Chromebooks are the most affordable type of personal computers you can buy. Some of the best chromebooks cost you not more than a mid range smartphone. Apart from cost effectiveness, a chromebook is perfect if you are a student, small business owner or someone whose work is solely dependent on browsing the internet.
Within this fraternity of laptops, chromebooks also do not disappoint you in performance. You can define the Best Chromebook by 2 important factors.
- Performance: While budget tight chromebooks come with a simple 2 or 4GB RAM, spend a few bucks to get an 8GB or better, 16GB RAM chromebook. They stay with you for a long time and give you faster and comfortable performance.
- Range of application: As chromebooks are basically internet enablers, try and pick one which gives you a little more than that. Most new age chromebooks even give you a file explorer and permissions to install other Android based applications on the chromebook
Apart from these two, there are a handful of other factors one needs to consider while choosing a Chromebook. Do check out the Buying Guide for further details on these. Now without any further ado, let us jump right in to list down and review the Top 10 Best Chromebooks this year, 2019/2020.
Best Chromebooks to buy in 2019 and 2020
| Chromebooks | Screen Size | RAM | Storage | Processor | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP Chromebook | 14 inches | 4 GB | 64 GB | Intel Celeron-N3350 | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Lenovo Chromebook | 11.6 inches | 4 GB | 64 GB | MediaTek MT8173C Processor | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| HP Chromebook x360 | 14 inches | 8 GB | 64 GB | Intel i5 processor | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Acer Chromebook | 11.6 inches | 4 GB | 16 GB | Intel Celeron N3060 | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Asus Chromebook | 15.6 inches | 4 GB | 32 GB | Intel Dual Core Celeron Processor | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Samsung Chromebook | 11.6 inches | 2 GB | 16 GB | Intel Celeron D | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Google PixelBook | 12.4 inches | 8 GB and 16GB | 128 GB and 512 GB | Intel i5 and i7 | CHECK ON AMAZON |
Best Chromebooks to buy in 2019 and 2020: Reviews
1. HP Chromebook 14-Inch Thin and Light Touchscreen Laptop
First on our list is one of the fastest chromebook laptop computers in India. The HP Chromebook is a 14 inch thin touch screen based laptop with a keyboard hinge that turns to 180 degrees.
Top Features:
- Starting off with the tech specs, the HP Chromebook comes with a 4GB DDR4 RAM . As this is the 4th generation DDR ram, it clocks faster speed than the previous generation DDR3 RAM.
- As for the processor, the HP Chromebook runs on Intel Celeron-N3350, a 1.1 GHz base processor which can boost up to 2.4 GHz as well.
- Comes with an Intel HD Graphics 500 graphics card
- With 2 cores and 2MB Cache, this speed based configuration give you a faster performance.
- The Chrome OS in this chromebook can boot in just under 10 seconds thus eliminating startup lags.
- It has a Hard Drive of 64 GB eMMC capacity which is a tad bit small compared to higher storage range Chromebooks
- Has one USB port for external storage or other connections such as mouse, thumbdrive etc.,
- It also has a wide range of applications through the Google Play ranging from Google Drive, YouTube, Gmail and major non-google services such as Amazon Prime, Whatsapp, Slack, Evernote, Lightroom, Infinite Painter.
- B&O play based Audio with dual speakers. Easy screen share thanks to the flexible hinge with 180-degree rotation.
- Available in Chalkboard Grey and Snow white
Battery and Charging:
Comes with a battery life of up to 11 to 12 hours.
Warranty and Support:
The HP Chromebook comes with a 1 year domestic manufacturer’s warranty. But warranty specifically does not cover any physical damage.
Things we liked about it
- Offers superior Offline activity and performance
- High performance configuration for its usage
- 12 hours of optimal battery life
- Has ample apps
- Decent touch calibration
- Light in weight
- Perfect for students and people who are always on the move
Things we didn’t like about it:
- Low Memory
- The 180 degrees is good but you cannot fold it down to act like a tablet computer.
2. Lenovo Chromebook C330 11.6-Inch IPS Display HD 2-in-1 Convertible Laptop
Next up, we have a Chromebook from Lenovo. The Lenovo C330 Chromebook is a 11.6 inch large IPS touch displayed convertible laptop. While it may have a smaller screen than the HP Chromebook, Lenovo wins in terms of its 360 degrees convertible nature.
