Best Chromebooks of 2024

Chromebooks have come a long way since their basic beginnings. They started as simple, affordable laptops focusing on security and ease of use. While prices have risen slightly as functionality has increased, Chromebooks remain a compelling value compared to Windows and macOS machines. They boast a clean, user-friendly interface that integrates seamlessly with the Google ecosystem, and many Chromebooks offer impressive battery life. If you prioritize long battery life, be sure to check out our list of the top performers. We also have some tips on how to check your Chromebook's battery health. 

In late 2023, Google partnered with various manufacturers to launch the Chromebook Plus series. These Chromebooks boast double the processing power thanks to stricter spec requirements. Google's goal? To ensure these new Chromebooks can leverage the full potential of Google's AI capabilities. After all, in today's world, it almost feels like a computer without AI is missing a key piece.

Whether you're looking for a budget-friendly Chromebook, a powerful Plus Series model, or a high-end option for business needs, we've got you covered. Keep reading to find the perfect Chromebook for you.

The Quick List

Best Overall

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is the best Chromebook of 2023. It's a prodigious, potent, productive 2-in-1 Chromebook with a funky meets business casual vibe. 

This Flex 5i relies on a 13th Gen Intel Core i3 1315U CPU,  Intel UHD integrated graphics, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage — although those specs seem minuscule, the performance will shock you. During our review, we discovered the Plus moniker seriously delivered gaming and video editing performance. 

If you're a young content creator on a budget or a small business owner, you could achieve a lot with a Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus and save money to purchase other things you need to further yourselves. 

Read our full review of the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

Best for Students

The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 adheres to Google’s new mantra of double power and double the performance. I could push documents, edit photos and videos while pushing out documents, and watch hours of content on my favorite streaming site. It never struggled with any of the tasks I put before it, and although the battery life is under 10 hours, which is what I was hoping for, I can’t hold that against it at all. 

For a laptop that costs under $400, you can basically do whatever your heart desires, from document pushing, video, and photo editing to even some gaming. You can get all that for just $399. Google and its OEM partners just put Apple and Microsoft on notice. Your students will love what they can accomplish with this Acer Chromebook Plus 515.

See our full Acer Chromebook Plus 515 review.

Best Chromebook for Business

Yes, this Chromebook means business. The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook offers all the simplicity of ChromeOS coupled with the features business customers care about. That includes excellent Intel vPro security, a Titan C chip, and a fingerprint sensor, not features you'll find on your average Chromebook. A free year of Parallels for Chromebooks gives you full access to any Windows apps if you are worried about the oft-overstated limitations of ChromeOS.

If the security and ease of management aren't enough to win you over, then consider the rest of these specs. A 13.5-inch 2K display with up to 400 nits of brightness. An easily portable 2-in-1 form factor, light 2.8-pound chassis, and optional 5G support for frequent travelers. 

At just over 9 hours in our Laptop Mag battery test, the battery life is one area that could be improved upon and as with most Intel vPro laptops you'll hope that work is covering the cost, but given what you'll save on support, it is worth the investment.

See our full HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook review.

Best Premium Chromebook

If you're looking for a premium Chromebook, you won't find anything better than the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook. It's stylish, sleek, and full of metal (spiritually hard, physically light).

The $999 Dragonfly Pro Chromebook pops off with a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U CPU with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD for storage. It glows with a 14-inch, 2.5K (2560 x 1600), LCD touchscreen with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a whopping 1,276 nits of brightness.

Not to mention that the Bang and Olufsen quad speakers on this Dragonfly Pro are loud and pretty darn thumpy, hitting the full range of audio tones whether you’re listening to music or watching a movie.

See our full HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook review.

Best Chromebook for gaming

Gamers might scoff at Chromebooks, and for good reason – no dedicated graphics card. But with cloud gaming services like GeForce Now, the tide is turning.  So why is the Acer Chromebook 516 GE on our best student Chromebook list? Because it packs serious specs that go beyond schoolwork.  Let's face it, as a parent, I know they'll game anyway, so why not have a machine that can handle it? 

Our test unit sported a powerful 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1240P CPU, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 8GB of RAM, and a speedy 256GB SSD. The show's real star, though, is the massive 16-inch QHD (2560 x 1600) 16:10 aspect ratio display with a buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Schoolwork or gaming, this Chromebook can handle it all.

