Greatest Chromebooks 2026: Prime picks for work, faculty, and extra

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If you need an inexpensive, no-fuss laptop computer, you may’t actually get significantly better than a Chromebook. They’re quick, simple to make use of, and infrequently price lower than conventional Home windows laptops. You'll be able to even stream video games on some fashions. We centered on Chromebooks that get the fundamentals proper: robust efficiency, sturdy design, and lengthy battery life. Each decide on this listing was examined hands-on.

If you happen to determine that you just’d choose a Home windows laptop computer, try PCWorld’s roundup of one of the best laptops accessible right now.

Why you need to belief us: It’s in our title! PCWorld prides itself on laptop computer expertise and experience. We’ve been masking PCs since 1983, and we now assessment greater than 70 laptops yearly. All the picks beneath have been personally examined and vetted by our specialists, who’ve utilized not solely efficiency benchmarks however rigorous usability requirements. We’re additionally dedicated to reviewing PC laptops at each worth level that will help you discover a machine that matches your price range.

Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 – Greatest general Chromebook <img decoding="async" data-wp-class--hide="state.isContentHidden" data-wp-class--show="state.isContentVisible" data-wp-init="callbacks.setButtonStyles" data-wp-on-async--click="actions.showLightbox" data-wp-on-async--load="callbacks.setButtonStyles" data-wp-on-async-window--resize="callbacks.setButtonStyles" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 - Best overall Chromebook" src="https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hero.jpg?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> Professionals Zippy processor efficiency

Good keyboard

Big selection of connectivity choices

Stylish design Cons Battery life isn’t aggressive

Show’s 16:9 side ratio feels slightly cramped

Worth When Reviewed: $499 Greatest Costs Right this moment:

Retailer Worth

$139.99 View Deal Asus $399.99 View Deal $529.99 View Deal $599 View Deal Worth comparability from over 24,000 shops worldwide

Product Worth Worth comparability from Backmarket Who can buy the Asus Chromebook Plus PX34?

If you need a Chromebook that may do all of it, the Asus Chromebook Plus PX34 is it. The Intel Core i5 retains all the things working clean–streaming, faculty work, or juggling a bunch of tabs. And the ports? You’ve acquired USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, and a headphone jack, which implies you may kiss the dongle life goodbye.

Asus Chromebook Plus PX34: Additional issues

It’s not all sunshine, although. The 16:9 display can really feel cramped should you’re used to roomier shows, and whereas 13 hours of battery life sounds good on paper, others last more. Not a deal breaker, but when display house or all-day energy is on the prime of your listing, you would possibly need to look elsewhere.

Learn our full Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 assessment

Asus Chromebook CX15 – Greatest price range Chromebook <img decoding="async" data-wp-class--hide="state.isContentHidden" data-wp-class--show="state.isContentVisible" data-wp-init="callbacks.setButtonStyles" data-wp-on-async--click="actions.showLightbox" data-wp-on-async--load="callbacks.setButtonStyles" data-wp-on-async-window--resize="callbacks.setButtonStyles" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="Asus Chromebook CX15 - Best budget Chromebook" src="https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/asus-chromebook-cx15-cx1505cka-2.jpg?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> Professionals Good design with pleasurable keyboard

Sharp 15.6-inch 1080p show

First rate audio system

Extraordinarily cheap Cons Small touchpad

Gradual dual-core processor

4GB RAM typically holds it again

Brief battery life for a Chromebook

Worth When Reviewed: $159 Greatest Costs Right this moment:

Retailer Worth

$92 View Deal $139.99 View Deal eBay $159 View Deal $404.13 View Deal Worth comparability from over 24,000 shops worldwide

Product Worth Worth comparability from Backmarket Who can buy the Asus Chromebook CX15?

Want a dependable laptop computer for below $200? The CX15 is completely value a glance as a result of it’s nice for anybody that principally browses the net and watches YouTube movies. The spacious 15.6-inch 1080p show and roomy keyboard additionally make it really feel extra premium than you’d count on at this worth level. For day by day duties, it actually will get the job accomplished–you may’t say that about too many machines on this vary.

