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The best Chromebook for most people is the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: a 14-inch OLED screen, a fast and efficient MediaTek Kompanio Ultra chip and an aluminium build, and Tom’s Guide calls it “the best Chromebook you can buy right now”. For a thinner laptop with a bigger OLED, look at the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus. On a budget, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus i 15 and Acer Chromebook 315 cover school and web work. Google’s new Googlebooks went on sale in October 2026, and Chromebooks are still worth buying: Google will keep updating ChromeOS until mid-2034.
Heading to college? Our best laptops for college students weighs Chromebooks against the MacBook Neo.
Check the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 on Amazon →
How we put this together: this guide is based on manufacturers’ specifications, Google’s support statements and published reviews (linked below). It is not based on hands-on testing by iTech Level. Prices are list or launch prices at the time of writing and change often. See how we choose products.
Best Chromebooks compared
| Chromebook | Best for | Screen | Chip / memory | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 | Best overall | 14″ 1920×1200 OLED | MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910, 12–16GB | Check price |
| Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus | Thinnest, biggest OLED | 15.6″ AMOLED | Intel Core 5 120U | Check price |
| Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (2026) | Best premium 2-in-1 | 14″ 3K IPS touch, 60Hz | MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910, 12GB | Check price |
| Lenovo Chromebook Plus i 15 | Big screen on a budget | 15.3″ 1920×1200, 400 nits | Intel Core i3-N355, 8GB | Check price |
| Lenovo Chromebook Plus 2-in-1 | Budget convertible (on sale) | Touch and pen | Intel Core 3 N355, 8GB | Check price |
| Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024) | Tablet with a keyboard | 10.95″ 2K | MediaTek Kompanio 838, 4–8GB | Check price |
| Acer Chromebook 315 | Cheapest for school | 15.6″ Full HD touch | Intel N100, 8GB | Check price |
Chromebook or Googlebook?
Google launched Googlebooks in the US on October 4, 2026. They run Googlebook OS, a new Android-based operating system that combines ChromeOS and Android, and come from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo. Every launch model has at least 16GB of memory, a touchscreen and an AI chip, and Google says they’re built to work closely with Android phones (Android Authority). Our Googlebook buying guide compares all five launch models.
Chromebooks aren’t going away. Google says the Chromebooks you buy today will keep getting updates through their supported lifetime, and ChromeOS will get regular updates and security patches through mid-2034. It also says “many” of its newest Chromebooks, which a later note describes as newer commercial models, will be able to move to Googlebook OS, and that qualifying Chromebooks whose 10-year support runs past 2034 will get a transition path. It hasn’t yet published which models qualify (9to5Google).
- Buy a Chromebook if you want a capable laptop for the web, Google Docs and school for well under $900. Most Chromebooks cost far less than the cheapest Googlebook.
- Consider a Googlebook if you’re spending $900 or more, use an Android phone, and want the newest hardware and Google’s newest software.
- Don’t buy a Chromebook expecting Googlebook OS. Google has only said “many” of its newest models will be eligible, and a later note refers to newer commercial (business) Chromebooks. Until it publishes the list, judge a Chromebook on what it does today.
The best Chromebooks in 2026
1. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: best Chromebook
The Chromebook Plus 14 was the first Chromebook with a built-in AI chip (NPU), in its MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910. It pairs that with a 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED, 12GB or 16GB of memory, Wi-Fi 7 and a fanless aluminium body weighing 2.58 pounds. Tom’s Guide calls it “simply put, the best Chromebook you can buy right now”, praising the premium build, “mesmerizing” OLED, speakers and battery life, and PCWorld found it surprisingly strong for a fanless Chromebook.
Good to know: Tom’s Guide notes it’s pricey for a Chromebook, especially the touchscreen version with 16GB and 256GB, and PCWorld found the function keys hard to read. There are no HDMI ports, just two USB-C and one USB-A.
Check the Chromebook Plus 14 on Amazon →
2. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus: thinnest, with the biggest OLED
Samsung’s Chromebook looks more like a MacBook than any other here: 11.8 mm thin and 1.17 kg, with a 15.6-inch AMOLED screen. Trusted Reviews, which names it the best Chromebook overall, found its Intel Core 5 120U fast in everyday use and measured 15 hours 25 minutes of battery life, which it says is up to two days of real use.
