Are chromebooks good for gaming: The 12 Best Games to Play on Your Chromebook in 2023

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The 12 Best Games to Play on Your Chromebook in 2023

Among UsGenshin ImpactRobloxStardew ValleyTerraria

No high-powered gaming laptop needed.

By Zoë Hannah

Updated: Apr 20, 2023 9:08 pm

Posted: Mar 22, 2023 7:00 pm

Your Chromebook is capable of so much more than its reputation would have you believe. While it’s true that the Chromebook needs an internet connection for some of its best features, you can use it to game even when you’re offline.

It’s not a laptop computer when it comes to processing power, but a Chromebook can easily keep up with some of the most popular games of the year. Take full advantage of that good Chromebook you bought with these picks for the best Chromebook games to play right now.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is the iconic indie farming simulator chock full of nostalgic imagery and relaxing tasks to complete. While you might get stressed about mining enough ore before you fall asleep at 2 a. m., Stardew Valley is clearly designed for low-pressure gaming. That said, once you start your farm, you’ll probably be checking your Chromebook incessantly to advance the game, which downloads right onto your Chromebook so you can play offline.

Among Us

When you have an internet connection, Among Us is easily one of the best picks for gaming on your Chromebook. Try to figure out who the impostor is (or evade the crewmembers who suspect you as the impostor) as you work to repair your escape vehicle — a ruined spaceship — with your teammates. It’s collaborative, engaging, and super fast-paced.

Terraria

Terraria is a fascinating and inventive game that marries the creativity and buildable nature of games like Minecraft with the puzzles and nostalgia of dungeon crawlers and platformers. In a world where everything is destroyable — and many of those components join together to create various weapons — you’ll quickly find yourself bopping your head to the techno beat and enjoying some immersive gameplay.

Alto’s Odyssey

Alto’s Odyssey shines on a touchscreen Chromebook, especially if you have a two-in-one. Flip your Chromebook into tablet mode and dive into this stunning downhill runner. As you ski down the hill, you’ll come across endless obstacles that might cause your demise, or might rocket you into a long jump past the pretty sunset.

Spelunky

Spelunky changed the game for platformers when it was released almost a decade ago, and it’s still well worth playing on your Chromebook (right in your browser, at that!). This platformer set in a dank dungeon has a slew of randomized levels where you need to loot as much as you can before moving onto the next level. You’ll find yourself playing the original over and over and over, but you’ll have to use your gaming console or PC to play Spelunky 2.

Fallout Shelter

Keep your apocalyptic crew alive in this looping simulation game inspired by the challenges you come across in Fallout. In this (much smaller) game, you’ll assign dwellers to keep your bunker running as new dwellers and enemies present threats to survival. You could play Fallout Shelter forever, but it’ll be a while before your bunker lasts long enough to thrive.

Asphalt 9: Legends

You’ll be seriously impressed with your Chromebook when you see how well it handles Asphalt 9: Legends, a racing game fit with tons of vehicles made by the car manufacturers you drool over in the real world — Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche. Take the wheel in this realistic racing game that shines on touchscreen Chromebooks.

Hearthstone

If you’re looking for a digital card game to always have open on your Chromebook, Hearthstone is perhaps the best one out there. This game is massively popular because of its expansive world built out using beautiful cards and complicated turns. Hearthstone is sort of like Magic: The Gathering, both in the gameplay and in the hordes of obsessive players that know everything about the fantasy world it’s set in. Did we mention it’s free to play?

Oxenfree

Oxenfree mixes the alluring mystery of a time travel platformer with the crushing heartbreak of grief and how it feels to be a teenager. Set on an island with all sorts of odd time-space activity going on, this game logs your decisions to determine what happens next. Or what happened before. Or what’s happening in an alternate reality.

Roblox

After years of Chromebook users struggling to play Roblox on their devices, this game is finally available on the Play Store. Roblox is possibly the most popular user-generated game out there, with kids younger than you designing beautiful worlds to explore for hours. You can interact with other players, too, as well as nearly everything in the game environment.

Injustice 2

Embody your favorite superheroes in Injustice 2, the massive multiplayer fighting game set in the DC universe. Play as one of tens of classic characters including Batman, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Wonder Woman, or choose from the selection of new characters like Black Canary, Doctor Fate, or Poison Ivy. Don’t forget to pick up the costumes littered all around this game to customize your character.

Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact is one of the best mobile games you can play right now. With an expansive open world, consistent updates, and enjoyable combat-filled gameplay, it’s definitely worth downloading on your Chromebook. That being said, not all Chromebooks are able to run this game, so make sure you take a look at the list of devices that are able to run Android apps.

Are Chromebooks Good for Gaming?

