The best Chromebook deals you can get right now

If you’re looking for an affordable laptop alternative, Chromebooks are a great option to consider. Yet there are several kinds on the market these days, and it can be overwhelming to pick the right for you and your needs. Some are better suited for basic work tasks, for example, while some of the higher-end models can even rival some of the best laptops you can buy. Moreover, just because one Chromebook has more features than the other doesn’t mean it’s the right one for you or the best value for your money.

That’s why we’ve curated this comprehensive list of the best Chromebook deals. Each varies in price and comes with its own strengths and weaknesses, but all of them come recommended for one reason or another. And if you’d like to do even more research before buying a Chromebook, we’ve also compiled a guide to the best options on the market, which you can use to help you determine which Chrome OS machine is right for you.

Photography by Monica Chin / The BlueHillco

Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook

The Lenovo Flex 5 — the best Chromebook for midrange shoppers — may typically retail around $400, but it still looks and feels far more premium. It features a sleek, backlight keyboard that’s one of the better ones we’ve used on a Chromebook, along with a physical webcam shutter, front-facing speakers, and a relatively good port selection (for the price) that includes a microSD reader and a USB-C port on each side. The Flex 5’s audio quality and battery life aren’t great, however, with the latter only providing about five and half hours of runtime when we tested it.

If midrange performance is what you’re after, the Flex 5 is on sale at Lenovo for $479.99 ($105 off) with a 10th-gen Intel Core i3-10110U processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of eMMc storage. Read our review.

Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook

The Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook is a great package at an affordable price, with a backlight keyboard that’s one of the better ones we’ve used on a Chromebook.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The BlueHillco

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2

If you’re considering a Chromebook, Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook 2 is one of the best Chromebooks on the market right now. It’s the first Chromebook to feature a QLED panel —allowing for vivid colors and high contrast — and it offers better battery life than the convertible’s predecessor, which couldn’t even make it five hours on a charge. Admittedly, we weren’t fans of the Chromebook 2’s plasticky feel or its expensive price tag, but we were happy with the Chromebook overall and liked the red model’s bright, vibrant design.

For a limited time, the $699 model we tested is on sale at Amazon with an Intel Core i3-10110U chip, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of eMMC storage for $549, which is one of its better prices. You can also take advantage of the same discount at Best Buy and Samsung, both of which are discounting other configurations as well. Right now, for example, the model with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of eMMC storage, and an Intel Celeron processor is on sale for $399 instead of $549 at both Best Buy and Samsung. Read our review.

Photo by Monica Chin / The BlueHillco

Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3

Our favorite detachable Chromebook, Asus’s CM3, is a 10.5-inch tablet that comes with a unique, dual-folding kickstand and fabric cover that attaches magnetically. That latter feature means you can fold the tablet so it stands up like a laptop, or you can fold it to stand the tablet up horizontally. The convertible Chromebook also boasts a detachable keyboard with roomy keys, a built-in USI stylus, and an excellent battery that can last nearly 13 hours on a full charge. Note, however, that it only comes with two ports, specifically a USB-C port and a 3.5mm audio jack, and doesn’t feature a microSD slot, meaning you’re stuck with the amount of storage you buy. And while the Detachable CM3 works fine for browsing and gaming, it can be sluggish when swapping tabs and using Google services like Gmail.

Normally $369.99, the Chromebook Detachable CM3 is on sale at Amazon right now with a MediaTek 8183 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of eMMC storage for $299.99. While the current deal price isn’t an all-time low — the competent Chromebook dropped to $269.99 in December — it remains the best prices we’ve seen this year. Read our review.

Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3

The Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3 is the best detachable laptop with a built-in pen and detachable screen. It offers a unique dual-folding kickstand, making it possible to fold the tablet so it stands up like a laptop or stands up horizontally.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales

Asus Chromebook Flip CX5

Let’s face it: the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 is the most expensive model on our list. Given we consider it to be a superb device, however, that steep asking price shouldn’t be as much of a deterrent. It’s a solid machine that can hold its own against midrange Windows laptops, with a sturdy build, wide port selection, vivid display, and comfortable keyboard. All of this makes for impressive performance and battery life, the latter of which can last all day on a single charge. In our testing, the CX5 even managed to deliver some of the loudest audio we’ve heard from a Chromebook. The only real drawbacks were the Chromebook’s 16:9 aspect ratio and the trackpad, which can be a bit stiff.

If you’re OK with a smaller display, you can pick up the Flip CX5 in the 14-inch configuration with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and an Intel Core i3-1110G4 processor on Amazon for $649.99 instead of $699.99, an all-time low. You can also buy it for the same price at B&H Photo and Office Depot. Read our review.

Asus Chromebook Flip CX5

Asus’s Chromebook CX5 is expensive for a Chromebook, but the well-built machine offers a build and specs to match.

Photo by Monica Chin / The BlueHillco

Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook

We consider Lenovo’s ThinkPad C13 Yoga to be the best premium Chromebook and one of our favorites. Unlike others — which are often marketed toward students or kids — the C13 also targets adults and professionals. After reviewing it, we concluded it’s the closest thing to a MacBook in the Chromebook world, with a strong processor and a solid, sturdy build that feels and looks premium. The convertible Chromebook also looks similar to premium Windows ThinkPads, with the same aluminum design, a red Trackpoint in the center of the keyboard, and even a tiny webcam shutter.

While there are more affordable Chromebooks with better battery life and the 16:9 screen is disappointing, the C13 does boast an excellent keyboard and a host of business-focused privacy features. Plus, it can smoothly run mobile games and all kinds of other programs, being the first Chromebook to include AMD’s Ryzen 3000 Mobile C-series processors.

Normally $599, you can currently buy the ThinkPad C13 Yoga from Lenovo with 4GB of memory, 32GB of eMMC storage, and an AMD Athlon Gold 3150C processor for $349 when you use the promo code THINKMAY. Newegg is also selling a configuration with 128GB of eMMc storage, a Ryzen 3250C processor, and 4GB of memory for $468.99 ($350 off). Keep in mind, however, that neither model is as powerful as the unit we tested. Read our review.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The BlueHillco

Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5

It may not be one of our top picks as far as Chromebooks go, but the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 5 comes with a comfortable keyboard attachment and a terrific, 13.3-inch OLED touchscreen. It also excels when it comes to battery life, offering between 10 and 12 hours of use when tackling everyday tasks such as browsing, chatting, and Zoom. The handsome Chromebook doesn’t come with a stylus and lacks biometric authentication, however, and functions far better as a laptop than a tablet given its larger size, at least in our testing.

Flaws aside, the Duet 5 is a decent convertible that’s currently on sale with a Snapdragon SC7180 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 256GB of eMMC storage for $375 ($95 off) at Walmart. Best Buy is also selling the Chromebook with the same chip, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage for around $379 instead of $499. Read our review.