Good to know: Trusted Reviews found the speakers a little thin. It’s one of the more expensive Chromebooks, so compare its price with the Chromebook Plus 14 before buying.
Check the Galaxy Chromebook Plus on Amazon →
3. Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (2026): best premium 2-in-1
The 2026 Spin 514 uses the same Kompanio Ultra 910 chip as the Chromebook Plus 14, with 12GB of memory, and adds a 360-degree hinge so it folds into a tablet. Trusted Reviews praises its 14-inch 3K screen, keyboard and solid performance, and its battery lasted over 13 hours in testing.
Good to know: it’s expensive for a Chromebook, the screen is only 60Hz, and there’s no HDMI port, so you’ll need a USB-C adapter for an external monitor.
Check the Chromebook Plus Spin 514 on Amazon →
A plain USB-C to HDMI adapter is all you need: Lemorele’s L19B supports up to 4K at 60Hz and works with Chromebooks, according to Lemorele.
Check the Lemorele L19B adapter at Lemorele →
4. Lenovo Chromebook Plus i 15: best big-screen Chromebook under $500
Announced at CES 2026, the Chromebook Plus i 15 starts under $500 (Notebookcheck). It pairs an Intel Core i3-N355 with 8GB of memory and a 15.3-inch 1920×1200 screen rated at 400 nits, with an optional 120Hz touchscreen. Lenovo rates its 65Wh battery at up to 11 hours, and you get a number pad, a fingerprint reader, a 5MP webcam with a privacy shutter, HDMI and a microSD slot.
Good to know: it’s the pick for Google Docs, Classroom and web apps on a big screen. If you need Windows software, see our best Lenovo laptops under $500, which compares it with Windows options.
Check the Chromebook Plus i 15 on Amazon →
5. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 2-in-1: best budget convertible, on sale
At list price this 2-in-1 is hard to recommend, but Chrome Unboxed reports it has dropped well under $500 several times. On sale it’s a well-made convertible with a rigid chassis, what the review calls a fantastic keyboard and trackpad, a responsive touch and pen screen, plenty of ports and a fingerprint reader.
Good to know: the Intel Core 3 N355 is “only fine”, it comes with 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage, it has a fan, and real-world battery life is about 7 hours.
Check the Chromebook Plus 2-in-1 on Amazon →
6. Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 (2024): best Chromebook tablet
The Duet 11 is a 10.95-inch 2K tablet with a detachable keyboard in the box, powered by a MediaTek Kompanio 838. Notebookcheck calls it a “mobile energy-saving champion”. It launched with 4GB of memory, or 8GB and 128GB.
Good to know: get the 8GB model. 9to5Google’s review is titled “Ruined by RAM” because 4GB isn’t enough for a modern Chromebook. The small keyboard isn’t made for long typing sessions.
Check the Chromebook Duet 11 on Amazon →
7. Acer Chromebook 315: cheapest Chromebook for school
If most of the work happens in a browser, Google Docs or Classroom, the Chromebook 315 is a sensible low-cost pick: a 15.6-inch Full HD touchscreen, an Intel N100, 8GB of memory and up to 12 hours of battery. Trusted Reviews names the 2026 Chromebook 315 its best Chromebook for students.
Buying for a child? Chromebooks have Google’s parental controls built in; our best laptops for kids compares them with gaming laptops for Fortnite.
Good to know: configurations with only 64GB of storage fill up quickly, and like every Chromebook it can’t run Windows apps or most PC games. Check the exact model year and memory in the listing.
