Best Chromebook deals: Cheap laptops starting at $42 | Digital Trends


Chromebooks sit at an odd place for many laptop consumers today, who quite possibly already have loyalty to Windows or iOS. As result, laptop deals become an excellent excuse to pick up your first Chromebook and get an idea about what they can do. Of course, you can read about the Chrome OS all you want to get a secondhand account of what a Chromebook can do, but it takes real firsthand experience to know if you like them.

Of course, you don’t have to be a complete newbie to Chromebooks to enjoy a good deal. Throughout out search for bargain Chromebooks, we found Dell laptop deals on high-end Chromebooks. Lenovo laptop deals on Chromebooks will, likewise, suit those looking for hardy chassis and reliable security. Then they are other notable deals, including HP laptop deals on Chromebooks as well as a few from other brands.

In other words, whether you’re totally new to the Chromebook game or a seasoned expert, there is something on this list that should tickle your fancy.

HP Chromebook MP1 — $42, was $49

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In many regards, the HP Chromebook MP1 doesn’t need to be on sale. It’s default pricing is so incredibly low that you could grab a new one weekly and just break the $2,500 mark on the last week of the year. Surprisingly, it manages to have a webcam, WiFi support, and a 12.5 hour battery life. The display is 11.6 inches and 1366 x 768p in resolution and it manages to have 4GB of memory and 16GB of eMMC storage. It’s not going to run Starfield, but it will get you through frenzied notetaking session and let you take care of that email to your boss. One thing to note is that the retailer (in this case, Walmart) notes that you’ll see cosmetic blemishes on this product, including scratches and bright pixels, but that it will still be entirely usable. And, at this point, that just builds character. You’ll be taking the HP Chromebook MP1 everywhere a laptop shouldn’t go and have little fear for its safety at a price like this.

Acer 11.6-inch Touchscreen Chromebook — $100, was $246

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Acer’s 11.6-inch Touchscreen Chromebook really shows you how inexpensive a touchscreen monitor can be made for these days. Of course, here, you get fully functioning Chromebook to go along with the 1366 x 768p screen. It has 4GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, but you’ll probably be using your Google Drive or Google One storage for documents and the like anyhow. Another thing to note about this computer is its physical body. It has a surprisingly nice finish, has a thicker rear than from for a more pleasant keyboard angle, and comes with (among others) two USB ports and a spot for an HDMI connection. Despite the price, there’s really a lot going on here.

Acer Chromebook 315 — $159, was $199

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The Acer Chromebook 315 gives you the familiar pricing and stats of low-end machines — made for tight budgets and/or situations where you worry you main laptop might get damaged — and adds a much tradition screen size (15.6-inches) and keyboard full with numpad to the mix. This makes the Acer Chromebook 315 fantastic for data entry directly in the field, lab, and lecture hall. The Acer Chromebook 315’s screen is HD, and the hardware behind it is powered by 4GB of RAM. It has 64GB of eMMC storage.

Gateway 15.6-inch Chromebook — $195, was $279

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Gateway has made something of a comeback with affordable, low-cost laptop and Chromebook options and this 15.6-inch is no exception. It’s rocking an Intel Pentium N6000 quad-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, which is almost unheard of at this price range. You also get a 15.6-inch LCD HD display, Bluetooth and WiFi, and 10 hours of battery life on a single charge.

HP Chromebook 14a 14-inch Laptop — $200, was $310

HP

With 4GB of RAM, 64GB of eMMC storage, an Intel Celeron processor and Intel UHD Graphics 600, this Chromebook is ready to rock and will handle most tasks you throw at it. Thanks to Google Play support you can also tap into thousands of extra applications, on top of what’s already available for Chrome OS. The 14-inch display is non-touch, but it also offers anti-glare and exceptional brightness — at a rating of 250 nits. Dual speakers, an HP True Vision 720P HD front camera, and fast-charging round out the list of features.

HP 15.6-inch Full HD Chromebook — $249, was $499

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HP’s 15.6-inch Full HD Chromebook will get you through most basic computer activities without demanding a heavy price. Its 1080p screen is anti-glare and can be viewed comfortably at a 178-degree angle, meaning you can share the view with a buddy or partner as you watch YouTube or collaborate your way through a PowerPoint presentation. Behind the screen is an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of memory, and 128GB of flash storage. It also has two USB-C ports with DisplayPort 1.4 technology for quick connections and charging with your devices.

Dell Chromebook 3110 Laptop — $249, was $400

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Known for their versatility, it should come as no surprise that Dell’s Chromebook 3110 laptop is a great little workhorse for productivity tasks. With its 60Hz 11.6-inch display it’s ultra-lightweight and portable but still packs plenty of power to get the job done. Under the hood is an Intel Celeron N4500 dual-core processor, 4GB of DDR4 RAM, and 32GB of eMMC storage. The front camera is 720P with dual-array microphones for clear voice and audio during conference calls. If you need something to take back and forth between home, work, and school — you can’t go wrong here.