While Chromebooks are one of the best options for getting a computer at an affordable price, they’re really not great for gaming natively. When it comes to Chromebooks vs laptops, there aren’t many games that run on ChromeOS itself. That said, you can utilize game streaming to play your favorite games. Services like Xbox Game Streaming, Nvidia GeForce Now and Shadow are all great ways to play PC games on a Chromebook. But, really, you’re better off just getting one of the best gaming laptops.

Zoë Hannah is a freelance video games, mental health, and e-commerce journalist. You can find her reviews, essays, and reporting in publications like WIRED, IGN, Insider, and more. When she’s not writing, you can find her curled up with a spooky video game or an immersive novel. Find her on Twitter @zoehhannah or browse her clips at zoehhannah.com.

In This Article

Among Us

Innersloth

Rating

ESRB: Everyone 10+

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPlayStation 4PlayStation 5Xbox One

The Best Chromebooks for Gaming in 2023

Chromebooks are everywhere these days. As simple, inexpensive machines for everything from checking email and social media to writing papers and joining Zoom calls for classes and work, Chromebooks are proving themselves well-suited to today’s always-online life. But what about after class and outside of work hours? Can you play games on a Chromebook?

The first round of Chromebooks made explicitly for gaming are still brand new—and no Chromebook would ever qualify as a traditional gaming laptop. But if you want a lightweight machine that’s made for cloud gaming services, those gaming Chromebooks are finally an option. Even other Chromebooks have some fun options beyond social media scrolling, YouTube immersion, and Netflix binging. In fact, today you have several distinct approaches to playing games on Chromebooks, and even a couple of ways to enjoy today’s most popular games.

Even if you’re stuck using a locked-down system from school, or want to have more fun with a low-powered laptop running ChromeOS, you can leverage some fun options for every price point and level of hardware. Here’s a rundown of our best-bet Chromebooks for gaming, followed by a deep guide to all the aspects of gaming on ChromeOS and, finally, a spec breakout of our picks.

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

Acer Chromebook 516 GE

Best Overall Gaming Chromebook

4.0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

Acer’s rousing Chromebook 516 GE is among the first Chromebooks designed specially for cloud-based gaming. If this machine is any indication, we may be seeing the birth of a promising new class of laptop.

PROS

  • Superb performance in gaming (and everything else)
  • Powerful hardware for a Chromebook, from processing to storage
  • Rich port selection
  • RGB keyboard with anti-ghosting tech
  • Gorgeous 120Hz display

CONS

  • No touch screen
  • USB-C ports aren’t Thunderbolt 4

GET IT NOW

Learn More

Acer Chromebook 516 GE Review

Acer Chromebook 514 (2022, Intel Core i3)

Best General-Use Chromebook for Cloud Gaming

4.0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

Acer’s Core i3-based refresh of its Chromebook 514 blends luxury with robust performance and features, and tops it off with great battery life.

PROS

  • Peppy performance
  • Excellent battery life
  • Luxurious, yet sturdy, design
  • Robust port selection
  • Touch screen

CONS

  • Expensive for a Chromebook
  • Weighty lid and lighter base cause weight imbalance

GET IT NOW

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Acer Chromebook 514 (2022, Intel Core i3) Review

Google Pixelbook Go

A Solid Alternative to the Acer Chromebook 514

3. 5 Good

Bottom Line:

The Google Pixelbook Go is a well-built and stylish ultraportable, albeit one that costs far more than most of its Chromebook brethren.

PROS

  • Chic styling.
  • Magnesium alloy body.
  • High-quality 1080p camera.
  • Good audio output.
  • Long battery life.

CONS

  • Expensive for a Chromebook.
  • No digital stylus support.

GET IT NOW

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Google Pixelbook Go Review

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook

Best Chromebook Detachable for Android Gaming

4.0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

Cool with Chrome OS in tablet form? A 13.3-inch OLED touch screen makes Lenovo’s second, bigger version of its Chromebook Duet a surprisingly nice 2-in-1 detachable for the money.

PROS

  • Superb OLED display in an under-$500 detachable
  • High-quality front and rear cameras
  • Comes with keyboard cover and kickstand

CONS

  • Ho-hum compute performance
  • No audio jack, or 4G or 5G LTE option
  • Stylus supported, but costs extra

GET IT NOW

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Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook Review

HP Chromebook x2 (2021)

A Solid Alternative to the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5

4. 0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

Its performance trails that of conventional Chromebooks, but HP’s Chromebook x2 is an attractive 11-inch tablet with keyboard, kickstand, and pen all in the box.