Check the Acer Chromebook 315 on Amazon →
The 5 Googlebooks: which to buy
Googlebooks are the new laptops running Google’s Android-based Googlebook OS (see Chromebook or Googlebook? above). All five launch models, side by side:
| Googlebook | Best for | Screen | Chip | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS Googlebook 14 | Lightest, best screen | 14″ 3K OLED, anti-glare | Intel Core Ultra 5/7 (Panther Lake) | 2.2 lb |
| Acer Googlebook 14 | Best value, only 2-in-1 | 14″ 2.8K OLED, 500 nits | Intel Core Ultra 5/7 (Panther Lake) | Thin and light |
| Dell XPS Googlebook | Compact, Snapdragon | 13.4″ 2.5K, 500 nits | Snapdragon X Elite | 2.2 lb |
| Lenovo Googlebook 15 | Biggest screen | 15.3″ 2.8K OLED | Intel Core Ultra 5 (Panther Lake) | 2.8 lb |
| HP Googlebook 14 | Snapdragon with OLED | 14″ 2.8K OLED, 500 nits | Snapdragon X Elite | 2.74 lb |
Specs from Google, Android Authority and Tom’s Guide. Check the current price and configuration before you buy.
ASUS Googlebook 14: the standout
Tom’s Guide, which went hands-on with all five, picked the ASUS as the standout, saying it was “astonished by how light this 2.2-pound laptop feels”. It’s 0.43 inches thin, with a magnesium-aluminium chassis, a 14-inch 3K OLED touchscreen with anti-glare treatment (ASUS quotes up to 1,000 nits peak HDR brightness), six speakers and a large haptic touchpad. The base model has an Intel Core Ultra 5, 16GB of memory and 256GB of storage, and ASUS claims up to 18 hours from its 70Wh battery.
Good to know: it’s one of the two most expensive Googlebooks, and 256GB of storage is modest at that price. Battery claims are ASUS’s own until lab reviews arrive.
Acer Googlebook 14: best value, and the only 2-in-1
The Acer is the cheapest Googlebook and the only convertible at launch, so it folds into a tablet. It has a 14-inch 2.8K OLED touchscreen (500 nits), an Intel Core Ultra 5 or 7 (Panther Lake), 16GB of memory, at least 256GB of storage, an aluminium-and-magnesium chassis and a 71Wh battery (Android Authority). Tom’s Guide calls it the one to get for a premium laptop that doubles as a tablet for under $1,000.
Good to know: the base model’s 256GB of storage fills up faster than you’d think with offline video and Android apps. If you mostly need a laptop for the web and Google Docs, a Chromebook costs far less (see below).
Dell XPS Googlebook: the compact pick
The Dell is the smallest Googlebook, with a 13.4-inch 2.5K touchscreen (500 nits) in a machined aluminium body that weighs 2.2 pounds. It uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite with 16GB or 32GB of memory and starts with 512GB of storage, double the other base models. It adds face unlock and a haptic touchpad. Android Headlines went hands-on with all five and called Dell “the clear winner”.
Good to know: Launch coverage listed different prices, so check which configuration you’re getting. The Snapdragon X Elite launched in 2024, so it’s an older chip than the Intel Panther Lake in the Acer, ASUS and Lenovo, though Arm chips are usually efficient.
Lenovo Googlebook 15: the big-screen pick
The Lenovo has the largest screen at launch, a 15.3-inch 2.8K OLED touchscreen, with Dolby Atmos audio, which suits video and side-by-side work. It has an Intel Core Ultra 5 (Panther Lake), 16GB of memory, 256GB of storage, a magnesium-alloy and carbon-fibre chassis, face unlock and a fingerprint reader. Tom’s Guide describes its boxier design as reminiscent of a MacBook Pro.
Good to know: at 2.8 pounds it’s the heaviest Googlebook, though still light for a 15-inch laptop.
HP Googlebook 14: Snapdragon with an OLED
HP pairs a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite with a 14-inch 2.8K OLED touchscreen (500 nits), 16GB or 32GB of memory and 256GB of storage, in an all-aluminium body. It has both a fingerprint reader and face unlock, and Tom’s Guide liked its lattice-less keyboard, saying the keys have excellent travel.
Good to know: at 2.74 pounds, it costs as much as the lighter ASUS. Choose it if you prefer a Snapdragon chip with an OLED screen in a 14-inch size.
Are Chromebooks good for gaming?
