The decision-making process has perhaps been made more challenging alongside improvements to Chrome OS itself. With each successive launch of a new version, the difference made by variations in performance becomes more prominent. When the OS first launched, premium devices weren’t necessarily a lot more capable than budget gadgets. Now, a high-end device can be utilized for everything from light browsing to Android development. But they can also be used for heavier tasks such as for image or video editing. So budget Chromebooks won’t always fit the bill.
Top 10 Best Chromebooks 2022 Summary
As the array of available Chrome OS devices has increased over the years, the number of plausible use cases has too. So not every Chromebook is going to be well suited to every user. In fact, most users averaging most of their time in the Chrome browser won’t need more than a budget device. Those gadgets will typically run Android apps well enough too. There are more powerful gadgets available for those who need to get more serious work done too. And Chrome OS offers access to Linux apps, Android apps, and web apps. So there’s plenty of software to take advantage of the extra processing power available. Fortunately, Android Headlines has spent a lot of time conducting research on Chromebooks to figure out which are the best to buy. That’s helped us to determine which devices really stand out from the pack. It also allows us to make an attempt at making the process of choosing a lot easier. Now, not every great or deserving Chromebook will have made this list. And many of those that didn’t will easily suit users as well as those that did. Bearing that in mind, here’s our take on the best Chromebooks currently available to suit just about any need.
Best small budget Chromebook
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go
At the budget end of the spectrum, the words “Samsung” and “Galaxy” probably aren’t what one would expect. But the top-tier Samsung Galaxy Chromebook does have a more budget-ready sibling in the Galaxy Chromebook Go. And it’s well worth consideration since it’s priced at just $249.99. Especially since just over $100 more than that gets buyers mobile data connectivity via Verizon or AT&T. But even without that connection, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go is a worthy entry among the best budget devices. At 14-inches, with a 1366 x 768-pixel resolution and the same Mil-STD-810G-standard rugged build as its namesake, this Chromebook is a fantastic buy. And the Intel Celeron Processor N4500, coupled with 4GB RAM and 32GB or 64GB storage isn’t bad either. At least not for a Chromebook. Wi-Fi 6 support, a battery that lasts up to 12-hours, and among the slimmest builds of any Chromebook round out the package. Buy Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go
Best full-size budget Chromebooks
Acer Chromebook 317
Price: From $329Where to buy: Best Buy
If you want the biggest screen among Chromebooks in any price bracket and one of the best available anywhere on battery life, look no further than the Acer Chromebook 317. This particular gadget, starting out at $329 or for $499 with a touch screen, isn’t the most powerful. But it will get the job done and, as noted, it is the biggest screen available. What’s more, the Acer Chromebook 317 display is bright, responsive on the touch variant, and has a FullHD panel. So it isn’t as low-res as the overwhelming majority of its competitors. So, at 17.3-inches, it’s not exactly cheap. A Kensington lock slot, two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, a card reader, and Wi-Fi 6, as well as Bluetooth 5.1 round out the benefits of this gadget. As does the up to 10-hours of battery life, tested by Android Headlines under moderately extreme conditions at over 6 hours of use. And the solid design language, 8GB of RAM, and relatively low weight at just over 4lbs aren’t too bad either. Buy Acer Chromebook 317
Best Chromebooks with 2-in-1 flip functionality
Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook
Lenovo has been facing down the fierce market for Chrome OS in its own right as well. And offers one of the best 2-in-1 Chromebooks you can buy in the Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook. As the branding betrays, with Yoga being Lenovo’s top-tier branding, the ThinkPad C13 is a premium device. Or can be, with offerings starting out at 4GB RAM and 32GB of eMMC storage coupled with an AMD Athlon Gold 3150C chip. Or as powerful as an AMD Ryzen 7 3700C with integrated AMD Radeon, 8GB RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage. Making this one of the most versatile Chromebook lineups available. Coupled with the fact that this Chrome OS device is built around a 13.3-inch FHD IPS panel, it’s a winning combination. One that’s only made better by the fact that this Chromebook can be used in four different modes. Including clamshell, tent, stand, and tablet modes. Buy ASUS Chromebook Flip C434