PROS

  • Affordable price includes pen and keyboard cover
  • Available 4G mobile broadband

CONS

  • Tepid performance
  • No headphone jack
  • Wi-Fi 5, not 6 or 6E

GET IT NOW

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HP Chromebook x2 (2021) Review

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook (2021)

Best Rotating 2-in-1 Chromebook for Android Gaming

4.0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

Chromebooks with poky processors and cramped flash storage dominate the market, but Lenovo’s fair-priced IdeaPad Flex 5 shows how a Chromebook can benefit from an Intel Core CPU and a “true” onboard SSD.

PROS

  • Peppy performance
  • Handsome design sneaks under 3 pounds
  • Responsive keyboard

CONS

  • No HDMI port
  • Slightly dim display

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Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook (2021) Review

HP Chromebook x360 14a

A Solid Budget Alternative to the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5

3. 5 Good

Bottom Line:

The HP Chromebook x360 14a is a value-priced convertible kept from greatness by a dim display, poor speakers, and inconsistent trackpad.

PROS

  • Responsive touch screen
  • Snappy performance
  • Good-looking design

CONS

  • Low-resolution display
  • Inconsistent touchpad
  • Poor speaker quality

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HP Chromebook x360 14a Review

Acer Chromebook 317

Best Big-Screen Chromebook for Gaming

3.5 Good

Bottom Line:

Chromebook buffs need no longer be jealous of 17-inch Windows laptops—the Acer Chromebook 317 is a budget-priced, big-screen browsing machine.

PROS

  • Jumbo 1080p display
  • Comfortable-feel keyboard
  • Two USB-C and two USB-A ports, plus a microSD card slot
  • Low price

CONS

  • No HDMI port or backlit keyboard
  • Tepid performance
  • Screen could be brighter
  • Weak sound

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Acer Chromebook 317 Review

Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook

Best Chromebook for Linux Gaming

4. 0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

It’s priced above consumer Chromebooks, but the Lenovo C13 Yoga is every inch a ThinkPad and a terrific 2-in-1 for businesses choosing Google Workspace.

PROS

  • Attractive, solid design
  • Perky AMD Ryzen 5 processor paired with ample RAM and storage
  • Four USB ports, an HDMI port, and a microSD card slot
  • Above-average screen and keyboard
  • Onboard stylus

CONS

  • Somewhat expensive
  • Subpar sound
  • Pen lags behind rapid movements
  • Poorly equipped base model

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Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook Review

Dell Chromebook 11 (3100)

Best Small Budget Chromebook for Browser Games

4.0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

Designed to withstand the rigors of daily life in the classroom, at home, and in between, the Dell Chromebook 11 hits a trifecta: rugged, affordable, and great for kids.

PROS

  • Compact
  • Sturdy, kid-friendly design
  • Spill-resistant keyboard
  • Optional LTE
  • Plenty of USB ports
  • Reasonably priced accidental damage coverage

CONS

  • Poor Wi-Fi signal reception
  • Display limited to 1,366 by 768 resolution
  • No SD card reader
  • Clumsy touchpad

GET IT NOW

Learn More

Dell Chromebook 11 (3100) Review

Buying Guide: The Best Chromebooks for Gaming in 2023

In case you’re not familiar with Chromebooks, they’re simply laptops that run Google’s ChromeOS instead of Microsoft Windows or Apple macOS. If you’ve used a web browser, you’ll be able to work with ChromeOS just fine. 

ChromeOS is built around the same Chrome browser you’ve likely used on other laptops. Google’s approach to software is simple: Offer just enough of an operating system to get online, with everything else built on top of the basic browsing experience. For many users, that’s enough for everyday computing, providing all the tools they need to engage in hours of Facebook, YouTube, and Gmail.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

But you can do a lot more on ChromeOS if you want to. Google has developed a number of helpful cloud-based productivity tools. Google Drive offers online storage, and Google Workplace delivers Docs, Sheets, and Presentations to match the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps you might be used to. And plenty of other tools are now available in the cloud, from Adobe Photoshop to those same Microsoft Office apps. You can also run browser extensions to add functionality to ChromeOS, as well as Android apps, opening up thousands of smartphone and tablet apps to use on current Chromebooks.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

And the browser-based OS isn’t going away any time soon. In 2021, ChromeOS surged to second place among major operating systems, topping macOS for the first time. With millions of consumers, students, and businesspeople using Chromebooks, they have evolved into great options for anyone who wants a simple way to get online and get work done, but who doesn’t demand all the functionality of a powerful Windows machine.

So, Wait: Can You Really Game on a Chromebook?

While the term “gaming” may call to mind high-powered gaming laptops or Microsoft’s and Sony’s dedicated consoles, the reality is that the gaming world is much larger than the so-called AAA or big-budget titles that major studios release. From retro games to the casual games that make smartphones so entertaining, plenty of gaming opportunities don’t require an expensive GPU or a single decorative LED.