Top Features:
- The Lenovo C330 comes with a MediaTek MT8173C Processor with a 2.1 Ghz speed.
- 4GB LP DDR3 RAM which is speed and perfect for multitasking and superfast Booting time
- 64 GB eMMC storage and and also an additional 100 GB of cloud storage on Google Drive. (The device is also available in a 32GB variant but is not a preferred suggestion given the very low Memory)
- Has additional 2 USB 3.0 ports for better external connectivity and also a microSD slot, USB -C type I/O ports
- Powerful WiFi and Bluetooth 4.1 for great connectivity
- Just one inch thin and the display spans across 11 inches full HD with IPS touch technology.
- In Built anti-virus offers good protection
- Supports a variety of Google PlayStore apps.
Charging and Battery:
The Lenovo Chromebook C330 offers 10 hours of operation
Warranty and Support:
Lenovo offers 2 separate warranties for the chromebook. While it gives a 1 year warranty on all the parts, it has a separate 1 year warranty on the labor. For products that are returned as Dead on Arrival, Amazon may impose a 15% customer fee subjected to testing the product
Pros
- Comes in an attractive Blizzard White colour packaging
- Slim and very much light in weight
- High number of I/O ports
- 1 year warranty on parts and simultaneously 1 year on labour
- Fast operation
- Additional 100 GB of Google Cloud Storage available
Cons:
- Screen size could be a bit larger
- Could have been better with a little more applications than simply play store compatible apps
3. HP Chromebook x360 14-Inch Thin and Light FHD Laptop
Yet another HP Chromebook, the X360 is also a 14 inch full touch laptop like the HP Chromebook but comes with massively huge configurations. While the first HP Chromebook was a simple 180 degree fold, the X360, as the name suggests, can fold up back into a 360 degrees; From a laptop to a tablet computer.
Top Features
- 360 Degrees foldable can change it instantaneously from a computer to a tablet PC
- Massive and Fastest 8GB DDR4 2400 SD RAM. Boots up fast within just 10 seconds and runs fast.
- Comes with a super fast Intel i5 Processor
- 64 GB eMMC Hard Drive which can be expandable to 256 GB Storage
- Also has an additional 100 GB of Google Drive Storage and also unlimited Google Photos Space
- The screen is 14-inches large, micro-edge WLED-backlit full HD display made from IPS BrightView with 1920 x 1080 resolution
- Multiple layers of security and built in virus protection to defend against any malicious software, viruses and accidents.
- Inbuilt Google Assistant that boots up with a simple Hey Google command.
- Apart from the prebuilt G-Suite apps like YouTube, Gmail and Google Drive, it also comes with additional Google Playstore compatible non-google apps such as Slack, Evernote, Amazon Prime, Infinite Painter, Whatsapp, Lightroom and much more.
Charging and Battery:
The HP Chromebook comes with a 60 Watt hour battery with a 12 hour long battery life
Warranty and Support: has a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty available from the date of purchase
Pros
- Super massive 8 GB DDR4 RAM
- 12 Hour long battery life
- Large display
- Fast intel i5 processor
- Value for money
- 1 year manufacturer’s warranty
Cons
- Pricing
4. Acer Chromebook Laptop
Acer is known for its slim and trip computer systems. While the Acer Chromebook 11 lives up to its predecessor’s standards in terms of being powerful, it is not exactly as slim as its competition.
Top Features:
- Has an 11.6 inches large screen with HD Widescreen and LED Backlit ComfyView IPS display.
- The chromebook comes with a 4GB RAM DDR3L SD RAM
- It also comes with a powerful Intel Celeron N3060 Dual Core processor which can clock up a speed up to 2.48 Ghz
- 16 GB eMMC Internal storage which is comparatively low than most of the chromebooks in the list but compensates with the free 100 GB google drive space.
- Comes with a 802.11 ac WiFi with the MIMO technology which has a dual bands of 2.4 GHz and 5GHz; Comfortable network connectivity
- I/O ports include 1 USB 3.0 port and 1 USB 2.0 port along with a single HDMI port with HDCP support.