Best Chromebooks for students
Acer Chromebook Spin 513
Starting from just $399, Acer’s Chromebook Spin 513 is a follow-up on another gadget that used to occupy its spot on this list of best Chromebooks. Namely, the Chromebook Spin 512. And it’s a worthy successor to that gadget in every respect. The 2-in-1 convertible Chromebook Spin 513 brings a 13.3-inch FHD touchscreen to the tablet, just for starters. But it brings an octa-core Snapdragon 7c processor as well. With a clock speed of 2.1GHz and backed by an Adreno 618 graphics chip, this should be great for any student. Especially where it concerns Android and Linux apps. That’s only made better by the fact that this budget-friendly laptop still comes with a reasonably hardy build. And the fact that the base model starts with a reasonable 4GB LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB for storage. While up to 13.5 hours of battery life from this gadget will get any student through the day. Regardless of what level of education they happen to be at. Buy the Acer Chromebook 513
Best Chromebook for tablet buyers
HP Chromebook x2 11
Price: From $379.00Where to buy: Best Buy
At 11-inches, the HP Chromebook x2 11 isn’t one of the biggest Chromebooks around but it is easily one of the best. It’s also one of the only gadgets presently available built on the latest Snapdragon 7c compute platform chips. And, aside from being nearly perfectly engineered for running Android tablets, there are a lot of other features to love here as well. Not least of all, HP packed this tablet-like detachable Chromebook with a USI magnetically attached active stylus and keyboard. And that’s leaving alone the FullHD+ touch panel at right around 2K resolution and the 8GB of RAM. Ports and storage arguably aren’t going to be the best with this tablet, as is the standard for these types of Chromebooks. With that said, the included Audio by Bang & Olufsen with dual speakers, fingerprint reader, ultra-portable versatility, fast charging, and world-facing camera more than makes up for the inclusion of just 2 USB-C ports. Buy HP Chromebook x2 11
Best detachable Chromebook
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook
Price: From $439.99Where to buy: Best Buy
With its starting point at $439.99, the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook is a bit pricier than might be expected. Especially since IdeaPad Duet Chromebooks start out at under $300. But Lenovo isn’t just raising the price for no reason with this tablet-style gadget. Among the latest in Lenovo’s releases in the Duet lineup, the IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook isn’t a 10-inch tablet, for starters. And it doesn’t come with the same comparatively weak hardware found in the previous generation either. Or the lack of ports, to some extent. To begin with, Lenovo now includes two USB-C ports on its Duet line. And the IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook from Lenovo comes with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of faster storage, and a Snapdragon SC7180 chip. So it’s going to be well made for Android apps available via Chrome OS and the Google Play Store. At 13.3-inches, it’s a bigger tablet too. With even better rear and front cameras — at 8-megapixels and 5-megapixels and 1080P FHD, respectively. Up to 15-hours of battery life, a detachable keyboard, and support for a pressure-sensitive stylus are part of the bundle as well. With four speakers in tow on the camera front too. Buy Lenovo Chromebook Duet
Best Chromebooks in the mid-range
ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5
ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 is undeniably one of the best Chromebooks available in 2021. And, in fact, it’s a strong contender for the top Chromebook for the year overall. And that really comes down to just a few factors. Squeaking in just under the cut-off for a mid-range Chromebook at the premium end, the ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 starts out strong with an Intel Core i5 11th Gen processor. And that can be bumped up to an i7 processor from the same generation for a bit more. Up to 16GB of some of the fastest RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and a foldable touch screen are big perks here too. As is the modern design language for this 2-in-1. Put simply, this is easily one of the most powerful Chromebooks around, even at its base price. Tying that in with up to Intel Iris Xe graphics, 14-inch FullHD resolution display panel, Wifi 6, Harmon Kardon speakers, and a built-in garaged USI stylus takes things over the top. As do the aluminum build, ample ports, and backlit keyboard. Buy ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5