At your disposal today are four main ways to game on Chromebooks, each with unique considerations for what kind of hardware you have:

  • You can rely on browser-based games that need nothing more than visiting a website.

  • You can run Android games, giving you all of the best games in the Google Play store.

  • You can stream games through cloud gaming services, like Nvidia GeForce Now.

  • You can install a handful of Linux games directly onto your Chromebook, if you’re willing to do some work.

Our How to Play Games on Your Chromebook guide has more detail, but we’ll briefly discuss your options here.

Browser-Based Games: Play It Straight in Chrome

The simplest options for Chromebook gaming are browser-based games. These work right in the Chrome browser, without requiring a download or particularly powerful hardware. They range from basic versions of chess and checkers to old-school classics like Pac-Man and Doom, along with a huge number of indie games that are free to play online.

Retro games are freely available for playing in your browser via several legitimate websites, from Classic Games Arcade(Opens in a new window) to the Internet Archive’s coin-op arcade(Opens in a new window). Google even has its own collection of browser-based games, called GameSnacks(Opens in a new window), that run in HTML 5.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

While many of these games can be accessed just by navigating to the right website, you can enable some games for play in the Chrome browser via installing a browser extension. These are the simplest game options on this list, and most game extensions are free. And an important perk: They also have the benefit of letting you play offline.

For these games, you need nothing more than a Chromebook that can go online. The selection is a bit limited, but you might recognize a few titles, like FlappyBird and Temple Run. Most work with a keyboard and mouse, but they may also offer support for game pads and touch-screen input.

(Photo: Molly Flores)

These games are the perfect option for the average Chromebook, because they don’t rely on local processing power, large install files, or special input devices. And since they’re browser-based, they’ll work on any Chromebook, including school-issued systems.

Android Games: Play Phone Apps on Your Chromebook

Next are Android games, played using the support for Android apps built into newer Chromebooks. (Almost all Chromebooks from the last few years will support them; be sure to check if you have an older model. ) From simple clickers to complex RPGs and action titles, the Google Play store is chock-full of games that can now be enjoyed on any Chromebook, with a couple of caveats.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

Two things are important to note. First, you may not be able to play some Android phone games properly unless your Chromebook has a touch screen. Second, students may be out of luck, since most school districts disable Android support by default. But if you’re one of the millions of Chromebook owners who can freely use Android apps, you can enjoy a wealth of gaming options through the Google Play store, from viral hits like Among Us and Wordle to a wealth of games in every genre.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

Really, any of the best Android games we recommend for phones will work just as well on ChromeOS—but there’s a catch. As noted, with Android games designed for phones and tablets, you’ll definitely want to get a Chromebook that offers touch capability. We’d strongly suggest a convertible or detachable 2-in-1 design.

Streaming for Fun: Gaming in the Cloud

If you want to play more mainstream, AAA games, you’ll need to use a cloud game-streaming service, like Nvidia GeForce Now or Amazon Luna. New Chromebooks even offer a trial period for these services, letting you try them out before committing to a paid subscription.

The upside? You can play AAA games (some are even free with your membership) like Saints Row IV, Darksiders III, Control, and Far Cry 6. The downside: You’ll either face limitations in game quality or a pay a subscription fee, in addition to the expense of buying games. However, you may not be able to run these services on every Chromebook.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

Cloud gaming is available only on models that meet certain hardware parameters. Because gaming requires ample CPU and GPU power, Steam on Chrome requires at least an 11th Generation Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics and at least 8GB of RAM—and those are relatively high-grade components for a Chromebook. With those limits in mind, we’ve included our favorites in this list.

A More DIY Approach: Linux Gaming on ChromeOS

Finally, because ChromeOS is built on the foundations of the Linux kernel, you can try running Linux games on your Chromebook. This opens up a whole range of software, much of it available for free.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

Once you shift to storing and running programs locally, however, you need a machine with more processing power and roomier storage than your typical Chromebook. That means something running on an Intel Core or AMD Ryzen chip rather than the low-powered ARM processors common among budget Chromebooks. You’ll also want to step up to more memory and larger, faster solid-state drive (SSD) storage instead of the smaller eMMC flash memory of economy models.

That settled, there are two paths to take on the Linux front: You can go the official, Google-approved route and install Linux apps using Crostini(Opens in a new window), or you can install a full Linux desktop using Crouton(Opens in a new window). Both options are explained in our guide How to Install Linux on Your Chromebook, and either will let you access the Linux game catalogs on Steam and GOG(Opens in a new window).

Gaming on ChromeOS: Still a Stretch, But Plenty of Fun

We’ve covered several options for enjoying games on a Chromebook, from a round of Pac-Man in your browser to popular Android phone games, and from streaming through Nvidia or Amazon to installing the Linux operating system just for games.

