The Finest Chromebooks for 2019: Google, HP, Lenovo, and Extra
We’ve reviewed tons of of laptops, testing for essential qualities like efficiency, battery life, and show high quality. Every of those Chromebooks excel in these areas, however the perfect is the HP Chromebook x2. It sits proper within the candy spot of balancing worth with wonderful construct high quality and efficiency. It’s transportable, highly effective, and doubtless precisely what you’re searching for in a Chromebook.
We’ve additionally discovered fairly just a few Chromebook offers for these in search of financial savings on a number of the greatest laptops.
The most effective Chromebooks at a look
The most effective Chromebook: Google Pixelbook Go
Riley Younger / Digital Traits
Why must you purchase this: It’s the most effective Chromebook you should purchase.
Who it’s for: College students, individuals who must work on the go or journey with a laptop computer.
Why we picked the Google Pixelbook Go:
Chromebooks are recognized for being ultra-cheap options to Home windows and Mac. However the Pixelbook Go doesn’t really feel like an inexpensive imitation. A Home windows laptop computer that price $649 gained’t characteristic close to the construct high quality, portabilty, and efficiency the Pixelbook Go can supply. The effectivity of Chrome OS has rather a lot to do with that, however its additionally credit score to Google’s workforce. The Pixlebook Go is the whole bundle, elevating the strengths of its platform.
With unmatched battery life, a ravishing 13-inch display screen, and incredible battery life, the Pixelbook Go is a go-to for faculty college students, in addition to the final word journey companion for individuals who must take their work on the go.
Learn our full Google Pixelbook Go evaluation
The most effective 15-inch Chromebook: Lenovo Yoga Chromebook C630
Riley Younger/Digital Traits
Why must you purchase this: If you would like a 15-inch Chromebook that doesn’t ask you to compromise on construct high quality or efficiency.
Who it’s for: Anybody who wants a full 15 inches of display screen actual property.
Why we picked the Lenovo Yoga Chromebook C630:
In our evaluation, we stated the Yoga Chromebook C630 maintains “the proper center floor between premium and inexpensive,” and we meant it. Beginning at $700, this Chrome OS powerhouse packs in a quick Eighth-generation quad-core Intel Core i5-8250 — that’s a variety of energy for Chrome OS. And it exhibits in our benchmarks, the place the Yoga Chromebook C630 took over our prime spot because the quickest Chrome OS machine we’ve examined but.
However that’s not all this 15-inch Chromebook brings to the desk. It additionally gives a very premium design and construct, sporting a chassis that’s devoid of any creaking or flexing, at a horny value level. It challenges a few of our favourite premium Home windows 10 notebooks for construct high quality, and that’s saying one thing given the worth level. And it’s comparatively svelte for a 15-inch pocket book, coming in at an inexpensive zero.70 inches thick and four.2 kilos in weight.
The 1080p show on our evaluation unit didn’t stand out, but it surely’s competent — and even higher, Lenovo gives a 4K choice for $100 additional. The keyboard and touchpad are superb, and the contact show is as exact and responsive as anticipated and allows you to navigate Chrome OS with only a finger.
Learn our full Lenovo Chromebook C630 evaluation
The most effective price range Chromebook: Acer Chromebook Spin 15
Mark Coppock/Digital Traits
Why must you purchase this: In case you want an inexpensive Chromebook with a big show — together with one which flips round.
Who it’s for: Anybody who wants a full 15 inches of display screen actual property on a price range.
Why we picked the Acer Chromebook Spin 15:
The Acer Chromebook Spin 15 is likely one of the solely Chromebooks with a 15-inch show, and it’s the one 2-in-1 on this kind issue — making it a little bit of a rarity. With a dimension and kind issue nearer to a 15-inch premium laptop computer than a budget-oriented netbook, the Acer Chromebook Spin 15 delivers the identical display screen actual property as its a lot higher-priced rivals. That show additionally flips round, and when you gained’t need to use it as a pill within the criminal of your arm — it’s too large for that — you’ll get pleasure from media mode for bingeing Netflix in mattress.
Moderately than feeling cramped when you may have two home windows side-by-side on one of many extra svelte Chromebook choices, the Acer Chromebook Spin 15 is simply large enough to permit you all of the room it is advisable multitask. On prime of that, the 2-in-1 encompasses a dual-core Intel Pentium N4200 and 4GB of RAM, which options elevated multi-core efficiency and loads of reminiscence to energy multitasking with out feeling any critical system lag.
The dimensions of this laptop computer additionally provides you room to stretch out. Smaller Chromebooks are extra transportable, however additionally they can really feel cramped, significantly when you’re a big particular person with equally massive arms. It even has an honest keyboard and touchpad, and it might probably run for an age because of the sizable battery. That makes a number of the issues — such because the slight audio distortion, the dearth of devoted video outputs, and the outdated design — just a little bit simpler to miss. If dimension and energy are what you’re searching for in your price range Chromebook, Acer’s Chromebook Spin 15 is your greatest wager.
Learn our full Acer Chromebook Spin 15 evaluation
The most effective 2-in-1 Chromebook: HP Chromebook x2
Why must you purchase this: You desire a Chromebook ready for the way forward for Chrome OS.
