It's quite common to think that Chromebooks are cheaper than Windows laptops. Yet if you want the latest and greatest Chromebook, however, you'll still have to spend a pretty penny over $900 to get high-end specs like 12th generation Intel CPUs, or high-resolution 16:10 aspect ratio screens. But that doesn't mean you can't find cheap Chromebooks!

The best part of the ChromeOS ecosystem is the number of different devices you can buy for under or around $400. In this guide, we'll be looking at just that. From HP to Acer, Samsung, and more, we've collected some of the best Chromebooks that we've found across all kinds of retailers. We'll also highlight things we like about each of these devices like the performance, design, and ports. There's a Chromebooks for everyone these days, and you can find the one that's right for you.

Our picks for the best budget Chromebooks in 2023

This 14-inch Chromebook from Samsung is the best for under $400. It is one that's really compact, has an Intel Celeron CPU, and a great set of ports and storage expandability options.

The Intel Celeron N4500 CPU onboard this device is great for everyday tasks, and since it's low-powered, it helps extend battery life. This is one of the newest lower-end processors from Intel but for opening lots of tabs in Chrome, and trying out Android apps, this should be alright. This CPU is also paired with 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage. The storage is on the low end but the optional microSD card slot can serve as a space for extra storage.

In other specs, Samsung is keen to highlight that this Chromebook is ready for Wi-Fi 6. If you have a compatible router, you'll be able to get faster download and upload speeds. That's on top of the really long 12-hour battery life.

Despite the big screen size, this is actually a really compact Chromebook. The dimensions come in at 12 x 8.28 x 0.63 inches, and the weight is 3.20 pounds. Ports also come into this, and there is lots of room on the chassis for ports. It includes two USB Type-C, a traditional USB Type-A 3.2 port, and a microSD card slot and headphone jack.

There's a caveat for the price, though. While the screen is 14 inches, you'll only be getting an HD panel that's rated at 1336 x 768 resolution. Things won't be crisp and clear, but there will be room for an extra window. The webcam also isn't the best, either. It's a 720 webcam, which is no longer good enough in 2023.

Typically, 2-in-1s might be priced north of $300, but this Lenovo Chromebook 11.6 is priced just right and is a great small Chromebook when you look at the size and the overall specifications.

First, we get into the specs. Equipped with an ARM-based SoC, this Lenovo Chromebook has really long battery life of up to 10 hours. To be more specific, it's the MediaTek MT8183 SoC. Again, this isn't a high-powered CPU, but for tasks like running Android apps, which you'll want to do on a 2-in-1, it is great. That CPU is also paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage, meaning that you'll be able to speed through web browsing without issue.

Another thing we like is the display. Again, it's not the best at 1366 x 768 resolution, for an 11-inch screen that this device has, you won't need a lot of pixels anyway. This is a great resolution for browsing a single webpage or flipping the screen around and showing a colleague a webpage or an important file.

The design is pretty neat, too. This 2-in-1 is colored in "Abyss Blue" which will help you stand out from the crowd at a coffee shop or in class. Lenovo includes a speaker bar above the keyboard, so videos sound louder, especially when you rotate the screen to face you. Other than that, measuring 11 x 8 x 0.9 inches, you can shove this in a standard sleeve, carry it around and still have room for a notebook and other items.

Even for a small device, Lenovo is pretty generous with ports, too. There's a USB A 2.0, one USB-C 2.0, a microSD card reader, and a headphone/microphone combo jack.

The cheapest Chromebook on our list is the Acer Chromebook 512 laptop. That makes it great for education. Plus, it is sometimes available for $150 at most places like Amazon, which is perfect for buying in bulk. It also performs decently, and is a great way to jump into a newer Chromebook model once you get used to ChromeOS.

On the inside of this Chromebook is the Intel Celeron N4020 CPU. You also can add a total of 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of eMMC storage. For education, these specs are good enough to handle web browsing and using authorized Android apps. Chromebooks are cloud-based and web-based machines. Instead of saving and computing on the device, apps like Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are used. These are all web pages, and we think all of them will work fine on this machine. We do think the battery life will be great, too. It is rated for 12 hours, which is great for a low-powered CPU.

