If you want a fast, low-maintenance machine that mostly lives in the browser, few options are as compelling as a Chromebook.
Chromebooks don’t try to do everything, which is exactly why they’re so appealing. For this roundup, we focused on models that stay fast under real use and makes it through a full day unplugged. Every pick here was tested hands-on.
If you’d rather step outside Google’s ecosystem, PCWorld has a separate roundup of the best Windows laptops. And if you’re curious where Chromebooks are headed next, check out this deep dive into the new AI-powered Googlebooks.
Why you should trust us: It’s in our name! PCWorld prides itself on laptop experience and expertise. We’ve been covering PCs since 1983, and we now review more than 70 laptops every year. All of the picks below have been personally tested and vetted by our experts, who’ve applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards. We’re also committed to reviewing PC laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget.
If you want a Chromebook that can do it all, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is it. The Intel Core i5 keeps everything running smooth–streaming, school work, or juggling a bunch of tabs. And the ports? You’ve got USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, and a headphone jack, which means you can kiss the dongle life goodbye.
It’s not all sunshine, though. The 16:9 screen can feel cramped if you’re used to roomier displays, and while 13 hours of battery life sounds nice on paper, others last longer. Not a deal breaker, but if screen space or all-day power is at the top of your list, you might want to look elsewhere.
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Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 review
Need a reliable laptop for under $200? The CX15 is totally worth a look because it’s great for anyone that mostly browses the web and watches YouTube videos. The spacious 15.6-inch 1080p display and roomy keyboard also make it feel more premium than you’d expect at this price point. For daily tasks, it really gets the job done–you can’t say that about too many machines in this range.
You’re not going to get blazing-fast performance here and that’s entirely okay. The Intel Celeron N4500 processor offers enough pep to get you through lighter workloads, but you may see some lag with heavier multitasking. Battery life is pretty darn good at around 10 hours, though we’ve seen other Chromebooks that last longer.
Still, for what you pay, the CX15 is a surprising little machine.
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Asus Chromebook CX15 review
If you’ve been looking for a high-end Chromebook, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is totally worth your consideration—it’s a big step up from the usual budget fare. It’s got a 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED touchscreen and the colors really pop. The model we tested came loaded with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS storage, so it handles a ton of tabs, Docs, YouTube, whatever you throw at it. And the MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 chip (plus a tiny Neural Processing Unit) makes everything feel snappy.
The 2.78-pound aluminum chassis is also super light to carry around, and the battery will last you about 19 hours as long as you’re conservative with the brightness level.
The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is almost the complete package, but we did have a couple of minor nitpicks. The function keys are really small and they pick up fingerprints like nobody’s business. But, again, those are tiny complaints. If you want a Chromebook that looks and feels nicer than the budget crowd, this is the one to pick.
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Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 review
