The best Chromebooks for pretty much anything you want to do

Google's Pixelbook offers the best Chrome OS experience users can ask for. There’s a reason our reviewer was legit in love with it, and coming from an Apple person, that's saying something. However, you can guess that this luxury doesn't come cheap: with the Pixelbook, you’ll be forking over about as much as you would for a traditional laptop. This machine justifies its price with a clean, modern look, and convertible design that lets you use it as a laptop or tablet. Plus, the specs on this thing make it competitive with other high-end laptops on the market.

Frequent travelers need something thin, light, and able to be bumped around in a carry-on without the worry of breaking. But since when do thin, light, and heavy-duty go together? Since the Asus Chromebook Flip came out, that's when. The Chromebook Flip is slick as can be, has light, feathery weight and a slim 14-inch touchscreen. With a full HD display and 360-degree hinges that can switch between tablet and laptop, it’s perfect for turning your long flight or ride into a mini Netflix marathon. And with an Intel Core processor and 8GB RAM, it’s powerful enough to handle other tasks while on the go.

Need a laptop that can get the job done and not break the bank? Look no further than the Acer Chromebook 14. The 14-inch screen on this bad boy is larger than most of its competitors and provides a full HD 1080p display. That does come with a trade off: this Chromebook is a bit heavier, though it's still less than four pounds. Battery life is also excellent for a device of this size: You'll get about 12 hours on one charge. That is stellar for any laptop, and especially good for one of the big guys. For the price, you’ll struggle to find anything that matches the value here.

For first-timers, whether that's a kid getting their first laptop or those who aren't tech-savvy, the Dell Chromebook 11 is a perfect way to dip your toes into the water but without a huge learning curve (or a steep price tag). It feels tough and sturdy and will be able to withstand most things a kid could throw at it. The screen is pretty minuscule at 11.6 inches (with not-so-thin bezels), but this also makes it small and light enough for a kid's backpack or other traveling needs. The CPU is fast and the battery will stay running about 14 hours, more than enough to get through a day of classes. There's also a good variety of ports and slots along the side, which are handy for connecting peripherals or extra storage.

An alternative option from Google, the Google Pixelbook Go is incredibly lightweight and thin weighing barely two pounds and only 13 millimeters thin. Its speedy processor, memory and more mean it boots in seconds with a backlit keyboard and Hush Keys ensuring the typing experience is quiet and comfortable. The laptop stays cool for as long as it's on your lap too. Everything about the Google PixelBook Go refines the experience and ensures you get maximum comfort and convenience right down to its 12 hour battery life. 

Chromebooks have become reliable options for schoolwork, but haven’t really made a dent in the office. The HP Chromebook x360 14c threatens to change the perception of what the Chromebook is capable of. With a powerful Intel processor and more than 8GB of RAM, it’s capable of handling most intensive tasks that you throw its way. On top of that, it sports a fingerprint sensor and webcam kill switch that provides an extra bit of security that you need if you’re working on important documents. It’s a little heavier than your average Chromebook and the display doesn’t shine, but this is a Chromebook that wouldn’t look out of place in a boardroom.

Unlike most other Chromebooks, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus has a camera to rival many tablets. Thanks to that 13MP camera with autofocus, it's a great option if you like to take the occasional snap while out and about. Taking it out is easy too thanks to the Chromebook weighing under three pounds and easily folded into tablet mode too. A built-in pen ensures this feels like a solidly hybrid 2-in-1 device that can cope with whatever you throw at it. Elsewhere, being able to upgrade via microSD to 400GB is a useful move for those wanting to be less dependent on the cloud.

At around $699, the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is a good deal more expensive than some of its Chromebook brethren, but one only needs to glance at its specs to understand why. It packs 8GB of RAM and a staggering (by Chromebook standards) 256GB of storage to go along with a 10-hour battery and a display that can fully rotate into more of a tablet form factor. And yes, it has a touchscreen.

Its port selection isn’t the most robust, but one USB port is met with two Thunderbolt 4 ports for maximum productivity if you need it. Those Thunderbolt ports will let you connect the Chromebook Spin to external monitors for increased screen space, for example. In all, this is a powerhouse by Chromebook standards and is great for workers.