HP Chromebook X360 13.3-inch Laptop — $270, was $390

HP

This HP Chromebook features a 14-inch diagonally-measured HD touchscreen display with anti-glare so you should be able to use it just fine even outside. Remote work time anyone? It offers 64GB of eMMC storage built-in, and you can always expand if you need more with the MicroSD slot, but the beauty of Chromebooks is that you can utilize cloud storage through Google Drive, and similar services. Additional features include a 720P HD webcam, 2 SuperSpeed USB Type-C ports, WiFi 5, and Bluetooth 5 wireless connectivity.

ASUS Chromebook CM3401 — $279, was $499

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The ASUS Chromebook CM3401 is a thin 14-inch laptop with a couple of standout stats to separate it from other laptops of its tier. Its screen, for example, is WUXGA or 1920 x 1200p, making it at least nominally better than the typical 1080p Full HD you’re likely to find at this level. It is also a 2-in-1 laptop, putting it amongst the best 2-in-1 laptop deals of the moment. And, finally, it uses WiFi 6 connectivity for quick downloads and fast streaming. The ASUS Chromebook CM3401 uses an AMD Ryzen 3 processor, has 8GB of memory, and contains 128GB of SSD storage.

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook — $305, was $440

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There’s a lot of cheap Chromebooks in the ongoing Lenovo laptop deals, such as the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook. It’s got the Intel Pentium Silver N6000 processor, Intel UHD Graphics, and 4GB of RAM, with a 128GB eMMC for storage — that’s a lot for a Chromebook. It also features a 15.6-inch Full HD touchscreen for a wide and clear look at whatever you’re working on or watching. The device is also protected by Lenovo’s Verified Boot, which performs security checks in the background to block malware.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook — $329, was $429

Lenovo

This well-priced 2-in-1 from Lenovo can swap between traditional laptop and a tablet-style device in seconds, but also you can prop it up to watch media — like your favorite streaming shows and movies. Inside is an Intel Celeron N4500 processor, 4GB of DDR4 RAM, 64GB of eMMC storage, and Intel UHD graphics. The 15.6-inch full-HD IPS touchscreen display is nothing to scoff at either. You also get WiFi 6 2×2, Bluetooth 5.1, a 720P HD webcam with privacy shutter and a slightly larger touchpad.

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook — $369, was $499

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The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook stands out among the best Chromebooks because of its 13.3-inch OLED touchscreen that features Full HD resolution, which adds to its functionality as a detachable 2-in-1 laptop. It also promises smooth performance with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 processor, integrated Qualcomm Adreno Graphics, and 8GB of RAM, and it’s got a 128GB eMMC.

Dell Chromebook 3110 2-in-1 Laptop — $369, was $595

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This 2-in-1 takes the Dell Chromebook 3110 and kicks things up a notch. For starters, it includes 8GB of DDR4 RAM, offering double what the base version does. It does still offer the Intel Celeron N4500 dual-core processor, 32GB of eMMC storage, and a similar design. The 2-in-1 option means it can seamlessly swap between a traditional laptop configuration and tablet-style device. The 11.6-inch display is touchscreen-enabled, as well.

Latitude 5430 Chromebook — $769, was $1534

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One of the best 2-in-1 laptops that is a Chromebook, the Latitude 5430 is a powerful machine with truly versatile usability options. It operates on a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, runs with 8GB of RAM, and has 256GB of SSD storage. Its display is a 14-inch FHD non-touch LCD screen. The Latitude 5430 Chromebook has a 720p webcam that shoots at 30 fps in the front. This laptop also has a wide variety of ports, including USB-C Thunderbolt4, USB-A, microSIM card, HDMI, and even a headphone jack.

When are the best Chromebook deals?

The biggest sales are fairly easy to spot. Think of a major holiday and there’s probably going to be a sale around then. The brightest highlights are Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Both are major sales events which means retailers cut the price of highly sought-after technology significantly during those times. It’s likely we’ll see some of the best Chromebook deals of the year then, but you’ll need to be quick. Black Friday and Cyber Monday stock tend to be strictly limited which means once it’s gone, it’s gone, and you might miss out.

Alternatively, Prime Day is a key time for sales, too. It’s Amazon’s exclusive sales event, but often other retailers get in on the act and cut their own prices around the same time. Again, technology is some of the most highly sought-after stuff so discounts are pretty deep.

However, there’s a big catch to all of this — timing. Prime Day is not until the summer and Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t until near the end of the year. In all cases, you’re going to need to wait to snag one of the best Chromebook deals. There’s not even any guarantee that the deals will be better, though; if you need a Chromebook now, you probably won’t want to wait that long to get one. For one thing, if your existing setup has died, can you last months without a laptop or Chromebook? It’s unlikely, so you’ll need to look for the best offers going right now instead.

If for some reason you can wait it out then do so, but we won’t blame you if you have to dive right in. If nothing else, sales events can be stressful as stock flies out faster so by buying now, you don’t have to worry about stressing over your plans and beating the rush that comes around these big sales events. Plus, you get the benefit of your new Chromebook straight away rather than having to wait for months.

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