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 Chrome OS supports Android apps, it is seeing a resurgence. The best thing about Chromebooks is that they are available at every price point, thus making computing accessible to everyone. So, if you are in the market for a brand new Chromebook, you have come to the right place. In this article, I have shared the 12 best Chromebooks based on different price points. You can go through the article section-wise and pick a Chromebook as per your budget and requirement. Now having said that, let’s go ahead and find a suitable Chromebook for you.
Best Chromebooks to Buy in 2019
I have divided the article into three sections: budget, mid-range, and premium. So, based on your preference, go ahead and check out the Chromebooks. Apart from that, be assured that all the laptops mentioned below support Google Play Store. With that said, let’s jump right in.
Best Budget Chromebooks (Under $300)
1. Lenovo Chromebook C330
Lenovo Chromebook C330 is my first pick under this category because of its versatility at this price point. Lately, the problem with affordable Chromebooks is that one or two headline features are missing. If it has a touch screen display, it won’t be convertible; if it has a decent processor, there won’t be enough RAM, and so on. However, the Lenovo C330 is an anomaly here and comes with all the major features that you want in a standard Chromebook. You have an ARM-based MediaTek MT8173C processor which is very comparable to Celeron N3350, 4GB of RAM, touch screen display, Play Store support, and a convertible body. The only bummer is that you don’t get a Full HD screen, but frankly, we can’t complain at this price. So if you want the cheapest Chromebook with all the necessary features then get Lenovo C330. You won’t be disappointed for sure.
Buy from Amazon: $246
2. Asus Chromebook C523
Asus Chromebook C523 is my next pick and it’s for people who simply can’t compromise with the display quality. It comes with a Full HD display with minimum bezels and excellent color reproduction. It’s also a touch screen, but you won’t get a convertible 2-in-1 form factor. Apart from that, it comes with a Pentium N4200 processor which is surely better than Celeron. Further, the laptop is coupled with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of eMMC storage and a Type C port. The best part about this Chromebook is that, despite its lower pricing, the build quality is top-notch. It almost looks and feels premium just like its elder sibling Asus C434. Simply put, if you want a Full HD screen coupled with a better processor then Asus C523 is another solid choice.
Buy from Amazon: $298
3. Acer Chromebook R11
For a long time, Acer R11 was the go-to choice for many Chromebook beginners and guess what, it still is. Acer refreshed the R11 lineup with a new Celeron N3150 processor and also improved its build quality. It comes with a 720p display with a touch screen and has a convertible form factor so that is great. Other than that, you get 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage with support for Google Play Store. All in all, if the Lenovo C330 does not cut for you, you can give a shot to Acer R11. The R11 is known for its reliability and compact form factor and it will not disappoint you.
Buy from Amazon: $260
4. Lenovo Chromebook S330
If you want the cheapest Chromebook without any bells and whistles, but with all the necessary features then Lenovo S330 is the perfect pick for you. It does not come with a fancy convertible body or a Full HD touch screen, but you get a pretty good processor– MediaTek MT8173C, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a rugged body so you can use it whichever way you want. It’s very similar to the Lenovo C330 that I mentioned above but does not come with the extra goodies. And that is completely acceptable given its rock-bottom price. I think if you want a Chromebook for your kids or grandma then Lenovo S330 is a solid pick. Also, this is where the Chromebook shines. You can get a decent laptop under $200 and that is simply amazing.
Buy from Amazon: $191
Mid-range Chromebooks ($300 – $500)
5. HP 2-in-1 Chromebook (i3 Model)
HP 2-in-1 is one of the best Chromebooks you can buy right now under $500. It comes with a Full HD touch screen with a 360-degree flip-and-fold design. On the internal side, you get an 8th Gen Intel Core i3 processor which is far better than any Celeron, Pentium or a Mediatek processor. In tandem, this processor makes it a capable machine and very comparable to a Windows PC. And that is not all, you also get 8GB of RAM which is simply awesome. All this makes it a professional-grade Chromebook for any power user. On top of it, you get Type C ports, a glass trackpad and a backlit keyboard. As it’s evident by the specs, HP 2-in-1 Chromebook is a capable machine and you simply can’t go wrong with it.
Buy from BestBuy: $399
6. Asus Chromebook C425
The Asus Chromebook C425 is our next pick under this category because of its compact form factor and fantastic display. The Chromebook is pretty lightweight and comes with a Full HD NanoEdge display. Despite having a 14-inch screen, you would feel that you are using an 11-inch laptop due to the razor-thin bezels. Further, you get an Intel Core M3-8100Y Processor which is fanless and amply capable to run Chrome OS without a hitch. Apart from that, the laptop is coupled with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Further, you get a backlit keyboard and a Type C port. All in all, Asus C425 is a stunning Chromebook and you should definitely check it out.
