The 7 Best Chromebooks That Offer An Incredible Value

Lenovo's new Flex 5i ticks all the boxes that a midrange Chromebook should, including a durable build quality, a backlit keyboard that's comfortable to type on, and a wide port selection. This laptop has that and then some.

The Flex 5i features a microSD reader — a rarity on most Chromebooks these days, a single USB-C port on each of its sides, and an older style USB-A port (which will come in handy for your giftee's accessories.) It offers users 8GB of RAM, which is plenty for multitasking between apps and running a plethora of Chrome tabs. It also uses the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard for the fastest download speeds.

The laptop is powered by Intel's 11th Generation Core i3 processor — which you can guarantee will be supported for many years to come. The laptop has a touchscreen 1080p display with a 360-degree hinge, so you can use it like a tablet. And since it has upward-facing speakers, it's perfect for firing up Netflix — after work is done, of course!

Related: If You're Shopping for Something Smaller, Check Out Our Mini Laptop Reviews

The Acer Chromebook Flip CX5 is an outstanding Chromebook to give to high schoolers or younger college students thanks to its small size and powerful processor. It is equipped with a sharp, but spacious display, a comfortable spill-resistant keyboard, and a responsive trackpad. It packs a long-lasting battery that will keep a charge throughout the school day and works well as both an entertainment and a productivity machine.

This laptop is powered by Intel’s Core i3 processor and it has 8GB of RAM, which is twice as much memory as competing options, so it runs multiple apps or juggles several tabs simultaneously without issue. Besides that, it has 128GB of storage space, which should be more than enough for most users. I appreciate that it has a full-sized HDMI port on board for connecting it to a monitor.

The laptop weighs just over 4 pounds, which may be a bit heavy for flipping its screen around magazine-style to read from and hold one-handed. Regardless it has all the features and performance that users want in a Chromebook.

The affordably priced Lenovo convertible Chromebook is a good pick for shoppers on a budget hoping to gift a Chromebook to a child. It has a lightweight body (just under 3 pounds), a comfortable full-sized keyboard, and promises up to 10 hours of battery life.

The notebook's processor isn't the fastest around, but it's more than sufficient for basic tasks like basic browsing and video watching. Plus, the Flex 5i is equipped with two types of USB ports, including USB-C 3.1 and USB-A 3.1 ports which will come in handy for attaching flash drives, cameras, and other accessories.

The 13-inch touch display features a 360-degree hinge which allows you to lay it flat on a table to share content with friends or classmates, and stand it up like a tent. The laptop packs a 720p HD webcam for video chats (with a privacy shutter) and a microSD card slot to expand its storage. We recommend opting for the 128GB so your giftee will have plenty of space for their apps, media, and documents.

The Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga is a sleek, more modern-looking laptop that’s geared toward professionals rather than a younger audience. The C13 Yoga is available in multiple configurations that span from $300 all the way up to $700 — the differences being the processor and amount of storage space.

All models sport a versatile two-in-one design and come with a built-in stylus. The laptops also feature Lenovo’s signature red TrackPoint mouse nub for navigation.

I'm especially impressed with the ThinkPad’s port selection. You get two USB-C, two USB-A, a microSD card reader, a headphone jack, and HDMI out. It’s worth mentioning that battery life is subpar on this Chromebook — you can expect just over 6 hours.

Lastly, although it doesn’t have an IP rating, Lenovo says the laptop has been designed to withstand bumps, drops, shocks, scrapes, dust, and spills.

This 2-in-1 hybrid laptop sports an attractive and portable design. It's equipped with a more powerful processor than the similar Lenovo Chromebook C330, weighs only 3 pounds, and is less than an inch thick.

This best selling Chromebook features an 11.6-inch display that's large enough to watch movies and shows, but it's not as bright as the competition. You can use this versatile Chromebook in several different orientations: It can be displayed like a traditional laptop or touchscreen tablet, rotated for showing presentations, or propped up like a tent (pictured). I appreciate the fact that it’s made with Corning Gorilla Glass, which is super durable and doesn't scratch as easily.

Despite being a budget laptop, Acer outfitted the Spin 311 with two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and a MicroSD slot for additional storage (the base configuration only comes with 32GB of storage). The computer has an impressive 10-hour battery life, making it a great option for those constantly on the go.

The Chromebook Duet is the best cheap Chromebook that you can buy. This 2-in-1 computer has a water-resistant detachable keyboard, meaning you can use it as a tablet or a laptop. It sports a unique adjustable back cover that protects it from drops and even features a kickstand, which makes it easy to prop the Duet up to watch YouTube or have video calls.

During my time testing the original Chromebook Duet, I found its 10.1-inch touchscreen to be sharp and bright. The newer Duet 3's display is one inch larger. Lenovo says it's brighter, too. Since it has a higher resolution, you can expect images and videos to appear more detailed, as well.

The Duet 3 packs a similar processor, the same amount of RAM, and similar battery life as the ASUS Chromebook Detachable CM3, but it's oftentimes much cheaper and packs twice as much storage. The Duet offers 12 hours of battery life, so you can be confident it'll last you the entire work- or school day. Overall, it's a reliable and reasonably-priced Chromebook that's incredibly versatile.

If you're looking for a bit more power, consider Lenovo's Chromebook Duet 5, which packs a more powerful processor, twice as much RAM, and a larger 13.3-inch OLED display.

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is an affordable update to the previous model, which was priced at an incredibly steep $1,000. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 brings significantly better battery life, a slim design, and the same 2-in-1 functionality as its predecessor but for a lower price point.

Its entry-level configuration packs the Intel Celeron 5205U processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. I recommend spending a little extra for the mid-tier model, which has the more powerful specs for juggling multiple apps simultaneously, taking video calls, playing games, or editing photos.

Like the Google Pixelbook Go, the laptop only has two USB-C ports and a headphone jack. It also is equipped with a microSD card slot, which will come in handy for expanding its storage space. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 comes in a bright “fiesta red” finish that is sure to turn heads, but it’s also available in a more muted gray if that’s more of you or your loved one's vibe.