Chromebooks are some of the best devices you can buy for school work, entertainment, browsing, and in some cases, even mild software development. ChromeOS is a fast, reliable, and secure operating system that can run Chrome, Android apps, and Linux and keeps getting better with updates. Different use cases demand various Chromebooks, so if you’re in the market for some of the best Chromebooks, this list has you covered. Here are some of the best Chromebooks you can buy right now.
1. Acer Chromebook Spin 714
ASUS has been making Chromebooks for as long as we can remember, and the Spin 714 is a testament to years of excellent Spin series of laptops from the firm. It’s a 14-inch 2-in-1 laptop that was upgraded to Chromebook Plus with many Google AI features.
It’s got a decently bright 340 nits 1920 x 1200 pixels display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Powering the machine is a 13th Gen Core i5-1335U alongside 8 GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256 GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe storage. Besides, it’s got more than sufficient I/O including 1 x USB-A 3.2 port and 2 x USB-C 3.2 Thunderbolt 4 ports.
Performance-wise, it can handle multitasking with ease but don’t expect it to run slightly heavier games via Steam. It should fly in regular day-to-day usage like browsing, watching videos, running Linux, and playing games that aren’t very graphic intensive.
On the network front, you get Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Acer promises more than 10 hours of battery on a single charge via a 56Wh battery. As someone who uses an Acer Chromebook Spin 713, the Spin lineup has one of the best, if not, the best build quality in the segment. I can easily say that the Spin 714 Chromebook is one of the best all-around Chromebooks you can get for an asking price of $550. If you can shell out a bit extra, try getting the latest 2024 Core Ultra 5 variant.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent screen | None |
| Exceptional battery life | |
| Fast 256 GB NVMe storage | |
| Great I/O and connectivity | |
| Excellent performance |
Price: $612
2. ASUS ExpertBook CX54
The Expertbook CX54 from ASUS competes with the latest Core Ultra 5 Acer Chromebook Spin 714 but there are a few key differences between the both. For starters, the CX54 comes with a sharper 2560 x 1600 pixels and brighter 500 nits display. However, it misses out on a touch screen like the Spin 714.
The CX54 sports 8 GB RAM and a 128 GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD and comes with a better I/O including 2 x Thunderbolt 4 ports, 1 x HDMI 2.0, and 1 x USB-A 3.2. The Expertbook also comes with Google’s AI features as it’s a Chromebook Plus machine.
The decision to pick between the ASUS and Acer depends on the kind of work you do. If you need a convertible, the Spin 714 is for you but if you need a solid laptop-only, the CX54 is a better premium pick for $649.
Pros Cons Excellent sharp screen Competitors offering 256GB base storage Great battery life Fast 128 GB NVMe storage Excellent I/O and connectivity Excellent performance
Price: $649
3. Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
If you’re looking for something that’s a bit laid back in pricing, the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus makes up for an excellent Chromebook. For under $500, you get 13th generation Core i3-1315U, 8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM, 128GB NVMe SSD, and a 16:10 IPS LCD 1920 x 1200 pixels display. Although the display is similar in terms of specs to the Spin 714, it only covers 45% of the NTSC color gamut (Vs 100%). Hence the Flex 5i may not be the best Chromebook for watching content.
The laptop is a convertible, though, and Lenovo promises over 10 hours of battery backup on full charge. As for the I/O, there are 1 x USB-A 3.2 port, and 2 x USB-C 3.2 ports, one of which supports Display Output 1.4. Unfortunately, there’s no HDMI port on offer. Do keep in mind that the build quality might not be as good as the ASUS CX54 and Spin 714 as some reviews have reported hinge failures.
Pros Cons Good screen More storage would’ve been better Great battery life Multiple hinge failures reported Fast 128 GB NVMe storage Decently fast
Price: $432
4. ASUS Chromebook Plus CX34
If you’re in the market for a premium Chromebook but don’t have the budget, ASUS’ Chromebook Plus CX34 is THE Chromebook for you. It’s got a 14-inch FHD+ display with 250 nits brightness, a 13th Gen Intel Core i5 1335u, 8 GB LPDDR5 RAM, and 128 GB UFS storage. ASUS claims the battery lasts for 8+ hours.
The CX434 has a generous amount of I/O as well with 1 x HDMI 1.4 port, 2 x Thunderbolt 4 ports, and 2 x USB-A 3.2 ports. However, it misses out on a microSD card slot. Connectivity-wise, there’s Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6E.
Overall, for an asking price of $439, the CX34 brings great value to the table; although, we wish it came with an NVMe slot instead of soldered, on-board UFS storage which can’t be replaced when it degrades over time. Either way, the CX34 is a great Chromebook for its price.
Pros Cons Great performance More storage would’ve been better Decent battery life Uses UFS storage instead of NVMe Decent I/O selection No microSD card slot
Price: $439
5. Acer Chromebook Plus 516GE
The Acer Chromebook 516GE is marketed as a gaming Chromebook, and while it doesn’t exactly have the hardware of typical gaming laptops, it’s one of the best laptops you can buy in the Chromebook universe. For starters, it’s got a 16-inch 2560 x 1600 resolution, a 120Hz display with 350 nits of peak brightness, an Intel Core 5 120U processor, 8 GB LPDDR4X RAM, and a 256 GB NVMe SSD. You don’t have to worry about your storage getting filled up fast, and there’s a full RGB keyboard on offer for cloud gamers.
