Chromebooks come in all shapes and sizes, and they have become the primary devices for millions of people around the world, as we were all at home, working, studying, and trying to live our lives. Chromebooks come in various packages, and while some are outright cheap and feel like a toy, there are some very premium and high-quality machines out there that deserve a lot of credit. In this guide, we collected some of the best Chromebooks that money can buy in 2022.
Chrome OS is still not as feature-rich as Windows or macOS, but it still packs a punch, and it has gotten a lot better over the past few years. Android applications work better, Linux applications are now also compatible and fully usable, and Chrome OS has received several dozen continuity and Android-focused features to make the integration tighter and more pleasant. Those who rock an Android smartphone will feel right at home, and will likely fall in love with how simple and easy it is to use these machines, not to mention the multi-hour battery life that is very hard to kill.
Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook
The Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook is an excellent premium 2-in-1 laptop. It’s powered by the AMD Ryzen 3000 Mobile series of C-series chips, and it has up to 16GB of DDR4 memory, and up to 256GB PCIe SSD. There’s also a 64GB eMMC storage variant available for the lower specced model.
The laptop boasts a 13.3-inch FHD IPS display, and it has 300 nits of brightness. It’s big enough to do work and watch movies, and it’s compact that it can still easily fit in a backpack when traveling or commuting. The device weighs just 1.5kg (3.3lbs), and it has an aluminium chassis, dual stereo speakers, and a 720p HD web camera with a privacy cover. The keyboard is also backlit with white LED lighting, and there’s also a classic red Trackpoint.
Ports-wise, there are two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C ports with DP 1.4 support, an HDMI 2.0 port, a MicroSD card reader, and a headphone jack. It has a 51 Wh battery, which Lenovo claims can last for up to 12.5 hours on a single charge, making it excellent for office use.
Acer Chromebook Spin 713
The Acer Spin 713 is an excellent convertible Chromebook with a beautiful, modern, and premium design. It has a 2-in-1 design and form factor and comes with a 3:2, 13.4-inch 2K display. The screen is bright and vivid and excellent in the brightest environments. The laptop is powered by the 11th-gen Intel Core i3 and core i5 processors, coupled with 8GB of memory and 256GB of SSD storage.
The Chromebook Spin 713 has all the essential ports needed to get work done, and it sports a Thunderbolt 4 port, one HDMI port, and a USB-C port with DisplayPort over USB-C. There’s also Bluetooth 5.0, and Wi-Fi 6, making it ideal as a lightweight work laptop that takes up little to no space. The battery can also easily last up to eight to nine hours on a single charge, which is plenty for most people and use-case scenarios.
Asus Chromebook Flip CX5
The Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 has a large 15.6inch FHD display and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The panel has up to 250 nits of brightness and supports styluses. Despite the large size, the device weighs 1.95kg (4.30lbs) and is reasonably compact. It can easily fit in most backpacks and has a great-looking design.
The Flip CX5 is powered by an 11th Generation Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors with Intel UHD Graphics. The higher specced models also come with Intel Iris X graphics, providing better and smoother performance. There’s up to 16GB of LPDDR4X memory, and up to 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD. It’s safe to safe, this Chromebook’s got a lot of power, but it also has an above-average price tag.
The laptop features a USB-A, two USB-C ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, a microSD card slot, and a headphone jack. It also has a backlit keyboard with 1.4mm key-travel and packs a 57Wh battery.
Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3
The Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3 takes on the, often highly praised Lenovo Duet 2-in-1. It features a similar 10.5-inch FHD display with 16:10 aspect ratio, and it has a kickstand and a detachable keyboard. It’s very compact, and it can pretty much fit in any bag. It’s excellent for daily commuters and those who travel a lot, and it packs plenty power to work for up to 13 hours on a single charge.
The Asus CM3 can fold in multiple ways, and it’s powered by the MediaTek Kompanio 500 chip with up to 4GB of LPDDR4X memory and 128GB of eMMC storage. It also has a USB-C port with support for displays and power delivery and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. Like the Lenovo Duet, it has a 2MP front camera, and an 8MP rear sensor for taking photos and video on the go.
If you’re looking for slightly more power than what can already be found in the excellent Lenovo Duet Chromebook, then the Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3 will likely serve you just fine.
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
We reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 back in 2021. We concluded that it was one of the best Chromebooks that money can buy for its price tag. It features a fantastic build quality, a bright display, and relatively good specifications. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 is an excellent value for the money, and you get everything you need for work or university.
The laptop comes with a 13.3-inch FHD display with touch functionality, and it’s powered by the Intel 10th-gen Core i3 and Intel Celeron chips. It’s worth noting that there’s also a 4K display model available with different configurations. The Intel Celeron version sports 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, while the Intel Core i3 model will have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage. The battery can last up to 13 hours on a single charge, and it’s excellent for students and those looking for a comfortable, lightweight, and portable work machine.
The Galaxy Chromebook 2 has a built-in 720p camera, a backlit keyboard, stereo speakers, a headphones jack, S Pen support, two USB-C ports on either side, and even a microSD expansion slot for up to 2 terabytes of space.
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook
The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook is a compact convertible device. It packs a 13.3-inch FHD, OLED panel with 400 nits of peak brightness and supports 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. It’s excellent for watching movies and consuming content, and the back kickstand helps keep the screen upright on the table.
The OLED screen makes consuming content more enjoyable and offers excellent viewing angles. The tablet is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chipset, and it has up to 8GB of memory and up to 256GB of eMMC storage. Lenovo advertises the IdeaPad Duet 5 to last for up to 15 hours on a single charge, and it can indeed last for an entire work day with a few hours left to spare.
The Duet 5 has stereo speakers, a front 5MP 1080p, and an 8MP rear 1080p camera, weighing less than 1kg. It has two USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 ports, a pogo pin, and supports the detachable fabric folio keyboard and styluses. If you’re looking for a more premium tablet experience, and a detachable keyboard on a Chromebook, then the IdeaPad Duet 5 is an excellent choice.
Lenovo Duet Chromebook
The Lenovo Duet Chromebook tablet is one of the best and most affordable options in its price category. The Duet features a 10.1-inch FHD, IPS LCD display with 400 nits of peak brightness. The screen even supports 10-point multi-touch, and it’s excellent for watching movies, and working on the go. The small screen also makes it extra compact, making it one of the best tiny packages on the market, especially if you’re after something that can fit in any backpack.
The Chromebook tablet is powered by a MediaTek P60T Octa-Core processor, and it has 4GB of LPDDR4X memory and 128GB of storage. Port-wise, there’s only a single USB-C port, which enables you to charge the device and connect accessories. There’s also Bluetooth 4.2, and a detachable membrane keyboard with a trackpad.
Since the Duet is a 2-in-1, it has a 2MP front camera, and an 8MP sensor on the back. It has Dolby Audio dual speakers, and the battery can last up to 10 hours on a single charge. The tablet weighs just 450 grams, while the keyboard will add an additional 250grams. The Lenovo Duet Chromebook is recommended for those who are looking for an ultra-compact, affordable, device. It doesn’t have a lot of power, but it’s excellent for some light work, entertainment, and studying.