Notebookcheck's Top 10 Chromebooks

HP charges quite a sum for its Chromebook x360 14 G1, but the American company also offers quite a bit in return: Extremely long battery runtimes, for instance, or a 1080p screen. The x360 in the title already suggests that we are dealing with a convertible, which means you can also use the touchscreen for inputs. This is particularly good for Android apps. The CPU is very powerful and you can attach an external screen via USB-C.

So why is the HP Chromebook x360 14 G1 still no contender for the top spot in this ranking? The first problem is the limited storage, which is not unusual for Chromebooks, but it is still a limiting factor. The device is also equipped with comparatively slow eMMC flash storage. We do not like the dim and low-contrast screen very much, either.

Maybe the entry-level model with a 300 Euros discount is more attractive? It is not as powerful, but the performance is still sufficient for a Chromebook.

Lenovo's Yoga Chromebook C630 is another expensive device with ChromeOS. Unfortunately, the concept does not really work for a Chromebook: For starters, the 15.6-inch device is just not as portable as other Chromebooks and there are also limitations for the battery runtime. The display is not bright enough and it consumes quite a lot of power.

There are also good things about the Yoga Chromebook C630 like the 4K screen and a very generous RAM equipment. However, both the screen resolution as well as the performance of the device is a bit too much for ChromeOS right now and do not offer any advantages over less expensive models.

Lenovo's Chromebook does not stand out enough and we cannot recommend it without any reservations. It is only worth a look if you want the high performance and can live with the heavy and bulky chassis.

The Lenovo Chromebook C330 is made of plastic, but it still looks pretty damn good. And we do not only like the design: It convinces with a MediaTek-SoC, which increases compatibility with Android apps, the fanless design, the good screen with a matte surface, and the decent performance. The battery runtime is a bit shorter compared to the rivals, but 11:38 hours in our Wi-Fi test should still be more than sufficient for the majority of users.

You get a great Chromebook for about 300 Euros, even though it is not easy to get everywhere in Europe.

At around 350 Euros the HP Chromebook 14 G5 is a typical affordable Chromebook for home office or school use, and definitely not a high-quality contender. Nevertheless, it does offer a lot for its low price, among others a FHD display, fast Wi-Fi, great battery life, and, to top it all off, complete silence.

Thanks to very narrow display bezels Asus Chromebook Flip manages to house a 14-inch display inside what would normally be considered a 13.3-inch convertible. Granted, the display was somewhat dim, but it offered a native FHD resolution and decent viewing angles in return. On top of the fairly good looking slim metal case you also get great battery life, a keyboard backlight, and USB-C with Power Delivery.

The Acer Chromebook R 11 is the smaller version of Acer's convertible Chromebook. You do not get a 1080p screen, but this is still okay considering the panel size. A touchscreen is included and you can enjoy all the other advantages of the convertible. The system is completely silent and is equipped with a fast WLAN module.

The screen is a bit dark and there is no USB Type-C. Otherwise, the Acer Chromebook R 11 for 350 Euros is a decent machine for typing, web browsing and it supports the Google Play Store.

Are you sick of conventional black cases? Then take a look a the Lenovo Chromebook S340 and its unique dark wine-red case. The 14-inch Chromebook offers decent battery life, a FHD display, and a slow yet arguably decently fast enough Celeron N4000 processor that should suffice for simple and less demanding applications. The device remained cool and quiet at all times.

Chromebooks have a bigger focus on the education sector, just like the small convertible Dell Chromebook 11 3181 2-in-1. It offers some qualities for classrooms like good keyboard, silent operation, long battery runtime, and a decent screen.

Disadvantages include the slow SD card reader, the mediocre speakers, and the limited maintenance options. The design is a matter of taste as well, but the chassis is very sturdy in return and should not have problems with tougher handling.

400 Euros are not necessarily cheap for a Chromebook. However, what once used to be the cheap low-end segment of the laptop market has broadened significantly to encompass increasingly more high-quality devices for more demanding users.

Acer’s entry-level Chromebook 314 costs around 300 Euros. For that, you get modern USB-C connectivity as well as acceptable performance.