some light photo editing, or play some games, you’ll want to splurge a little for better specs. 

It’s not just the reasonable price tag that most Chromebooks have that make them top contenders, especially as laptops for kids and as student notebooks . You have to consider its design. Most boast impressively long battery lives while some are built to withstand abuse better than others – any gear you put into a kid’s hands needs to be able to absorb some bumps, after all. Others come with that 2-in-1 form factor and touchscreen capability that makes them so versatile.

Just like with the laptops, size is a crucial factor as well. You might want a larger display for more screen real estate or you might want something smaller for easier portability. Since most of these portables fall somewhere between 10 to 15 inches in terms of screen size, they’re all going to be easier to lug around than the competition.

How we tested our best Chromebook picks

Testing Chromebooks isn’t too different from testing laptops and gaming laptops , though perhaps the paces are a little less intensive or game-heavy. 

Since Chromebooks rely heavily on the Chrome browser, we push that browsing prowess to its limits, opening 20 or more browser tabs on different types of websites, from productivity ones like Google docs to streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu. For good measure, we try to play media on those streaming services simultaneously. Because Chromebooks are now much more capable of running apps, we also open and use several apps at the same time.

Of course, we also run synthetic benchmarks like Kraken JavaScript, Octane 2.0 JavaScript, and Jetstream 2 as well as the TechRadar movie test to measure its battery life. 

Because a Chromebook is only as good as its peripherals, we take a look at its display, keyboard, availability of ports, and how good its overall design is. We also test its webcam and touchscreen capabilities, if they’re on hand.

We then take everything we’ve learned about the Chromebook and compare it to its price – whether or not it’s performance and features are worth that price tag, and whether or not it offers the best value to customers.

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Christian is TechRadar’s UK-based Computing Editor. He came to us from Maximum PC magazine, where he fell in love with computer hardware and building PCs. He was a regular fixture amongst our freelance review team before making the jump to TechRadar, and can usually be found drooling over the latest high-end graphics card or gaming laptop before looking at his bank account balance and crying.

Christian is a keen campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and the owner of a charming rescue dog named Lucy, having adopted her after he beat cancer in 2021. She keeps him fit and healthy through a combination of face-licking and long walks, and only occasionally barks at him to demand treats when he’s trying to work from home.

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The Best Chromebooks for Every Budget

Best Overall Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus Read more

Best Upgrade Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 Read more

Best Gaming Chromebook Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE Read more

Best-Looking Chromebook Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 Read more

Chromebooks aren’t just the realm of budget, low-end devices anymore. Thanks to smart initiatives from Google, Chromebook makers are stepping up their game with more powerful hardware than ever before, while keeping prices lower than Windows and macOS laptop alternatives . Throw in a fresh focus on handy AI features , and you have a range of affordable computers that make a strong case for replacing your aging laptop.

ChromeOS still doesn’t compete with Windows and Mac machines for heavy-duty stuff like gaming and video editing, but it isn’t trying to. The beauty of Chromebooks is that they offer a lightweight portal to the things that most people need a computer for, without any extra fluff. If you spend all day in a web browser, work with Google apps, and do some occasional light photo editing, a solid Chromebook could be all you need. WIRED has tested Chromebooks for more than a decade and we’re always on the lookout for the best ones to spend your hard-earned money on. These are the best Chromebooks we recommend right now.

Be sure to read through our Best Cheap Laptops , Best Laptops , and Best MacBooks guides for more options.

Updated August 2024: We've added the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE, Asus Chromebook Plus CX34, and the Asus Chromebook CM14.

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Wait, What Does “Chromebook Plus” Mean?

Almost every Chromebook we recommend below has “Chromebook Plus” in the name. This is an initiative Google launched in late 2023 with its hardware partners to offer a new category of Chromebooks designed to offer a better, more premium experience. To be deemed a Chromebook Plus, a laptop has to meet or exceed the following hardware requirements:

• CPU: Intel Core i3 12th Gen or above; AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series or above
• RAM: 8 GB or more
• Storage: 128 GB or more
• Webcam: 1080p or higher with Temporal Noise Reduction
• Display: Full HD (1080p) IPS or better

Google has brought several artificial intelligence features to Chromebook Plus laptops, like its Gemini chatbot.

The result? A new baseline that guarantees a certain level of performance when you see the Chromebook Plus name. With the rise in remote work, Google is especially focused on ensuring Chromebook Plus laptops offer a better video calling experience with a higher standard for webcams and AI camera tricks. It’s also gradually folding new AI features into ChromeOS that benefit from the added hardware heft.

Regular Chromebooks haven’t disappeared, and you’ll still find super-budget Chromebook models without the “Plus” moniker. Chromebook Plus models start at $399, though you’ll often find them on sale for less. Expect non-Plus Chromebooks focused on more basic needs to continue to hit store shelves in the $250 range.

Best Overall

As one of the first Chromebook Plus models out of the gate, the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ) had a lot to prove. Fortunately for Lenovo, it lived up to the hype, becoming one of the fastest, most versatile Chromebooks we’ve tested. While it isn’t a looker, its beefier hardware, 2-in-1 design, and $499 price make it a great overall choice for most people.

The 14-inch 1,920 x 1,200-pixel resolution screen is a bit taller than you’ll find on most laptops, which is great for working on documents and browsing the web. The Intel Core i3 processor and flash storage never struggle to keep up, even if you find yourself drowning in dozens of open tabs. The battery life is the only slight weakness here, but it should still get you through a full workday. Just don’t expect to get much farther without pulling out the charger. The port selection is solid as well, with two USB-C ports and one USB-A on board. There's a microSD card slot, too, if you find the 128 GB of flash storage to be a little claustrophobic.

Specs to look for: Intel Core i3, 8 GB of RAM, 128-GB SSD

Best Upgrade

Acer’s Chromebook Spin line has made a name for itself over the years and its latest entry, the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends ), keeps that reputation alive. For $699 (or even $599 if you find it on sale), Acer packs a surprising amount of power into this laptop thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 5 115 processor. It showcased breezy performance in my testing, and the chip’s dedicated AI processing power is a perfect complement to the AI features Google is now sprinkling into ChromeOS.

Aside from its processing power, the base Chromebook Plus Spin 714 comes with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of SSD storage (16 GB of RAM and 512-GB storage options are expected to come later). The laptop is packed in a pleasantly premium body with a vibrant 14-inch touchscreen that rotates on a pair of gold-accented hinges. Two Thunderbolt 4-capable USB-C ports, an HDMI port, and one USB-A port give you plenty of connectivity options as well. The one major area where the Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is a letdown is sound quality. Simply put, the speakers are awful, which hinders an otherwise great laptop for Netflix and YouTube binges. Plan on pairing this laptop with a good set of earbuds or headphones to get the most out of it.

Specs to look for: Intel Core Ultra 5 115, 8 GB of RAM, 256-GB SSD

Best Gaming Chromebook

Chromebooks aren’t usually what you’d consider gaming laptops , but they’ve made gains in the segment over the last couple of years with the rise of cloud gaming. The best of the bunch is the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ), which works perfectly with streaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now. You can even use the Steam beta for Chromebooks, but I found this was only good for light indie titles.

I love the 516 GE’s large, vibrant 16-inch screen, and it can push some serious frame rates with its 120-Hz refresh rate . The laptop doubles as a solid productivity machine too, thanks to its comfortable keyboard, 8 GB of RAM, and an Intel Core 5 120 U processor that can handle plenty of open tabs and apps. There’s even a dash of RGB for the keyboard backlighting to add some extra gaming flavor, though it’s not as impressive as the RGB lighting you get on dedicated gaming keyboards.

Specs to look for: Intel Core 5 120 U, 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD

Best-Looking Chromebook

Chromebooks don’t tend to be lookers, but Asus breaks that mold with the Chromebook Plus CX34 ( 7/10, WIRED Recommends ). It’s wrapped in a gorgeous white shell that, while plastic, felt durable in my testing. I’ve reviewed plenty of bland, gray Chromebooks, and I found myself reaching for the CX34 more because of its attractive design.

The hardware in the CX34 is typical for a Chromebook Plus, and it felt responsive even when I had my usual complement of more than a dozen tabs and a handful of apps running. Unfortunately, this model doesn’t come with a backlit keyboard, and its 14-inch, 16:9 display feels cramped compared to other Chromebooks I’ve used with taller 16:10 screens. If you can look past those shortcomings though, the CX34 is a solid little workhorse that stands out.

Specs to look for: Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD

Best Budget Chromebook

If you want a snappy laptop but don’t want to spend the extra cheddar on some of our other top picks, the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 ( 8/10, WIRED recommends ) will do the job. It’s not stylish, but it keeps the price low by sticking to the basics. Inside is an Intel Core i3-1215U processor, which handles ChromeOS and up to 20 open tabs with ease. Battery life is also good enough to get you through a workday, and it handled 8.5 hours of full-screen video before calling it quits out in our testing. The 15-inch 1,920 x 1,080-pixel screen is nothing to write home about, but it’s crisp and won’t strain your eyes.

There’s no touchscreen, but the two DisplayPort-capable USB-C ports, one HDMI 1.4 jack, and one USB-A port give you plenty of options for hooking up an external monitor.

Specs to look for: Intel Core i3-1215U, 8 GB of RAM, 128-GB flash storage

Another Good 2-in-1 Chromebook

I've had an excellent time using this 2-in-1 Chromebook Plus as my go-to laptop for when I'm traveling. The x360 is fairly nondescript, but it's lightweight, and because of the 2-in-1 design, I can flip the screen into tent mode to watch 3 Body Problem without a keyboard in the way. The speakers sound decent and get surprisingly loud, and the 1,920 X 1,200-pixel resolution is sharp on this 14-inch IPS LCD panel. The touchscreen is a nice option to have when I need to make a quick adjustment, though I wish ChromeOS had slightly larger touch targets. I'm quite happy with the key travel on the keyboard, though I've run into a small issue where the trackpad sometimes doesn't register a press. It didn't happen often enough to pose a serious problem.

The Intel Core i3 inside this machine is snappy; it didn't break a sweat when I was running more than 20 tabs and had it connected to an external monitor. Battery life isn't anything to write home about, but it more or less got me through a full workday, not much more. I wish there was a fingerprint sensor or some kind of biometric authentication so I didn't have to keep typing in a password to unlock this laptop. —Julian Chokkattu

Specs to look for: Intel Core i3-N305, 8 GB of RAM, 128-GB flash storage

Best Battery Life

Most Chromebooks I’ve tested have battery life in the seven- to eight-hour range, which is usually fine for a typical workday. If you need a long-lasting laptop, Asus’ Chromebook CM14 ( 7/10, WIRED Recommends ) consistently gave me 10 to 11 hours of juice. But it does come with some serious trade-offs if you need anything more than the most basic of basics.

The reason the CM14 gets such good battery life is its MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor, which is a low-end chip from a company mostly known for making hardware for smartphones. Combined with only 4 GB of RAM, the CM14 struggled to keep up with anything more intense than a couple of open tabs at a time. The 14-inch TN display is also pretty terrible and 64 GB of storage is stifling, but these are all sacrifices Asus made to keep the price low and the battery life high. If you want excellent battery life and only need a very basic laptop for browsing the web with a couple of tabs at a time, the Chromebook CM14 should suffice.

Specs to look for: MediaTek Kompanio 520, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB eMMC storage

Other Good Chromebooks

Acer Chromebook Plus 514 for $300 : As the slightly smaller sibling to the Acer’s Chromebook Plus 515, the Chromebook Plus 514 ( 8/10, WIRED recommends ) offers a similarly great experience for budget-conscious buyers. It’s not the prettiest Chromebook out there, but it speeds through most tasks with its Intel Core i3-N305 processor and 8 GB of RAM. Best of all, you can frequently find it on sale for less than its usual $399 price.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 for $379 : Portability is king with the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3, a neat little machine with a detachable keyboard and kickstand. It’s a bit on the older side compared to other entries on this list (this is not a Chromebook Plus machine), but it offers a solid bang for your buck if you want a petite Chromebook experience for super-light tasks. As long as you don’t expect this 11-inch detachable to pull any miracles, it could be a good portable companion for basic browsing.

