Buying a quality Chromebook can be difficult, especially if you’re shopping for a more affordable option that still performs well and offers some enticing features. While Chromebooks have come a long way since their inception — with many now sporting much better specs, high-end displays, added security features, and LTE connectivity — there are still plenty of duds out there to avoid.
The best Chromebooks available today vary quite a bit in price, but the sweet spot seems to be around the $300 to $350 mark if you’re looking to get the best value possible. Thankfully, there are even Chromebooks more affordable than that, which we’ve also included in this roundup to be sure we hit all budgets out there.
Lenovo’s Chromebook Flex 5i is the perfect option for those who need to get down to business with some extra performance potential. Despite its attractive pricing, it features an 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 CPU, 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM, and a 128GB M.2 PCIe SSD. Altogether, this hardware will crush productivity even if you’re multitasking and connecting multiple monitors. It also has a sizable 51Wh battery that Lenovo claims can last up to 10 hours on a charge.
This is a convertible laptop, meaning you can rotate the display around 360 degrees for tent, stand, and tablet modes. The screen has a 1920×1080 (FHD) resolution, which looks quite crisp at 13.3 inches, and the touch functionality makes it a breeze to use in other modes besides a standard notebook. Dual 2W speakers flank the keyboard and pump out solid audio, and the front-facing 720p webcam even has a shutter for added privacy.
This budget option cuts fewer corners than many other Chromebooks rounded up here, and anyone who wants something with a ton of great features will not be disappointed. It’s lightweight, built well, and might be your next Chromebook once you see the competitive pricing.
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Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5i
Acer’s Chromebook 311 isn’t as flashy as some of the other options in this budget roundup, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth checking out by those who want to spend as little as possible. This 11.6-inch Chromebook is extremely portable thanks to a thin and light chassis, yet it holds onto USB-C, USB-A, and 3.5mm audio ports. There’s even a lock slot if you’d like to attach the laptop to a desk in the office.
The 11.6-inch display has a 1366×768 resolution, which actually looks fairly clean at this size. There’s not much room for multitasking, but it looks good when browsing the web or streaming media. The laptop is powered by a MediaTek MT8183C CPU with eight cores, accompanied by 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. This isn’t considered a heavy-hitting combination of performance hardware, but it’ll get your productivity work done without issue. Acer claims about 15 hours of battery life from a charge; even if you hit half of that, you’re still almost all the way through a workday. And if you need to have a video conference, a 720p webcam with HDR support is standing by.
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Chromebooks come in all shapes and sizes, but perhaps the most versatile is the detachable 2-in-1. Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet 3 is such a device, centered around an 11-inch tablet with a 2000×1200 (2K) resolution touch display. Its 400 nits brightness, anti-fingerprint finish, and TÜV Low Blue Light certification make it very easy to look at all day, whether you’re using it as a tablet or as a notebook with the keyboard and touchpad attached. It even supports inking with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. A built-in stand on the back can fold out to prop up the display, also turning it into a notebook when the keyboard is included. In our Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 review, Gadgets Editor Taylor Kerns remarks that it’s a “tremendous value” thanks to its versatility and asking price.
Performance won’t be quite as rock-solid as other top options in this roundup, but the Snapdragon 7c (Gen 2) will still put up a strong fight against your daily workload. There’s a decent amount of storage space available on the 128GB eMMC chip, and up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM will help with multitasking. This is a super nimble laptop that truly lives up to the 2-in-1 naming, and it’s a perfect low-cost option for those who like to split time between a tablet and a notebook.
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Those often on the road, out of the home or office, might want a Chromebook that can stay connected to the web everywhere with 4G LTE. Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Go, one of our picks for the overall best Samsung Chromebooks, is a relatively affordable option with the coveted mobile broadband compatibility. And even if you don’t want the LTE coverage (available through major providers like Verizon and T-Mobile), there is a model with only Wi-Fi 6 available.
Either way, the Galaxy Chromebook Go is a lightweight and nimble laptop with a 14-inch HD display, Intel Celeron N4500 CPU, 4GB of LPDDR4x RAM, and 32GB of eMMC storage. This set of hardware isn’t going to set any speed records, but this laptop is best employed as a mobile companion to have when your phone just won’t do. Word processing, email, and web browsing are all a breeze, and solid battery life keeps you going for hours on end. This well-made Chromebook is ideal for those who are always on the move.
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Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go
Many Chromebooks focus on portability with a compact build and smaller display, but not the Acer Chromebook 317. This pick for oversized laptop has a 17.3-inch IPS display with a 1920×1080 (FHD) resolution, providing you with a ton of screen real estate to better handle multitasking. It also looks great while watching TV and movies. The larger chassis provides space along either side of the keyboard for speakers; they remain unmuffled even with the Chromebook in your lap. Port selection is fairly generous despite not having native video out, though the dual USB-C ports can be used for this purpose. It has two USB-A, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack.