But at the end of the day, it’s worth pointing out that not even the best Chromebook will match the cheapest of our choices for the best cheap gaming laptops. Instead, ChromeOS gaming is all about giving you some fun ways to use what you already have, or need to buy for other, more critical purposes. Still, if you want to go Chrome and play, check below for a spec breakout of our current Chromebook favorites.

Best Google OS Laptops for School

The best Chromebooks for students of all ages.

Best Chromebooks for
learning must be functional, reliable and accessible. This means that they
must have an acceptable performance to easily cope with
school tasks, including a rugged, portable design that lets your Chromebook
easy to go in a schoolbag and backpack without worrying about damage,
a reasonable price also plays a role, which easily fits into the educational budget
most users.

Don’t worry, most of the best Chromebooks have all of these qualities. Not only do Chromebooks tend to be much cheaper than their older counterparts, some of them are equipped with processors that can handle all your needs even after school.

In fact, an excellent Chromebook is also able to match the battery life of some of the best laptops on the market. What’s more, they can be equipped with Full HD panels and touch screens, which are always appreciated in study laptops as they make interactive learning much easier for young learners.

Obviously
that you don’t know which Chromebook to choose. Fortunately, we have put together a thoughtful
rating by choosing the best options. We spent hours testing a variety of
Chromebooks for study, we are sure that in the final version of the ranking you
find the best options, regardless of your preferences and budget.

Editor’s note (July, 2023): School season is coming soon, so the best Chromebooks for school and study in general promise to be in demand! Ideal for students of all ages, these laptops also offer a smooth and secure user experience powered by ChromeOS.

Chromebooks are also often cheaper than Windows laptops and Apple MacBooks, which can be a boon
for students (and their parents!) on a tight budget. With our rating
Find the perfect Chromebook for every level of education.

1. Acer
Chromebook 515

The best Chromebook for studying overall.

Processor : Intel Core i3-1115G4 | Graphics : Intel Iris Xe Graphics | RAM : 8 GB LPDDR4X | Screen : 15. 6″ IPS Full HD (1920 x 1080) non-touch | Drive : 128 GB SSD.

Pros :

  • Good value for money;
  • Solid performance;
  • Large and bright display;

Cons:

  • No touchpad;
  • Mediocre webcam;

And while Acer focuses the Chromebook 515 more on the office routine than the school routine, we continue to count the Chromebook
one of the best for learning, suitable for students of any age.

Decent quality
build, large screen, and above-average performance for the Chromebook 515 is a fine set – and it doesn’t
let you down when it comes to battery life, although our
In our tests, we’ve noticed that Chrome OS doesn’t always accurately estimate battery life.
work.

Pricing
mid-level, that is, in front of you is not the most affordable Chromebook that you
you can buy with money, but you get a decent return compared to
most Windows laptops. The inclusion of an Intel Core processor (rather than the simpler Pentium or Celeron) is good to see,
128 GB of memory mean you can install quite a lot
apps from the Google Play Store).

Read the full Acer Chromebook 515 review.

2. Acer Chromebook
314

The best Chromebook for students on a budget.

Processor: Intel Celeron N4000 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 600 | RAM: 4 GB | Screen: 14″ LED display (1366 x 768) | Storage: 32 GB eMMC.

Pros:

  • Excellent battery life and performance;
  • Bright and clear screen;
  • Affordable price tag;

Cons:

  • No touchpad;
  • Medium output;

Imagine
perfect Chromebook for school, and if it’s not the Acer Chromebook 314, it’s extremely close, especially for
your money. No wonder Acer obviously owns the secret
building the best Chromebooks for school.

The only weak
the place, given the price, becomes the processor, but for general educational work
or research activities, a Celeron with a clock speed of 1. 1 GHz is enough. When we tested
it, we found that the Chromebook is having difficulty with a large number of open
tabs in Chrome, only 4 GB is to blame
RAM, but even the best laptops can experience similar problems
with this browser, Chrome is very greedy for operational
memory.

positive moment
becomes the inclusion of a Full HD panel with a resolution of 1080, which is unusual for
this category of products, but the lack of a touch panel can become
a limitation for the operation of some Android applications (if this is important to you). Another important for the student
feature – long battery life: Acer promises up to 14 hours, while we recorded at least 13 hours
video playback on tests, making Chromebooks a great choice for school
tasks.

Read the full Acer Chromebook 314 review.

3. Lenovo
Chromebook IdeaPad Duet 5

The ultimate Chromebook/tablet hybrid for students.

Processor : Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 | Graphics : Integrated Qualcomm Adreno | RAM : 8 GB LPDDR4 | Screen : 13. 3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) Touchscreen OLED | Drive : 128 GB eMMC.