How Long Do Chromebooks Get Updates?

In 2023, Google announced a new policy that guarantees 10 years of automatic updates for any Chromebooks released in 2021 or later. That’s probably far beyond the usual upgrade cycle for most people, but it ensures secondhand Chromebooks and those used in schools continue to stay secure and get new features for a long time. When a Chromebook gets its final automatic update, ChromeOS will send you a notification to let you know it’s time to throw in the towel.

The 10-year automatic update timer starts from when a Chromebook is first released. You can check when your Chromebook is set to receive its final update at any time in the “Update schedule” section of its settings menu ( Settings > About ChromeOS > Additional details > Update schedule ). Google also keeps a handy running list of automatic update timelines for every Chromebook model on its support site.

How to Pick the Best Chromebook

Chromebooks can come with a lot of different hardware inside, so it can be hard to figure out exactly what you need. Fortunately, the Chromebook Plus program has made the jumble of specs easier to parse. ChromeOS is also light enough that it doesn’t require incredibly beefy specs to get a good experience. Here are some general tips on what to look out for.

Processor: For the best experience, you should avoid older Chromebooks with Intel Celeron processors. The Chromebook Plus specifications offer a good baseline to guarantee speedy performance, and I’d recommend going with at least an Intel Core i3, Core i5, or AMD Ryzen 3 7000 processor. Just watch out for overspending on configurations with Intel Core i7 processors unless you need the extra horsepower for multitasking Android games, Linux apps, and dozens of Chrome tabs. While Intel and AMD dominate the processor scene, you’ll occasionally find Chromebooks using ARM processors like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 in the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 above. These can be fine for very basic tasks, but they won’t fare as well under sustained, intense loads (at least until something newer comes along).

RAM: Always opt for at least 8 GB of RAM if you can afford it. You won’t find 4 GB of RAM in anything other than basic, super-budget Chromebooks, but it severely limits your ability to multitask. If you want to avoid slowdowns, 8 GB of RAM is the standard you should aim for.

Storage: Unlike a Mac or Windows PC, a lot of your Chromebook work will live on the web. This means you can typically get away with less storage, but I wouldn’t recommend going below 128 GB. If you can afford it, you’ll be much more comfortable with at least 256 GB. You’ll get the best speed out of an NVMe solid state drive, so look out for that on the spec sheet when you’re comparing models.

Screen: The vast majority of Chromebook displays you’ll find will be IPS LCD panels, and that’s just fine. Until OLED displays make more of a dent in the Chromebook space, IPS LCD screens offer the best contrast and color accuracy. If you’re shopping in the extreme budget range, watch out for TN LCD panels, as they’re generally lower quality and offer worse viewing angles. For resolution, a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution should be your standard. You’ll get crisp visuals at 13- and 14-inch screen sizes and it’s passable at 15 inches. Higher resolutions will look even better, but be wary of the battery life tradeoff you’ll see from pushing power to more pixels.

Ports: USB-C ports have become commonplace on the newest Chromebooks, so there’s no longer any excuse to buy one without them. Try to get one that charges over USB-C so you can recharge with a portable power bank when you’re on the go. A microSD card slot can also be beneficial if you want an easy way to expand your storage on the fly. You’ll find that some Chromebooks support Thunderbolt 4 over their USB-C ports as well. While that’s an excellent option to have if you plan to plug your Chromebook into some high-end monitors, it isn’t necessary for most people. Instead, you can get similar external monitor support (and spend a lot less) with an HDMI port or DisplayPort over USB-C support.

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HP Chromebook 11 G4 review: This low-cost laptop stands out for its speed and solid construction

Expert's rating.

• Sturdy construction
• Good performance
• Inexpensive
• Display brightness on our unit was a low 198 nits
• Mediocre battery life

Our Verdict

HP’s Chromebook 11 G4 has a few clear advantages over other low-cost 11-inch Chromebooks. It has sturdy build quality thanks to its educational bent, and it posted strong numbers in our benchmarks compared to similar machines. Its display is nothing special, nor is its battery life, but it’s still a solid buy.

HP’s Chromebook 11 G4 has a dull-gray shell that screams, “bulk education purchase” more than “buy me.” Precisely because this school-oriented model can bang around in backpacks, however, it could teach its consumer Chromebook cousins a thing or two about build quality. Add to that some impressive performance numbers, and it’s one of the few 11-inch Chromebooks I’d be willing to recommend.

Let’s talk about construction first, as that’s been my complaint with many low-cost Chromebooks in the past. The Chromebook 11 G4 ($199 MSRP, currently available on Amazon for $166 ) has a plastic lid that you could bend a little if you tried, but the thick bezel around the 11.6-inch screen keeps it from feeling rickety. Long rubber strips around the edge of the bezel protect the display from the keyboard when the unit is closed. The 1366×768 display itself is unremarkable, with limited view angles due to the SVA (symmetrical vertical array) panel, and a tested brightness level of only 198 nits.

Our Chromebook 11 G4 test unit costs $199 and includes a Celeron N2840 2.14GHz, 4GB of RAM, and eMMC solids-state storage. 

A wide, sturdy plastic hinge connects the display to the main part of the unit. The main unit, with a thick plastic bottom shell and an aluminum tray for the keyboard, feels weighty and has no give.

The keyboard has a well-spaced, chiclet-style layout. The plastic keys feel harder than I’d like for a day’s worth of typing, but the travel has a little bit of give—I don’t feel like I’m jarring my fingers. 

A few new buttons

The top row of keys on HP’s Chromebook 11 G4 include buttons for web browsing.

I don’t always like how Chromebooks mess with a standard keyboard layout, but the three keys that appeared on the top row of the Chromebook 11 G4 are actually convenient. Tuned to a browser-based life, they let you go forward or back on a webpage, or refresh the webpage, with a keystroke.

The smallish trackpad is responsive to strokes and taps, but the clicks seemed stiff. I preferred to double-tap than make a physical click.

On the right side of HP’s Chromebook 11 G4 you’ll find USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, plus HDMI-out and a combo headphone/mic jack.

