You could be tried to get a chromebook as the next laptop and we would not blame you. Chrome OS has put a long way: Chromebooks today have a good combination of processing quality, battery life and electricity and at the same time supports years of software updates that will take years into the future. If you mainly browse on the web or regularly need a lot of additional software, a chromebook can be a powerful daily driver.
While Google agreed last autumn last autumn the introduction of the Chromebook Plus initiative (more on this below), you have to consider several things when shopping for a new chromebook. The market is saturated with machines at different price points and electricity levels. I have tested and checked Chromebooks for years and know what you should look for and what you can expect from these laptops.
Table of contents
Best Chromebooks in 2025
Chromebook FAQs
What is Chrome OS and why should I use it via Windows?
This is probably number one to Chromebooks. There are many inexpensive Windows laptops on the market. So why should you deal with the Chrome operating system? I’m glad you asked. For me, the simple and clean nature of chrome OS is a large sales argument. Chrome OS is based on Google’s Chrome browser, which means that most programs that you can do are web -based. There is no bloatware or unwanted apps that cannot uninstall it as if they often come to Windows laptops. It starts in a matter of seconds and you can be reset almost as quickly to factory settings.
Of course, simplicity will also be an important disadvantage for some users. If you are a video editor or software developer, you cannot install native software. But there are also many people who do most of their work in a web browser and use tools such as Google documents and spreadsheets for productivity without needing a complete Windows setup.
Google and its software partners get better every year with the support of advanced functions. For example Google Video editing tools added The Adobe premiere is not replaced in the Google Photos app for Chromebooks, but it should be practical for many people. In a similar way, Google and Adobe announced Photoshop on the web Last year there is something that brings a large part of the power of the desktop app from Adobe to Chromebook.
Chromebooks can also carry out Android apps that significantly expand the available software. The quality varies very much, but you can do more with a chromebook beyond only web -based apps. For example, you can install the Netflix app and save videos for offline. Other Android apps such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Lightroom are also surprisingly capable. Between Android apps and a general improvement in the web apps are more than just portals to a browser.
What are Chromebooks doing well?
Simply put, web browser and really everything web -based. Online shopping, streaming of music and videos and the use of various social media websites are among the most common daily tasks that people do on chromebooks. As you may expect, you also work well with Google services such as photos, documents, Google Mail, Driving, staying and so on. Yes, every computer that can perform Chrome can do this too, but the light nature of the Google Chrome operating system makes it a reaction fast and stable platform.
As I have already mentioned, Chrome OS can carry out Android apps. So if you are an Android user, you will find some good relationships between the platforms. You can get most of the same apps on your phone on a Chromebook and synchronize information between you. You can also use some Android telephones as a safety key for your chromebook or immediately stand to your connection 2-in-1 laptop Use mobile data.
Google continues to accumulate security as a main difference for Chromebooks and it is definitely a factor that is worth considering. Auto updates are the first lines of defense: Chrome OS-updates are quickly downloaded in the background and a quick restart is everything that the latest version installs. According to Google, each website and app on a chromebook is also carried out in its own sandbox, so that these individual app contains safety threats. Finally, Chrome OS has a self-check called verified boat that is carried out every time a device starts. Apart from that, the simple fact that you generally cannot install traditional apps in a Chromebook gives fewer options for bad actors to access the system.
If you are interested in Google’s Gemini Ai tools, a Chromebook is also a good option. Each chromebook in our top picks has a whole year of the Google One Ai Premium Plan. This combines the usual Google One advantages such as 2 TB memory and 10 percent in purchases in the Google Store with a number of AI tools. You will get access to Gemini in Google Mail, Google Docs and other apps, Gemini Advanced (which is executed on the 1.5 Pro model) and more. In view of the fact that this plan is 20 US dollars per month, it is a rather solid advantage. Chromebook Plus models also contain tools such as the AI-driven “Help Me-Write”, the Google Photos Magic Editor and the generative AI background, which you can create by filling out some input requests.