Pros:

  • Lightweight and portable;
  • Long battery life;
  • Beautiful screen;
  • Larger keyboard than predecessor;

Cons:

  • You will have to pay for the stylus separately;
  • Uncomfortable stand;
  • More expensive than previous model;

Remember try
tablets to take over the computer world? The new Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook can do just that! Okay, actually
not really, of course, but it’s still the best shared chromebook you’ve ever seen.
you can only buy with money.

Thanks to hybrid education
laptop tablet with a magnetic latch on the keyboard, the device is perfectly
Suitable for classroom or classroom use, allowing you to use a tablet
for research, and then write an abstract on a full-size laptop, or even
watch a series while you relax at home. The keyboard is always at hand and available
on the first click.

Equipped with a powerful,
but with an efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c processor, the Duet 5 managed 16 hours of continuous
use before it required recharging when we tested it,
overall you get superior performance compared to the previous
IdeaPad Duet Chromebook model – and we have to mention that the new model
more expensive, and Lenovo’s sleek stylus has to be purchased separately.

Read full Lenovo Chromebook IdeaPad Duet 5 review.

4. Acer
Chromebook Spin 713

The best Chromebook for students in terms of productivity.

Processor : Intel Core i5 (11th generation) | Graphics : Intel Iris Xe | RAM: 8 GB | Screen: 13.5-inch (2256 x 1504) 3:2 touchscreen | Storage: 256 GB Flash.

Pros:

  • High performance with powerful features;
  • Excellent touch panel;

Cons:

  • No physical webcam shutter;

As a rule, certificate
Intel Evo remains an unattainable dream for Chromebooks, but Acer Chromebook Spin 713
don’t care about the rules. This certification means that in front of you is a laptop,
up to a higher standard with 11th Gen Core i5 processors, Intel Iris Xe graphics with 8GB of RAM. In our review, we are pleased to note
high performance behind a beautiful screen.

His 13.5 inch
the screen has a higher resolution than a typical 1080p panel, which is equipped with
most laptops, thanks to the high 3:2 aspect ratio designed to
increase the work productivity of the user who deals with
spreadsheets and text documents, increasing the vertical
area and reduces the regularity of scrolling. Do not rush to discount the “turning”
part: the hinge wraps 360 degrees, and its touch screen allows
instantly switch to tablet mode.

As expected
expect, Spin 713 is not the prettiest
chromebook on the market, not to mention the irretrievable loss of some expected
features, including a protective physical webcam shutter. But given the quality
other elements of the Chromebook, we could forgive him for minor flaws, and you?

5.

Acer
Chromebook 516GE

Student Chromebook for work and play.

Processor: Intel Core i5-1240P | Graphics: Intel iris Xe Graphics | RAM: 8 GB | Screen: 16″ WQXGA (2560 x 1600, 16:10, 120Hz) | Storage: 512 GB SSD.

Pros:

  • Superior performance;
  • Long battery life;
  • One of the best bezels on a Chromebook;

Cons:

  • Cannot play directly from Steam;
  • Expensive;
  • Speakers are of mediocre quality;

Gaming Chromebooks —
a new curiosity of the market, in the meantime we are pleased to inform you that this is the first machine
Acer, which is really
meets the requirements of this definition. Matte black body, RGB backlit keyboard and a truly incredible screen make
this gaming laptop is the leader of the whole movement.

Chromebook in our review
admired the high performance of the 12th generation Intel processor with phenomenal QHD + clarity at 120 Hz – perhaps this is the best
the screen we’ve seen on Chromebooks throughout our testing. And we won’t
forget about a ton of memory, because inside there is a 512 GB SSD. Battery life certainly suffered from the move to “gaming”
box, but that’s an expected compromise for a laptop like this.

More important to note
one point: despite the fact that the Acer Chromebook 516 GE (short for Gaming Edition, which means “game edition”) can play
Google Play Store games, but you won’t be able to launch them directly from Steam. Instead, Chromebook gaming mirrors Chrome OS’ focus on cloud computing, relying on cloud gaming platforms like
like Nvidia GeForce Now or Amazon Luna, so be aware that you will have to
pay a subscription to one of these services to get a full-fledged gaming
experience.

Read the full review of the Acer Chromebook 516 GE.

6. Asus Flip Chromebook C436

The best 2 in 1 Chromebook for students.

Processor : Intel Core i3-10110U | Graphics : Intel HD Graphics | RAM : 8 GB | Screen : 14″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) | Drive : 128 GB SSD.

Pros:

  • High performance;
  • Premium assembly;

Cons:

  • Short battery life;
  • Not too strong;

Asus Flip, as a series, there are almost as many
how many Chromebooks, and each release within the series is characterized by reliability,
who does not shun style. The newest Flip C436 received an updated
case with a magnesium coating, inside you will find relatively recent Intel processors (10th generation) that work quite well
fast.