Connectivity includes an SD card slot and two USB ports—one USB 2.0, and one high-power USB 3.0 with charging capability. You also get HDMI and a combo headphone/microphone jack. Intel’s Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 provides 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

Intel’s 2.16GHz dual-core Celeron N2840, a staple of Chromebook configurations, lies at the heart of the Chromebook 11 G4. Our unit also includes 4GB of DDR3L-1600 SDRAM and a 16GB eMMC drive for storage.The unit’s weight is average, starting at 2.83 pounds depending on configuration.

The left side of the Chromebook 11 G4 has an SD card slot and power connector.

Performance

Perhaps because it was running a newer version of Chrome, the Chromebook 11 G4 performed better than similarly configured competition in most tests.

Google’s Octane 2.0 Javascript benchmark pushes hard on more advanced browser-based activities, including productivity applications, games, and interactive content. The Chromebook 11 G4 finished way out in front.

Browsermark 2.1 specifically measures graphics and computational performance within the browser. Once again, it finished way out in front.

The Chromebook 11 G4’s margin narrowed on our last benchmark, though it still led the pack. The cr-XPRT performance test measures Chromebook performance in basic productivity tasks as well as more demanding activities, such as watching movies or playing games. 

Battery life was the one slightly dimmer spot on the Chromebook 11 G4’s record. The laptop’s 3-cell, 36WHr battery is on the small side to begin with. Using cr-XPRT 2015’s expected battery life projection, it lasted seven hours and change, a little shorter than the Toshiba Chromebook 2 but hours behind the rest. It’s mediocre rather than bad, though, so just bring the AC adapter with you—it’s not too heavy.

A truly solid buy

The HP Chromebook 11 G4 offers clear advantages in quality and performance over other small Chromebooks we’ve tested. It doesn’t matter that it’s designed for students—anyone who’s made a commitment to the Chrome ecosystem will appreciate this sturdy and affordable laptop.

Best Chromebooks of 2024

The best Chromebooks based on our test results

• Best overall
• Best for students

Best Chromebook for business

Best Premium Chromebook

Best chromebook for gaming.

• How to find the right laptop
• How we test
• Why trust Laptop Mag

1. Best overall 2. Best for students 3. Best Chromebook for business 4. Best premium Chromebook 5 . Best Chromebook for gaming 6. How to find the right laptop 7. How we test 8. Why trust Laptop Mag

Chromebooks have come a long way since their basic beginnings. They started as simple, affordable laptops focusing on security and ease of use. While prices have risen slightly as functionality has increased, Chromebooks remain a compelling value compared to Windows and macOS machines. They boast a clean, user-friendly interface that integrates seamlessly with the Google ecosystem, and many Chromebooks offer impressive battery life. If you prioritize long battery life, be sure to check out our list of the top performers . We also have some tips on how to check your Chromebook's battery health.  

In late 2023, Google partnered with various manufacturers to launch the Chromebook Plus series. These Chromebooks boast double the processing power thanks to stricter spec requirements. Google's goal? To ensure these new Chromebooks can leverage the full potential of Google's AI capabilities. After all, in today's world, it almost feels like a computer without AI is missing a key piece.

Whether you're looking for a budget-friendly Chromebook, a powerful Plus Series model, or a high-end option for business needs, we've got you covered. Keep reading to find the perfect Chromebook for you.

The Quick List

Best Chromebook overall

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus with Google's AI-enhanced ChromeOS packs great performance into a sub-$ $500 device. During my short time with the IdeaPad Flex 5i, I pushed documents, edited mixed media, and gamed till I needed a nap. 

Read more below

Best Chromebook for students

This 15.6-inch notebook boasts powerful AI-infused performance, an entire school day of battery life, and a sturdy build. With improved ChromeOS performance and a webcam with all the capabilities of your favorite Android phone, like Magic Eraser, this Acer Chromebook Plus 515 covers all your kid's needs and then some. If they like to create content for their friends, this lightweight laptop can help them do that after they've done their homework. 

The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook goes above and beyond with excellent military-grade durability and outstanding durability. We called it the "corner office Chromebook" for good reason in our review

Best premium Chromebook

Sleek styling and good performance make the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook a compelling alternative to Windows or macOS laptops.

Yes, this is a real thing! The Acer Chromebook 516 GE was created with Nvidia GeForce Now in mind. With an Intel Core i5-1240P CPU, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD of storage, a 16-inch 2k (2560 x 1600) display, and a slick RGB keyboard.

Best Overall

1. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is the best Chromebook of 2023. It's a prodigious, potent, productive 2-in-1 Chromebook with a funky meets business casual vibe. 

This Flex 5i relies on a 13th Gen Intel Core i3 1315U CPU,   Intel UHD integrated graphics, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage — although those specs seem minuscule, the performance will shock you. During our review, we discovered the Plus moniker seriously delivered gaming and video editing performance. 

If you're a young content creator on a budget or a small business owner, you could achieve a lot with a Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus and save money to purchase other things you need to further yourselves. 

Read our full review of the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

Best for Students

2. Acer Chromebook Plus 515

The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 adheres to Google’s new mantra of double power and double the performance. I could push documents, edit photos and videos while pushing out documents, and watch hours of content on my favorite streaming site. It never struggled with any of the tasks I put before it, and although the battery life is under 10 hours, which is what I was hoping for, I can’t hold that against it at all. 

For a laptop that costs under $400, you can basically do whatever your heart desires, from document pushing, video, and photo editing to even some gaming. You can get all that for just $399. Google and its OEM partners just put Apple and Microsoft on notice. Your students will love what they can accomplish with this Acer Chromebook Plus 515.

See our full Acer Chromebook Plus 515 review .

Best Chromebook for Business

3. HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook

Yes, this Chromebook means business. The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook offers all the simplicity of ChromeOS coupled with the features business customers care about. That includes excellent Intel vPro security, a Titan C chip, and a fingerprint sensor, not features you'll find on your average Chromebook. A free year of Parallels for Chromebooks gives you full access to any Windows apps if you are worried about the oft-overstated limitations of ChromeOS.

