Chromebooks are well-known for matching affordability with faster performance thanks to the lightweight Chrome OS operating system. The operating system has evolved a lot over the years. And now that you can run Android and Linux apps on Chrome OS, it is seeing a resurgence. Not to mention, you can run Chrome OS Flex on your old PC and MacBook too. So, if you are in the market for a brand new Chromebook, you have come to the right place. In this article, I have curated the 15 best Chromebooks in 2022 for various price points. On that note, let’s go ahead and find the best Chromebooks in 2022 that you can buy right now.
Best Chromebooks to Buy in 2022
I have divided the list of best Chromebooks in 2022 into four sections: detachable Chromebooks, Chromebooks under $300, $500, and $1000 price segments. So, based on your preference, go ahead and check out the Chromebooks. We have carefully curated the best Chromebooks for students, kids, seniors, general consumers, and professionals as well. With that said, let’s jump right in.
How to Choose the Best Chromebook?
If you are a beginner and need a Chromebook for light usage then look for Celeron N4000, Mediatek, or newer processors. They are sufficiently capable for light usage. Keep in mind, in 2021, don’t buy a Chromebook that features older Celeron processors like N3350 or N3060. Simply stay away from them.
And if you are a power user then get the Intel chips preferably the 8th or 10th-gen i3 and upwards. The newer 11th-gen Tiger Lake Intel processors are great. By the way, many OEMs have partnered with Qualcomm and AMD and are in the process of releasing Chromebooks with Snapdragon and Ryzen chips.
As far as storage and RAM are concerned, I would say, 64GB onboard storage and 4GB RAM should be the bare minimum. As it’s with storage and RAM, the more the merrier. And now that Linux apps are available on Chromebooks, you need more storage, RAM (8GB would be great), and processing power to perform all kinds of tasks.
Besides that, if you get SSD storage, then that is a huge bonus, more so when it’s NVMe SSD. You will find the performance blazing fast. That said, eMMC is not bad either.
Coming to display, you should pick a Chromebook that has an FHD panel. And if it features a touchscreen panel and has a convertible body then that is even better. So these are the fundamental things that you should keep in mind before buying a Chromebook.
Best Detachable Chromebooks in 2022 (Chrome OS Tablets)
1. Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 and Duet 5
After the great success of Chromebook Duet, Lenovo has released a successor Duet 3 which makes the detachable experience on Chrome OS even better. Housed with Snapdragon 7c Gen 2, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of eMMC storage, the Duet 2 is an excellent Chrome OS tablet you can buy in 2022. You get an awesome 10.9-inch LCD screen having a resolution of 2000 x 1200.
You also get the detachable keyboard within the box, but you need to buy the stylus separately. Do note that Duet 3 is compatible with the USI 2.0 stylus so older USI pens will not work on this one. Overall, at $329, the Lenovo Duet 3 is one of the best detachable Chromebooks in 2022. In case, you want the same form factor in a larger 13.3-inch FHD OLED display, you can go for Duet 5 which costs slightly higher at $349.
Buy Duet 3 from Best Buy: $329
Buy Duet 5 from Amazon: $349
2. HP Chromebook x2 11
After Lenovo, HP has also introduced a detachable Chromebook in the market and it’s already getting great reviews from critics. The HP Chromebook x2 11 is powered by the 1st-gen Snapdragon 7c processor, which is a notch below the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chip available on Duet 3 and Duet 5. It has an 11-inch FHD+ touch display with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage. Not to mention, you get both the detachable keyboard and USI pen within the box which is great. At $224, I think the HP Chromebook x2 11 is a great deal and you should definitely consider it.
Buy from Best Buy: $224.99
Best Chromebooks in 2022 Under $300
3. Acer Spin 513
The Acer Spin 513 is a one of the best budget Chromebooks in 2022 under $300 which comes with a Snapdragon 7c processor, for just $279. It has a 13.3-inch FHD touch screen with Corning Gorilla Glass protection on top. The Chromebook also folds to 360-degree so that is good for using the device at different angles. In addition, the Spin 513 packs 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of built-in storage. In tandem, the Acer Spin 513 is one of the most affordable Chromebooks with decent performance, good display, and sturdy build quality.
Buy from Walmart: $279
4. ASUS Chromebook Flip CM3
If you are looking for an affordable Chromebook under $300, the Asus Chromebook Flip CM3 is a worthy choice. The device is powered by a MediaTek 8183 processor having a Mali-G72 MP3 GPU with 32GB of onboard storage and 4GB of RAM. The best part is that even at such a low price, you get a 12-inch touchscreen display. The display also folds to 360-degree which is great given the price. For kids and school students, the Asus Chromebook Flip CM3 is a decidedly good Chromebook you can get behind.
Buy from Amazon: $249.99
5. Acer 317 Chromebook
Another budget-friendly Chromebook in 2022 comes from the house of Acer. For just $183, you get a larger 17.3-inch screen, with an Intel Celeron N4500 under the hood. Sure, the N4500 processor has gotten a bit older, but it’s a tried-and-tested chipset that is nicely optimized for Chrome OS. On top of that, you have 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. To sum up, if you want to gift a Chromebook to your kid for studying or casual browsing and streaming, the Acer 317 Chromebook is one sturdy machine.
Buy from Amazon: $183
6. Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook
A little upwards of $300, the C13 Yoga Chromebook by Lenovo is powered by an AMD processor. It houses the performant AMD Athlon Gold 3150C processor with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of eMMC storage. The 13.3-inch FHD touchscreen display is also pretty good and it comes in a convertible 2-in-1 form factor. The best part is that the display can go up to 400 nits which should make the display readable even outdoors. Except for sub-par battery life, the C13 Yoga Chromebook is a very good performer for day-to-day tasks.
Buy from Walmart: $329
Best Chromebooks in 2022 Under $500
7. Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5i
If you have to pick just one Chromebook from this list, I would strongly suggest getting the Lenovo Flex 5i. It’s one of the best budget Chromebooks under the $500 price segment. You get an 11th-gen Intel i3 processor (i3-1115G4) with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. The 13-3-inch display is also FHD with touchscreen support. And yes, it folds 360-degree for comfortable viewing at any angle.
The older Flex 5 was a huge success and now Lenovo has released basically the same Chromebook with an upgraded processor and larger RAM size. In tandem, all the past quibbles have been fixed and the new Flex 5i is really flexing its muscles in this price category. At $377, the Lenovo Flex 5i ranks among the top 2022 Chromebooks.
Buy from Amazon: $377
8. Acer Spin 514 Chromebook
While competitors are going for reliable Intel or ARM processors, Acer is wildly experimenting with AMD chipsets on Chromebooks. The Acer Spin 514 is one of the latest Chromebooks in 2022 to pack the Ryzen 3 5125C processor which goes head-to-head against the 11th-gen Intel i3 chipset. The performance is better than the 11th-gen i3 counterpart, but AMD slightly lags behind in the battery life department.
The Acer Spin 514 packs 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage. It has a 14-inch FHD touchscreen panel with a claimed battery life of 10 hours. On top of that, the Acer Spin 514 also supports Wi-Fi 6 which is amazing. I would say if you can sacrifice a bit of battery life for better performance, you can go with Acer Spin 514.
Buy from Best Buy: $429
9. HP x360 14C Chromebook
HP x360 is one of the most successful Chromebook series by the company and it continues to offer great specs and experience. The HP x360 14C Chromebook is slightly above the $500 mark, but it’s well within the reach, and it’s almost similar to the Lenovo Flex 5i (which is also great). You get the same Intel 11th-gen i3 processor (i3-1115G4), 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of NVMe SSD which is new in this price segment. Further, the display is a 14-inch FHD IPS panel with touchscreen support.
Not to mention, you can convert the Chromebook into tablet mode, tent mode, or just use it as a normal laptop. I have been using its old-gen model that comes with an 8th-gen Intel i5 processor and I absolutely love it. You get a backlit keyboard, fast charging, Linux support, and a fingerprint reader as well.
Simply put, if Lenovo Flex 5i or Acer Spin 514 does not cut it for you then you can pick HP x360 14C without any second thoughts. Keep in mind, that you will have to shell out more money for better storage, but if you are going to use Linux or play Steam games then it’s well worth the price.
Buy from Amazon: $549
Best Chromebooks in 2022 Under $1000
10. Acer Spin 714 and 713 Chromebook
Acer Spin 714, successor to the hugely popular Spin 713, is one of the latest Chromebooks in 2022 to have the 12th-gen Intel i5 processor. It’s without a doubt one of the most powerful Chromebooks among all the premium Chromebooks and a reasonably priced one, at that. It’s powered by the latest 12th-gen Intel i5-1235U processor with 256GB of NVMe SSD and 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM. It also packs the Intel Iris Xe Graphics for powerful graphical performance.
Among other things, it features a 14-inch touchscreen display having a resolution of 1920 x 1200, with a 16:10 aspect ratio. The max display brightness is around 340 nits which is pretty decent. Not to forget, you get a premium body with an aluminum chassis, a glass trackpad, a backlit keyboard, and fast charging support. To conclude, if you want a Chromebook with a powerful processor at an affordable price then the Acer Spin 714 perfectly fits your bill.
In case, you still want the older Acer Spin 713 (2021) Chromebook, powered by the 11th-gen Intel processor, you can get it from Amazon. Acer has discontinued the older model, but some sellers still have the stock.
Buy Acer Spin 714 from Best Buy: $729
Buy Acer Spin 713 from Amazon: $599
11. ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 (2022)
After Acer’s Intel 12th-gen Chromebook, Asus has also been quick in releasing its first 12th-gen Chromebook in 2022. The Flip CX5 is powered by the latest 12th-gen Intel i3-1215U processor, coupled with 128GB of SSD and 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM. Since the Chromebook is from Asus’ CX lineup, it has a larger 16-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200.