Best Chromebook for power and a long-lasting battery
HP Chromebook x360 14
Price: $599Where to buy: HP
HP’s Chromebook x360 14 is an anomaly in that it brings both the stunning aesthetic of the HP Chromebook x2 as well as a more powerful build, sacrificing the detachable design for a 2-in-1. There’s no pen here either but users do get to keep the Bang & Olufsen speakers found on that other gadget. The bezels to either side of the 1,920 x 1,080 resolution touchscreen too. Providing for a lot more display in a relatively small, lightweight package. The real selling point for this $599 Chromebook, however, is its high-clocked 2.2GHz Intel Core i3-8130U chip. That’s boostable up to a whopping 4GHz. 8GB of 2400MHz DDR4 RAM back that chipset up. That’s equipped with a UHD-capable graphics chip too, for better display output over USB-C. So there’s plenty of power despite the 13.5-hour-rated battery. Storage falls in at 64GB, coupled with Chrome OS’s cloud-centric nature. That means there’s enough room for apps, files, games, or whatever else might be needed. HP’s Chromebook x360 14 is a medium-to-large sized laptop that has a lot of bang for the price and lasts all day with extra to spare. Better still it goes a long way to catching attention thanks to its two-tone ceramic white on mist blue design. So if those things are important, this is the one to buy. Buy HP Chromebook x360 14
Best Chromebooks at a premium
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
Price: From $449.99Where to buy: Best Buy
Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook 2 should require very little by way of introduction. As a follow-up to the original, and launching in nearly identical colors, this is Samsung’s best Chromebook. And as its branding entails, it’s premium through and through. Now, that’s not to say that this 2-in-1, stylus-included Chromebook is necessarily “better” in every regard, compared to its predecessor. Samsung opted to include a 10th Gen Intel Core i3 at the upper end of the range, for starters. Last year’s model packed an older Core i7 processor. And there is a variant with an Intel Celeron processor available too. Options of either 4GB or 8GB RAM are available. As are options with 64GB or 128GB storage. But Samsung stuck to its guns on design and those older devices’ specs were effectively overkilling it too. As was that other gadgets 13.3-inch 4K Super AMOLED display. Instead, Samsung has chosen to use a 13.3-inch 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) display. Although, it did opt for QLED this time around. So the screen’s going to be as crisp as ever, setting aside the fact that that’s a market first. A 13-hour battery, great audio, and all of the best of last year’s design are in place. Making this easily one of the best Chromebooks money can buy. Buy Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
Best among Chromebooks overall
Acer Chromebook Spin 713 (CP713-3W)
Price: From $699.99Where to buy: Best Buy
Acer has pushed itself back to the top of the stack when it comes to the best Chromebooks around. And that’s all thanks to its latest Chromebook Spin 713, sold with model designation CP713-3W. This device series, launched starting this month effectively represents the best of what a Chromebook can be. In part, that comes down to value. Starting at just $699.99, none of the entries are weak. At the bottom of the pile, things start with an 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor. Acer backed that up with up to 16GB RAM and 256GB of super-fast NVMe storage. At the other end of the spectrum, Acer includes 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1185G7 processors. And each of the gadgets packs a 2-in-1 build with a 13.5-inch 2K screen, US MIL-STD 810H-level durability standards, Wi-Fi 6, and Intel Iris X Graphics. Two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, Multi-touch support, and has a more browser-comfortable 3:2 aspect ratio add icing to that cake. A full-size HDMI port, up to 10-hours of battery life, DTS Audio, two stereo speakers with Smart Amplifier, and world-class design are to be expected here as well. And those who want just a bit more security can pick up a model with an optional fingerprint scanner. All of that, of course, is packed into a frame on a 360-degree hinge for easy tablet, tent, stand, or clamshell mode. Buy Acer Chromebook Spin 713 CP713-3W