If the security and ease of management aren't enough to win you over, then consider the rest of these specs. A 13.5-inch 2K display with up to 400 nits of brightness. An easily portable 2-in-1 form factor, light 2.8-pound chassis, and optional 5G support for frequent travelers. 

At just over 9 hours in our Laptop Mag battery test, the battery life is one area that could be improved upon and as with most Intel vPro laptops you'll hope that work is covering the cost, but given what you'll save on support, it is worth the investment.

See our full HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook review .

4. HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook

If you're looking for a premium Chromebook, you won't find anything better than the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook. It's stylish, sleek, and full of metal (spiritually hard, physically light).

The $999 Dragonfly Pro Chromebook pops off with a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U CPU with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD for storage. It glows with a 14-inch, 2.5K (2560 x 1600), LCD touchscreen with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a whopping 1,276 nits of brightness.

Not to mention that the Bang and Olufsen quad speakers on this Dragonfly Pro are loud and pretty darn thumpy, hitting the full range of audio tones whether you’re listening to music or watching a movie.

See our full HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook review .

5. Acer Chromebook 516 GE

Gamers might scoff at Chromebooks, and for good reason – no dedicated graphics card. But with cloud gaming services like GeForce Now, the tide is turning.  So why is the Acer Chromebook 516 GE on our best student Chromebook list? Because it packs serious specs that go beyond schoolwork.  Let's face it, as a parent, I know they'll game anyway, so why not have a machine that can handle it? 

Our test unit sported a powerful 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1240P CPU, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 8GB of RAM, and a speedy 256GB SSD. The show's real star, though, is the massive 16-inch QHD (2560 x 1600) 16:10 aspect ratio display with a buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Schoolwork or gaming, this Chromebook can handle it all.

Read our Acer Chromebook 516 GE review

How to choose the best Chromebook for you

Finding the perfect Chromebook isn't a one-size-fits-all situation.  Students, businesses, and schools all have different needs.  For students who rely heavily on Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, prioritizing a Chromebook with a long-lasting battery and a comfortable keyboard becomes crucial. Businesses seeking Chromebooks for their employees should focus on models with strong performance and features that make managing them easier, ensuring a smooth workflow. 

If you're a school looking to equip students with Chromebooks, durability, affordability, and features that support a dynamic classroom environment should be top priorities.  This guide is just the starting point - keep reading for in-depth buying tips to find the perfect Chromebook for you.

How much does a Chromebook cost?

Luckily for you, Chromebooks are known for being budget-friendly. There are some premium models out there such as the Google Pixelbook Go that command higher prices due to their long battery life and thin-bezel display. But for the most part, you can find a high-quality for under $500, such as the Dell Chromebook 3189.  

You can also snag a 2-in-1 Chromebook, which is a laptop with Chrome OS that can shape-shift into different modes, including tablet mode, such as the HP Chromebook x360 12b for under $400. A Windows 2-in-1 laptop could be double or triple that price.

Are Chromebooks portable?

When it comes to portability, we need to take a look at screen size and weight. Most fall between 11 and 13 inches, so hauling them around school or the office will be a breeze. 

How well does a Chromebook perform?

Most of the time, these are lightweight devices; Chrome OS sticks to the basics of providing your favorite Google productivity apps with a few extras (unlike Windows operating systems that can be bloatware hell). If you need additional apps, you can download them from the Google Play store. Because many applications on Chrome OS operate using the cloud, this means more free space for your laptop and speedier performance. 

Do Chromebooks have good battery life?

Chromebooks are known for their impressive battery life. Our in-house Laptop Mag Battery Test shows that Chromebooks can last an average of 10 hours on a single charge. This means you can comfortably power through a workday or school day without needing to scramble for an outlet – perfect for those long stretches in class or meetings. 

Are Chromebooks secure?

Chromebooks are a perfect fit for businesses and institutions prioritizing security. Their inherent design makes them highly resistant to malware, offering built-in protection for your employees and students. Some Chromebooks go the extra mile with biometric authentication features like fingerprint scanners, adding another layer of security for sensitive data.

How we test the best Chromebooks

Forget babying your Chromebook! Here at Laptop Mag, we put them through the ringer with our own custom Chromebook drop test . We know students and busy bees juggle these laptops everywhere, so durability is key. But toughness isn't all we check. We also delve into performance, battery life, multitasking power, and more.

Think of us as your Chromebook gym teachers – we push them to their limits! We use industry-standard benchmarks like Geekbench, but our real passion is real-world testing. Our Laptop Mag Battery Test simulates web browsing until the Chromebook cries uncle, while Geekbench helps us gauge processing muscle. We even have fancy colorimeters to measure screen quality and other tools to assess key travel and heat management. Want a deeper dive? Check out our " How We Test Laptops " page for all the nitty-gritty details.

Why Trust Laptop Mag

Laptop Mag reviews over one hundred different laptops every year, from paperweight ultralights to everyday workhorses to lumbering gaming notebooks that scorch the frame rates of even the hottest AAA games. We're not just experts in the laptop field, as we go one step further by meticulously testing smartphones, tablets, headphones, PC accessories, software, and even the latest in gaming. 

We are 100% independent and have decades of experience to help you buy with confidence. In fact, Laptop Mag has been testing and reviewing products for three decades, and we continue to deliver trustworthy reviews you can rely on. 

Our experienced team of writers and editors scour the available information about the laptop and put it through its paces to determine which is best for you. But before they start, the testing team subjects each system to a rigorous regimen of synthetic and real-world tests to see how a system handles the type of work and games you’re most likely to throw at it. 

Our editorial trustworthiness is enforced by one of the world's largest technology publishers,  Future Publishing . As a company, we have unrivaled experience across every tech sector — and we're the group's specialist for all things mobile tech. 

See our Chromebook Buying Guide and our Windows 10 vs Chromebook or iPad vs. Chromebook face-off to learn more about them. And check out our best laptops deals page to make sure you get the best price before you buy.

