The top ChromeOS laptops we have tested

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) is everything a Chromebook should be – simple, portable and fast. It’s not the cheapest ChromeOS device around but, if you splash the cash, you won’t be disappointed.

This isn’t the most refined and eye-catching laptop but its focus is getting the job done. For productivity, the Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) destroys whatever you’ll throw at it, with the 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U and 8GB RAM combination proving more than you need, frankly. You can go wild with many Chrome tabs with this machine and do plenty of multi-tasking too.

You may only get a Full HD panel but it offers generous colour and the 14-inch display is surrounded by supremely thin bezels. Getting your words onto this screen is joyous too, with a keyboard that offers a surprising amount of tactility and good travel.

The complete package is a great showcase for the simplicity that a Chromebook can offer, from the thin-and-light design to no-nonsense performance.

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full review: Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) review

The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 launched as part of the first wave of Google’s new initiative, Chromebook Plus. The scheme offers a new standard for Chromebooks, bringing solid productivity chops to budget ChromeOS devices and beyond as well as offering some dedicated features. The Chromebook Plus CX34 demonstrates that it’s a rather good idea.

Whether it’s a ChromeOS machine or a Windows device, it can be hard to sort the wheat from the chaff when it comes to budget laptops. Chromebook Plus fixes this by requiring its devices to offer minimum specifications, including a Full HD IPS display, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, 1080p webcam and a modern processor. Smartly, Asus doesn’t try to be too clever by going much beyond these minimum requirements, simply opting to boost the storage to 256GB SSD, allowing it to keep the price low at just over £400/$400.

Some may fret that just a 12th Gen Intel Core i3 chip may not be enough for them but, given the lightweight nature of ChromeOS, a solid 8GB RAM and notions of simply providing enough juice for productivity users, content-watchers and web-browsers, it positively nails it. Our review declared this Chromebook Plus CX34 offered strong all-round performance and had breathing space for a good amount of multi-tasking. It’s ideal for students and remote works on a budget too, with that solid 1080p webcam on board.

Despite the low price, the Chromebook Plus moniker brings some added software luxury to the CX34. The webcam gets boosted by AI video calling features, such as helping with dodgy lighting and pesky background noise. The features aren’t just limited to Google Meet either, they’ll work across Microsoft Teams, Zoom and more. The CX34 is even capable of running Adobe Photoshop for the web, giving the traditionally productivity-focused ChromeOS a creative boost. Speaking of photos, the Magic Eraser has made its way over from Google Pixel phones to Chromebook Plus and it’s ideal for fixing any errant figures on your treasured photos.

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full review: Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 review

Would you turn your nose up at the idea of a near-$1000 Chromebook? Well, the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook (2023) may not be for you but, if you have considered a high-end ChromeOS device then this excellent machine could sway you.

We must note that this laptop isn’t available in the UK just yet, but it is widely available in the US. If you are able to get your hands on it however then you’ll find one of the most interesting laptops of recent years. It’s a rare high-end Chromebook that feels like it earns its price, in the same way the Google Pixelbook Go did several years ago.

Despite sporting a 12th Gen Intel chip, rather than the latest 13th Gen, performance is impressive as it fulfils all the key productivity requirements a ChromeOS device could ask for. The productivity sell is rounded out with a joyous keyboard that has some pleasing RGB lighting playfully bundled in.

The 14-inch panel gets wonderfully bright and the QHD+ resolution offers more than enough detail. With a 16:10 ratio, it’s another win for productivity too with plenty of space for multiple windows and apps. The superb screen is matched by surprisingly good speakers for such a slim machine, with some delightful detail to boot.

You’ll be perfectly fine slinging this laptop around in your work bag too as it offers robust build quality and even looks the part, with a stylish matte off-white colour offered.

Reviewer: Chris Smith
Full review: HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook (2023) review

Best large-screen Chromebook

Looking for a reasonably priced productivity machine with a big screen to help you truly get the job done? The Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Chromebook is well worth your consideration.

Despite its low price, the IdeaPad 5i Chromebook doesn’t shirk a bit of style. The two-tone grey design puts this above some rival Chromebooks that opt for an extremely basic look, giving this machine a business vibe. Owing to its larger screen, this ChromeOS device does have to don a bit of extra weight at 1.85kg but rather thin bezels do help to ease the blow to design elsewhere.

The same bang-for-your-buck nature of this machine extends to the keyboard and trackpad too. The keys are extremely comfortable all across this full-size offering and there’s a large trackpad with a pleasing click. The display itself comes with a 16:10 aspect ratio for further enhancing the multitasking productivity chops that the large FHD+ 16-inch panel already offers. It’s not stunningly accurate or colourful, but that’s not the end of the world for a cheap device that’s focused on getting work done.

The specs sheet may not blow you away, with a 12th Gen Intel Core i3 chip onboard but, due to 8GB RAM and the lightweight nature of ChromeOS, it works out to be more than enough for speedy browsing, word processing and multitasking.

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full review: Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Chromebook review

Even though it may feel like it, not every laptop out there costs the earth. If you’re looking for a Chromebook that won’t break your bank account then you will want to take a look at the 4.5-star HP Chromebook x2 11, which has a very reasonable $599/£499.99 starting price.

