The best budget Chromebooks: More diamond than rough ~ I World Find

The best budget Chromebooks: More diamond than rough

Published on March 28, 2020 Category: Android, application, Information, news, Technically, technology

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Asus Chromebook Flip C434 with coffee

Chromebooks come in all shapes, sizes, configurations, and price points. Some are better for students, some are better for casual at-home browsing, while some are better for mobile professionals. Finding the right balance of features and price can often be a challenge, and there almost always seems to be a compromise hiding somewhere. This can be especially true when looking for the best budget Chromebooks you can buy.

In our look at the best budget Chromebooks, we focused on mid-range products that fall between $300 and $550, with an emphasis on those under $500. You won’t find premium machines, nor entry-level school-kid fare here. These Chromebooks generally offer solid screens, zippy processors, and respectable RAM and storage combinations at affordable price points.

Best budget Chromebooks

Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this list of the best budget chromebooks regularly as new devices launch.

1. Acer Chromebook 514

Acer Chromebook 514

The Acer Chromebook 514 covers some important basics. It features an aluminum chassis, a Full HD touch screen, and a backlit keyboard. These ensure that you can be productive day or night. The battery lasts well more than a full work or school day (12 hours), and the Gorilla Glass trackpad is a nice touch of luxury. It’s a standard clamshell, but the stylish design is eye-catching.

Under the hood, you’ll find a quad-core Intel Celeron processor with 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage. It boasts two DisplayPort USB-C ports, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, and an HD webcam. The 514 weighs a respectable 3.09 pounds. It’s available from Amazon for $396.

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Acer Chromebook 14 specs:

Processor: 1.1GHz Intel Celeron N3450 w/2.2GHz burst
Display: 14-in. Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS LED
Memory: 4GB LPDDR4
Storage: 64GB eMMC
Wireless: 802.11ac WiFi w/2×2 MIMO

Webcam: 1,280 x 720 HD
Ports: 2 USB 3.1 Type-C ports (Gen 1)
Battery: 3,950mAh lithium-polymer, 12 hours
Weight: 1.41kg / 3.09lbs

2. Asus Chromebook C425TA

Asus Chromebook C425

Asus has a trio of mid-range Chromebooks in the C425, C433, and C434. All three are well regarded. The C425TA is a traditional clamshell, but otherwise shares the basic design with its brethren. It has a metallic chassis and what Asus calls the NanoEdge design. The 14-inch, Full HD screen has a bezel of just 5.5mm, giving it a screen-to-body ratio of 85%. Asus claims this allows it to cram the larger 14-inch screen into a smaller, 13-inch chassis. The 180-degree lay-flat hinge allows the C425 to rest entirely flat on a table or desk. It’s fairly light at 2.87 pounds and measures 16.9mm thick. The C425 has a massive six-inch trackpad to complement the backlight keyboard, which boasts 4mm of key travel.

Inside the chassis, Asus opted for an Intel Core m3 or Core i5 processor with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. It features two USB-C ports, a well as one USB-A port for legacy cables/devices. WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5 are aboard, as well as stereo speakers and a headphone jack. The 48Wh battery lasts up to 12 hours. Amazon sells the Asus Chromebook C425TA for $376.96.

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Asus Chromebook C425TA specs

Processor: Intel Core m3 / Core i5
Display: 14-in. Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS LCD
Memory: 4GB LPDDR3 RAM
Storage: 64GB/128GB eMMC
Wireless: 802.11ac WiFi 5

Webcam: 1,280 x 720 HD
Ports: 2 USB Type-C (Gen 1), 1 Type-A (Gen 1)
Battery: 48Wh, 12 hours
Weight: 1.27kg / 2.8lbs

3. Asus Chromebook Flip C434

Asus Chromebook Flip C434 tabletop

The Asus Chromebook Flip C434 is a more refined version of the C425, with a 360-degree rotating display for that two-in-one functionality. The Flip style means the C434 can be used as a traditional laptop, a standing screen, or a slate when the display is fully opened. The C434 carries over many of the features of the C425. For example, it has the same 14-inch Full HD display and NanoEdge design with a screen-to-body ratio of 87%. The slim bezels allowed Asus to keep the chassis as small as those often found on 13-inch Chromebooks. Asus says the C434 has a “flagship keyboard” that features 1.4mm of key travel and a backlight for good measure.

Asus is offering either an Intel Core m3 or Core i5 processor with either 4GB or 8GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of storage. The C434 features two USB-C ports, and a single USB-A port for connecting older hardware. WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 4 are aboard, as well as stereo speakers and a headphone jack. The 48Wh battery lasts up to 10 hours. Amazon sells the Asus Chromebook Flip C434 for $549.