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Mark has spent 20 years headlining comedy shows around the country and made appearances on ABC, MTV, Comedy Central, Howard Stern, Food Network, and Sirius XM Radio. He has written about every topic imaginable, from dating, family, politics, social issues, and tech. He wrote his first tech articles for the now-defunct Dads On Tech 10 years ago, and his passion for combining humor and tech has grown under the tutelage of the Laptop Mag team. His penchant for tearing things down and rebuilding them did not make Mark popular at home, however, when he got his hands on the legendary Commodore 64, his passion for all things tech deepened. These days, when he is not filming, editing footage, tinkering with cameras and laptops, or on stage, he can be found at his desk snacking, writing about everything tech, new jokes, or scripts he dreams of filming. 

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Acer Chromebook 314 Review

One of the best budget Chromebooks you can buy

The Acer Chromebook 314 is a great Chromebook for those looking to get online for not much money. The Celeron N4000 and 4GB of DDR4 RAM result in a smooth user experience, the battery life is great, and ChromeOS helps to keep things simple. If you’d like a device that can do a little more, expect to pay a fair bit more.

• Great value for money
• Sturdy construction
• Good port selection
• Fantastic battery life
• Flat colours and dim display
• No touchscreen
• ChromeOS could provide some limitations

Availability

• UK RRP: £229
• USA RRP: $299.99
• Europe RRP: €299.99

Key Features

• Budget price: This Acer Chromebook’s biggest strength is its affordable price, making it a good option for students and bargain hunters.
• Great battery life: The Acer lasted for 13 hours and 30 minutes in our benchmark tests, meaning it can easily last a full day of lectures or work.
• Plenty of ports: The 314 has an abundance of ports to make data transfer a breeze without the need for dongles.

Introduction

The Acer Chromebook 314 might just be one of the best Chromebooks out there for those on a tight budget.

Offering a decent performance with its combination of Celeron N4000 and 4GB of RAM, this Chromebook is ideal for standard tasks.

It’s not going to handle more demanding tasks such as gaming or creative applications, but if you’re happy to stick to the basics, this could be one of the best budget laptop and best Chromebook options available.

Price and availability

Unlike many of Acer’s Chromebooks, the 314 features a simple line-up, with configuration options being limited to what’s on show here.

The sample here features a dual-core Celeron N4000 from Intel, 4GB of RAM, 32GB’s worth of eMMC memory and a decent screen – all for £229/$299.99/€299.99, which makes it one of the most affordable laptops I’ve tested, as well as one of the most wallet-friendly on the market today.

It is possible to get the 314 with 64GB of storage, as well as with a Full HD IPS panel.

• Steely blue exterior and construction is solid
• Good keyboard, accurate trackpad and decent port selection
• Relatively thin and portable

Given the cost of the Acer Chromebook 314, don’t expect this laptop to turn any heads. On the design front things are arguably as expected.

The device is well built, with the attractive steely blue finish making it stand out from the sea of silver and black models found elsewhere. This is a welcome change that makes the 314 look better than some of its contemporaries.

With a weight of 1.7kg, it feels pretty hefty when I lift it up, but given its slim size and small stature, it remains pretty portable. This makes it ideal for students looking for a laptop to pick up and pop in a bag.

Despite being a budget machine, Acer has included a great selection of ports. There isn’t one but two speedy USB-Cs, two USB-As, as well as a micro-SD reader, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a Kensington Lock. You’ve got to hand it to Acer: the 314 is a little machine with a lot of compatibility and legacy offerings.

For a budget laptop, Acer’s keyboard feels solid not spongy, with a compact layout that’s ideal for those times you need to bang out an essay. It isn’t backlit, though.

The Acer Chromebook 314’s speakers sound relatively okay for the price, with dual downward-facing units mounted on the laptop’s underside.

It’s good to see the 314 including a trackpad that offers a shed-load of space for your fingers. Like this Chromebook’s keyboard, the trackpad is firm and tactile, plus its tracking is very accurate.

• Low-resolution display offers okay colours
• 14-inch screen is a happy medium of space
• Can look a little dim at times

Looking for a Full HD display? You’re out of luck here, with the Acer Chromebook 314 limited to a 1366 x 768 resolution, which is a little above 720p.

This low resolution isn’t ideal for a 14-inch screen, making things look a little fuzzy since the gap between pixels is sometimes noticeable. You’ll especially notice this when watching videos from the likes of Netflix and Disney Plus, and is arguably the laptop’s biggest weak point.

What’s more, on its brightest setting the 314 looks a little dim, which could be problematic if you want to use the laptop outside on a sunny day. Colour looks flat too, resulting in a passable viewing experience.

However, its viewing angles were decent when I watched the latest episode of This Time With Alan Partridge on BBC iPlayer, and the fact it has a relatively slim bezel on the sides means the screen real estate on offer is decent overall.

While this laptop isn’t ideal for viewing video, the 14-inch screen size is great for compact laptops for productivity purposes, with anything smaller seeming too small, and anything bigger a little ostentatious. Note that it isn’t a touchscreen, which is a shame for a Chromebook.

Performance

• Intel Celeron processor is adequate
• 4GB of RAM provides decent headroom
• ChromeOS works for a simple machine

There’s no real expectation on the 314 to outperform any of the competition; it’s just to do the basics well, not only given its cost, but also the simple point of it being a Chromebook.

I’m happy to report that Acer’s budget beast does perform those day-to-day tasks well, with its Intel Celeron 4000 processor under the bonnet providing a relatively snappy user experience.

Its 4GB of RAM is plenty for web browsing and video viewing, and even opening a shed-load of Chrome tabs at once didn’t slow the 314 down too much – it only caused images to take a smidgen longer to load, but overall, the slowdown was pretty negligible.

However, as our above benchmark results show, you have to be realistic with Acer Chromebook’s performance power. It’s miles behind the Surface Laptop Go in terms of performance speed, and is even slower than the Lenovo Chromebook Duet which is essentially just a tablet.

This means you really have to stick to the basics with the Acer Chromebook 314, such as web browsing, watching video and typing up word word documents.

It’s also worth remembering that ChromeOS is not as flexible as Windows, limiting downloads to what’s available on the Google Play Store. All of the most common apps are available, such as Spotify and Netflix, but you may be out of luck if you’re looking for something obscure.

• Lasted 13hrs 30mins in our tests
• Capable of lasting a few working days

The 314 continues to cement itself as one of the best budget machines out there when it comes to battery life.