Read our Acer Chromebook 516 GE review

How to choose the best Chromebook for you

Finding the perfect Chromebook isn't a one-size-fits-all situation.  Students, businesses, and schools all have different needs.  For students who rely heavily on Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, prioritizing a Chromebook with a long-lasting battery and a comfortable keyboard becomes crucial. Businesses seeking Chromebooks for their employees should focus on models with strong performance and features that make managing them easier, ensuring a smooth workflow. 

If you're a school looking to equip students with Chromebooks, durability, affordability, and features that support a dynamic classroom environment should be top priorities.  This guide is just the starting point - keep reading for in-depth buying tips to find the perfect Chromebook for you.

How much does a Chromebook cost?

Luckily for you, Chromebooks are known for being budget-friendly. There are some premium models out there such as the Google Pixelbook Go that command higher prices due to their long battery life and thin-bezel display. But for the most part, you can find a high-quality for under $500, such as the Dell Chromebook 3189. 

You can also snag a 2-in-1 Chromebook, which is a laptop with Chrome OS that can shape-shift into different modes, including tablet mode, such as the HP Chromebook x360 12b for under $400. A Windows 2-in-1 laptop could be double or triple that price.

Are Chromebooks portable?

When it comes to portability, we need to take a look at screen size and weight. Most fall between 11 and 13 inches, so hauling them around school or the office will be a breeze. 

How well does a Chromebook perform?

Most of the time, these are lightweight devices; Chrome OS sticks to the basics of providing your favorite Google productivity apps with a few extras (unlike Windows operating systems that can be bloatware hell). If you need additional apps, you can download them from the Google Play store. Because many applications on Chrome OS operate using the cloud, this means more free space for your laptop and speedier performance. 

Do Chromebooks have good battery life?

Chromebooks are known for their impressive battery life. Our in-house Laptop Mag Battery Test shows that Chromebooks can last an average of 10 hours on a single charge. This means you can comfortably power through a workday or school day without needing to scramble for an outlet – perfect for those long stretches in class or meetings. 

Are Chromebooks secure?

Chromebooks are a perfect fit for businesses and institutions prioritizing security. Their inherent design makes them highly resistant to malware, offering built-in protection for your employees and students. Some Chromebooks go the extra mile with biometric authentication features like fingerprint scanners, adding another layer of security for sensitive data.

How we test the best Chromebooks

Forget babying your Chromebook! Here at Laptop Mag, we put them through the ringer with our own custom Chromebook drop test. We know students and busy bees juggle these laptops everywhere, so durability is key. But toughness isn't all we check. We also delve into performance, battery life, multitasking power, and more.

Think of us as your Chromebook gym teachers – we push them to their limits! We use industry-standard benchmarks like Geekbench, but our real passion is real-world testing. Our Laptop Mag Battery Test simulates web browsing until the Chromebook cries uncle, while Geekbench helps us gauge processing muscle. We even have fancy colorimeters to measure screen quality and other tools to assess key travel and heat management. Want a deeper dive? Check out our "How We Test Laptops" page for all the nitty-gritty details.

Why Trust Laptop Mag

Laptop Mag reviews over one hundred different laptops every year, from paperweight ultralights to everyday workhorses to lumbering gaming notebooks that scorch the frame rates of even the hottest AAA games. We're not just experts in the laptop field, as we go one step further by meticulously testing smartphones, tablets, headphones, PC accessories, software, and even the latest in gaming. 

We are 100% independent and have decades of experience to help you buy with confidence. In fact, Laptop Mag has been testing and reviewing products for three decades, and we continue to deliver trustworthy reviews you can rely on. 

Our experienced team of writers and editors scour the available information about the laptop and put it through its paces to determine which is best for you. But before they start, the testing team subjects each system to a rigorous regimen of synthetic and real-world tests to see how a system handles the type of work and games you’re most likely to throw at it. 

Our editorial trustworthiness is enforced by one of the world's largest technology publishers, Future Publishing. As a company, we have unrivaled experience across every tech sector — and we're the group's specialist for all things mobile tech. 

See our Chromebook Buying Guide and our Windows 10 vs Chromebook or iPad vs. Chromebook face-off to learn more about them. And check out our best laptops deals page to make sure you get the best price before you buy.