- Has two built in stereo speakers and Anti Glare display
- Chrome OS comes with a built in virus protection with automatic updating and just 10 second boot up time
- Supports a wide range of Android applications through the Google Playstore
Charging and Battery: The Acer Chromebook 11 comes with 3-cell Lithium Ion Battery Pack of 3490 mAh capacity which can have up to a 10 hour long battery function.
Warranty and Support: Acer provides a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty from the date of purchase.
Pros
- White and good looking design
- Stereo speakers inbuilt
- Anti-glare display
- 1 year warranty
Cons
- A little heavy
- Some issues with prolonged touchpad usage
- Needs to improve customer support
- Value not so much for the price paid
5. Asus Chromebook Laptop
Next on our list is a chromebook that has been mentioned as the Editor’s Choice for PC Mag. The Asus chromebook has the largest screen with over 15.6 inches large NanoEdge High Definition Display.
Top Features:
- The first best feature, would undeniably be the large 15.6 inches screen. As mentioned before, this large screen comes with a NanoEdge High Definition display with Anti Glare.
- The Bezel is ultra narrow and the anti glare coating acts to reduce any reflections.
- Comes with a 180 degree hinge so you can fold up the chromebook straight.
- The Asus Chromebook is run by a powerful Intel Dual Core Celeron N3350 Processor with 2 MB cache and a clock speed that can go up to 2.4 GHz
- As for the RAM, it has a 4GB LPDDR4, the fourth generation fastest DDR RAM
- Internal storage of the laptop is 32 GB but has a free additional 100 GB of Google Drive space
- I/O ports include 2 USB Type C and Type A ports
- Inbuilt anti virus protection included in the OS
Charging and Battery: Comes with a 10 hour long running lithium ion battery
Warranty and Support: As of now, Asus seems to be providing a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty to products that are purchased ONLY IN NORTH AMERICA. Its warranty policy on Indian purchases are still unclear.
Pros
- Super large screen for a chromebook
- Fast DDR4 RAM
- Value for money
- Good aesthetic design
Cons
- Lack of warranty
6. Samsung Chromebook 3 11.6-inch Laptop
Samsung was one among the few early adopters and producers of the Chromebook. The Samsung Chromebook 3 is the first Samsung chromebook on our list.
Top Features:
- This chromebook comes with a 11.6 inches large High Definition screen and it has anti-glare and anti reflective coating to it
- It has a 2 GB RAM and 16GB eMMC flash memory. Unlike a lot of chromebooks mentioned in the list which come with an additional 100 GB google drive storage, Samsung does not specify anything as such for this device.
- Light in weight as it weighs just about 1 kilograms
- The keyboard is spill resistant and thus is less prone to spill accidents.
- Has bluetooth, WiFi and one HDMI output port
Charging and Battery: For a single charge, the Samsung Chromebook 3 can work up to a total of 11 hours.
Warranty: Similar to the Asus Chromebook, Samsung too offers warranty for products bought in the USA. Indian warranty is not specified.
Pros
- Price conscious product
- Small and compact
- Spill resistant keyboard
Cons
- Warranty not specified
- Could have had better features
7. The Google PixelBook
The best part about a chromebook is Google’s proprietary Chrome OS. While Google leases out its OS to other devices, the PixelBook is Google’s own chromebook. Beautifully designed with minimal aesthetics, tt comes in two different specifications with almost the same features.
Top Common Features:
- Full HD 12.4 inches large TFT Touch screen which can be rotated 360 degrees
- Durable aluminium body and the screen is made from corning gorilla glass
- 4 in 1 design lets you adapt the chromebook into a laptop mode, a tablet mode, a tent mode or into entertainment mode
- Comes with a plethora of Google Suite apps and non-google apps such as Evernote, Slack, Infinite Painter, Roblox, Whatsapp and much more through the Android Play Store
- Fast operation and very light in weight design with 10.3 mm width and 1 kg in weight.
- Less than 10 seconds startup booting time.
- 15 minutes of simple charge can juice up the computer for over 2 hours of use and a total of 10 hours of battery life.
