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The Best Chromebook for Students

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The Best Chromebook for Students

For millions of users worldwide, Google’s Chromebook is an essential device that helps them with their everyday life. They are a natural evolution of the netbook, a product that went through a short phase of popularity from the late 2000s to the early 2010s. Today, Chromebooks compete directly with tablets for low-cost computing devices, and so far, the market has responded with passion. Unlike tablets, these devices come in a standard laptop layout. They offer users the ability to take notes with a real keyboard and browse through a page using a trackpad. Many also have all-day battery life, so you won’t always need to worry about having a charger with you. Though supplied with a wider market share of applications, traditional laptops typically cost more than twice the amount of a Chromebook with similar qualities. Students will find Chromebooks very useful for their studies because they can use them for researching, taking notes, writing essays, etc  They run on Chrome OS, and you will love how everything feels modern and user-friendly  Many of these devices are slim and lightweight, so they’re perfect for carrying around your school the whole day  If you’re looking for something that can manage design work or other similar intensive projects—not to mention any sort of gaming—you might want to look elsewhere, but for nearly every college student, Chromebooks are perfect for both your daily schedule and for hanging out in the dorm  Of course, as with every gadget, not every Chromebook on the market is perfect for lugging around campus  Students need to ensure that their Chromebook of choice has a high-quality display, speedy processor, ample storage, and a long-lasting battery  Some might find browsing through all the available options tedious but don’t worry; we’re happy to help  Here are some of the best Chromebooks for students in 2022.

01 Acer Chromebook Spin 713

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is an excellent midrange Chromebook you can get for around $699. It includes everything a student would want in a laptop. Its 13.5-inch 2K IPS VertiView touch display is a highlight and something we keep hoping to see more and more on future Chrome OS devices. The screen has a 2256×1504 resolution and 3:2 aspect ratio, and you can expect it to display crisp, clear, and color-rich visuals. Students might not like its tall display for watching movies, but it’s ideal for doing school work. The device has a 360-degree hinge that allows you to rotate the display and use it as a tablet. You can expect the Chromebook to be snappy and responsive because of its mid-grade Intel 11th Generation Core i5 Evo Platform processor. Its GPU only uses Intel IrisXe graphics, which is an entry-level graphics card, but it won’t matter if you plan to use the device for your studies. Its 8GB of RAM is the perfect amount to manage many tabs with a couple of Chrome apps open in the background, and its 256GB SSD offers more than enough storage for students to store essential projects. The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 has an estimated battery life of 11 hours, but it will still depend on your usage at the end of the day. What’s fantastic is that it supports fast charging, so you can get up to four hours of usage in only 30 minutes. Users won’t be disappointed with its ports because it has one HDMI port, one USB 3.2 Type-A port, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB 3.2 Type-C port, and a media card reader. The Chromebook’s 1080p front-facing camera and the built-in microphone make it a helpful device for those who need to hop on Zoom calls for online classes or meetings. Customers will get a one-year manufacturer’s warranty for parts and labor.

Pros

  • Fantastic 2K IPS VertiView touch display with 3:2 aspect ratio
  • 360-degree hinge
  • Intel 11th Generation Core i5 Evo Platform processor
  • 256GB SSD
  • 11-hour battery life
  • Fast-charging
  • 1080p webcam
  • Decent port selection

Cons

  • 3:2 aspect ratio not the best for watching movies/shows
  • Not-so-modern design
  • Could have more RAM
  • Entry-level GPU

Specification

  • Price $699.00
  • Screen Size 13.5 inches
  • Processor Intel 11th Generation Core i5 Evo Platform
  • Storage 256 GB
  • Memory 8GB
  • Graphics Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Acer Chromebook Spin 713

