Today's Chromebooks have stepped up from basic, bare-bones laptops to elegant computers with surprisingly rich capabilities. A few sport carbon-fiber chassis or lightweight magnesium alloy frames. Others not only swap out flash storage for a speedy SSD but boast a bright, 1080p or higher-resolution in-plane switching (IPS) display with sharp text, vivid colors, and wide viewing angles. Top models have premium styling that rivals any high-end Windows notebook. (Credit: Molly Flores)

Plastic coatings used on Acer Chromebook Spin 311 surface have been strictly tested and certified under ASTM F963-16 Toy Safety Standard and Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPCIA) of 2008. ​ For more information visit: ​ ​ https://standardscatalog.ul.com/standards/en/standard_60950-1_2 Hard drive retention: Hard drive retention is not available on models with a soldered hard drive, including XPS 9315 2in1, Chromebooks or Venue tablets, except the Venue 11 Pro. So, it’s goodbye to the high-speed Intel Core i5 processor that was used in the high-end Chromebook Pixel, and hello to a dual-core Samsung Exynos 5 Dual ARM-based SoC instead. This move would be madness on a Windows-based laptop, but ChromeOS is designed for efficient CPUs. Ultimately, the Chromebook 11 (3100) is one of the best Chromebooks you can buy for your kids to use for work and play. It's specifically designed to deal with everyday bumps and modest abuse in a way that similarly priced competitors aren't. True, it's not as polished or versatile as a tablet; if you're considering one of those, the Chromebook Duet and its detachable keyboard likely makes more sense. If you plan on using locally installed apps like Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, or Steam, then you're going to find Chromebooks simply can't do that. The Android apps available through the Google Play marketplace are great, but they aren't as fully featured as similar desktop software. In most cases, Chrome OS simply can't run most of the installable software you'd find on a Windows laptop or a MacBook, so a Chromebook would be a bad choice for anyone hoping to use major flagship software offline. How is a Chromebook different from a laptop?If you have a fast enough internet connection, you're not going to tell the difference between a Chromebook and a fully-featured Windows laptop or a MacBook. Of course, we also run synthetic benchmarks like Kraken JavaScript, Octane 2.0 JavaScript, and Jetstream 2 as well as the TechRadar movie test to measure its battery life. If you need a machine to run statistical programs or withstand some heavy-duty workloads, this isn't for you.

If you want to really see what today's Chromebooks can do, or just want to game without the huge upfront investment of a gaming laptop, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE is an easy answer. It has the processing chops to support all of your gaming needs, and it's naturally a fast and capable Chromebook in every other respect. And even with its higher gaming price, it's still less expensive than many midrange Windows machines. Because a Chromebook is only as good as its peripherals, we take a look at its display, keyboard, availability of ports, and how good its overall design is. We also test its webcam and touchscreen capabilities, if they’re on hand. is a very good price for this laptop, but there are cheaper, more stripped down options that still work well.

The Chromebook 11 is comparable with the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 and Samsung Chromebook 4, both of which are similarly priced systems with the same screen size. The Dell is significantly faster than the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, which is a detachable tablet with an ARM rather than x86 processor, but much slower than the more expensive Pixelbook Go, which boasts an Intel Core CPU. Testing Chromebooks isn’t too different from testing laptops and gaming laptops, though perhaps the paces are a little less intensive or game-heavy. When shopping for a Chromebook, you'll note less hardware variety than with Windows machines. These are the most important specs and factors to be aware of. Also note that a new class of Chromebooks is emerging called the Chromebook Plus family. Rolling out in mid-October 2023, these machines mandate certain minimum Chromebook specs to guarantee a solid user experience, including high-resolution cameras, IPS screens, and an 8GB floor for memory. (Credit: Kyle Cobian) Screen Resolution To find the best laptops we run every machine through a rigorous suite of benchmarks and real-world tests to gauge how it will perform during everyday use. Terms Apply. Promotion ends 3 December 2023. Items are subject to availability. Max 5 units per customer.