Asus Chromebook CX15: Additional issues

You’re not going to get blazing quick efficiency right here and that’s completely OK. The Intel Celeron N4500 processor provides sufficient pep to get you thru lighter workloads, however you may even see some lag with heavier multitasking. Battery life is fairly darn good at round 10 hours, although we’ve seen different Chromebooks that last more.

Nonetheless, for what you pay, the CX15 is a shocking little machine.

Learn our full Asus Chromebook CX15 assessment

Lenovo Chromebook Duet – Greatest Chromebook for college students <img decoding="async" data-wp-class--hide="state.isContentHidden" data-wp-class--show="state.isContentVisible" data-wp-init="callbacks.setButtonStyles" data-wp-on-async--click="actions.showLightbox" data-wp-on-async--load="callbacks.setButtonStyles" data-wp-on-async-window--resize="callbacks.setButtonStyles" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="Lenovo Chromebook Duet - Best Chromebook for students" src="https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/duet-header.jpg?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> Professionals Nice worth

Versatile kind issue

Surprisingly good keyboard

Wonderful battery life Cons Wants extra RAM

Android apps don’t run effectively

Vertical kickstand reduces horizontal choices

Worth When Reviewed: $399.99 Greatest Costs Right this moment:

Retailer Worth

$239 View Deal $279.97 View Deal Lenovo on-line retailer $359 View Deal Worth comparability from over 24,000 shops worldwide

Product Worth Worth comparability from Backmarket Who can buy the Lenovo Chromebook Duet?

College students, commuters, or anybody who needs one thing mild, low-cost, and lasts all day, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet is the one to choose. The Duet weighs simply over two kilos with the keyboard and kickstand, and you may slide it right into a bag prefer it’s nothing.

Battery life? You’re simply getting 12–13 hours, which implies no looking for shops between lessons or conferences. The two-in-1 setup is sweet, too. Sort when it's worthwhile to, flip it round, and chill with Netflix or YouTube while you don’t.

Lenovo Chromebook Duet: Additional issues

This isn’t a machine for energy customers. It’s not constructed for ten open tabs and a Zoom name. However for notes, docs, emails, and streaming? It’s clean. The keyboard’s higher than you’d count on, flat however cozy, and the display, whereas solely 10.1 inches, retains distractions at bay.

Learn our full Lenovo Chromebook Duet (2024) assessment

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 – Greatest high-end Chromebook <img decoding="async" data-wp-class--hide="state.isContentHidden" data-wp-class--show="state.isContentVisible" data-wp-init="callbacks.setButtonStyles" data-wp-on-async--click="actions.showLightbox" data-wp-on-async--load="callbacks.setButtonStyles" data-wp-on-async-window--resize="callbacks.setButtonStyles" class="product-chart-item__image" alt="Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 - Best high-end Chromebook" src="https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Untitled-design-65.jpg?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /> Professionals Good multitasking efficiency

Stunning show

Punchy audio system Cons Keyboard took some getting used to

AI stuff nonetheless feels pointless

Worth When Reviewed: $699.99 Greatest Costs Right this moment:

Retailer Worth

$699 View Deal $799.99 View Deal Worth comparability from over 24,000 shops worldwide

Product Worth Worth comparability from Backmarket Who can buy the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514?

If you need a Chromebook that truly appears like a step-up from the entry-level fare and don’t thoughts flipping it into pill or tent mode typically, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is an effective one. The 14-inch 1200p display is clean at 120Hz, and at about three kilos, it’s mild sufficient to hold round with out feeling like a brick.

Inside it’s packing the MediaTek Kompanio Extremely 910 chip, 12GB RAM, and 256GB storage. It handles a bunch of tabs, schoolwork, YouTube, no matter. Wi-Fi 7 additionally means it received’t choke on downloads, the webcam is respectable sufficient for the occasional Zoom name, and battery life is round 15 hours.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514: Additional issues

The keyboard’s a bit bizarre at first (it sits a bit greater than most individuals are used to). That’s about it—in any other case, it’s quick, versatile, and simply feels means nicer than most midrange Chromebooks.