Thanks to the great
amount of RAM and SSD memory, it might be the best Chromebook for
students, allowing you to do classroom work while maintaining a 2-in-1 form factor
to take notes and read assignments. The 14-inch screen also perfectly combined
portability, size and weight.

This is an expensive laptop, but
you get enough for your money to proudly present it to a young
student, although we would recommend buying this car to a high school student who
will get more use, as well as additional functions, including a scanner
fingerprint, all of which make the Chromebook fantastic for educational
college tasks.

Read the full review of the Asus Chromebook Flip C436.

How to choose the best
chromebook for school?

If you are new to
with Chromebooks (like many parents), trying to find a Chromebook for your
child can be a really difficult task. Child’s education
important, so you’ll want to make sure it has all the tools you need
to do your job successfully, but how do you know which tools
fit him better.

We won’t bother you
technical details, but there are a few key points that you
you will be able to navigate by choosing a Chromebook for school and, importantly,
most of them come down to the class/age of the child. And in this parents
understand.

If they are students
lower grades, i.e. elementary or even high school students, push off
on price and durability. The child will be crazy about his own Chromebook,
so don’t worry about it being “too cheap”, the main thing is that it
experienced child neglect. Characteristics are almost irrelevant,
since the educational segment in its tasks aims at low-power
machines, and not the fastest or most powerful, so the need for high
there are no characteristics and corresponding expenses.

If your child is studying
in middle/high school, he will probably need a much more car
more reliable than a typical school chromebook. As a rule, at this stage the student
it may be necessary to write articles, conduct research activities and,
probably even do some light media editing with
web applications. In such a case, you should consider an Intel Celeron, AMD Athlon, or Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, but if you can choose an Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processor, that doesn’t hurt. Look for
at least 8 GB of RAM, if possible, in case your
the child will need to work with any third-party applications that can
crush the system with 4 GB of RAM. This is also true when the user
works with a dozen Chrome tabs when doing research.

If you or your child is going to college, it’s time to invest in a really powerful Chromebook because you want to make sure the machine can get you through the full four years of school. Your aspirations should be an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, at least 64GB – 128GB SSD instead of eMMC flash, and at least 8GB of RAM. A Chromebook like this can cost you as much as some of the best Ultrabooks while being just as powerful and also running full-featured Windows, so at this point you could be arguing Chromebook’s limitations against Windows.

Should I buy
chromebook for school?

Before you get there
to college or college, the answer is a resounding yes. Designed specifically
for schoolchildren, a chromebook is the only computer they follow
use because it does exactly what you need, nothing more, clean
devoid of unnecessary applications, but with built-in functions.

Even in middle/high school
school, students can use a more powerful Chromebook to cope with
school assignments, while maintaining an affordable price tag.

As soon as you
get to higher education, Chromebook eligibility depends on the program
learning, but unless it’s a STEAM program that requires special hardware not available under Chrome OS, the Chromebook promises to take you through
graduate school, if required.

Which Chromebook is better
choose a teenager?

Although
brand diversity is largely irrelevant, there are some
features that require your attention. First of all, a decent processor
(e.g. Core i3 or Ryzen 3), 8GB RAM and 64GB SSD is a great start for most
schoolchildren. If you want to have special features like form factor 2 in
1 or the touchpad, they will not become superfluous either.

What are the disadvantages
chromebook?

If there is one
A major downside of a Chromebook is the app catalog. And while Chrome OS has access to the Android app ecosystem, most of them are simply not optimized.
for Chromebooks, and therefore will not work properly. main applications,
you need for work or school may also not be available. However
however, you will almost always find an affordable web alternative for most
applications, so there is nothing stopping you from editing photos or videos on
chromebook.

How we test and
choosing the best chromebooks for school?

Why you can trust
How tablet? We spend hours
testing every product we review, so you can be
make sure you buy the best.

As a rule, we do not
we have the opportunity to plunge into the educational environment with each Chromebook, and this
important, because in the educational environment there are many nuances to
properly assess everything. However, we are testing Chromebook performance and time
battery life, features and functions, we do not forget to evaluate the design as well
as well as user orientation.

Between test runs,
evaluating performance, followed by comparison with the closest competitors,
we measure battery life and also use a chromebook during
daily work, as any student does (in any case,
high school student).

If Chromebook
good enough for a tech journalist, it would make a great chromebook
for a teenager or college student. And while some Chromebooks come with
low performance, intended for young students, probably
just not suitable for a working adult. Typically, basic
functionality and durability you can determine at a glance,
including everything a little kid needs from a Chromebook.

