Chromebooks have become good alternatives to Windows laptops if you’re looking for a very affordable computer. We have selected for you the best Chromebooks of the moment.
TOP 3 best Chromebooks
Chromebooks are affordable laptops that use ChromeOS, not Windows, as their operating system. Beyond an often attractive price, ChromeOS is a huge strength because it’s a fast, easy-to-use, and virus-free operating system. Perfect for teenagers or grandparents, but not only! In fact, Chromebooks make good student PCs too.
These days they mostly use entry level platforms from Intel. However, Apple’s slap in the face of the industry with its Apple M1 processor has prompted Google to once again take an interest in ARM chips. A trend that is beginning to be noticed since part of the Acer range now uses MediaTek SoCs.
but if he hardware has progressed, it is especially on the software side where things have improved, and ChromeOS is now very mature. Google has even surpassed Apple in that it has been possible for several years to launch Android apps on your Chromebook. With Android 13, Google continues to develop its ecosystem, and ChromeOS makes more and more sense.
A Windows PC or a Chromebook?
That said, think carefully about your uses: Chromebooks are great machines for light office automation or media consumption, but you shouldn’t ask for much more from them. If you have must-have software or peripherals, an entry-level Windows PC is likely a better choice.
Chromebooks remain relatively confidential in our regions. Brands are a bit cautious and don’t launch their entire range with us. Therefore, it is Acer that dominates this selection, being with Asus and HP one of the few to push Chromebooks in France.
We have taken it upon ourselves to bring you the best Chromebooks of the moment. To find out about the best laptops of the moment, read our dedicated guide. Are you hesitating with a Windows computer? Also look at our comparison of the best PCs under 1,000 euros, as well as those under 500 euros.
- Powerful for a Chromebook
- Good finish
- Good value for money
Until now, the vast majority of Chromebooks used Intel processors, most often Pentiums with very little power. That is why it is especially interesting to see the arrival of models equipped with much more efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon chips. Within Acer’s PC catalog, Chromebooks have a good place. As for the form, this Acer Spin 513 is very classic, with a 13.3-inch screen with rather thin edges. The machine is compact and has a 360° hinge, as well as weighing just 1.2kg.
On the other hand, we are very pleasantly surprised by the manufacturing quality, the metal chassis really exudes solidity. As for the connection, it has a USB Type-C port and a USB 3.2 port, as well as a jack port. If we appreciate the presence of a Full HD IPS panel, however, it lacks brightness. So there is no question of working in direct sunlight on this laptop.
Accompanied by 8 GB of RAM, the chip offers excellent performance and above all ten hours of autonomy. Enough to get you out for a full day without the need for a charger. The latter is also in USB-C format, which is always handy if you want to minimize the number of cables to carry with you.
The icing on the cake, the Acer Spin 514 is offered at an extremely attractive price. Here we have one of the best value for money in the Chromebook universe, whether you take the 2021 version (1H) with a Snapdragon or the 2022 version (2H) with a MediaTek SoC.
- acceptable performance
- Very good autonomy
- and a small price
Available in €207 at Fnac
If your budget is limited, it is again at Acer where you will have to find your happiness with the CB314. Sold for less than 500 euros, it continues to offer a technical sheet that is far from ridiculous. Therefore, it is built around an Intel Pentium Silver N5030 and accompanied by 8 GB of RAM. We regret, however, that the internal storage is limited to a 64 GB SSD. This is not much, even for a computer designed primarily for use. cloud.
If this computer is relatively compact for a 14-incher, the finish leaves no lasting memories. The keyboard in particular is soft and not very pleasant to use. Connectivity is provided with 4 USB ports (including two in USB-C format), but we regret that the HDMI output is absent subscribers. A microSD reader completes the picture and can come in handy if you’re a bit tight on the SSD.
Finally, we are very pleasantly surprised by the autonomy: the CB314 thus exceeds twelve hours on a charge. It also has the good taste to use a USB-C socket, which allows the planned imposing block to be swapped out for a more compact one.
Where to buy
Acer Chromebook 314 2021 (CB314-1HT) at the best price?
8 /10
- A quite practical hybrid format
- android apps
- More than adequate value for money
Available in €299 at Darty
We changed a little Acer! While the vast majority of Chromebooks adopt a classic laptop form factor, there are some hybrid models built around a tablet. This is the case of Lenovo’s surprising IdeaPad Duet, which bets on its portable and flexible side. Despite its rock-bottom price, this little machine is sold with a detachable keyboard and a protective case that doubles as a crutch.