The Chromebook x2 11 is a two-in-one device, so it can be used as both a tablet and a laptop. Unlike most traditional two-in-one devices, the Chromebook x2 11 is a tablet that comes with two detachable accessories – a keyboard and a back cover – allowing it to be used as a proper tablet. The keyboard offers solid travel and a decent level of tactility while the trackpad has more than enough real estate for the price.

The 11-inch display comes with a Quad HD (1440p) resolution and a quoted brightness of 400 nits; our reviewer found that the display offered excellent detail with generally vibrant images and solid colours. The integrated Bang & Olufsen speakers pumped out plenty of volume, although we did note that they can sound a little thin on occasion.

HP opted to kit out the Chromebook x2 11 with a Snapdragon 7c chipset. It provided enough power for day-to-day tasks and didn’t falter with multiple Chrome tabs open. It also managed to stay cool and quiet during our review period, making it a reliable option for anyone who conducts their work in either word processors or web browser-based applications. If you’re in need of a Chromebook that is capable of more intensive workloads, then you will want to take a gander at the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) or Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook.

Overall, anyone who’s on the lookout for an affordable ChromeOS device should look no further than the HP Chromebook x2 11. Its versatile design combined with its dependable performance make it an easy choice for students and hybrid workers alike, and it’s one of the few budget Chromebooks out there that isn’t let down by its 2-in-1 design.

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full Review: HP Chromebook x2 11

Gaming Chromebooks aimed to sell the laptop world on Google’s Stadia game streaming platform. But, the closure of Stadia stopped that dead in its tracks. Nevertheless, the devices were ready to go, instead relying on Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming. The pick of the bunch is the Asus Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip.

The notion of a gaming Chromebook, when ChromeOS devices are far from being able to play AAA games natively, is an odd one. But, putting aside native gaming, aiming for gaming-friendly specs means this Chromebook is simply successful at being a good high-end Chromebook. This aim gives the device its best features, that being a bright FHD+ 144Hz display, excellent keyboard, stand-out design and powerful processor. All these things are far from a given on the majority of Chromebooks.

But, its bread and butter remains game streaming, and it excels in that department. The 144Hz display means you can experience high-end gaming visuals without having expensive hardware to back it up, afforded to you by those Nvidia and Xbox streaming services. Having Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 helps to make sure your experience runs as smoothly as possible, across online connectivity and connecting your peripherals. However, you’ll still have to have decent internet speeds and Wi-Fi connectivity in your home or out and about for it to work seamlessly.

Reviewer: Callum Bains
Full review: Asus Chromebook Vibe CX34 Flip review

The Google Pixelbook Go is a brilliantly designed laptop with a minimalistic, matte black frame. Tipping the scales at just over a kilogram in weight also means we found it to be a great option for those wanting something wonderfully portable.

The mid-tier model, complete with an eighth-gen Intel Core i5 processor and 128GB, offers speedy performance for ChromeOS, but it’s really the software that restricts the Pixelbook Go. Google’s own premium Chromebook occupies an odd position where it’s a premium laptop on the outside with a less powerful OS on the inside, and splashing out on a high-class laptop for simple tasks seems like a backwards purchase.

A 4K model is available if you’re willing to spend four figures on a Chromebook, but our sample’s 1080p panel is perfectly functional with crisp colours and touch input. It’s serviceable for day-to-day usage, but if having a top display on a Chromebook is a top priority, then the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook with its 4K OLED panel may be a better bet.

We found the Pixelbook Go’s battery life to be stellar too, with it offering a good amount of endurance. During testing, we found it lasted for nearly 12 hours before conking out in our battery loop test, and lasted for a working day comfortably with around 20% juice to spare.

The Google Pixelbook Go hits the sweet spot between performance and price, making it a great alternative to more expensive laptops for those who only need a machine for web browsing, video streaming and word processing.

Reviewer: Max Parker
Full review: Google Pixelbook Go review

The Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is a solid Chromebook with a gorgeous, durable design and an environmentally-friendly chassis.

The Vero 514 has a speckled grey chassis composed of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics that makes it stand out from the crowd. The trackpad includes recycled ocean-bound plastic, while PCR plastic can be found in 30% of the chassis/screen bezel and 50% of the keycaps and speakers. Of course, the packaging is eco-friendly too, consisting of recycled paper, cardboard and other natural fibres.

The 14-inch IPS touchscreen delivers solid detail and brightness with decent colours that pop when watching content.

The keyboard is compact with a 65% layout and offers good tactility and travel. The legends are also clearly visible in all lights, while the backlighting makes it possible to work after dark. The trackpad meanwhile is a good size, leaving plenty of space for functions, though the Gorilla Glass can feel a bit too smooth at times.

Performance-wise, the Vero 514 offers excellent power for a Chromebook with a good quantity of RAM and storage. This allows the laptop to feel especially nippy for the light computing tasks that ChromeOS is designed to handle.

The Chromebook’s Geekbench 5 scores even outperformed one of our favourite similarly-priced Windows laptops, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2.

Finally, the Acer Chromebook Vero 514 has an all-day battery life that managed to last 11 hours and 28 minutes in our testing. This was with the keyboard backlighting switched off and the brightness halved.

If you’re after a powerful Chromebook with an eco-friendly build, the Vero 514 offers snappy performance for day-to-day tasks.

Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full Review: Acer Chromebook Vero 514