After reducing the brightness and setting a video on loop, the 314 lasted a grand total of 13 and a half hours before shutting down.

We usually look for a laptop to last for at least 10 hours in our battery tests, so this is an impressive result. AMD-powered laptops, such as the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 , have admittedly reached higher figures, but they’re also more than triple the cost of the 314.

Acer’s Chromebook 314 is one of the best budget laptops out there thanks to its attractive price, good build quality and port selection, and exemplary battery life.

The biggest weak point here is undoubtedly the screen, with the low resolution and flat colours falling way short of laptops with Full HD IPS displays. And while performance is decent for the price, it does mean you’re restricted to basic tasks.

But with all that being said, you’re unlikely to find a better laptop for the price. If you want a machine with a Full HD IPS panel, the functionality of Windows and more powerful hardware, you’ll be required to pay a significant premium over the 314’s price.

You might like…

Surface Laptop Go Review

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook Review

Lenovo Chromebook Duet Review

Best offers, should you buy it.

You want a budget laptop for basic tasks If you’re happy to stick to basic tasks such as web browsing and opening emails, then this Acer represents outstanding value. But it isn’t powerful enough for heavy workloads such as gaming and creation.

You want a laptop with a great display The Acer Chromebook 314’s greatest limitation is the display, failing to hit a Full HD resolution which results in fuzzy video. Colours don’t look as vibrant as they do on other laptops, either.

Acer’s Chromebook 314 represents a great option for those looking to get online for not much money. The Celeron N4000 and 4GB of DDR4 RAM result in a smooth user experience, the battery life is great, and ChromeOS helps to keep things simple. If you’d like a device that can do a little more, then expect to pay a fair bit more.

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No – but there are plenty of ports to upgrade capacity either through microSD, or external HDD or SSDs.

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Reece has been writing for Trusted Reviews since 2019 on a freelance basis thanks to a few days’ work experience and writes about all things computing. He’s a soon to be graduate from the University o…

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Ratings Scorecard

Survey Results

Predicted Reliability

Predicted brand reliability ratings are based on estimated problem rates for newly purchased laptops, by the end of the 3rd year of ownership.

Owner Satisfaction

Owner satisfaction ratings are based on the proportion of members who are extremely likely to recommend their laptop to their friends and family.

Test Results

Portability

Based on battery life under a mix of light and heavy tasks, size, and weight including the keyboard dock for detachable laptops.

Performance

Based on performance while running productivity applications, multimedia applications, web browsing, and 3D games.

Covers display size, clarity, color, contrast, brightness, and glare.

Represents the quality of the keyboard and pointing device, and accessibility of features.

Versatility

Includes hardware such as memory-card slots and AV connections, software such as security programs, and tech support and warranty provisions.

Battery Life - web

The time it takes to deplete a fully charged battery while the laptop loads a sequence of web pages over WiFi. Bluetooth and 3G/4G are disabled and the screen is set to a specific brightness that's usable indoors or outdoors.

Battery Life - video

The time it takes to deplete a fully charged battery while the laptop loops a 4K video. Bluetooth and 3G/4G are disabled and the screen is set to a specific brightness that's usable indoors or outdoors.

The weight of the laptop as you would carry it around, including the battery but without the power adapter or a removable CD/DVD drive. Detachable laptops include the weight of the keyboard.

The operating system that was installed on the computer at the time it was tested. The operating system is the software that controls the basic operation of the computer. Common examples are Windows and Mac OS. The operating system determines the "look and feel" of the PC.

Touch screen

Denotes presence of a touchscreen, which is sensitive to finger contact, letting you select and move screen objects, launch programs, choose from menus, scroll through photo libraries, and the like. Some touchscreens have "multi-touch", letting you use more than one finger to resize and rotate objects.

Laptop is able to convert by folding, rotating, or spinning into a tablet form factor or the screen detaches from the keyboard so you carry it as a tablet. "C" denotes convertible, "D" denotes detachable and "-" denotes a standard clamshell laptop.

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Detailed Test Results

Performance: Overall this laptop's performance was excellent. Tasks like email, word processing and web browsing will be speedy. Compared to other tested laptops, it was among the fastest with common tasks such as web browsing and video conferencing. Applications start up almost instantly. It was among the fastest when composing multiple documents with images, calculating large complex data spreadsheets, and running other demanding productivity tasks, and its speed was adequate for manipulating filters on images, converting and editing videos, and rendering models and calculating simulations.

Portability: This laptop is an excellent choice for traveling. Battery life lasted 12.75 hours in a light load of web browsing tests, and 14.75 hours in a heavier load of 4K video playback tests. Results were outstanding enough to last well beyond a typical day of mixed use, lasting longer than most other similar laptops. In heavier loads, the battery lasted longer than expected, so you're less likely to need a charge as you run more performance intensive tasks. At 3.3 lbs, this laptop is lightweight for a laptop of this size category.

Ergonomics: Some features of the keyboard, touchpad, and labeling, were well-designed, and were comfortable or convenient to use. The keyboard has large keys and was comfortably sized. Its high contrast letters were easy to read, and the backlighting can be useful in dark rooms. The power button was well labeled and conveniently located. The touchpad was among the largest of those tested, and provides ample space for different touch gestures. A stylus is included for use with the touch screen. The touchscreen is smooth enough for fast swipes, and fingerprints clean off easily. Testers liked the sturdy build of the chassis.

Display: The display quality was excellent overall. Colors were accurately reproduced, realistic, and natural looking. The laptop's display was brighter than most, a plus for viewing in bright indoor lighting or outdoors. The display has a wide viewing angle, especially important if more than one person needs to see the screen at a time, say, for a video or presentation. Its OLED display produces a wider array of colors and has better contrast than on most other tested laptops, which can help add realism to videos or slideshows.

Useful features and attributes on this model include: Laptop has a touchscreen. The spacious 1TB solid-state drive offers plenty of room for storing your music, photos, and movies. The 1TB solid-state drive uses less power and accesses data more quickly than conventional hard-disk drives. You can connect common external devices such as hard drives and Blu-ray burners using USB 4 Gen 3x2 (40 Gbps) for maximum performance. Gigabit ethernet provides fast transfer of data over a local network. This laptop has a full-size HDMI port and supports DisplayPort over USB-C for connecting to an HDTV or monitor.

