If you’re not necessarily a fan of Windows but still don’t want to go to Apple’s ecosystem, then one good middle ground is going for a Chromebook. It’s similar to your regular laptop, but instead of running on either of those operating systems, it runs on ChromeOS, which is made and supported by Google. On the one hand, one big positive of ChromeOS is that it’s not resource-heavy like Windows, so even the best Chromebooks offer excellent performance at a good price. On the other hand, some apps that exist on Windows don’t have ChromeOS, so before deciding to go this route, be sure your must-have apps have a ChromeOS version. If they do, then you can find a performance that equals some of the best laptops, at least when it comes to productivity and day-to-day tasks.
- HP Chromebook 11A G6 Education Edition (renewed) — $51, was $198
- Acer Chromebook 315 — $179, was $199
- Acer Chromebook Spin 311 — $223, was $290
- HP Chromebook 14a — $191, was $220
- Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook — $275, was $400
- Asus Chromebook Flip C434 — $342, was $505
- ASUS 14-inch 2-in-1 Touchscreen Chromebook — $374, was $400
- HP Elite Dragonfly G4 Chromebook — $1,139, was $1,354
To that end, we’ve collected our favorite Chromebook deals below, and you’ll see there is a lot of crossover with some of our other roundups, such as the HP laptop deals, Acer laptop deals, Dell laptop deals, and Lenovo laptop deals, so you may want to check those out too.
HP Chromebook 11A G6 Education Edition (renewed) — $51, was $198
Probably one of the cheapest options you’re going to find for a Chromebook is this education edition that’s made to be as basic as possible to bring the price down. The processor is a very entry-level AMD A4 9120C which is just about enough to get productivity tasks completely, and probably can’t handle more complex tasks. The 4 GB of RAM isn’t a lot either, but at least with ChromeOS not being as demanding resource-wise, you shouldn’t feel it as much as you would on a Windows device. The biggest downside is the 16GB SSD, which means you will almost certainly have to rely on one of these external hard drive deals.
Acer Chromebook 315 — $179, was $199
While the Acer Chromebook 315 doesn’t have a powerful CPU either, the Intel Celeron N4020 certainly has more power than the HP Chromebook and will give you an easier time, at least when it comes to productivity tasks. That said, it still only has 4 GB of RAM, which we would have liked to see bumped up to 8GB, but at least the storage has gone up to 64GB. The screen is also much bigger and much better, so the extra cost is certainly worth it.
Acer Chromebook Spin 311 — $223, was $290
The Acer Chromebook Spin 311 adds versatility to the trusted Chromebook formula because it’s a 2-in-1 laptop, which our laptop buying guide describes as a device that can transform between laptop mode and tablet mode with the help of the 360-degree hinges attaching the body to its 11.6-inch HD touchscreen. Inside the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 are the Intel Celeron N4020 processor, Intel UHD Graphics 600, and 4GB of RAM, with a battery life of up to 10 hours and a 32GB eMMC for storage.
HP Chromebook 14a — $191, was $220
The HP Chromebook 14at is one of the cheapest options if you want a Chromebook, but it will still be able to help you finish your basic tasks with its Intel Celeron N4120 processor, Intel UHD Graphics 600, and 4GB of RAM. It’s equipped with a 14-inch HD screen, a battery that can last up to 14 hours on a single charge, and a 64GB eMMC. If you need more storage space, you can save your files on Google Drive, which will also let you access them from any device.
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook — $275, was $400
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook is a different kind of 2-in-1 laptop as it uses a detachable keyboard that also doubles as a protective cover for its 11-inch Full HD OLED touchscreen. Inside the device are the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 processor, Qualcomm Adreno 618 graphics, and 4GB of RAM, and you’ve got a 64GB eMMC for storage that’s relatively large compared to other Chromebooks.
Asus Chromebook Flip C434 — $342, was $505
The Asus Chromebook Flip C434 is another Chromebook that’s also a 2-in-1 laptop, as the multiple modes will be very helpful for professionals and students alike as they go through their respective days. The Asus Chromebook Flip C434 is powered by the 8th-generation Intel Core M3 processor, Intel HD Graphics 615, and 4GB of RAM, while offering a 64GB eMMC and a 14-inch touchscreen with Full HD resolution for sharp details and vivid colors.
ASUS 14-inch 2-in-1 Touchscreen Chromebook — $374, was $400
If you need a Chromebook with a little bit more oomph, then this Asus Chromebook is the perfect option. It has a similar Intel Core i5 under the hood, as well as a very solid 8GB of RAM, both of which will give you a great experience. Also, the 128GB storage isn’t too bad, although you’ll probably have to supplement it with an external hard drive, especially if you want to watch locally downloaded content.
HP Elite Dragonfly G4 Chromebook — $1,139, was $1,354
The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is making a case to be included among the best Chromebooks because it pushes the envelope on the capabilities of a Chrome OS-powered laptop. You’ll get smooth performance with its 12th-generation Intel Core i5-1235U, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, and 8GB of RAM, and it also comes with a 128GB SSD for storage. The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook also features a 13.5-inch FHD touchscreen, which is attached to its body with 360-degree hinges as it’s also a 2-in-1 laptop.