Buy from Amazon: $379
7. Samsung Chromebook Plus V2
This is our first Samsung Chromebook on our list and deservedly so. Samsung launched the Plus V2 last year and it still remains a fan favorite largely due to its unique 16:10 aspect ratio. It looks very much like the Pixelbook or the Surface Laptop 3 and I love this new trend the laptop world is taking. Besides that, the Plus V2 is a 2-in-1 Chromebook which means you can completely fold the body and make it a tablet. It goes without saying that you get a Full HD touchscreen display which does look stunning. Apart from that, the laptop is powered by Intel Celeron processor and comes with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of on-board storage. You also get a stylus pen along with the Chromebook so that is awesome. To sum up, if you want the best looking Chromebook and can manage with a decent performance then Samsung Plus V2 can be a good choice.
Buy from Amazon: $428
8. Acer Chromebook Spin 15
Recently, Acer released Spin 15 and I must say, it’s producing some great convertible Chromebooks at different price points. The Spin 15 is particularly designed for power users as it has a larger 15.6-inch Full HD touchscreen display, a backlit keyboard, and a glass touchpad. Along with that, you get the latest Pentium N4200 processor which is quite capable and just a notch below Core i3. Also, you get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage so that is decent at best. Having said that, the best part thing about Spin 15 is its build quality. The laptop is quite rugged and can easily survive accidental drops. So, if you want a durable Chromebook in this price category, you can take a look at Spin 15.
Buy from Amazon: $441
Premium Chromebooks (Above $500)
9. Asus Chromebook Flip C434
Asus has been creating some of the best Chromebooks for the past few years. Their C302 remained on the top spot for many years, but it didn’t have the Play Store support since it was nearing the end of life. So Asus released a successor to the C302 and that is the new Chromebook Flip C434. Everything about this laptop is premium, right from the display to the touchpad. It comes with a stunning bezel-less Full HD display that flips 360-degrees offering both tablet and tent mode. The C434 comes in three variants: Intel Core M3, i5 and i7 having both 4GB and 8GB of RAM. While you can get the M3 + 8GB variant for $600, I would recommend you to go with the i5 + 8GB variant. The performance jump is simply huge and you also get 128GB of SSD storage. As for the i7 variant, Asus has not announced the release date yet. Nevertheless, if you want a premium Chromebook, the Asus Chromebook Flip C434 is the best out there.
10. Lenovo Yoga C630
Lenovo is again killing it in the premium Chromebook segment. The Yoga C630 is one of the most powerful Chromebooks that you would find in this category. It comes with a Full HD 15.6-inch touch screen display with a 360° Flip-And-Fold Design. But the best part is that it’s powered by the 8th-gen Intel Core i5-8250U processor which even beats the 7th-gen i7 processor. Apart from that, you get 8GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage. All things considered, if you want a powerful Chromebook at a relatively lower cost then Lenovo Yoga C630 will not disappoint you.
Buy from Amazon (i5 variant): $659
11. Pixelbook Go
Google released the Pixelbook Go a few days back at the hardware event and it’s being touted as Google’s answer to affordable Chromebooks. Similar to Asus C434, the Pixelbook Go comes in three variants: M3, i5 and i7. And the pricing for the base variant starts at $649 which, by no means is affordable. Anyway, you get a Full HD 13.3-inch touch screen display which is not convertible so keep that in mind. Apart from that, the base configuration starts at 8GB of RAM and 64GB of on-board SSD storage. Further, the keyboard on this Chromebook is really good and you will simply love the typing experience on this machine. All in all, Pixelbook Go is not as premium as the original Pixelbook and does not come with the 3:2 aspect ratio. However, if you love the quirky Google design and its subtle colors then you can go with Pixelbook Go.
Buy from BestBuy: Starts at $649
12. Acer Chromebook Spin 13
Acer Chromebook Spin 13 is among the most powerful laptop in this list with a display resolution of 2K. That is absolutely nuts, right? Besides that, it comes in 3:2 aspect ratio so if you were waiting to upgrade from Pixelbook, the Acer Spin 13 is a much better deal than Pixelbook Go. In terms of specs, you have an 8th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage. You also get a premium body with aluminum chassis and a glass trackpad. And that is not all, a Wacom stylus is bundled with Spin 13 so that is absolutely great. To conclude, if you want a Chromebook with a high-resolution display and a powerful processor then Acer Spin 13 perfectly fits your bill.
Buy from Amazon: $724
SEE ALSO: 20 Best Chromebook Games You Should Try
Buy the Best Chromebook Within Your Budget
So those were our picks for the best Chromebooks in different price categories. We have done thorough research and have included 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. So that is all from us. If you liked our selection of Chromebooks then do let us know in the comment section below with your favorite pick.