Best Chromebooks for school in 2023

If you're looking for a new school laptop for yourself or your child, you should consider a Chromebook. ChromeOS is an incredibly fast operating system with excellent security and parental controls in place. They're also incredibly cost-effective. Many Chromebook models cost under $300, which is much less than entry-level Mac or Windows PC.

When looking for a Chromebook for school, you don't need a lot. Since ChromeOS is cloud-based, you can buy a Chromebook with lower available storage, and you can get away with smaller RAM configurations since you won't be doing a lot of intensive tasks. However, you'll also want durability; many of the leading manufacturers offer models with military-grade durability and drop/spill resistance. Whether you're looking for a Chromebook for an elementary school student or university, we've got you covered.

Best overall: Asus Chromebook Flip CX5

If there's one thing we know students will be doing in school, it's browsing the web. That's exactly why the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 has landed at the top of the list of top Chromebooks for students.

This Chromebook starts off strong with a unique keyboard. The key caps are backlit, which is perfect for late-night studying, and it has an "Ergo Lift" hinge, which elevates the keyboard a bit for a more comfortable typing angle. Officially, Asus says the keyboard has 1.5mm of key travel. That's about standard for a Chromebook, but it's the comfort that matters most. It also has a nice, large trackpad right in the middle of the chassis, making it perfect for a lot of scrolling.

As for the CPU under the hood, this device has two options: the Intel Core i3-1115G4 CPU and the Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU, which are both from Intel's 11th-generation lineup. These are last-generation parts, but they're still quite powerful, especially considering this Chromebook has up to 8GB of RAM. Multitasking with 10+ tabs in Chrome during research projects should work just fine. It also has a 14-inch, 1920 x 1080 FHD resolution screen with slim bezels along the sides, which is great for showcasing presentations or even watching replays of lectures without feeling like you're running out of room on the screen.

Finally, this Chromebook it's made of premium materials. It's all aluminum and passes military-grade tests for durability. The "All Blue" color is quite striking, too, and will help a student stand out at school. It might not be as powerful as our next pick, but the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 will do just about everything you need for school.

Best Chromebook with a lot of power: Acer Chromebook 516 GE

Students might be doing a lot of work in school, but playing video games is also an option during downtime. That's why we're happy to note that our second pick, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE, is great for gaming and school work, or for more serious students who need power for running Linux apps.

The most important thing to mention here is what's under the hood. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE, which we recently reviewed, has great performance thanks to the latest and greatest from Intel. It has an Intel Core i5-1240P CPU with four performance cores and eight efficiency cores, along with 8GB of RAM. We tested it for our web-based workflows, as well as social media apps, and we had no issues with performance. We even played Android games like Asphalt 9, which worked just fine.

This wouldn't matter if the display were horrible, but thankfully, this Chromebook has one that's accurate and fast. It has a huge 16-inch display tuned to WQXGA 2560 x 1600 resolution, which is above the FHD 1920 x 1080 standard we usually look for in a student device. The display also has slim bezels on all four sides and hits a 120Hz refresh rate. There aren't many other Chromebooks that can do that in 2022. You can stack windows side by side for work, but also get the most out of services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or Nvidia GeForce Now.

But this is primarily for schoolwork, and this Chromebook has a great keyboard for typing. It's backlit and offers pre-set RGB lighting, which is excellent for typing at night. We also loved how the keycaps felt; they were quite soft and didn't give harsh feedback. All around, when you combine the keyboard, display, and CPU, this is one of the best Chromebooks in 2022.

Best budget 2-in-1: Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook

The two Chromebooks we selected so far are quite expensive devices. If you're a student (or know a student) who wants a budget Chromebook for school but doesn't want to spend more than $300, then this is a good device. Just remember that there will be some sacrifices, but not too many since this will be an education-only device.

For example, the CPU isn't exactly the most powerful from Intel or AMD. This Chromebook has a lower-end CPU from MediaTek, the MediaTek MT81383, but we think it's good for education purposes. The chip is paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. Simple tasks like opening web pages will work fine, but there might be limits when it comes to multitasking due to the low RAM. For the basics, though, it'll power most students through their workflows without issue, especially with core Google Workspace apps like Google Docs.