- Ultra quick Google Assistant that fires up at an “Ok Google” or “Hey Google” command
- 100 GB of additional Google Drive storage space
- 1 year manufacturer’s warranty
Now that we have grounded all the common features, let us look at the only features that differentiate the two Pixel Books available.
| GA00122 | GA00124 |
| Intel i5 Processor | Intel i7 Processor |
| 8 GB DDR3 RAM | 16 GB DDR3 RAM |
| 128 GB Hard Disk | 512 GB Hard Disk |
Buying Guide: How to pick the Best Chromebook
A chromebook is essentially an enabler of desktop internet for immediate and faster tasks. A basic quality chromebook runs on the Chrome OS, comes with a Google Chrome browser and nothing else. With the advent of technology and integrations, modern chromebooks are much more than just that. But even while we are at it, a lot of people still do not understand the difference between a common laptop and a chromebook
Chromebook vs Laptop: What is the difference:
Before we jump into dissecting the differences, let us first talk about what exactly is a laptop.
A laptop is basically a personal computer that you can carry around anywhere you go. A laptop may come with any type of OS, this allows you to install and run any application you wish for. This flexibility gives you the ability to use the laptop for anything from simple internet browsing to playing games or running complex software.
A chromebook, on the other hand is also a laptop but it runs on a special operating system called Chrome OS. They are comparatively smaller in size too. Apart from this, a chromebook’s functions are very limited. You cannot run anything you wish for. Minimalistic in design, a chromebook lets you use the internet using a pre-installed Chrome browser and a few other applications that are either supported or owned by Google.
While chromebooks used to be slower and were usually deemed to have low performance, modern chromebooks have juiced up to give better if not very good performance. But chromebooks most certainly have lower storage than a laptop. This is because chromebooks are not exactly built for storage and thus the prospect of higher memory is deemed to be redundant. But this aspect is usually compensated as chromebooks come with about 100GB of free storage on Google Drive
Also, one of the major differences between a chromebook and a conventional laptop falls in the price category. While basic laptops are about 20-25 thousand a piece, simple if not good quality chromebook sometimes may cost you less than 20 thousand as well.
With that, let us now list down all the important factors you need to look for before finalizing on a chromebook.
1. Purpose
Though it is a cliched buying guide recommendation, for a chromebook, it is the absolute most important thing you need to look before getting a chromebook. This is so because chromebooks are purpose focussed.
Please do not forget that chromebooks are internet and more specifically, Google Chrome powered devices. You cannot use the typical excel spreadsheet in it unless it is the Google Spreadsheet. You cannot run any other application that is not either Google owned or available on the Google stores (Chrome web store or Android Play Store)
So if your purpose and work is entirely internet dependent and you do not need the laptop to do anything else, then go for the Chromebook.
But there is nothing to worry about and this is actually a great device for many professions and personals. With Google’s office suite, it makes it almost redundant for you to even need any other application. Almost everything is available online. A chromebook is a great tool for students, professors among others who solely depend on the internet for most of their works.
2. Performance
After your purpose is justified and you jump forward to pick a chromebook, look for the performance. The quality of a chromebook is mostly dependent on its performance. When we talk about performance, we specifically talk about the RAM capacity and the processor speeds.
Some of the best performing chromebooks come with astounding RAM and Processor configurations that even surpass that of most laptops. Today you can even find a chromebook that has an 8GB RAM with a 2.4Ghz i5 processor as well.
Here, your choice is totally dependent on how fast you need. And you decide how fast you need based on how much you are going to use your chromebook. For instance, if you are a student or a professor who uses the chromebook to prepare study material or research, then a small chromebook with a 2 GB or even 4GB with an i3 processor is fine.
3. Applications
After the performance, the next thing you need to look for is the range of applications you can use on your chromebook. Chromebooks get better year on year when it comes to applications you can use on them.
Originally consisting of only the Google suite applications, (Google calendar, GMail, Youtube and Google Drive), you can now use a wide range of Android applications on your Chromebook as well.
Modern pixel books are even rumoured to have Linux integrations within them. This gives you more flexibility to run Linux based applications on the device through deep integrations. This could be beneficial for you depending on how you wish to use your chromebook.
So, as a rule of thumb, the more number of applications the better. There is no specific number or type of applications (this depends on your usage. Chromebooks come with free photo editing, and other applications which you can download depending on your usage)
4. Offline Usage
Another deal breaker with a Chromebook is how internet dependent they are. By definition, a chromebook is internet based laptop. This means that much of the computer would be unavailable for use if you are away from the internet signal.