Who it’s for: College students, professionals, and anybody in between.
Why we picked the HP Chromebook x2:
The HP Chromebook x2 is an ideal instance of the newest evolution of the Chromebook house. It’s a 12.Three-inch pill that pops magnetically right into a keyboard base to behave as both a secure clamshell pocket book or a standalone slate. It’s very very like the Microsoft Floor Guide 2 on this respect, and we prefer it rather a lot.
Inside, it sports activities a strong, environment friendly Seventh-generation Intel Core M3 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of eMMC storage (expandable through microSD card), which is greater than sufficient to run Chrome OS effectively. The beautiful 2,400 x 1,600 (235 PPI) show within the productivity-friendly Three:2 side ratio is pen-enabled, giving the Chromebook x2 a ton of makes use of.
The Chromebook x2’s value falls into the newest midrange of Chromebook pricing, and it’s significantly cheaper than lots of its largest rivals. In case you’re searching for a brand new pocket book within the $600 vary, although, and don’t want all options of Home windows 10, then you definately’ll be hard-pressed to discover a higher choice.
Learn our full HP Chromebook x2 evaluation
The most effective premium Chromebook: Google Pixelbook
Daven Mathies/Digital Traits
Why must you purchase this: You need comparable to Home windows laptops.
Who it’s for: Professionals and people who need critical energy of their Chromebook.
Why we picked the Google Pixelbook:
A “premium” Chromebook was once an oxymoron, however because of the Pixelbook that’s now not true. We’re seeing all types of producers comply with swimsuit with higher-end machines constructed extra for luxurious and efficiency. The Pixelbook is the most effective of the bunch up to now. It does have just a few flaws — just like the dear and chunky pen — however general it’s a powerful piece of equipment, particularly if the worth isn’t crucial issue for you.
As a lot as its beginning value of $1,000 (often on sale for $800 or barely much less) makes it removed from a typical Chromebook, the Pixelbook does supply essentially the most highly effective of all of the suggestions on this information. The Pixebook’s base model comes with a Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB solid-state drive (SSD), and you’ll improve that to a Core i7 and 16GB too when you like. The underside line: In case you envision performing some heavy obligation duties in your Chromebook, the Pixelbook is a worthy suggestion.
It won’t all the time really feel it’s the most effective bang to your buck, for somebody who desires to go all-in on Google, the Pixelbook is your dream machine. But when the worth continues to be too excessive, you’ll be able to all the time think about the marginally inexpensive removable pill 2-in-1, the Pixel Slate, featured above.
Learn our full Google Pixelbook evaluation
How we take a look at
When laptops enter our labs, they bear a torturous battery of checks supposed to offer us a have a look at how each will carry out in a wide range of conditions. We need to outline their limits, discover out what they will do in on a regular basis use and the way they carry out after they’re pushed.
We take a look at particular person parts just like the show, the CPU, GPU, and laborious disk, utilizing particular benchmarks to see how they stack up in opposition to rivals. We take a look at for velocity, reliability, and most significantly, we simply spend a variety of time with every laptop computer.
You could find out how particular person parts work on their very own by trying out producer specs, however we take a look at notebooks as a complete as nicely. We don’t simply need to learn the way quick every part is, we need to see how they complement one another, how they carry out as a bundle. That method, we may give you a fully-rounded suggestion.
Earlier than shopping for a Chromebook, take into consideration Android apps
Chrome OS isn’t essentially the most strong working system round, but it surely will get the job accomplished for Chromebooks by offering the necessities resembling internet shopping, phrase processing, and shopping primary file varieties. However typically, you want greater than a Chromebook gives. Does that imply it’s best to bounce ship or skip over Chromebooks solely? Not anymore.
Beginning in 2017, each new mannequin of Chromebook helps the Google Play retailer and can have the ability to run Android apps. You’re now not restricted to the Chrome ecosystem, and you will get simply as a lot performance out of your Chromebook as you possibly can out of an Android telephone or pill.
Some earlier fashions additionally characteristic Android integration. For a full and regularly up to date record, you’ll be able to test right here. To learn the way to put in Android apps in your (suitable) Chromebook, try the official directions from Google right here.
Is a Chromebook for you?
Chromebooks aren’t for everybody, and a few customers will probably be pissed off by their lack of performance. Others won’t even discover that Chrome OS is a bit extra restricted than conventional working techniques like Home windows 10 and MacOS.
All of it relies on how you employ your present laptop computer or desktop. If it is advisable run a variety of specialised functions like Photoshop, Illustrator, and even when you completely want the Microsoft Workplace Suite and may’t accept Google Docs, a Chromebook most likely isn’t for you. Alternatively, it’s nice for individuals who largely surf the net or stick with different on-line duties.
Chromebooks are gadgets that excel at general-purpose use — consider a Chromebook as a barely extra strong pill or an enormous smartphone with a keyboard. In case you can’t do it in an online browser or Android app, you most likely gained’t have the ability to do it on a Chromebook. That stated, when you simply want an inexpensive cellular gadget to bridge the hole between a desktop and your smartphone, a Chromebook may be for you.
Editors’ Suggestions