Learn our full Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 assessment

Different notable Chromebooks we’ve examined

These Chromebooks didn’t crack our prime picks listing, however they’re nonetheless value a glance.

The Acer Chromebook Spin 315 is cozy to kind on and handles the fundamentals simply high-quality, although the massive bezels and restricted charging choices maintain it again. Then there’s the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, which is tremendous glossy and lightweight at simply 2.58 kilos and below half an inch thick. We additionally checked out the Asus Chromebook Plus CX14, which performs higher than fashions with Celeron CPUs–it’s presently on sale for $299.99 at Walmart, by the way in which.

How we take a look at Chromebooks

The PCWorld workforce places each laptop computer by way of a sequence of benchmarks that take a look at GPU and CPU efficiency, battery life, and so forth. The concept is to push the laptop computer to its limits after which examine it towards others we’ve examined. As a result of cloud-based nature of Chromebooks, they undergo a sequence of web-based checks. It wouldn’t be honest or attainable to run the identical sorts of checks on a Chromebook as we use on laptops as a result of they completely run a totally completely different working system.

For a extra thorough rationalization of our testing procedures, try how PCWorld checks laptops.

Who curated this text?

Hello, I’m Ashley Biancuzzo, and I oversee all laptop computer and Chromebook protection at PCWorld. When you’ll see me assessment Chromebooks once in a while, I’m additionally actually into the broader world of client tech. I spend a whole lot of time writing and occupied with the place laptops are headed–from AI and sustainable designs to long-term tendencies. Once I’m not deep on this planet of tech, you’ll most likely discover me gaming, getting misplaced in a superb e book, or chilling with my rescue greyhound, Allen.

How to decide on one of the best Chromebook

If you need one thing like a Home windows or MacBook however cheaper, try a Chromebook. Simply remember they’ve acquired some limits. They’re good for easy, on a regular basis stuff however they don’t have a whole lot of RAM or storage, so that they’re not geared up to deal with extra resource-intensive duties like gaming or video modifying.

We’ve acquired a information that compares Chromebooks and Home windows laptops if you wish to determine what’s finest for you.

Key Chromebook options to think about

Working system

Chromebooks solely run Chrome OS, which is fairly simple to make use of. You'll be able to’t put Home windows or macOS on them — you’re caught with Google’s setup.

Processor

Shoot for a mid-range Chromebook should you can. They price wherever within the $400 to $600 vary and lots of of them come geared up with Intel Pentium, Intel Core i3, or AMD Ryzen 3 processors. These Chromebooks run the browser smoother. They’re one of the best deal for the worth. The fancier ones typically include Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 chips, that are far more highly effective. Then there’s the brand new Kompanio Extremely chips, that are extra highly effective and AI-ready.

RAM

A number of Chromebooks include simply 4GB of RAM, which isn’t a lot. Since they’re all in regards to the internet, you want sufficient RAM to maintain your tabs from lagging. If you happen to can drop a bit extra cash, you may seize a mid-range Chromebook with 8GB, which runs means smoother.

FAQ 1. What's the finest Chromebook?

PCWorld thinks the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is one of the best all-around Chromebook. It’s acquired a stable Intel Core i5 processor, a lot of ports, and handles on a regular basis stuff very well. Principally, it’s an excellent decide if you need a dependable Chromebook with out breaking the financial institution.

2. What's the finest low-cost Chromebook?

PCWorld calls the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook one of the best low-cost decide. It’s light-weight and has stable battery life, so it’s good should you’re on a price range. Simply bear in mind, 4GB RAM means it’s not nice for working a lot of stuff directly.

3. What's the finest Chromebook for gaming?

The Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE is one of the best Chromebook for gaming. It’s acquired an enormous 16-inch 120Hz display, handles cloud gaming fairly effectively, and has an Ethernet port for regular web, which you want for stuff like Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

4. What’s the distinction between a Chromebook and a laptop computer?

A Chromebook’s only a laptop computer that runs Google’s Chrome OS as an alternative of Home windows or Mac. It’s principally for internet stuff like Google Drive and YouTube. Common laptops are extra highly effective and may deal with just about something.