02 Google Pixelbook Go

Google’s Pixelbook Go served as the replacement for the original Pixelbook, and it undoubtedly has all the magic you could want from a Chromebook today. Unlike the 2017 Pixelbook, the Go uses a standard 16:9 aspect ratio with a 13.3-inch screen. Not everyone will like its 3:2 display, but its size and portability make it ideal for students. The device uses a magnesium build, helping to keep the frame of the device sturdy but light while also offering a grippy ribbed texture along the bottom of the design. This Chromebook feels well-built, and it’s great to see Google helping to push the cost of this style of Chromebook down to something much more affordable than we’ve seen in the past. It’s worth noting the Pixelbook Go doesn’t fold 360 degrees to become a tablet, despite having a touchscreen display. The Pixelbook features an 8th Gen Intel Core m3, which should be fast enough for most basic browsing and video playback. If you plan on doing any serious work on the Go, you’ll want to upgrade to an i5 or an i7 for additional cash. The base model for the device only comes with 8GB RAM and 64GB of storage, but you can opt to get variants with as much as 16GB RAM and 128GB or 256GB storage. The Pixelbook Go’s backlit keyboard uses Google’s new HushKeys, designed to offer some serious travel while keeping the keys quiet. Next to those keyboards are two front-firing speakers that should make the Go one of the best Chromebooks for watching movies. Students can rest assured that the device will survive an entire school day with them because you get up to 12 hours of battery life per charge. You can expect your teachers and classmates to see you clearly if you ever have online classes because the device has a 1080p webcam. The Chromebook has built-in anti-virus software and a Titan C security chip, so you don’t have to worry about data breaches. Ultimately, the Pixelbook Go is a superb, well-rounded computer.

Pros

  • Highly portable
  • Excellent keyboard speakers
  • 12-hour battery life
  • 1080p webcam

Cons

  • Bezels are thick
  • Most features require an internet connection
  • Could use a fingerprint scanner
  • Limited RAM and storage

Specification

  • Price $777.31
  • Screen Size 13.3 Inches
  • Processor 8th Gen Intel® Core™ m3, i5, or i7 processorÂą
  • Storage 128 GB
  • Memory 8 GB
  • Graphics Intel UHD Graphics
Google Pixelbook Go

03 Asus Chromebook Flip C434

Asus has constantly made excellent Chromebooks, and their Chromebook Flip C434 is undoubtedly among the best you can get today. As the name implies, the Flip is capable of turning around 360 degrees to become a makeshift tablet. This is a premium-feeling device with an all-aluminum build, and the design and feel of the machine are similar to something you’d find on a MacBook Pro or a Surface Laptop, albeit not as thin as the latter product. The laptop has a 14″ 1080p LED panel, which looks good, crisp, and colorful. It’s not the best display you can get on a Chromebook today, but it’s an excellent screen for the price. The Flip is powered by an Intel Core m3-8100Y processor, which uses low-power consumption to ensure the C434 has solid battery life and doesn’t require the use of a fan. The cheaper version of the Flip features 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, a solid amount compared to most budget Chromebooks. If you feel like upgrading, Asus also makes a model with 128GB of storage. Along the sides of the laptop, you have two USB-C 3.1 ports that are used for data transfer, charging, and video out, along with a single USB-A port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microSD card slot for expandable storage on your device. While this may feel like a limited port selection, that USB-C port allows you to use adapters to access basically any accessory you might need and even allows you to charge the device with a basic USB-C cable. The laptop has a comfortable backlit keyboard, and its touchpad is solid for navigating around the display, with a large size and decent responsiveness. Battery life isn’t quite as long-lasting as the original Chromebook Flip from 2015, but you should expect around 10 hours of mixed usage on the device.