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Asus Chromebook Flip C434 specs

Processor: Intel Core m3 / Core i5
Display: 14-in. Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS LCD
Memory: 4GB/8GB LPDDR3 RAM
Storage: 64GB/128GB eMMC
Wireless: 802.11ac WiFi 5

Webcam: 1,280 x 720 HD
Ports: 2 USB Type-C (Gen 1), 1 Type-A (Gen 1)
Battery: 48Wh, 10 hours
Weight: 1.45gkg / 3.19lbs

4. Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1

Dell Chromebook 3100

The Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 is aimed at the education market. Its signature feature is a toughened build. The 3100 has been tested “beyond” MIL-STD for durability. The company claims it has been tested to survive up to 5,000 micro-drops of 30 inches — somethings students are likely to do. Moreover, the keyboard can handle spills up to 12 ounces (an entire can of soda) and still keep on keepin’ on. Lastly, the ports are protected by brackets to ensure reliability, and the screen is covered with Gorilla Glass to ward off scratches.

This Chromebook has the same convertible form factor as the Asus C434, meaning it can serve as a regular laptop, stand tent-style, or act as a slate when the screen is folded over all the way. The 11.6-inch display may be lower resolution than most, but it supports touch input, which is important for students.

Other flexible aspects of the Dell Chromebook 3100 include its multitude of ports, buttons, headphone jack, and microSD card reader. The battery lasts a long 13 hours, and the web cam means students can conduct video chats with their classmates and family alike. All variants have the Intel Celeron processor, but you can configure the RAM and storage. Pricing ranges from $349 to $419, depending on the configuration.

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Dell 3100 2-in-1 specs:

Processor: 2.6GHz dual-core Intel Celeron N4000
Display: 11.6-in. HD (1,366 x 768) with Corning Gorilla Glass
Memory: 4GB/8GB 2400MHz LPDDR4 non-ECC
Storage: 32GB/64GB eMMC
Wireless: 802.11ac WiFi 5

Webcam: Yes
Ports: 2 USB Type-C (Gen 1), 2 USB Type-A
Battery: 3-cell, 42Wh, 13 hours
Weight: 1.41kg / 3.10lbs

5. HP Chromebook 15

HP Chromebook 15

The HP Chromebook 15 is one of the larger options in our list of best budget Chromebooks. This machine has an aluminum build and comes in a white-and-blue finish. It’s a step up as far as the design is concerned, particularly when compared to the common black or silver Chromebooks lining store shelves. The 15.6-inch screen necessitates bulk. The Full HD panel supports touch input, which is welcome. Thanks in part to the large chassis, you’ll find a full-sized keyboard complete with number pad. This could be a boon to accountants. Further, the keyboard has four levels of backlighting. The trackpad is large and offset a bit.

Several different processor and RAM configurations are available, with Core i3 and Core i5 among them. One thing to appreciate: All variants come with 128GB of storage. You’ll find plenty of ports, including two USB Typc-C, one USB Type-A, microSD, and a headphone jack. Other features include B&O-tuned stereo speakers and a Kensington lock. It is available from Amazon for $469.

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HP Chromebook 15 specs

Processor: 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 8250U
Display: 15.6-in. Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS LCD
Memory: 8GB LPDDR3
Storage: 128GB SSD
Wireless: 802.11ac WiFi

Webcam: Yes
Ports: 2 USB Type-C, 1 USB Type-A, microSD slot
Battery: 3-cell lithium-ion
Weight: 1.81kg / 3.99lbs

6. Lenovo Chromebook C340 (11-inch)

Lenovo Chromebook C340 review hero shot

Here’s another compact option. The Lenovo Chromebook C340 is one of the newer machines from the company. It comes in 11.6- and 15.6-inch sizes and we prefer the smaller, more portable one. This Chromebook is available in either gray or, believe it or not, pink. It’s got a wedge-like shape and comes across as rather chunky.

Only a single processor option is available to the C340, and that’s an Intel Celeron N4000 clocked at 1.1GHz with a 4MB cache and burst speed of up to 2.6GHz. Other specs that play a role in performance include the Intel UHD Graphics 600 and 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM at 2.4GHz. Two storage variants are available: 32GB and 64GB, with only $20 separating the two. You’ve got USB-C and USB-A ports, as well as a headphone jack.

The price of the Chromebook C340 (11-inch) recently dropped from $299 to $249. It’s a steal at that price.

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