If the time
battery life is enough to get you through a typical school day and if it
has a reasonable price, you can be sure that you are making an excellent purchase,
appropriate to the needs of younger students.

Laptops

Best Chromebooks 2023

In 2023, Chromebooks offer a lot more than just web browsing. Like Windows laptops, Chromebooks now come in all shapes and sizes and are a great option even when compared to MacBooks. There is a great selection of ChromeOS laptops, convertibles, and even desktop mini Chromeboxes.

In addition to all these types of computers, Chromebooks also have a lot to offer in terms of software. Just as Windows and macOS have always evolved, Google has really taken the ChromeOS that runs Chromebooks beyond just a web browser. You can run Android apps from Google Play, install Linux apps, and even play games on some of the more expensive models. With new partnerships with Google and ChromeOS integration, you can even enjoy cloud gaming services like Nvidia GeForce now and Xbox Cloud Gaming on new dedicated models.

Chromebooks will even work well with your Android phone via Phone Hub, so you can see your notifications and even your favorite photos on your device. Chromebooks can do a lot for you in 2023 and here are some of our best ones you can buy right now.

Best: HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook

This is a premium Chromebook that costs around $1,900. Don’t let that scare you, because for this price you will be offered a lot. HP didn’t skimp on the Chromebook Elite Dragonfly. You are investing in a system that is built to last. For example, these laptops use Intel 12th generation U-series processors, including Intel Core i3-1215U, Intel Core i5-1235U, Intel Core i5-1245U, or Intel Core i7-1265U, up to 32 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of storage.

Another thing that makes this Chromebook special is the tactile touchpad. For now, it’s the only Chromebook to have one. This once-exclusive feature of the MacBook is becoming more and more common.

Best ChromeOS Tablet: Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook

At a reasonable price of $500, this is the perfect travel companion. The Chromebook tablet market is crowded, but it’s one of the most flexible and premium options out there, with a detachable keyboard as well as support for an optional stylus.

Best screen: Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2

If you want a laptop with the best display, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is your go-to choice if you want to make ChromeOS your drawing or imaging platform. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 continues the overall design of the original Galaxy Chromebook, but ditches some premium features to get a more reasonable price. The most impressive feature here is definitely the display. You’ll be amazed by every picture on Chromebook’s first stunning QLED display that reproduces 100% color volume.

Design is another Galaxy strength, especially in Fiesta Red. If you’re looking for a computer that matches your personal style, then this is a great option to consider. Friends and family will definitely be impressed with how this Chromebook stands out from the crowd.

Overall, this is the best Samsung Chromebook for you if you can get by without a 4K display and a fingerprint sensor. The very attractive price will encourage most users to choose this particular 2nd generation device.

Best Chromebook for gaming: Lenovo 5i-14

Google recently partnered with Steam so you can play some PC games on your Chromebook. True, Steam is currently only supported on some devices with a very specific set of hardware and only in a very early and unstable beta that requires you to switch to the ChromeOS beta channel. Eventually, though, games will become available to everyone, and you’ll need a Chromebook for that. The good news is that one of the best Chromebooks for gaming is the Lenovo 5i Chromebook, which starts at $360.

This Chromebook features an 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. This is the most important part as Google requires an 11th generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor for Steam and at least 8GB of RAM. You will also need the Intel Iris Xe graphics that this Chromebook supports. Another item worth noting for gaming is the decent display that this Lenovo device also has.

Best Budget Chromebook: Samsung Chromebook 4+

Not everyone has more than $1,000 to spend on a Chromebook, and the Samsung Chromebook 4+ tops the budget laptop list. This is a serious device that looks a lot like an old MacBook and comes with a very low starting price of $300. It strikes a decent balance when it comes to display, keyboard, design and performance.

Best ChromeOS experience: Google Pixelbook Go

Google has its own flagship Chromebook that will give you the best ChromeOS experience, as well as guaranteed support and updates from the ChromeOS manufacturer itself. It may not be the most modern or high-end Chromebook compared to others on the list, but it’s one of the simplest, designed to take advantage of Google’s OS right away. True, Google no longer sells it in its stores, and there are rumors that Google has stopped making its own Chromebooks.

Most configurable: Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition

Many of the Chromebooks we mentioned in the list are powerful, affordable or mid-range devices. However, it is impossible not to mention the special – Chromebook Framework. It is very similar to the Windows-based Framework Notebook. You can replace the RAM, SSD and other important components in it yourself by following easy-to-understand online manuals. Even the motherboard can be replaced by the user!

You can customize it according to your needs. And, like some other devices, this is a premium device. The Framework Laptop is made of aluminum and weighs 1.3 kg. The keyboard even offers 1.5mm of backlit key travel, while the frosted glass touchpad surface ensures smooth scrolling.