While they clearly don’t have the quality of an iPad Pro and its Magic Keyboard, the IdeaPad Duet and its keyboard offer a decent finish. However, the small size of the keyboard and touchpad can cause problems. So don’t count on writing the next Goncourt on it!
The tablet form factor of this computer allows you to take full advantage of Chrome OS compatibility with Android applications. The system itself switches between tablet mode and laptop mode as soon as you plug in the keyboard. Under the hood, it’s a MediaTek P60 chip that powers this little world. If it’s enough for light office use, it quickly shows its limits for the most demanding applications. However, the autonomy is quite good, with more than 8 hours of use.
Despite many limitations, this Chromebook may appeal to small budgets looking for versatility. We tell you more in our Lenovo IdeaPad Duet test.
where to buy the
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook (2020) at the best price?
Find our selection of Lenovo PCs if the brand interests you.
HP Chromebook x360 14: HP’s proposal
In the same spirit as Acer, HP also offers a Chromebook with a flexible hinge, the HP Chromebook x360. It starts, in its lowest configuration, at 429 euros with an Intel Pentium chip. It can of course also be upgraded by upgrading to an i3. Please note that your storage is limited to 128 GB.
Its 14-inch Full HD screen is sensitive to touch and is protected by Gorilla Glass. Therefore, it will be very practical to use in tablet mode on a table, for example, to draw. Weight-wise, it’s certainly not the lightest at almost 1.5kg on the scale, but it’s still easy to fit into a bag. It is somewhat compensated by autonomy, which can reach 11 hours, but above all with a very practical fast charge. It also benefits from a fingerprint reader on its more expensive versions.
Interested in the HP brand? Check out our guide to the best HP PCs.
Chromebook and cloud gaming: the perfect marriage?
Being designed primarily for web applications, Chromebooks are the perfect candidates for use cloud gaming. No need for a warbeast to play a video feed!
Although Shadow is in small form, the competition hasn’t been asleep on offers from cloud gaming strong at Microsoft and Nvidia. Its GeForce Now offering is now available directly on ChromeOS. Once again, you will be able to access your Steam games directly on your machine, with a subscription available for free, or from €9.99 per month to take advantage of certain features (priority access, RTX or longer game sessions).
At Microsoft it is the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate that gives access to a hundred games for 12.99 euros per month.
Despite their limited power, Chromebooks can very well become gaming machines, provided you get a proper subscription and add a good controller to them.
Choosing the right Chromebook
What is Chrome OS?
As the name suggests, ChromeOS is based on the Google Chrome browser and thus all Google web apps such as the Google Doc suite (equivalent to Microsoft Office). On a Chromebook, they can be used without an internet connection. The system is particularly sober and therefore works well on machines with a light technical sheet. This also allows you to have a PC with limited storage capacity, since most documents will be synced to Google Drive – an additional 100 GB of storage is offered with the purchase of a Chromebook.
What can I do with a Chromebook?
In short, Chromebooks are mainly machines dedicated to portable office use: word processors, spreadsheets, etc. through the Google application suite. You will be able to enjoy all the content available on the web through the browser, Netflix and other SVOD services, YouTube, etc., but not run normal PC games.
On the other hand, Chromebooks are now compatible with the Play Store, allowing them to install most Android apps and thus be more versatile than in the past. Finally, Google Assistant has also recently been available on Chrome OS and allows voice commands with the famous “OK Google”. Finally, some services cloud gaming they are also available on ChromeOS as Nvidia GeForce Now.
Updates for my Chromebook?
Like any operating system, ChromeOS benefits from regular updates. However, the duration of these updates will depend on the release date of each device. As of 2020, Google guarantees 8 years of updates from the release date.
Be warned, though, it’s not uncommon to find Chromebooks released before 2020 in stores. For these, the end-of-support date varies and can be surprisingly close. If in doubt, consult the Google database on the subject.
Does Microsoft Office work on ChromeOS?
If Google’s office suite is more than sufficient for the vast majority of uses, you may need or simply prefer Microsoft Office. Until recently, the Android version of the latter ran smoothly, but Microsoft recently announced the end of its support on ChromeOS.
To take advantage of Office on ChromeOS, you’ll need to go through the web version which, sadly, misses out on a number of advanced features.
Can you use ChromeOS on any laptop?
Do you want to try Chrome OS? This is possible thanks to CloudReady, a distribution based on Chromium OS, the open source version of the operating system.
The latter can work directly from a USB key or be installed on the hard drive. Enough to give an old PC lying in a corner a face lift.
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