Chromebooks have grown up over the past few years. They’re faster, better built, and more attractive than ever. That also means they’ve increased in price. Options like the HP Chromebook x2 can easily break the $500 mark, while the Pixelbook will push you closer to $1,000.
Fortunately, cheaper models are available too, though you’ll need to be cautious not to buy something completely outdated. If you’re careful, you can pick up a Chromebook that covers your bases for just a few hundred dollars. The list below is a good place to start.
Lenovo Chromebook S330 — $199
Lenovo is putting out some of the best Chromebooks on the market today, but its high-end offerings naturally don’t come cheap. For a super-affordable alternative to laptops like the Yoga, consider Lenovo’s Chromebook S330. This 14-inch computer runs on a quad-core CPU and 4GB of RAM – snappy enough for work tasks like web browsing and word processing. It also comes with 32GB of flash storage for files and apps. Since Chrome OS is largely cloud-based, you don’t need too much space to handle your basic needs.
It may not replace your full-featured Windows, Mac, or Chrome OS laptops, but for this much money, it’s hard to find this much laptop.
Acer Chromebook 15 — $172
Compact laptops are handy for travel, but for hours of regular use and work, a full-sized computer like Acer’s excellent Chromebook 15 might be a better option. This Chrome OS laptop features a quad-core Intel Pentium N4200 CPU, 4GB of DDR4 RAM, and 32GB of storage for handling basic tasks. But the highlight of this model is its 15.6-inch HD touch display, which gives you a lot more screen real estate to work with.
It’s still fairly sleek and lightweight, though, and its internal battery provides up to 12 hours of juice, giving you more than enough for a day’s worth of work and entertainment.
Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 — $400
Although our roundup contains a number of cheap Chromebooks in the sub-$300 range, we’ve included some upgrade picks for those interested in something with more juice. Samsung’s Chromebook Plus V2 is one of our favorites owing to its compact yet sturdy build, great 2-in-1 hybrid design, vibrant 12.3-inch touch display boasting an HD resolution of 2,400 x 1,600, and snappy performance with wide support for Chrome OS apps.
The Samsung Chromebook Pro isn’t quite as affordable as the other cheap Chromebooks on our list, but at $399 from Amazon, it’s still well within the “budget laptop” price bracket and is one of the best Chrome OS laptops you can buy.
Lenovo Yoga Chromebook — $649
If you’re looking for a standard clamshell Chromebook, look no further than the Lenovo Yoga Chromebook. For an affordable price, the Yoga Chromebook includes great with its 8th-gen Core i3 processor, a crisp 1080p screen, and excellent battery life. It currently sits stop our list of the best Chromebooks for best 15-inch option. Unlike some of the cheaper Chromebooks, the Yoga features fantastic build quality and refreshingly simple design. The thin bezels around the edge of the display mimic the look of laptops that cost twice as much. There’s even an option with a 4K screen, which is pretty rare to see on a Chromebook.
Deals are rare for this new high-end Chromebook, but the offer below lowers the price by nearly $50.
HP Chromebook x2 — $459
The HP Chromebook x2 currently ranks as our best Chromebook you can buy. The cheaper model, which currently starts at $530, comes with an Intel Core M processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage. That might not sound like a lot, but for a 12-inch Chromebook, it’s plenty of muscle to get you by.
Like the Surface Book 2, the HP Chromebook x2 is a 12.3-inch tablet that can magnetically pop out from the keyboard case to act. It functions as well as a tablet as it does a clamshell notebook. This design makes it a great option for college students or workers on the go.
It’s a little bit more on the expensive side for a Chromebook, but with some impressive features, you get what you pay for.
Given that Google pioneered the Chrome operating system, it’s only fitting that the company’s own Chromebook is one of the best that money can buy, and we’ve saved the best for last. The Google Pixelbook has the look and feel of a high-end Chrome OS laptop with a super-slim and attractive design, great build quality, a beautiful high-resolution touch display, and fast performance under daily workloads. It’s the most high-end laptop you can buy.
The touchscreen can fold flat for tablet-like use (or can stand up in tent mode if you just want to watch some entertainment), and the Pixelbook has better specs than most Chromebooks with its 7th-gen i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. All of these features would normally run you $999, but you’ll find it at discount from time to time.
Looking for more tech deals? Find laptop deals, MacBook deals, and iPad deals from our curated deals page.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.