If you need to use rendering software, want to dive into animation, or play the latest games, you're not going to be doing that on this. On the performance front, with hardware this powerful, you shouldn't be surprised that this device is a top-tier performer in its class, even blowing its far more expensive older sibling, the Dragonfly Elite Chromebook out of the water. So, if you’re looking for something with a terrific price-to-performance ratio, and you’re not into the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 OLED Chromebook’s detachable form factor, this is worth your while. Not to mention, your money.

In fact, when we tested it, its 13th-Gen Intel Core i5 and 8GB or RAM easily handled running 20 Chrome tabs, including three streaming ones, at once without any noticeable slowdown. Of course, that slightly more powerful hardware is also there to power the 1920 x 1200p touch display as well as its stunningly clear 1440p webcam. Before I joined the tech-journalism ranks, I wrote on topics as diverse as Borneo's rain forests, Middle Eastern airlines, and Big Data's role in presidential elections. A graduate of Middlebury College, I also have a master's degree in journalism and French Studies from New York University. Testing conducted by HP using Google Chrome OS power LoadTest. Battery life will vary and the maximum capacity of the battery will naturally decrease with time and usage. See http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/testing/power-testing for test details. Laptops manufactured with recycled metal material in product cover, post-consumer recycled plastic in keycaps and scissors, and ocean-bound plastic material in D cover, bezel and speaker enclosures. Placement and percentage of recycled material varies by product.

Desktop Deals

You need a device with decent CPU and storage performance: It would be a poor choice for anything more demanding. You need a lot of computing power: If you're planning to do any video editing or creative work, this is not the laptop for you. If you need a machine to run statistical programs or withstand some heavy-duty workloads, this isn't for you.

Testing Chromebooks isn’t too different from testing laptops and gaming laptops, though perhaps the paces are a little less intensive or game-heavy. Chromebooks run on Chrome OS, which is a web-based operating system very similar to Google Chrome, so if you’re familiar with Google Chrome, a Chromebook might be a good option for you. Traditional laptops typically run the Windows operating system, and Macbooks run macOS, and will usually be full of RAM to make sure the laptop runs without lag or performance issues - something Chromebooks don’t have to worry about. In terms of raw productivity, the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 was easily among the peppier Chromebooks we've seen. Not only did it match the much more expensive Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023) in all of our productivity tests, but it defeated the other affordable models by a big margin. But that margin of victory might not be as impressive when you consider that the new Acer Chromebook Plus 515 put up similar (and sometimes slightly better) performance numbers using the same hardware. The real takeaway here may be that the Chromebook Plus line is a huge positive change, in large part due to better processing and more mandated system RAM.You need good sound quality: The sound quality is pretty bad, especially at louder volumes, which means you need a gaming headset. It's only in processor-specific tasks—as measured in Geekbench and GFXBench, which test processing and graphics performance, respectively—that the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 fell noticeably behind the premium Acer Chromebook Spin 714. But even as the more-expensive Acer led by a large margin, the Asus CX34 still delivered a considerable lead over most affordable ChromeOS laptops, like the HP Chromebook x360 13b and the Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook. You want hardware that’s more seamless to use: The keyboard cover comes with an excellent keyboard, but the rest of it is a pain to use. A Chromebook is different from a laptop in a few key ways, but it’s important to note that Chromebooks are laptops, they just function differently. What you’re using a laptop for will ultimately determine whether or not you should invest in a Chromebook or something more powerful with better processors and graphics cards.

A low-end CPU like an Intel Celeron or Pentium or AMD A-Series will serve if all you do is browse with a tab or two open. Chromebooks based on Intel Core or AMD Ryzen processors will allow for more able multitasking, though they'll also be more expensive. Note that AMD offers a handful of C-series Ryzen mobile processors designed specially for Chromebooks. You need exceptional battery life: If battery life is important to you, you can find better longevity for much cheaper. When it comes to choosing the best Chromebook, price is most people’s first consideration. That’s because a lot of these laptop alternatives end up in the hands of more casual users who don’t need a whole lot from their PC. In such a case, a cheaper yet still capable option is the better value – one of the best cheap Chromebooks, perhaps.The display also claims a stunningly bright 1200 nits at full shine, but our tests show it gets an average brightness higher than that at 1,275.6 nits. The display panel was custom engineered just for this Chromebook, and that was money well spent on HP's part as far as I'm concerned. HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook: Performance Most Chromebook connections are wireless, as you'll use the machine almost exclusively when attached to Wi-Fi. Wired Ethernet ports are rare, but support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi is ubiquitous, with 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 found in upscale and corporate Chromebooks. Battery: These systems do not support batteries that are not genuine Lenovo-made or authorised. Systems will continue to boot, but may not charge unauthorised batteries. Lenovo has no responsibility for the performance or safety of unauthorised batteries, and provides no warranties for failures or damage arising out of their use. **Battery life is based on the MobileMark® 2014 methodology and is an estimated maximum. Actual battery life may vary based on many factors, including screen brightness, active applications, features, power management settings, battery age and conditioning, and other customer preferences. Above the screen is a 1080p webcam, so you can look your best in online classes and Zoom calls, and the camera has a bright orange physical shutter, so it's easy to see when the camera is covered and the shutter is closed. The higher resolution is a welcome upgrade from past affordable Chromebooks, but it's not a complete win: The detail is fine, but the colors looked a bit gray, resulting in less life-like images in video calls. There are certain things that these types of laptops just can’t do such as high-level gaming or video and photo editing.

You want more of a tablet-first form factor: This 2-in-1 laptop puts a heavy emphasis on laptop. The 16:9 screen ratio and 13.3-inch display makes using it in tablet mode somewhat unwieldy. You want a budget-y Chromebook: This is a premium item with premium specs, so expect to pay for all this hardware.

Using the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34: Expanded Ports and Connectivity

It’s not just the reasonable price tag that most Chromebooks have that make them top contenders, especially as laptops for kids and as student notebooks. You have to consider its design. Most boast impressively long battery lives while some are built to withstand abuse better than others – any gear you put into a kid’s hands needs to be able to absorb some bumps, after all. Others come with that 2-in-1 form factor and touchscreen capability that makes them so versatile. In fact, it handled day-to-day performance well when tested. Of course, we were not so impressed by its 128GB of storage. But, that’s one of the compromises here. Along with the fact that it can get a little warm if you push it beyond its limits as it’s powered by an Intel Pentium chip and 4GB of RAM. You want a cheap Chromebook: There are some truly premium features on the Duet 5 Chromebook, and that does push the price up into the high end for a Chromebook.