Whether you are shopping for a budget -friendly laptop for school or a smooth machine for everyday productivity, the best Chromebooks can offer amazing functionality for the price. Chromebooks have traveled a long way as web-cavalry equipment from their early days. Now, many chrombook models have powerful processors, premium displays and even touchscreen support, which makes them a compelling option for a regular laptop for a lot of users.
From light chlamshell to high-end, 2-in-1 design, which are more options than ever, which can easily replace your daily driver. Whether you are a new Chromebook to stay on top of streaming, work or email, there is a model that fit both your budget and your workflow. We have tested the top chromebooks on the market to help you find right-you are after the maximum value or top-level performance.
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Best Chromebooks in 2025
The best chromebooks often asked
What is Chrome OS, and why would I use it on Windows?
This is probably the number one question about Chromebooks. There are many cheap Windows laptops on the market, so why are you upset with Chrome’s operating system? Glad you asked. For me, the simple and clean nature of Chrome OS is a large sales point. Chrome OS is based on Google’s Chrome browser, which means most of the programs you can run are web -based. There are no blotware or unwanted apps such as you often receive on Windows laptops, it is booted in seconds, and you can resat almost quickly in factory settings.
Of course, simplicity will also be a major drawback for some users. If you are a video editor or software developer then not being able to install native software can be a delivery. But there are many people who do most of their work in a web browser, using devices such as Google Docs and spreadsheets for productivity without the need for a full Windows setup.
Google and its software partners are getting better every year in supporting more advanced features. For example, google Video editing equipment added For Google Photo App on Chromebooks – it will not replace Adobe premiere, but it should be easy for many people. Similarly, Google and Adobe announced Photoshop on web Last year, something that brings the power of Adobe’s desktop apps to Chromebook.
Chromebooks can also run the Android app, which expands the amount of software available. Quality varies widely, but this means that you can just more with chrombook beyond the web-based app. For example, you can install the Netflix app and save videos to watch offline. Other android apps such as Microsoft Office and Adobe LightRom are surprisingly capable. Amidst a general improvement in Android apps and web apps, Chromebooks are more than only portals for a browser.
What do Chromebooks do well?
Simply put, web browsing and really anything web based. Online shopping, streaming music and videos and various social media sites are one of the most common daily tasks that people do on Chromebook. As you can expect, they also work well as Google services such as photos, doors, gmail, drive, funnel and so on. Yes, any computer that can run chrome can also do it, but the light nature of Google Chrome OS makes it a responsive and stable platform.
As I mentioned earlier, Chrome OS can run the Android app, so if you are an Android user you will find some good relationships between platforms. You can get most of the same apps that are on the chromebook on your phone and can keep information in the sink between them. You can use some Android phones as a safety key for your Chromebook or tight your 2 -in -1 laptop immediately to use mobile data.
Google continues safety as a major discrimination for Chromebooks, and is definitely a factor worth considering. The first lines of auto-update defense are: Download the Chrome OS update background quickly and a fast reboot takes all this to install the latest version. Google says that every webpage and app on Chromebook also run in its own sandbox, so any security threat is contained in that individual app. Finally, Chrome OS is called a self-check called a verified boot that moves every time a device starts. Beyond all this, the simple fact is that you can not usually install traditional apps on Chromebook, which means that there are less ways for bad actors to reach the system.
If you are interested in the Gemini AI tool of Google, a Chromebook is a good option. Each Chromebook in our top pics comes with a full year of Google One AI premium plan – it generally purchases Google One Perks such as 2TB storage and 10 percent back with a group of AI tools from Google Store. You will get Mithun’s access to Gmail, Google Docks and other apps, Mithun Advanced (which moves on 1.5 Pro models) and much more. Given that the scheme is $ 20/month, it is a very solid perc. The Chromebook Plus model also includes equipment like AI-Operated “Help Me Right”, Google Photo Magic Editor and Generative AI background that you can make by filling in some prompts.
To avoid chrombooks, the answer is simple: if you rely too much on a specific native app for Windows or Mac, there is a possibility that you will not find an accurate similar option on the Chromos device. This is the most true in areas such as photo and video editing, but it can also be a case in law or finance. A lot of businesses run on Google’s G suit software, but still have more specific requirements that cannot match the chrombook. If you are an iPhone user, you will recall in such a way that the iPhone is easily integrated with iPad or Mac. For me, the Big negative side is not able to reach the IMESSAGE on a Chromebook.
Finally, gaming chromebooks are not universal, although they are becoming a little more appropriate with the rise of cloud gaming. At the end of 2022, Google and some hardware partners announced a push to make chromebooks keeping in mind the cloud gaming. From the perspective of hardware, this means that large -screen laptops have a high refresh rate and at the same time those laptops are also adapted to work with services such as Nvidia Geforus Now, Xbox Game Pass and Amazon Luna. You will clearly require an internet connection to use these services, but the good news is that it is not impossible to play modern games on Chromebook. You can also install Android games from Google Play Store, but it’s not what most people are thinking when they want to do games on laptops.
What are the most important glasses for chrombooks?
Chrome OS is light and moves well on a fairly modest hardware, so the most important thing to see may not be a processor power or storage space. But Google made it easier to receive glasses and performance at the end of last year when it launched the Chromebook Plus initiative. Any device with Chromebook Plus designation meets some minimum requirements, which is very similar that I recommend most people to use every day if they are looking for the best laptop.
The Chromebook Plus model has at least 12th-Gi Intel Core i3 processor, or an AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series processor, which must be more than sufficient for most people. These laptops also have minimum 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD storage, which should be tricked until you are actually advancing your Chromebook. All Chromebook Plus models should have 1080p webcams, which are good in these days of continuous video calling, and all of them should also have at least 1080p FHD IPS screen.
Of course, you can get high glasses or better screen if you want, but I found that basically Chromebook Plus makes everything involved in the target glasses for very good experience.
Google has an auto update policy for Chromebooks, and while it is not a imagination at all, it is worth checking before purchasing. Last year, Google announced that Chromebooks would get software updates and support for 10 years of influential after their release date. This support page The auto update for almost every chromebook lists the expiration date, but a good rule of the thumb is that you can buy the newest machine to maximize your support.
How much should I spend on Chromebook?
Chromebooks started infamous, the list of list often falls under $ 300. But as they have moved into more mainstreams, they have essentially infected due to modern netbooks, some of which you want to use all day in the best laptops. For example, prices have increased: At this point, if you want a solid daily driver, you should expect to spend at least $ 400. There are still many Chromebooks that are available at low prices that may be suitable as secondary devices, but a good chrombook that can be an entire day, the cost of the laptop will be higher every day. ,
There are lots of premium chromebooks that claim to offer better performance and more processing power, but I do not recommend to spend so much. Generally, it will find you a better design with more premium content as well as more powerful internal and additional storage space, such as high-capacity SSD. Of course, you also pay for the brand name sometimes. But, the glasses I had underlined earlier are usually enough.
See also:
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Other chromebooks we tested
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus
Samsung’s new Galaxy Chromebook Plus is one of the most unique chromebooks out there. It is very thin and light, at 0.46 inches and 2.6 pounds, but it manages to include a 15.6 -inch display in that frame. This screen is a 1080p panel that is sharp and bright, but its 16: 9 -to -face ratio felt slightly tight when scrolling things vertically. The performance is very good, and the keyboard is solid, although I am not a fan of number pads because it moves everything to the left. It is not cheap at $ 700, but it seems appropriate given its size and capabilities. If you are looking for a large screen laptop that is also a super light, it consider Chromebook, even if it is not the best option for all.
This article originally appeared on Engadget
