As a student, you need something reliable, lightweight, and more importantly, affordable, this is where the best Chromebooks come in. Chromebooks tick all the right boxes for students, as they’re versatile and easy to use, making for the perfect laptop to get some light school work done.
TL;DR – These are the best Chromebooks for students to buy in 2024
Unlike the best gaming laptops, the main selling points of a Chromebook are affordability and ease of use. But just because they’re affordable, it doesn’t mean they’re not powerful machines, capable of handling school, college or university work, and much more.
The Best Chromebooks for Students
1. Asus Chromebook Flip CX5
Best overall Chromebook for students
Asus Chromebook Flip CX5
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A durable build, high-speed performance, and large 16-inch rotating touchscreen make the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 a standout.
Screen size: 16 inches | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: Intel Core i3 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Android app support: Yes | Ports: 2 USB-C, 1 HDMI, 1 USB-A, 1 microSD, and headphone jack | Starting price: $649
The Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 is our pick for the best Chromebook for students, thanks to its durable aluminum build quality, long battery life, and high-speed performance. That performance is aided by a 12th gen Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB RAM. It also features a 16-inch touchscreen display with a hinge that makes it possible to flip its backlit keyboard a full 360 degrees for a tablet-like experience.
Google recently introduced the Chromebook Plus, and Asus’ Chromebook Flip CX5 meets the requirements to operate the new software. So, you can enjoy extra functionality and features compared to other Chromebooks.
2. Samsung Chromebook 4
Best budget Chromebook for students
Samsung Chromebook 4
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Grab this wallet-friendly Chromebook featuring an 11.6-inch HD display, Android app support, and an impressive battery life to get all your basic tasks done.
Screen size: 11.6 inches | Touchscreen: No | Processor: Intel Celeron Processor N4000 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 32GB | Android app support: Yes | Ports: 1 USB-C, 1 USB, and headphone jack | Starting price: $230
On a budget for school? The Samsung Chromebook 4 is a wallet-friendly Chromebook that gets the job done at an affordable price. But don’t let that price fool you into thinking that it’s a cheap and low quality Chromebook. It features an 11.6-inch HD display, Android app support, and an impressive battery life of up to nearly 13 hours per charge.
If you want an inexpensive Chromebook for school work, web browsing, and consuming entertainment, or a secondary laptop that you can throw around from time-to-time, then the Samsung Chromebook 4 is it.
3. HP Chromebook Plus
Best Chromebook Plus for students
HP Chromebook Plus
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Powerful Chromebook Plus running on an Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB RAM with productivity and creativity apps built-in.
Screen size: 15.6 inches | Touchscreen: No | Processor: Intel Core i3-N305 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Android app support: Android | Ports: 2 USB-C, 1 USB-A | Starting price: $499
Google has introduced a new tier of Chromebooks under the moniker Chromebook Plus, which has higher performance requirements for hardware, letting you take advantage of more advanced features. Our favorite device that makes the grade is the HP Chromebook Plus, thanks to its Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB of RAM for speedy performance.
That’s just the start of what’s on offer with this capable Chromebook, as you’ll enjoy crisp video calls on its 1080p webcam for online classes. Productivity tools like Docs or Sheets are already built-in and ready to use without an internet connection. If you’re looking to edit photos from fun trips or events, Google Photos, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Express are already on the device with special AI features.
4. Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook
Best 2-in-1 Chromebook for students
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook
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With a 13-inch OLED display, a 2.55 GHz Snapdragon processor, and a 15-hour battery, this 2-in-1 Chromebook will cruise along during your basic workflows.
Screen size: 13.3 inches | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon SC7180 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Android app support: Android | Ports: 2 USB-C | Starting price: $499
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook is not an ordinary 2-in-1 Chromebook. Instead of having an attached keyboard that flips around, it’s a fully-fledged tablet with an included detachable keyboard – think of it like the Microsoft Surface Pro.
The tablet features a 13.3-inch Full HD OLED touchscreen with a kickstand that has been optimized for ChromeOS touch and Android support, while the full-sized fabric folio keyboard has a wide trackpad and attaches magnetically. So, you can use the tablet for entertainment in your downtime, then whip out the keyboard when you need to get some work done.
5. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook
Best premium Chromebook for students
Screen size: 13.3 inches | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: Intel Core i5 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB | Android app support: Yes | Ports: 2 USB-C and headphone jack | Starting price: $999
The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook has the speed and the power to make short work out of any classroom lesson plan. Armed with an Intel Core i5 processor, it’s a beast of a machine.
