A good Chromebook can do almost anything that a regular laptop can do, and the best models can feel better to use than their similarly priced Windows counterparts.
After testing most of the Chromebooks released over the past nine years and testing 20 models so far in 2023, we recommend the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus. It’s an excellent laptop, with the best combination of features and price of all the Chromebooks we’ve tested, including fast performance, a spacious touchscreen, and long-enough battery life for a full day of work or classes.
Our pick
Reliable performance, a spacious touch display, and long-enough battery life for a full workday make this model the best Chromebook for the price. But it is a bit heavy.
Recommended configuration
| Processor: | Intel Core i3-1315U | Screen: | 14-inch 1920×1200 touch |
| Memory: | 8 GB | Weight: | 3.6 pounds |
| Storage: | 128 GB eMMC | Tested battery life: | 8.5 hours |
The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus has a reliable keyboard and trackpad, a tall touchscreen, and surprisingly good speakers. All of those features combined with the IdeaPad Flex 5i’s reasonable price make it the best Chromebook for most people’s needs. But we wish that it were lighter—at 3.6 pounds, it’s heavy for a 14-inch laptop—and we wish that it had a couple more hours of battery life. It’ll last a full day of work or classes on a charge, but not much longer.
Budget pick
This Asus model is a less expensive option that doesn’t sacrifice performance, but its non-touch display isn’t as tall, vibrant, or convenient as that of our top pick.
Recommended configuration
| Processor: | Intel Core i3-1215U | Screen: | 14-inch 1920×1080 non-touch |
| Memory: | 8 GB | Weight: | 3.26 pounds |
| Storage: | 128 GB or 256 GB UFS | Tested battery life: | 8.5 hours |
The best cheap Chromebook—and the next-best option if our top pick is unavailable—is the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34. It’s just as fast as our top pick and can handle everyday workloads with ease, unlike many cheap Chromebooks, which feel slow with just a handful of tabs open. The CX34 also has a comfortable, backlit keyboard, battery life similar to that of our top pick, and a light, compact body. This model’s display is fine, but it lacks touch input, it’s not as tall, and its colors aren’t as vibrant as what you can get on our top pick.
Also great
This inexpensive model offers fast performance, a roomy 16-inch screen with a high refresh rate, and an RGB keyboard with a built-in number pad. But it’s huge and heavy.
Recommended configuration
| Processor: | Intel Core i3-1215U or Core i5-1235U | Screen: | 16-inch 2560×1600 non-touch, 120 Hz |
| Memory: | 8 GB | Weight: | 4.01 pounds |
| Storage: | 128 GB eMMC or 256 GB SSD | Tested battery life: | 9.5 hours* |
*We tested the Core i5 model; we expect the Core i3 version to have slightly better battery life.
The best option if you want a big screen is the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16″. Photos and videos look great on its gigantic 16-inch display with a high refresh rate, and the RGB keyboard is a fun extra feature. But this 4-pound laptop is inconvenient to take to work, class, or even a coffee shop—it’s best used around the house. If you need a more portable Chromebook to commute or travel with, consider our other picks instead.
It’s available in two versions. Most people should get the Core i3 model with 128 GB of eMMC storage, which is fast enough and is often cheaper. But if the Core i3 model is out of stock—or if you luck out on a great sale—the Core i5 model is also a great option.
Upgrade pick
This Acer model is lighter and has longer battery life and more storage than our top pick, plus a crisper 1440p webcam. But it’s more expensive.
Recommended configuration
| Processor: | Intel Core i5-1335U | Screen: | 14-inch 1920×1200 touch |
| Memory: | 8 GB | Weight: | 3.02 pounds |
| Storage: | 256 GB SSD | Tested battery life: | 13 hours |
If you want a more portable Chromebook that weighs less and offers longer battery life, as well as more storage and a crisper-looking 1440p webcam, get the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (CP714-2W-56B2). It’s an excellent Chromebook with a reliable keyboard and trackpad and a vivid 14-inch display, but it costs several hundred dollars more than our top pick.