Do note that you won’t get the powerful Iris Xe graphics on this Alder Lake processor, but Intel UHD Graphics 630 is available. As a result, you might not be able to play Steam games (based on Borealis) on this Chromebook, since only Intel i5 and i7 Chromebooks are allowed. Nevertheless, it’s a powerhouse of a Chromebook and also priced well so do consider it if you are a moderate to heavy user.
Buy from Best Buy: $649
12. Google Pixelbook Go
Google released the Pixelbook Go in 2019, but it’s still one of the best Chromebooks you can buy right now. Matched with an 8th-gen Intel i5-8200Y processor, the Chromebook is quite capable. In addition, you have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD. For added security, Google has also packed the Titan C Security chip on this Chromebook.
The 13.3-inch FHD LCD touchscreen display is vibrant and offers rich colors. Bear in mind it’s not a convertible Chromebook so you can’t use it in tablet or tent mode. All in all, with excellent 12 hours of battery life, the Pixelbook Go is a solid choice at $709.
Buy from Amazon: $709
13. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
If you are looking for the best Chromebook in 2022 with an impressive QLED display, Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is a top-notch choice. It features a QLED Full HD panel, an Intel 10th-gen i3-10110U processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of eMMC storage.
And it has also improved the battery life as the Chromebook no longer features a 4K panel, unlike the last year’s model. I would say, if you can’t compromise on a display then Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is the perfect Chromebook you can buy in 2022.
Buy from Amazon: $699
14. Lenovo ThinkPad C14 Chromebook
In line with Acer and Asus, Lenovo has also launched a Chromebook powered by an Intel Alder Lake 12th-gen processor. The ThinkPad C14 Chromebook packs the 12th-gen Intel i5-1245U processor with Iris Xe graphics in tow. Apart from that, it houses 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of PCIe SSD (Gen 4). It has a 14-inch FHD IPS screen with an anti-glare coating and the maximum brightness is 250 nits.
Additionally, you get a fingerprint reader, backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi 6E support, Bluetooth 5.2, and more. The best part is that it also comes with LTE support which is awesome. Basically, the Lenovo ThinkPad C14 Chromebook packs all the latest technology. That said, the price is also steep at $1019. If it matches your expectations, you can very well go with the Lenovo ThinkPad C14 Chromebook.
Buy from Lenovo: $1019
15. HP Elite Dragonfly
HP has introduced a new Dragonfly series of Chromebooks that come with 12th-gen Intel processors in 2022. The i3 variant starts at $1039 and goes up to the $2000 mark for the i5 variant. The base model comes with the 12th-gen i3-1215U processor, coupled with 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 128GB of NVMe SSD. The 13.5-inch display has a resolution of 3200 x 1800 with a maximum brightness of 400 nits.
The unique part about this Chromebook is that its trackpad gives haptic feedback similar to smartphones. Besides that, you have got Wi-Fi 6E support, Bluetooth 5.2, 45W charging, and a fingerprint reader. If you are looking for a powerful Chromebook in 2022, you can certainly take a look at the HP Elite Dragonfly series.
Buy from HP: Starts at $1039
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the Best Chromebook to Buy?
Acer Spin 713 or Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 are the best Chromebooks you can buy right now. These Chrome Os laptops are packed with premium features and cost almost half of what some other manufacturers charge. Apart from that, you can take a look at Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 or HP x360 14C.
Is a Chromebook and Laptop the Same Thing?
Laptop is a general terminology for mobile computers that has desktop-level features. Be it a MacBook, Windows laptop, or Chromebook — all are basically laptops. However, due to the device’s popularity and the distinct OS it runs, products carve a name for themselves.
That said, in popular parlance, a laptop is generally referred to as a Windows laptop. In that case, a laptop and Chromebook would be two different things. Windows laptops run Windows and Chromebooks run Chrome OS. You can learn more about the comparison between Windows laptops vs Chromebooks from our detailed article.
Are Chromebooks Worth it in 2021?
Yes, Chromebooks are definitely worth it in 2021. After the Linux support on Chrome OS, Chromebooks have become pretty feature-rich and you can perform almost anything that you can do on a Windows laptop.
Which is the Best Affordable Chromebook?
If you are looking for the best affordable Chromebook under $300, go for Acer 317 Chromebook as it is priced at just $189. And if you can afford to slightly increase your budget then pick the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 or Lenovo Flex 5i.
What are the Disadvantages of a Chromebook?
The main disadvantage of a Chromebook is that it does not have native app support, meaning you won’t find as many apps as you do on a Windows or macOS laptop. Apart from that, gaming is a pain point on Chromebooks if you generally download and play games. That said, if you can adapt yourself to Linux, most of your issues will be resolved.
Buy the Top Chromebook in 2022 Within Your Budget
So those are our picks for the best Chromebooks in 2022 across different price categories. We have done detailed research and have added Chromebooks that have excellent performance and build quality. Apart from that, we have also mentioned alternative Chromebooks in the same price category in case you want a better display or processor. And if you are looking for the best Chromebooks for kids, head over to our curated list. And if we have missed out on anything, do let us know in the comment section below.