The Intel Celeron N4500 CPU won’t match up to the more powerful Intel Core chips in some of the other laptops, but it will still easily handle productivity work. You also have to keep the very affordable price in mind when looking at the specs. The 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC aren’t bad when the laptop is commonly listed at around $200. If you’d like to go all-out with a massive display and want something more affordable, this should be a great pickup.
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The HP Chromebook 14 is a great middle-ground option for those who don’t want something too small or too large, and its sub-$300 regular price isn’t bad either. Its sleek design with a silver finish is offset nicely by the Jet Black keyboard, which provides comfy typing. Below is a relatively large touchpad with accurate tracking, and flanking the keys are dual B&O speakers that provide unmuffled sound even if the Chromebook is sitting in your lap.
The 14-inch display’s 1366×768 (HD) resolution won’t look as crisp as 1080p, but this is still more than enough for younger children and students to handle productivity work. The same goes for the Celeron N4500 processor, 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and 32GB of eMMC storage, which will put up a strong fight against word processing, streaming, email, and other regular tasks. Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5 are on board to handle wireless connectivity, and a 720p webcam is installed above the display for video conferencing.
The laptop is powered by a sizeable 47Wh battery that HP says can run for up to 11 hours. That number will no doubt come down with regular use, but you should still expect hours of life on a charge. Ports include USB-A, two USB-C (with one used for charging), a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack.
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The Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3i is sort of like a smaller sibling to the awesome Flex 5i, coming in with a compact 11.6-inch display with 1366×768 (HD) resolution and a versatile convertible build. The screen’s HD resolution looks much clearer at this size, and the touch functionality works well in tablet or notebook modes. Dual 2W speakers live on the bottom of the laptop, and there’s a 720p webcam above the display for easy video conferencing.
Port selection is generous with two USB-A, two USB-C, a 3.5mm audio combo jack, and a microSD card reader. It even has a Kensington lock slot if you work in a busy office and want to secure your laptop. Performance hardware includes an Intel Celeron N4020 CPU, 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and 64GB of eMMC storage. It’s powered by a 42Wh battery that Lenovo claims can go for 10 hours on a charge (though real-world numbers will be lower). Those shopping for a super affordable and compact convertible Chromebook should definitely give this one a second look.
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Lenovo Chromebook Flex 3i
HP’s Chromebook 11a is available at a great price, and frequent sales at HP’s official website bring it down to an even more reasonable ballpark. You can often find models for around $160, with 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 32GB of eMMC storage to go along with the MediaTek MT8183 processor. This is enough to handle general productivity work, homework, browsing, and streaming. In addition, the battery lasts longer with this performance hardware; you can regularly expect about 15 hours of life from a charge. Not bad at all.
The convertible design is compact and versatile, making it a great pick for younger students or users with small hands. It’s a fairly straightforward design, so fewer things will break when handing it over to a young user. In other features, the screen has an anti-glare finish to help work in well-lit spaces, you get stereo speakers and a 720p webcam, and the keyboard is quite good. Just keep in mind that the 11.6-inch size makes for a slightly cramped feel if you’re used to a full-sized keyboard deck.
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The best cheap Chromebook for you
Any of the above Chromebooks will deliver a smooth Chrome OS experience on the cheap, and you can expect to pay somewhere around $300 or less for most. Some have a higher starting price but are often seen on sale with a deep discount, which we’ve noted.
Lenovo’s ThinkPad C14 Chromebook was a previous premium pick, but its poor availability as stock is cleared out has bumped it out of the running. Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet 3 is another great premium pick, though it’s not geared toward business like the ThinkPad. The Duet 3 is a gorgeous 2-in-1 device that’s as comfortable acting as a tablet as a notebook laptop. It has a high-res 2000×1200 touch display, Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 CPU for snappy performance, 128GB of eMMC storage, and up to 8GB of RAM.
If you are looking for something that will land you the most for your dollar, the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 is a top pick. We reviewed a similar Spin 311 model and were very impressed with the battery life, compact design and build quality, and comfortable keyboard. Considering it costs less than most of the other picks in this roundup, you can be sure you’re not overspending.
Our top pick, however, is the Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5i. It’s well within the budget range yet offers up a speedy 128GB M.2 PCIe SSD, 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM, 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 CPU, and a 13.3-inch FHD touch display. Our Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5i review noted that its snappy performance, solid battery life, and tactile keyboard would appeal to plenty of people looking for a more rounded Chromebook with fewer blind spots. Its convertible build makes it more versatile than a clamshell; its build quality is excellent, and it doesn’t cost nearly as much as you might think. It’s also one of our top picks for the best Chromebooks for students.
If you decide to pick up a new Chromebook, you might want one of the best Chromebook chargers, too. They’re generally more compact, can charge more devices, and will let the charger that comes with your new laptop serve as a backup.
Conclusion on Best cheap Chromebook for every budget in 2023
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