It also features a 13.3-inch 4K AMOLED touchscreen display with a pristine and colorful picture quality, while its clever hinge rotates its keyboard 360-degrees for tablet mode. It even comes with a built-in push out stylus pen for quick note taking and sketching. It doesn’t come cheap, it retails for $1,000, but you can often find it on sale.
6. Acer Chromebook 317
Best large display Chromebook for students
Acer Chromebook 317
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Go big with this Chromebook’s 17-inch Full HD display offering narrow bezels for a more immersive viewing experience.
Screen size: 17.3 inches | Touchscreen: No | Processor: Intel Celeron N4500 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 128GB | Android app support: Yes | Ports: 2 USB-C, 2 USB, 1 microSD, and headphone jack | Starting price: $350
Sometimes you need a gigantic display to keep all of your windows, tabs, thoughts, and ideas organized – especially when writing a lengthy term paper. While most Chromebook displays cap out at 13 inches or so, Acer designed the world’s first 17-inch Chromebook (17.3 inches to be exact) with the massive Acer Chromebook 317.
The Chromebook features a Full HD anti-glare widescreen display for maximum screen real estate, while its narrow bezels make both work and play as immersive as possible.
7. HP Chromebook x360
Best Chromebook for dorm life
HP Chromebook x360
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Enjoy high-performance video streaming on a sharp, clear display on Chromebook rocking a hinge system for more ways to use the device.
Screen size: 14 inches | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: Intel Core i3 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 64GB | Android app support: Yes | Ports: 1 USB-C, 1 USB, 1 microSD, and headphone jack | Starting price: $599
Dorm life means watching a lot of movies and TV shows by yourself or with a group of friends, so you’ll want a Chromebook that can handle high performance video streaming on a sharp and clear display.
Enter the HP Chromebook x360, a Chromebook under $600 that features a 14-inch Full HD touchscreen display and a swift hinge system that makes going from doing school work in laptop mode to consuming all sorts of entertainment in tablet or tent mode a breeze. Its display also has a 16:9 aspect ratio for an immersive cinema-like experience.
8. Acer Chromebook Spin 714
Best Chromebook for students who take online video classes
Acer Chromebook Spin 714
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Speedy and powerful Chromebook with a 2-in-1 touchscreen design and a high-quality Full HD 1080p webcam.
Screen size: 14 inches | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: Intel Evo Core i5 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB | Android app support: Yes | Ports: 2 USB-C, 1 USB, 1 HDMI, and headphone jack | Starting price: $839
Let’s face it. Most of your time at school is going to be attending online classes. An excellent webcam can go a long way to make a good impression on your teacher. But, most webcams, especially on Chromebooks, are subpar with video resolutions capping out at just 720p standard definition.
However, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is different. Not only is this a speedy and powerful Chromebook with a 2-in-1 touchscreen design, but it also features a high quality Full HD 1080p webcam for crisp and clear video quality – which is a rarity. Say goodbye to blurry and pixelated video classes.
9. Acer Chromebook 516 GE
Best Chromebook for students who like cloud gaming
Acer Chromebook 516 GE
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Chromebook ready for cloud gaming thanks to a powerful processor and QHD display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Screen size: 16 inches | Touchscreen: No | Processor: Intel Core i5-1240P | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 512GB | Android app support: No | Ports: 2 USB-C, 1 USB, 1 HDMI, 1 Ethernet, and headphone jack | Starting price: $650
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE (the “GE” stands for Gaming Edition) is an Intel-based machine specially designed for cloud gaming platforms, like Nvidia GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass, Amazon Luna, and others.
It features a large 16-inch 16:10-aspect ratio QHD display for a clear, sharp, and colorful picture quality, while its refresh rate caps out at 120Hz for smooth motion. It also has high performance networking for fast internet speeds and wireless controllers when gaming. Although this Chromebook can’t compete with heavy-hitting gaming laptop brands, it will get you online and ready to play for casual gaming – when you’re not studying or hitting the books.
What to look for in a Chromebook for students in 2024
Chromebooks are quickly becoming a fantastic alternative to traditional Windows and Apple laptops – especially with its low price. It has just about everything for productivity and entertainment use, but without needing to download applications and large file sizes that slow other laptops down. There is a downside, though – Chromebooks need a reliable Wi-Fi connection to get the job done.