Downsides: There's no optical drive like a CD or DVD reader, so you'll have to buy an external drive if you need one. At about 6.8 ft length, the power cable is shorter than most others, so you'd need to be mindful of power outlet locations.

The Asus Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) is a 16-inch laptop with an OLED display and a screen resolution of 2880 x 1800. It has 32GB of memory and a 1TB solid-state drive. It has an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 2GHz processor and an integrated AMD Radeon 890M Graphics video adapter. It lacks an optical drive for burning CDs or DVDs. It was tested with Windows 11 Pro installed.

It has a touch screen, 1 full-size, 2 type-C USB ports built-in on the laptop. However, you'll lose a USB port to plug in the power cable when charging the laptop. Video outputs include: an HDMI full-size port, supporting DisplayPort over USB-C. You can use the provided adapter to connect to the internet over Gigabit ethernet. It has Bluetooth 5.4 built-in. It has a 2.1MP webcam for video conferencing. It has a button shortcut to disable the webcam when not in use.

The Asus Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) measures 11.9 inches wide by 9.6 inches deep by 0.7 inches high, and it weighs 3.3 lbs. It's backed by a 12-month warranty, with 12 months of free tech support over telephone.

Suitable for gaming

All systems can play casual games such as solitaire and Angry Birds. Systems designated as suitable for gaming are more powerful and can play modern mainstream and intensive 3D video games with a frame rate and visual effects that does not make the game stop or stutter.

Blu-ray or DVD

Has either a Blu-Ray drive (B), which lets you watch Blu-Ray movies and read/write to CDs and DVDs, or a DVD drive (D), which lets you read/write to CDs and DVDs. Some computers have no optical drive installed (—).

Memory-card reader

At least one flash memory-card slot (CF, SD, XD, MS, etc.)

Facial recognition

Webcam can be set to scan your face for secure log-in.

Fingerprint reader

A biometric fingerprint reader for logging into your PC.

Display size

The diagonal measure of the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen.

Operating system (as tested)

Processor brand

Also known as the CPU (Central Processing Unit), the processor is responsible for running commands and handling data. Processors come in different speeds and may have two or more cores (ex. dual-core), which let you more quickly process multiple complex tasks. This is the brand, or manufacturer, of the processor.

Processor model name

Also known as the CPU (Central Processing Unit), the processor is responsible for running commands and handling data. Processors come in different speeds and may have two or more cores (ex. dual-core), which let you more quickly process multiple complex tasks. This is the listed model name and speed for the processor.

Also known as RAM, memory is a temporary storage area for data. Its size is an important factor for performance. We recommend at least 4GB of memory, or 8GB if you plan to run several large applications at the same time.

The amount of storage, a permanent area for the operating system, programs and data such as documents, music, and media files. Storage can be a hard drive, an SSD (solid state drive), or hybrid drive.

Video memory

The amount of dedicated memory built into a graphics adapter. Most models have integrated graphics, which have no dedicated memory but are still suitable for most applications, including photo editing and watching movies. Others have discrete graphic adapters, which typically have 1 GB or more of dedicated video memory, to deliver smoother and more realistic graphics for 3D games.

Native resolution

The number of picture elements ("pixels") across the horizontal and vertical dimension of the screen. The higher the resolution within a given size screen, the finer the detail that can be displayed. No scaling is needed to view a picture or movie of this size, or to match the display resolution with the native resolution, sometimes called Default or Recommended.

Video adapter

Also known as the video card, the video adapter processes all the data that you see on your screen. They come in different speeds and may be integrated (most common, but is slower and uses up memory) or discrete (which is faster and has its own dedicated memory). If you will not be playing complex 3D games, any integrated graphics adapter will do. Otherwise, buy a discrete graphics adapter with a graphics processor from ATI or Nvidia with at least 256 MB of memory.

Optical drive

The optical drive reads and/or writes to CDs and DVDs. Most PCs come equipped with a DVD-RW, also known as a DVD burner, which lets you read and write to DVDs. Some models come with Blu-Ray drives, which let you play high-definition movies.

The height from the table, or thickness, of the computer while closed. This includes the keyboard dock on detachable laptops.

The depth, from the front edge to the back hinge, of the computer while closed. This includes the keyboard dock for detachable laptops.

The width of the computer while closed. This includes the keyboard dock of detachable laptops.

Thin and light

Based on weight and thickness. This includes laptops that may be labeled "Ultrabook," "Sleekbook," "Thin and light," and "Ultrathin," among other terms.

Warranty length

The length in months of the manufacturer's standard warranty.

Tech support length

The length in months of the manufacturer's free technical support by telephone.

Battery capacity

The total energy contained in the battery, expressed in Watt-hours. A larger capacity battery will deliver longer battery life, but will add weight and sometimes will extend beyond the edge of the laptop.

Comes in S Mode

Windows computers that come in S Mode can only run apps from the Microsoft Store. This is one way to ensure system security and stability. They can be switched out of S Mode for free, allowing them to run third-party applications. We test computers switched out of S Mode.

Connections

The type of built-in 802.11 wireless networking supported. Computers with 802.11n also support 802.11g routers. Some models with 802.11n also support the 5GHz "high band," a standard suitable for apartments and other crowded areas.

Thunderbolt port

Has a Thunderbolt port for connecting peripherals such as an external hard drive. This includes ports that may be on the keyboard dock of detachable laptops. Thunderbolt is a high-speed port that can connect to DVI, HDMI and VGA through the use of adapters. Thunderbolt 3 is the newest version that supports faster speeds.

Digital video out

Has an HDMI, DisplayPort, or Thunderbolt video output for sending a digital video signal to a computer monitor or HDTV.

Number of USB ports

Number of USB ports for printers, flash drives, or other peripherals. This includes ports that may be on the keyboard dock of detachable laptops.

Gigabit Ethernet

Support for 1,000 Mb/s networking.

HDMI output

An HDMI out port for sending a digital video/audio signal to a computer monitor or HDTV.

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