Pros

  • Laptop-tablet hybrid with premium design
  • Vibrant 14-inch display with thin bezels
  • Decent battery life for its price

Cons

  • Terrible speakers
  • Not the lightest option available
  • Limited RAM and storage

Specification

  • Price $400.92
  • Screen Size 14 Inches
  • Processor Intel Core m3-8100Y
  • Storage 64 GB
  • Memory 4 GB
  • Graphics Intel HD Graphics 615
Asus Chromebook Flip C434

04 HP Chromebook x360

Another fantastic Chromebook with a 2-in-1 design is the HP Chromebook x360. It features a 14-inch FHD touchscreen display, and for many buyers, such size is the sweet spot between portability and functionality since it gives you just enough extra screen real estate to improve your productivity while keeping the device light and portable. The device would cost you less than $600 in 2022, which is a reasonable price for those who want a valuable Chromebook. Equipped with an Intel Core i3-10110U processor, 8GB of RAM, and 64GB of eMMC storage, it’s not exactly the powerhouse one might expect, but it’s more than enough for most Chrome OS tasks. Paired with up to 13 hours of battery life—though more realistically, expect 8 to 9—the specs make a lot more sense. Like most Chromebooks these days, the x360 is equipped with a 360-degree hinge, allowing you to flip the 14-inch 1080p display around to use as a tablet. At this size, it’s tough to use as a tablet, but it’s great for taking notes or watching movies in tent mode. The Chromebook includes some nice extras, like a backlit keyboard, front-firing speakers, and an included fingerprint sensor. On the sides of the device, you will see one USB 3.0 Type-A port and two USB 3.1 Type-C ports. It has an HD webcam and dual-array mic, so those who regularly hop on video calls will find this device beneficial.

Pros

  • Reasonable price
  • Premium feel
  • Decent performance and battery life
  • 2-in-1 design
  • Bang & Olufsen Audio

Cons

  • Limited storage
  • Display's resolution could be better
  • Needs more ports

Specification

  • Price $539.00
  • Screen Size 14 Inches
  • Processor Core i3-10110U
  • Storage 64 GB
  • Memory 8 GB
  • Graphics Intel UHD Graphics
HP Chromebook x360

05 Lenovo Chromebook Duet

For those who want a reliable Chromebook but have an extremely tight budget, you can go for the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. It features a 10.1-inch Full HD IPS touchscreen display with an included keyboard attachment, making this one of the cheapest hybrid devices you can pick up today. In tablet mode, the Duet appears like a standard 10-inch tablet, and the 16:10 aspect ratio keeps the device from feeling too wide when holding it in your hand. Slap on the included kickstand and keyboard dock, and you’ve got yourself a full-blown laptop with a touchpad. Of course, for a device that costs less than $300, you shouldn’t expect something on the level of high-end options on the market. The keyboard and touchpad feel somewhat cramped since the Chromebook itself is so small, and the MediaTek Helio P60T processor and 4GB RAM are pretty weak for anything other than basic browsing and productivity tools. Some might also not like how the device has thick bezels. Still, there are things to like about the device, including all-day battery life, excellent color reproduction on the IPS panel, 128GB SSD storage, and surprisingly solid duel speakers. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet might not have the most advanced specs on the market, but its affordable price makes it a decent choice for those who simply need a device that will act as a tool for their studies.

Pros

  • Super affordable
  • Vibrant display
  • 128GB SSD
  • Laptop-tablet hybrid

Cons

  • Weak processor
  • Might be too small for some
  • Only 4GB RAM
  • Cramped keyboard and touchpad

Specification

  • Price $241.99
  • Screen Size 10.1 Inches
  • Processor MediaTekHelio P60T (12nm) (4x Cortex-A73 @ 2.0GHz + 4x Cortex-A53 @ 2.0GHz)
  • Storage 128GB
  • Memory 4 GB
  • Graphics N/A
Lenovo Chromebook Duet

William Sattelberg

Jul 7, 2022

William has been with TechJunkie since 2017, writing about smartphones, games, streaming media, and anything else that technology touches in our current age. He also works as a video producer, writing and recording scripts for our video team and editing videos for TechJunkie's YouTube channel. William graduated from SUNY Fredonia in 2016 with a degree in Video Production, and lives in Buffalo, NY.

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