Though the specs on this 2-in-1 don't impress, the design of it really does. This is an 11-inch Chromebook, and one of the most portable on our list. The Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook might even be smaller than the textbooks students have to carry around. Its dimensions are only 11.5 x 8.48 x 0.77 inches, and it weighs 2.64 pounds. The small size also means a small display. Multitasking might not be possible on this Chromebook, and the web pages you're browsing might not look the best either. The screen comes in at 1366 x 768 HD resolution, which isn't crisp, but we think younger students won't mind.

Combine all of this with how you can use this Chromebook in multiple configurations, including tablet mode, and it'll be a versatile device for just education purposes with minimal distractions.

Best budget clamshell with LTE: Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go

There are a lot of 2-in-1 Chromebooks, but since your device will likely take abuse as you travel from class to class, we suggest getting a traditional clamshell Chromebook because it has fewer parts that might break down. The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go is one of the best options for this. And for students that don't always have Wi-Fi, it's one of the rare education systems with LTE support.

The Galaxy Chromebook Go is one of the most durable and attractive in Samsung's Chromebook lineup. It has an appealing, solid white-on-black design, with a black inside that won't show smudges and a white outside. The device is also Mil-STD-810G certified to withstand common drops, dings, and spills. And it comes with no sacrifice to weight or thinness either. It's still portable, measuring 12.88 x 8.88 x 0.63 inches and weighing 3.2 pounds.

Meanwhile, there are some pretty decent specifications to help students power through school-based workflows. Again, since it's a budget device, you won't get the best chips. Instead, this Chromebook has the Intel Celeron N4500U CPU, which is paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. That being said, the CPU has a 2.8GHz turbo boost, so using this Chromebook will feel great. We think it'll juggle a few Chrome tabs without issue and even the occasional Android app on the 1366 x 768 resolution, 200-nit bright screen. The low-end specs also help with battery life, since it's rated at 12 hours. You typically don't get that much battery life on Chromebooks with higher-end specs.

We also know that in education, students want to avoid using dongles. The good news is this Chromebook has a good port selection, with two USB Type-C, a traditional USB Type-A 3.2 port, a microSD card slot, and a headphone jack. The Galaxy Chromebook Go might not be the fanciest device on this list, but it'll be perfect for on-the-go students.

Best for Android apps: Acer Spin 513

Schools don't just depend on web browsers. If your school has you using Android education apps, then you'll need a Chromebook that can run them. For that, we suggest the Acer Spin 513. This Chromebook comes in two flavors. One has a MediaTek chip, and the second has a Qualcomm chip, but both will run Android apps well.

In both cases, the CPUs — the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c or the MediaTek Kompanio 1380 — are powerful for Android-related tasks. These are Arm-based chips, and Android apps are usually coded for the Arm-based architectures and chipsets you'd find on Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. We reviewed the version of the Acer Spin 513 that came with the MediaTek chip and really loved the performance. We tried out many demanding Android apps and games that performed without issue. Popular education apps like Photomath, Khan Academy, Google Classroom, Sololean, or Kahoot! should all run smoothly. Another benefit of using Arm-based CPUs is increased battery when compared to Intel or AMD models. In our testing, we got through a full day of work without needing to recharge, and we even had leftover juice in the battery to get us going the next morning.

We also loved the display. It's 13.5 inches, tuned to the 3:2 aspect ratio, has a 2256 x 1504 resolution, and can get up to 360 nits of brightness. What's even better is that it supports the USI pen protocol, so you can properly enjoy Android apps that require pen input or even have students take notes manually. Note the tall aspect ratio, too. The 3:2 aspect ratio is great for productivity and stacking windows side by side.

Not convinced yet? The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 has a premium, even though it's only priced at around $500. It's an all-aluminum device with a backlit keyboard. The lid even has shiny accents that'll stick out nicely in the classroom. The design also incorporates a "hump" for all of its ports, including two USB-C ports, one USB-A Port, a microSD card slot, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Best for art or multimedia: Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is unlike any other Chromebook or 2-in-1 we've suggested so far, thanks to its truly incredible display. This makes it great for older students or those who want to use it for multimedia tasks.