But fortunately, there are more than 200 plus chrome apps which are built specifically for offline function. Apps like Pocket, Google Drive, Pixlr, and Even GMAIL have limited if not full offline functionality. Now it is just a matter of which Chromebook you choose which lets you do this.
5. Storage
As mentioned before, storage of chromebooks are comparatively smaller than a typical laptop. Usually, chromebooks come with a 16 or 32 GB storage. As a student or as an entry level IT professional or accountant, this may be easy and enough.
This is because, Chromebooks are internet dependent and there would not be a lot of download activity going on it them. Nowadays, there are a lot of models which offer storage that is as high as 100GB as well.
Also, a lot of chromebooks come with additional 100GB or higher Google Drive space plans to compensate low internal storage
6. Screen size
The size of the screen too is an important factor. Chromebooks, by default have a comparatively smaller size than your average laptop. This is so because most of chromebooks are used for basic research of educational purposes.
But that does not mean that all chromebooks are small in screen size. Many come with decent to good screen sizes. Moreover, chromebooks offer better viewing angles by changing their mode of view. Like you can change your view from a simple stand to a tent mode or to even a laptop mode.
7. Battery Life
The battery life of a chromebook is the next most important thing that you need to look for. The average battery life of a chromebook lies between 8 and 12 hours. But then again, there are models which offer better and higher battery life as well.
Battery capacity is not user dependent. It is always wise to go for high battery life as more is always good. While 8 or 12 hour backup is good, try searching for a laptop with as much as 16 hours. If else, a basic 12 hour battery is fine too.
8. Durability and Security
One of the best things about Chrome books are the security that they offer. Though devices that are directly connected to the internet, the first thing that you need to realize is that you seldom have any offline files that may be prone to attacks. Also, the core Chrome OS is strong enough to offer better protection.
Google’s pixelbook and even Lenovo ThinkPad 13 Chromebook, come with a special security chip called the Trusted Platform Module. The primary function of these chips is to protect the computer and all your passwords from any malicious attacks or hackers.
Other chromebooks by other companies too have special add ons or other subscription type models for amplified security.
Coming to the durability of the products, Chromebooks are light in weight and a few even have groovy back. These types of design statements are ergonomic and sturdy by nature. Students or rough handling users can expect some sort of protection to their devices if they choose such sturdy designs.
9. Special Features
An additional factor, special features such as multitasking gestures, touch screens, floating keyboards, dictation, desktop modes, flexibility are some of the features that add to the value of a chromebook. While at its core, most of the chromebooks are the same. It is the tech specs and these additional features that differentiate them from the quality and most selling products.
As these special features are use case specific, you can pick any chromebook that has special features which address your specific problem statements
10. Cost
Now, finally, we get to one of the most important aspects of almost anything. As we mentioned before, a chromebook will cost you anywhere from 20 thousand rupees. The price goes higher and can even reach one lakh rupees depending on the brand and configurations you choose.
Price is very subjective and you cannot decide on the quality of the chromebook or its ability to help you with your needs solely on the price factor. After you have considered all the other options, you will have at the very least 3 or more options at hand. Since they have all passed with all the features and factors mentioned above, you can easily pick the one that costs less (given the company is trusted and the product is of good quality through reviews and ratings)
Conclusion
Chromebooks are great devices with super fast and quick operation that is ideal for simple, mundane and internet based tasks. A boon for students, teachers and managerial IT executives, Chromebooks have gained great momentum in recent years.
Out of all the listed chromebooks, the HP Chromebook is our top pick with its 4GB DDR4 RAM (fastest RAM), the Intel Celeron N3350 processor and an Intel HD 500 Graphics card. With 2 cores, 64 GB Hard Disk and 2MB cache, this is a decent chromebook machine making it one of the best chromebook in India.
If you are power hungry, then we would suggest that you go ahead with either of the i7+8 GB+ 128 GB version of Google Pixelbook or the i7+16 GB+ 512 GB pixelbook. Both of them are super powerful, fast and friendly machines.
While that was our list, we are super excited and eager for your choices. Did we miss out on anything or do you want us to include anything to the list? If you have any queries regarding chromebooks, laptops or any other electronic gadget, feel free to write to us in the comments section below and our product expert team will get back to you as soon as possible.
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