Acer promises 10 hours of battery life and there’s ample I/O, including an HDMI 2.1 port, Ethernet (!), 2 x USB 3.2 Type-C ports, 1 x USB 3.2 Type-A port, and a Kensington lock. For an asking price of $649, the 516GE falls in the pricey segment but it’s an excellent Chromebook for what it offers. Not to mention, it’s Chromebook Plus so you get all the Google AI shenanigans.
Pros Cons Great performance Expensive Excellent battery life No microSD card slot Ample I/O ports Fast NVMe storage
Price: $579
6. Acer Chromebook Plus 515
If you’re looking for the cheapest Chromebook Plus, your search ends here. The Acer Chromebook Plus offers exceptional value without many compromises. It’s got a Core i3-1215U, 8 GB LPDDR5X RAM, 128 GB UFS storage, and a 15.6-inch 1080P display with 250 nits of brightness.
When it comes to connectivity, there are 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C ports, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, and an HDMI 1.4 alongside a headphone jack. As for the downsides, the keyboard isn’t backlit and the build quality might not be as good as some of the higher-end Chromebooks. That said, the 515 is still one of the best Chromebooks you can buy if you have a restricted budget.
Pros Cons Decent performance No keyboard backlighting Great battery life No microSD card slot Decent I/O ports Only 250 nits brightness Affordable
Price: $385
7. Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3
On a normal day, we’d recommend going for Acer’s Chromebook Plus 515 but if you need a Chromebook that doubles as a tablet, look no further than the IdeaPad Duet 3, if you need a bigger screen. The 11-inch 2K display with 400 nits of brightness are sufficient for day-to-day usage. Furthermore, the Duet 3 has 4 GB RAM and 128 GB eMMC storage which is slow for 2024 standards.
Performance-wise, there’s nothing to write home about with the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2. It’s a decent mid-range SoC that will get the job done but do not expect to get even mild gaming out of the same. I/O-wise, there are two ports one of which is a DisplayPort 1.4.
However, one of the strong suites of the Duets is their battery life as Lenovo claims 12+ hours on the Duet 3. Overall, the Duet SKUs are one of a kind and can be bought for students or those who need a secondary work cum entertainment device.
Pros Cons Two Type-C ports are nice Extremely slow storage Exceptional battery life Low RAM Great Display 7c Gen 2 is not the fastest Affordable
Price: $309
8. HP Chromebook Plus
The reason HP Chromebook Plus is lower on this list is due to its price. There are better Chromebooks for $499 with better specifications but if you trust HP, you can give it a try. You get a 15.6-inch FHD+ display with 250 nits brightness, a slower Intel Core i3-N305, 128 GB UFS storage, and 8 GB LPDDR5 RAM.
I/O-wise, there are 2 x USB 3.0 Type-C and 1 x USB 3.0 Type-A ports alongside an SD card reader. There’s no keyboard backlighting, which is a bummer. The overall value proposition of the machine is a bit lacking for an asking price of $499 but if you can get it for, say, $299 or $250 in future sales, it’s a decent option.
Pros Cons Chromebook Plus Expensive for what it offers Great battery life UFS storage Slower Core i3 SKU Below average display Lacking in I/O
Price: $499
Things to Remember Before Buying a Chromebook
Now that we’ve reached the end of the list, here are some of the things worth noting before pulling the trigger on a Chromebook.
- A cheap Chromebook may run fine but the experience may not be great. Avoid ARM Chromebooks and get something in the ballpark of $300 to $500.
- Do no but open-box or refurbished Chromebooks since the perks they come with may have already been redeemed by the first user.
- Avoid Chromebooks with eMMC storage but get one with an NVMe SSD. The storage is usually expandable on the latter.
- Skip ancient Chromebooks as they might not be supported for long. Newer Chromebooks are supported till 2032!
- Chromebooks usually go for much lower than the MSRP so do not make an impulse purchase. Wait for price drops, which may sometimes go down by $100-200!
Best Chromebooks 2024: Our Choice
Our picks for the best Chromebooks of 2024 are the Acer Chromebook Spin 714, the ExpertBook CX54 by ASUS, and the affordable Acer Chromebook Plus 515. They offer great performance, and displays, and are worth every penny. What are your thoughts on these ChromeOS devices? Let us know in the comments below.
We’d pick the Acer Spin 714. It’s easily one of the best overall device for the price thanks to the 16:10 touch screen, ample I/O, excellent performance, and great battery life with solid build.
A laptop is referred to as a portable computer that can do most of the things a desktop PC can. While the term “laptop” is kind of synonymous with Windows notebook, a Chromebook also falls under this category, since they’re technically the same thing. All Chromebooks can be laptops but all laptops need not be Chromebooks.
Absolutely. Modern Chromebooks pack lots of capabilities and are some of the best machines you can buy for browsing, watching content, or even programming and running desktop applications thanks to Linux.