You see (pun intended!), this Chromebook has a QLED display, which is similar to what you'd find on higher-end TVs. The color output is true-to-life and quite accurate. Not to mention, it has external S Pen support. It doesn't come in the box, but users can draw on the screen or take notes with one. It also has multiple configurations, like tent or tablet mode, so you can use the screen comfortably.

The Galaxy Chromebook 2 continues the overall design of the original Galaxy Chromebook in that it has a striking "Fiesta Red" color. It's also quite a slim device at just under 2.7 pounds and 12.0 x 8.0 x 0.55 inches. It's absolutely perfect for traveling.

Some other features that we usually look for on premium Chromebooks are present here, too. It has a backlit keyboard with plenty of key travel, a decent 720p webcam, as well as integrations with Android phones thanks to Samsung's included Android apps.

This all sounds great, but it's worth noting that Samsung removed a few features from the previous model to help bring down the price. The display is FHD 1920 x 1080 resolution, and the CPU only tops out at a Core i3 option. With 8GB of RAM though, it's still speedy enough for everyday tasks.

Best 17-inch Chromebook: Acer Chromebook 317

Students aren't always hooked up to an external display for increased multitasking, which is why the Acer Chromebook 317 is on our list. This is a Chromebook that might not have the very best specifications, but it does have the very biggest screen, and that might be enough.

This Chromebook packs in a 17-inch screen with 1920 x 1080 resolution. Currently, this is the only Chromebook on the market with a screen this big, and such a big screen is great for productivity. The Full HD resolution allows for room to open apps side by side, with extra room for a third or even a fourth app.

With a big display comes a big keyboard — a full-sized one, in fact, with a number pad. Students who are studying mathematics or science won't need to constantly hit multiple buttons to get the numbers they need. Oh, and we can't forget that this Chromebook has a backlit keyboard, which is a huge plus for added productivity if a student plans to work late at night.

A big chassis like the one on this Chromebook also means there are a lot of ports: USB Type-C, USB-A, and a headphone jack. HDMI is the missing piece, but for a Chromebook that'll be used on the go, it's hard to complain, and it's nothing a dongle can't solve.

The thing we want to note, though, is the CPU. It has an Intel Pentium CPU, which is quite a slow chip, However, since the chip is quad-core, it has 8GB of RAM, and since ChromeOS is a lightweight and efficient operating system, everything a student usually goes through (like opening multiple Chrome tabs) should run just fine. It also comes with 64GB of storage, though it is the slower eMMC type. However, with microSD card expansion, we can't complain too much.

Best rugged Chromebook: Asus Flip C214

Need a rugged Chromebook for school that's going to last? Then, you'll want to check out the Asus Flip C214. It's built to deliver an innovative and inspirational learning experience thanks to the overall build, design, and camera.

This Chromebook has a versatile 11.6-inch touchscreen display, a built-in stylus, and a 360-degree hinge. It also has classroom-ready durability to reassure teachers and students alike, with an all-around rubber bumper, spill-resistant keyboard, and ultra-tough hinge. Asus even went as far as to include a rubber safety group on the back, which can help reduce the risk of the device falling. The lid's surface also has a dimpled finish, so it'll resist scratches, too.

With its school day-long battery life and time-saving, easy-to-service, modular construction, the ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 is ready for anything. This laptop isn't really about the internal specs, but you get an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB eMMc storage. That's for the very basics, like handling two tabs in Google Chrome. Rather, this device is built to deliver an innovative learning experience thanks to the world-facing camera in the corner of the keyboard. A student can flip the screen around and take pictures of whiteboards for note-taking purposes, for example.

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Overall, Chromebooks make excellent school machines for all ages and are incredibly secure and resistant to malware. They're more affordable than other laptops, and as long as you don't need to do super-intensive tasks, it'll be perfect for going to class and doing work at home. While these Chromebooks hit certain use cases, our favorite all-around option is the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5. It has great specs, a great display, a great keyboard, and a great design.