Only through cloud gaming. Chromebooks can’t install PC games, and the one way they could, Google and Valve’s Steam for Chromebook beta, ended on January 1, 2026; games installed through it stopped working (Tom’s Hardware). What’s left works well, though:
- Cloud gaming (the best option): NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Xbox Cloud Gaming run games on remote servers and stream them to the Chromebook, so the laptop’s own chip barely matters. GeForce NOW plays games you own on Steam and other stores; its Ultimate tier streams at up to 2560×1600 and 120 FPS on Chromebooks. NVIDIA asks for 35 Mbps for that, a 5 GHz Wi-Fi or wired connection, and under 80 ms of latency to its servers (NVIDIA). Xbox Cloud Gaming needs a Game Pass plan that includes cloud play.
- Android games: most Chromebooks run games from the Google Play Store, and the faster Chromebook Plus models above handle them easily. Some phone games don’t fit a laptop screen or keyboard well.
- What you can’t play: Windows PC games installed from Steam, Epic or other stores, unless the game is also available on a cloud service.
For cloud gaming, the screen and Wi-Fi matter more than the processor: a Chromebook Plus with a sharp screen and a recent Wi-Fi chip is a good fit. If you want to install and play PC games, buy a Windows gaming laptop instead; see our cheapest gaming laptops worth buying.
What to look for in a Chromebook
- Chromebook Plus: Google’s badge for Chromebooks that meet higher minimum specs and get Google’s AI features. Every pick here except the Duet 11 and Chromebook 315 is a Chromebook Plus.
- 8GB of memory or more: 4GB isn’t enough for modern ChromeOS, as 9to5Google found with the 4GB Duet 11.
- Update date: every Chromebook has an auto-update expiration date. Newer models get updates for longer, so avoid old stock sold cheaply.
- Know the limits: Chromebooks run web apps, Android apps and Linux apps, but not Windows software such as full desktop Office or most PC games.
Our verdict
The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the best Chromebook for most people, with an OLED screen, strong performance and long battery life. Choose the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus for the thinnest design and biggest OLED, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 for a premium 2-in-1, the Chromebook Plus i 15 for a big screen under $500, the Chromebook Plus 2-in-1 on sale, the Duet 11 as a tablet, and the Acer Chromebook 315 for the lowest price. If you’d rather have the newest platform, the ASUS Googlebook 14 is the standout Googlebook and the Acer Googlebook 14 the best value.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Chromebook in 2026?
The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 for most people. It has a 14-inch OLED screen, a MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 chip with a built-in AI processor, up to 16GB of memory and an aluminium build. Tom’s Guide calls it the best Chromebook you can buy.
Is it still worth buying a Chromebook now that Googlebooks are out?
Yes, if you want a capable laptop for well under $900. Google says current Chromebooks keep getting updates through their supported lifetime, and ChromeOS will get regular updates and security patches through mid-2034. Googlebooks cost more and are aimed at the premium end of the market.
Will my Chromebook get Googlebook OS?
Possibly, if it’s a newer model. Google says many of its newest Chromebooks will be eligible to move to Googlebook OS, but it hasn’t published the list of qualifying models yet. Older Chromebooks will keep running ChromeOS with updates through their supported lifetime.
How long do Chromebooks get updates?
Each Chromebook has an auto-update expiration date, and newer models get updates for longer. Google says ChromeOS will receive regular updates and security patches through mid-2034, and qualifying devices whose support runs past 2034 will be offered a move to Googlebook OS.
Should I get a Chromebook or a Windows laptop?
Get a Chromebook if you mostly use a browser, Google Docs and web apps: they’re simple, secure and usually cheaper. Get a Windows laptop if you need desktop software such as full Microsoft Office, specialist school or work apps, or PC games.
Can you play games on a Chromebook?
Yes, through cloud gaming services such as NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Android games from the Play Store. Chromebooks can’t install PC games: the Steam for Chromebook beta ended on January 1, 2026.
Which Googlebook is the best?
Early hands-on coverage from Tom’s Guide picks the ASUS Googlebook 14 as the standout for its 2.2-pound design and anti-glare OLED. The Acer Googlebook 14 is the best value and the only 2-in-1. Full lab reviews are still to come.
How much does a Googlebook cost?
The Acer Googlebook 14 is the cheapest, and the ASUS and HP Googlebook 14 cost the most. Check the current price and configuration before you buy.
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