If you’re taking the slim and light route, 2-in-1 convertibles are also worth a look. However, you can also get larger Chromebooks to cover working from home or everyday office use, in which case you’re wiser taking on some extra weight to get a bigger screen and keyboard. You don’t need to spend much to pick up a cracking thin and light model, and the build quality is pretty good these days, too, with manufacturers moving away from cheap, plasticky efforts to more luxurious aluminium designs as you move up the price range. Chromebooks work brilliantly as a secondary device that you can use when darting in and out of the office, or as a basic computer for browsing, homework and learning. It’s important to think about size and weight. Does size matter?īest laptop for students UK 2023: Fast, reliable student laptops for school, college and university A 128GB SSD will bring greater flexibility, while 256GB gives you plenty of space for media, apps and games. The cheapest Chromebooks still come with 64GB of eMMC storage, which won’t be a problem if you stick to web-based apps but could hold you back if you want to install Android apps or, say, work with photos or video stored locally on your laptop. With that in mind, you might also want to think about storage. What’s more, you will have scope to run Linux or Android apps. The Chrome browser and many websites are steadily becoming more demanding, and you will notice the difference. However, if your chosen Chromebook has an 8GB option, then it’s worth paying the extra for. When it comes to RAM, 4GB is now the baseline standard and still fine for everyday browsing and running Google apps. The latest Chromebooks with 12th-generation Intel Core CPUs are pretty speedy, even by Windows laptops standards, and can handle just about any application you can throw at them. Meanwhile, the faster Core i5 and Core i7 Chromebooks deliver greater flexibility, running Linux and Android apps at lightning speeds. These will run web-based apps smoothly, functioning with a dozen browser tabs open at once without breaking much of a sweat. Instead, head up the range to the Chromebooks with quad-core Intel Pentium, Core i3 or AMD Ryzen processors. These tend to struggle once you have a few apps or browser tabs open. You will find that most Chromebooks ship in two or more configurations, and as a rule we would avoid the low-end models with budget Intel Celeron processors and anything with a dual-core AMD or Intel CPU. Some of the best ChromeOS devices run on ARM-based processors, and these are becoming faster while also offering improved battery life. How to choose the best Chromebook for you What do I need to look for when buying a Chromebook?ĬhromeOS is designed to run on relatively low-powered hardware, so you don’t need a super-fast Core i7 or Ryzen 7 processor to get a smooth experience even a lowly Pentium or Core i3 processor will do the job. Best convertible Chromebook: Acer Chromebook Spin 713 | £837.Best big-screen Chromebook: Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 (5500) | £574.Best value Chromebook: Acer Chromebook CB514-1W | £500.We also offer some top tips on what you should look for in a Chromebook, to ensure you’re not just picking up a bargain, but a laptop that’s going to meet your needs. What’s more, they’re perfect as a secondary laptop for travelling or as a device for homework and study, particularly if the students concerned spend more time using web-based apps over traditional applications.īelow, you will find our current pick of the best Chromebooks to buy, from cool 2-in-1 convertibles to the best big-screen options. While Google-powered laptops used to be thought of as weird, slow and limiting, they’ve become powerful, practical and flexible computers, capable of handling a wide range of tasks. Would you like a lightweight, low-cost laptop that just works? Where you’re ready to go in seconds and you’re never left waiting half an hour for an update to install? If so, you might want to think about a Chromebook.
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