The other thing that is important for an education Chromebook is that it has to be durable. Students will put their devices through the greatest tests. Well, you should be happy to know that this one is MIL-STD 810G complaint. That means the laptop can withstand drops of up to 122 cm, from a surface like a table. Adding to that durability is the spill-proof keyboard which won't get damaged if water falls on it.

We can't forget the 3:2 aspect ratio either. Compared to other Chromebooks, there will be more vertical space to read documents and scroll web pages. It’s 18% more vertical height, according to Acer. The 12-inch screen comes in at a weird 1255 x 912 resolution, you might not multitask much, but seeing as though this is an education device, for reading single web pages, you’d be just fine.

You'd think that a 17-inch screen and a Chromebook with 8GB of RAM would cost you a ton of money, but you'd be wrong! There are a lot of great Chromebooks on the market with 8GB of RAM, and one of those is the Acer Chromebook 317 laptop, coming in just a bit over $300.

An Intel Pentium Silver N6000 processor powers this Chromebook, which is again a lower-end CPU, but it’s better than the Celeron processors you might find in the Chromebooks above in our list. That's because the CPU is quad-core, so you’ll still be able to multitask and get a lot of work done similar to a higher-end Chromebook. This is also thanks to the 8GB of RAM and the 64GB of eMMC storage.

Going back to the keyboard, it is full-sized and backlit. The numeric pad on the right is the other huge benefit, too, as you can crunch numbers in spreadsheets more easily without spreading out your fingers to use the numbers at the top of the keyboard. Both of these are hard to find on a Chromebook at this price.

Other than the keyboard and CPU, we also want to highlight the display. It’s 17.3 inches and comes in at 1920 x 1080 resolution. Such a big screen gives you a lot of room to stack windows side by side and multitask. Note that the screen is touch-enabled, too, which helps in moving things around when you might not want to touch your mouse.

We do like the port selection here, too, though the absence of HDMI means you’ll need a dongle. For ports, on the left side you will find a USB Type-C, USB-A, microSD, and a headphone jack. The right side has another USB-A port and one USB-C. Both USB-A ports are USB 3.0, so you get a little extra speed.

The ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 is one of the best budget convertible and 2-in-1 Chromebooks you can find. Best of all, it is built for kids. Aside from a versatile touchscreen display and a built-in stylus, there’s also a 360-degree hinge, and a world-facing camera which can be useful in education scenarios. Beyond that, the ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 has kid-ready durability to reassure parents that it won't get damaged, with an all-around rubber bumper, spill-resistant keyboard, and ultra-tough hinge.

With its school day-long battery life and time-saving, easy-to-service modular construction, the ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 is ready for anything a kid might throw at it. But this Chromebook isn’t really about the internal specs which are to be expected at this price. Under the hood you get an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of eMMc storage inside. However, the ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 includes a special world-facing camera, so kids can explore and learn in totally new ways. This allows them to capture photos and videos in tablet mode. There are also plans for the world-facing camera to support versatile apps, giving both students and teachers an exciting new learning aid.

We get that accidents tend to happen when you have kids, and the ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 is ready for them. It’s built to withstand everyday classroom knocks, bumps, drops, and spills without any damage. Built to surpass demanding military-grade MIL-STD-810G durability standards, it’s also torture-tested to pass stringent ASUS quality tests. It can withstand occasional drops of up to 120cm — more than standard desk height — and the hinge and I/O ports are fully tested to endure the stresses and strains of everyday use.

The best budget Chromebooks in 2023: The final line

So there you have it! Those are our picks for best budget Chromebooks in 2023. The absolute best to consider is the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go. It has long battery life, a great port selection, and can be configured with the option for LTE. There are some sacrifices for the price, though, like the 720p webcam, and the fact that the screen isn't the brightest.

We did our best to include the best possible devices that might be better for a little more. For example, the Acer Chromebook 317 has a bigger screen and also has a backlit keyboard. Then, the ASUS Chromebook Flip C214 is better suited for those who are younger since it's a durable and compact Chromebook.

Keep in mind that sometimes these might go on sale for less or end up priced for more. That's how the market for Chromebooks is these days, but you always can find the best Chromebooks from Dell and others at your local retailer like Best Buy.