If you avoid Chromebooks, the answer is simple: If you rely heavily on a certain native application for Windows or a Mac, you will probably not find the same option on a Chromeos device. This is the cheapest in fields such as photo and video editing, but it can also be the case in law or financing. Many companies operate in Google’s G -Suite software, but more still have specific requirements with which a Chromebook may not match. If you are an iPhone user, you will also miss the way the iPhone is easily integrated into an iPad or Mac. For me, the big disadvantage is not able to access a chromebook.
After all, gaming chromebooks are not omnipresent, even though they become a somewhat more sensible option when the cloud gaming rise. At the end of 2022, Google and some hardware partners announced a advance Make Chromebooks with Cloud games in mind. From hardware perspective, this means that laptops with larger screens with higher update rates and these laptops optimize so that they work with services such as Nvidia GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass and Amazon Luna. You obviously need an internet connection to use these services, but the good news is that playing modern games in a Chromebook is not impossible. You can also install Android Games from the Google Play Store, but that is exactly what most people think when they want to play on a laptop.
What are the most important specifications for a Chromebook?
Chrome OS is light and runs well on rather modest hardware. The most important thing you have to search for is possibly not a processor or storage space. However, Google made it easier, consistent specifications and performance at the end of last year Chromebook Plus Initiative. Each device with a Chromebook Plus designation meets some minimum requirements that are very similar to what I would recommend Best laptop You can use every day.
Chromebook Plus models have at least one 12th generation Intel Core i3 processor or an AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series processor, which should be more than enough for most people. These laptops also have at least 8 GB RAM and 128 GB SSD memory, which should run the trick, unless they really push their Chromebook. All Chromebook Plus models must have a 1080p -webcam that is beautiful these days of constant video calls, and you must also have at least one 1080p -FHD -SIPS screen.
Of course, you can get higher specifications or better screens if you want, but I have found that basically everything that is included in the Chromebook Plus target specifications is a very good experience.
Google also has an automatic update guideline for Chromebooks, and although this is not exactly a specification, it is worth checking before buying. Last year Google announced that Chromebooks software updates and support for impressive 10 years after their release date would receive. This support page If the expiry date for the automatic update for practically every chromebook of all time, but a good rule of thumb is to buy the latest machine you can to maximize your support.
How much should I spend on a chromebook?
Chromebooks started notoriously, although list prices are often less than 300 US dollars. But since they have become more mainstream, they have changed from essentially modern netbooks to some of the best laptops they want to use all day. As such, the prices have increased: At this point, you should expect to spend at least 400 US dollars if you want a solid daily driver. There are still many chromebooks that are available at a low price that can be suitable as secondary devices, but a good chromebook that can be an all -day day costs the daily laptop more. But in particular the best chromebooks usually cost less than that Best Windows laptopsOr even the best “normal” laptops out there.
There are numerous premium chromebooks that are approaching or even $ 1,000 that claim to offer better performance and more processing performance, but I do not recommend spending so much. In general, you will receive a better design with more premium materials as well as more powerful internals and additional storage space such as an SSD with a higher capacity. Of course, you sometimes also pay for the brand name. But the specifications described above are usually sufficient.
See also:
Other chromebooks that we have tested
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus
Samsung is new Galaxy Chromebook Plus is one of the more unique chromebooks out there. It is extremely thin and light, at 0.46 inches and £ 2.6, but it manages to include a 15.6-inch display into this frame. This screen is a 1080p panel that is sharp and bright, but its aspect ratio of 16: 9 has a bit tight things while scanning. The performance is very good and the keyboard is solid, although I am not a fan of the number pad because it shifts everything to the left. At 700 US dollars it is not cheap, but that feels fair in view of its size and skills. If you are looking for a large screen laptop that is also superlich, this Chromebook considerations deserve, even if this is not the best option for everyone.
This article was originally on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-chromebooks-160054646.html?src=rss
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