However, with a wide range of Chromebook models with all sorts of bells and whistles from various manufacturers, it may be tough to find the one for students. That’s where we come in. We put together this handy buyer’s guide to help find the perfect Chromebook for classwork and dorm life.
Check out how to choose the best Chromebook for students in 2024, below:
Productivity and Entertainment
Since you’re a student, then school work is your number one priority, so finding a Chromebook that can handle all things productivity-based is key. Luckily, most, if not all, Chromebooks excel at productivity, so you’ll have most of your bases covered there.
Chromebooks are primarily internet machines from Google, they can take on all Google Workspace apps, such as Google Docs, Google Drive, Google Classroom, and much more. If you have a Gmail account, then you can access all of these productivity tools. In addition, most Google Workspace apps work offline too, so you can keep working without an internet connection. And once you’re back online, all of your work is saved in the cloud.
When it comes to entertainment, not all Chromebooks are created equal. While all Chromebooks have access to the same internet, how media is viewed can vary from machine-to-machine. For example, wallet-friendly Chromebooks might not have the best displays for watching Netflix and YouTube. You can access those websites, but colors might be washed out and the picture quality may be soft. More expensive Chromebooks with 2K or 4K resolutions will produce color-popping and sharper images.
If you’re a gamer, you might want a Chromebook that can handle cloud gaming. There are machines like the Acer Chromebook 516 GE that are built for cloud gaming, so you can access web-based portals, including Nvidia GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass, Amazon Luna, Steam, and more. But be warned, you won’t get the same experience gaming as a dedicated gaming laptop would provide.
The simple rule of thumb is: If it’s on the internet, then you can access it with a Chromebook.
Would you like a 2-in-1 Chromebook?
One of the best things about Chromebooks is that some of them are actually two devices. These machines are made with touchscreen displays and clever hinges that quickly flip the keyboard behind the display, effectively turning a Chromebook laptop into a Chromebook tablet. ChromeOS is even designed for tablet mode with large icons.
In fact, some Chromebooks like the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 are made with a detachable keyboard, which makes the transition into tablet mode more seamless. So you’re really getting the best of both worlds, which comes in handy when you want to separate your school and dorm life.
Android
In May 2016, Google added Android app support to some Chromebook models. This means you can download supported-apps from the Google Play Store to use on a Chromebook, which makes it more useful. It doesn’t mean these Chromebooks also run full Android, but rather they support the use of the mobile operating system’s apps
Check out a list of all of the Chromebooks that support Android apps here.
Price
Another reason why Chromebooks are so popular is their affordable price. You can get a new one for as little as $167 at Amazon. It might not be the best, but it’s certainly the cheapest. While there are some that are priced upwards of $2,000, Chrombooks are generally inexpensive – typically ranging from $300-$700.
Chromebook vs Chromebook Plus
Google has recently introduced a new Chromebook known as the Chromebook Plus. It’s a more powerful version of your average Chromebook with advanced apps and features that runs on a special OS. You can also do more offline with the Chromebook Plus.
Unlike Chromebooks with very minimal requirements to function, a Chromebook Plus must deliver on all the specs below:
CPU: Intel Core i3 12th Generation or above, or AMD Ryzen 3 5000 series or aboveRAM: 8 GB or moreStorage: 128 GB or moreWeb camera: 1080p or better with Temporal Noise ReductionDisplay: Full HD IPS or better
Some non “plus” models work with the new Chromebook Plus OS. Google has noted those Chromebooks here.
Beyond the better hardware that delivers faster performance along with more memory and storage than a Chromebook, the Chromebook Plus has a bunch of apps built-in. You get all the productivity apps like Docs, Sheets, and Slides, which you can use offline and save locally to your device with a File Sync feature. There are creative apps like AI-powered Google Photos with advanced editing features and Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Express Premium featuring Adobe Firefly. However, you’ll need a subscription to use the Adobe programs.
Many of these programs will work on a Chromebook, but they won’t be as easy to access and usually require an internet connection. Chromebooks tend to be underpowered, so they may also struggle to run some apps, especially the photo editing ones.
If you’re worried about losing any Chrome OS features by switching to Chromebook Plus, don’t be. You’ll get everything a Chromebook offers, and Google promises more Chromebook Plus features to come in 2024.
