Best Chromebook 2020: Capable and affordable Chrome OS Laptops

Chromebooks have come a long way from affordable cookie cutter laptops that rely entirely on the Internet to function. These days, Chrome OS devices can cost anywhere from $ 100 to up to $ 1000. Even their form factors can range from tablets to clamshell laptops and convertible notebooks. Meanwhile, processing power and storage has become much more important, as almost all Chromebooks are capable of running Android apps. There’s a lot more to consider when buying a Chromebook, but we’ve kept our finger on the pulse of this evolving Chrome OS world. Whether you are looking for a good, round Chromebook, something that will survive the rigors of the class, or an advanced device that makes Ultrabook owners jealous, you will find a Chromebook for you in our picks below.

TL; DR – These are the best Chromebooks:

Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5

Best Chromebook

The Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook is almost the perfect Chromebook. It combines everything you’d expect from a modern, high-quality Chrome OS device for a starting price of $ 410. The Flex 5 comes packaged in a premium aluminum shell paired with a sharp and vibrant 1080p IPS display plus capable Intel Core processors.

Better yet, this Chromebook is flexible – hence the name – and you can rotate the screen over the bottom of your laptop for a tablet-like experience for your Chrome apps and all Android apps from the Google Play Store. The Intel Core i5 model we have presented here is a little priced at $ 700 than the sold out Core i3 model we normally recommend, but you are still looking for a great Chrome OS machine for the price.

2. Lenovo Chromebook 100e

Best budget Chromebook

Chromebooks were first known to be affordable, and the Lenovo Chromebook 100 carries that torch with its price tag of $ 300. Compared to our top pick, you look at a much more basic machine with an 11-inch display and plastic shell. The screen is only high-definition with a resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels, and it will not turn over to become a tablet.

However, all that simplicity helps keep the price down. You also get a zippy Intel Celeron N4000 processor to help speed up all your web documenting and browsing.

3. Asus Chromebook Flip C214

Best rugged Chromebook

The Asus Chromebook Flip C214 has mil-spec durability designed to survive the rigors of the class. Thanks to its rubberized edges and scratch-resistant finish, this laptop is ready to shake off and is smashed and crushed by every child as an awkward adult.

Aside from its durability, the Flip C214 has an 11.6-inch (1,366 x 768) display, Intel Celeron N4000 processor, and full battery life to help students get through their classes. If you’re looking for a Chromebook that will make it through the school year and a few more to come, then this is it.

4. Google Pixelbook Go

Best Chromebook

The Pixelbook Go is an affordable and official Chromebook made by Google itself. It has one of the sharpest designs round with a thin 13mm form factor and a minimalist, matte black paint scheme. The bottom has a washbasin-like texture that makes it gripper in your hand like a shot.

This unit has specifications that are a step above your average Chromebook, such as a 13-inch Full HD display and Intel Core m3 processor. Despite the extra power, you can expect this machine to last a full day with up to 12 hours of battery life.

5. Lenovo Chromebook Duet

Best Chrome Tablet

While many Chromebooks have screens that turn around and turn themselves into easy tablets, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet is one of the few genuine Chrome OS tablets on the market. The Chromebook Duet is just like a Microsoft Surface Go 2 a tablet with a built-in kickstand and magnetic keyboard.

Despite only a 10-inch screen, the display presents a sharp Full HD (1920 x 1200) image with some extra lines vertical resolution for good size. The MediaTek Helio P60T processor may not sound as familiar as any of the Intel or AMD chipsets, but this lesser-known CPU keeps this tablet running and is more than capable of running all your favorite Android apps.

6. Acer Chromebook Spin 713

Best High-End Chromebook

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 delivers everything you want from a Chromebook and then anything. For the first time, it has a 2-in-1 design, so you can rotate the screen to use it in ‘tablet’ or ‘tent’ mode. It also has a high resolution of 2,256 x 1,504 display with a 3: 2 screen ratio that is higher than the norm, but this makes it great for reading articles, writing documents, or coding.

You also get a lot of power under the hood with a quad-core Intel Core i5-10210U processor plus a 128GB SSD for downloading even the biggest Android apps. While a few years ago a Chromebook this powerful would cost you more than $ 1,000, the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 goes for as low as $ 629.

7. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook

Best 4K Chromebook

If you are looking to buy a Chromebook for streaming 4K media and make Ultrabook owners jealous, you want to check out the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook. So far, this machine is the only Chromebook with a 4K display. What’s more, it uses an AMOLED screen for true blacks, while also covering 100% of the color spectrums Adobe RGB and DCI-P3. This cinema-quality display even incorporates Ambient EQ technology to adjust the color temperature and brightness of the display just like Samsung smartphones.

In addition to featuring a beautiful display, this Chromebook runs on an Intel Core i5-10210U processor and 8 GB of memory. Storage space starts with a 256GB SSD, so you never have to worry about not having enough power or space to run your Android apps. The icing on the cake of this premium 4K Chromebook is the included, stowable S-Pen for one of the best digital writing experiences you can have on Chrome OS.

Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam