Best Google Chromebooks – Updated May 2021 - Android

Choosing from the best Chromebooks on the market has become a fairly complex process as the number of available devices has grown year after year. The market for the devices now includes low-end budget machines and top-tier workhorses. But it also includes a number of off-format devices. Chromebooks are no longer limited to just laptops [...]

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The post Best Google Chromebooks – Updated May 2021 appeared first on Android Headlines.

Choosing from the best Chromebooks on the market has become a fairly complex process as the number of available devices has grown year after year. The market for the devices now includes low-end budget machines and top-tier workhorses. But it also includes a number of off-format devices. Chromebooks are no longer limited to just laptops and 2-in-1 convertibles.

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 2021 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 reviews and research on Chromebooks. 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 Chromebook 4

• Price: From $166.95
• Where to buy: Amazon

The Samsung Chromebook 4 is one of the least expensive small form-factor Chromebooks on the market, starting at just $229 and maxing out at $279. But that doesn’t mean this clamshell laptop is weak. Chrome OS devices tend to do a lot more with less power, to begin with. So anybody looking for a cheap device that’s ultra-portable at just 11.6-inches would do well to start here.

There are three configurations for the Samsung Chromebook 4 on Amazon but each iteration packs a stalwart Intel Celeron N4000 processor. From there, Samsung includes either 4GB or 6GB RAM. The latter configuration comes with 64GB storage, while the 4GB variant comes with either that or 32GB. A battery that lasts up to 12-hours, conversely, makes this one of the longest-lasting Chromebooks too.

Setting aside internal specs, there’s less reason to worry about ruining that investment here too — small, though that investment is. Samsung has ensured this little beast meets eight standards for military-grade toughness.

The MIL-STD-810G standards met include transit drop, vibration, high temperature, temperature shocks, freezing, dust, humidity, low pressure. There’s no water-resistance rating, but that’s not unexpected with Chromebooks and doesn’t stop this from being one of the best around. The Samsung Chromebook 4 should survive just about everything else better than most of the competition.

Buy Samsung Chromebook 4

Best full-size budget Chromebook

Acer Chromebook 514

• Price: From $342
• Where to buy: Amazon

Without sacrificing too much, the Acer Chromebook 514 is another budget Chromebook that brings quite a lot to the table in a slightly larger form factor.

Not only is the Chromebook 514 loaded up with a 14-inch 1,920 x 1,080 display panel in a 0.7-inch thin lay-flat aluminum chassis with 6mm bezels, a backlit keyboard, and Gorilla Glass on both the panel and touchpad. A Noble lock slot, both standard ‘A’ and newer C-type USB ports, and a microSD card slot are part of the package too.

That’s an outstanding value already for between $338 to $499.

Inside, Acer has also equipped the Chromebook 514 with one of the best batteries in the business. That’s rated at 12-hours per charge and perfectly suited for whatever work needs to be done without the hassle of always searching for a charging port.

The processor found in this device may not be the most powerful around. But it does come with up to 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 64GB of storage — arguably the more important figures with Chrome OS — to back up the Intel Pentium N4200 chipset.

So, Acer gives buyers a solid design without the extra cost of a stylus, 360-degree hinge, and similar novelties. Instead, it opened up for consumers who need a device that just works and works well, while providing some great amenities and features to meet just about every need of an everyday user.

Buy Acer Chromebook 514

Best Chromebook 2-in-1

ASUS Chromebook Flip C434

• Price: From $504.88
• Where to buy: Amazon

ASUS’s continuation of the Chromebook Flip lineup has been among the most popular series and that’s not without good reason. One of the most powerful entries in the family is the Chromebook Flip C436. But that device starts at a higher price and only packs up to an Intel Core i5 chipset.

The ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 packs in up to an Intel Core i7-8500Y chipset, coupled with 8GB of memory and 128 GB for files and apps. The base model, with a still-powerful Intel Core M3-8100Y Processor, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage starts out at a relatively low $489.99.

In terms of build, the Chromebook Flip C434 brings a 14-inch 1,920 x 1,080 resolution display to the table. That’s in an ultra-slim-bezel-touting all-metal package that’s more about refinement than making massive changes to the series.

Dual speakers and a microSD card slot round things out for this touch-enabled 2-in-1 but a slightly more expensive model begins adding in the features users love, beginning with a backlit keyboard. That keyboard is where the Chromebook Flip C434 really gains its reputation. The comfort and productivity-focused keys deliver 1.4mm of key travel and a unique ergonomic lift at the back of the board as the lid is opened up.

Buy ASUS Chromebook Flip C434

Best Chromebook for students

Acer Chromebook Spin 512

• Price: From $499
• Where to buy: Acer

Acer’s second entry in our list is a device that’s built with students in mind but will serve just about anybody. The Chromebook Spin 512, on the student-friendly side of things, is a 12-inch 2-in-1 convertible laptop that features a microbe-resistant display coating and spill protection thanks to drain-through slots positioned over the keyboard.

Following in that same vein, this Chromebook can withstand a beating. Acer included a rubber trim and extra reinforcement with this gadget, so it’s going to survive falls from a reasonable height too.

The trim doesn’t take away from the aesthetics and the coating doesn’t interfere with touch interactions. On the former front, the ruggedization is melded into the build itself, keeping things slim and the overall bulk down. That means that although this laptop can be used without worry that it’ll be damaged by rough users, it also doesn’t take up a lot of room in a laptop bag or backpack.

The included EMR stylus makes productivity and creativity tasks a breeze, as does the up to 8GB RAM, 64GB storage, and the respectable quad-core Intel Pentium Silver N5000 processor. The starting cost of $499 for the more budget-friendly but still quite capable models isn’t bad either, despite featuring a slightly lower resolution than others listed here — 1,366 x 912.

Buy the Acer Chromebook 512

Best Chromebook for tablet buyers

Google Pixel Slate

• Price: From $$692.21
• Where to buy: Amazon

Google’s Pixel Slate Chrome OS tablet didn’t receive rave reviews. At least not initially. But changes being made to the underlying firmware have made the latter gadget a worthy entry nonetheless.

Priced to start at $799 and maxing out at just shy of $1600, the Google Pixel Slate stands as a testament to Chrome OS. Or, more specifically, it stands as a representation of where Chromebooks were supposed to go — before the search giant moved all of its own hardware efforts back to laptops. That means it’s an absolute powerhouse at any level and for any configuration and that’s where it stands out from the rest.

Pixel Slate ships with up to an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 available, backed by 16GB RAM and 256GB of storage, and packed into an all-metal frame. Google embeds that frame with a fingerprint scanner built into the power button. A “molecular” 3,000 x 2,000 resolution touchscreen in a super-slim 12.3-inch format comprises the main body. Google placed an 8-megapixel camera sensor at both the front and back.

Google sells both a keyboard and pressure-sensitive stylus for this tablet too. Those cost an additional $199 and $99, respectively, representing the only real drawback for those who really need this much power.

Buy Google Pixel Slate

Best detachable Chromebook

Lenovo Chromebook Duet

• Price: From $249
• Where to buy: Best Buy

Available from $249 directly from Lenovo or starting at $279 on Amazon, the Lenovo Chromebook Duet — often dubbed the Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook Duet — is not what people probably think of when looking for a powerful new computing device.

Not only is the 10.1-inch device powered by a relatively paltry MediaTek P60T processor instead of Intel. Lenovo also equipped this tablet-like detachable laptop with just 4GB RAM and either 64GB or 128GB storage. The difference in cost between the two models is around $20.

It’s minimal in the sense that there’s only a single USB-C port and it ships with a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter instead of featuring one. There’s no expandable storage either. But there’s more to this all-metal Chromebook than meets the eye.

Lenovo designed the Lenovo Chromebook Duet to make computing on the go as straightforward as possible. For its size, it offers one of the best keyboard experiences around. And its processor is more than enough, coupled with well-optimized Chrome OS in both tablet and laptop configuration, to get real work done.

Lenovo includes a bright and vibrant 1920 x 1200 resolution display coupled with stereo speakers that give a lot of quality for the price. That’s universal stylus compatible for even more productivity on the go at a slightly higher cost.

All of that culminates in a device that arguably represents what Chrome OS tablets should have been from the start.

Buy Lenovo Chromebook Duet

Best Chromebook in the mid-range

Google Pixelbook Go

• Price: From $649
  Where to buy: Google

There’s one device in particular that simply can’t be left out of any discussion about the best Chromebooks on the market. That’s Google’s Pixelbook Go. Starting out at $649 up to $1,399, the Pixelbook Go is a testament to how far Chromebooks have come.

Google built Pixelbook Go with a grippy, ridged bottom and from magnesium alloy. That comes in either Just Black or Not Pink, just like the company’s smartphones.

Google ships two base models for Pixelbook Go. It ships both of those with 8GB RAM but with a split between one device with 64GB or another with 128GB storage. The former, like the Google Pixel Slate above, utilizes an Intel Core m3 processor while the latter is an Intel Core i5. Stepping up from there is a Core i5 model with 16GB RAM and double the storage at 256GB.

The top model for Google’s best Chromebook ships with an Intel Core i7 processor. It backed that up with 16GB RAM and 256GB storage. The search giant also bumps things up from a Full HD display panel to a 4K screen.

Google includes all the ports that could be needed and a Titan C security chip, rounding out the package. Ambient light sensors, a backlit Hush Keys keyboard, and an etched glass trackpad are part of the build too. And a 1080p 60fps webcam for video chatting or conferencing.

Buy Google Pixelbook Go

Best Chromebook for power and a long-lasting battery

HP Chromebook x360 14

• Price: $599
• Where 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 Chromebook at a premium

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2

• Price: From $449.99
• Where 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 Chromebook overall

Acer Chromebook Spin 713 (CP713-2W)

• Price: From $529.99
• Where to buy: Acer

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 new Chromebook Spin 713, sold with model designation CP713-2W. This device series effectively represents the best of what a Chromebook can be.

In part, that comes down to value. Starting at just $629.99 and ranging up to $999, none of the entries are weak. At the bottom of the pile, things start with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10210U. Acer backed that up with 8GB DDR4 RAM and 128GB of NVMe storage.

The latter spec stays the same across the board. And Acer puts its 16GB RAM-backed Intel Core i7-10510U variant at the top of the pile. And each of the gadgets packs a 2-in-1 build with a 13.5