Best Chromebooks for Kids, Students, Bloggers, Working Professionals, & More

Best Chromebooks – I’ve been a longtime fan of Chromebooks and have been using these powerful little laptops for years. In this article, I’ll give you my recommendations for the best Chromebooks for kids, for students, for people looking to replace their traditional laptops with a Chromebook, and for bloggers and online marketers, and for working professionals who want to use a Chromebook for business.

In this article, I’ll also share with you the specific Chromebooks my family uses, give you links to check current prices for Chromebooks on Amazon, and give you numerous websites where you can learn more.



I. What is a Chromebook?

Lots of websites talk about how Chromebooks are so different than other laptops, however I don’t agree. Sure, it’s true that Chromebooks use a different operating system (OS) than traditional laptops that use a version of Microsoft Windows or the Apple macOS, but the difference in OS is not as big of a deal as you might think and most importantly that factor should NOT be a reason why you overlook buying a Chromebook.

So what is a Chromebook? It’s simply a laptop that uses the Google Chrome OS and takes advantage of the “Google Universe” to provide you with an experience that leverages the best of both the mobile and laptop words. For this reason a Chromebook is so much more than just it’s Google designed OS. You can learn more about this topic by reading the “Considering a Chromebook” article from Google.

While we’re on it, I should probably also answer the question “is a Pixelbook a Chromebook?” YES, a Pixelbook is Google’s top of the line Chromebook. Some call it the ‘flagship’ model, other’s the ‘premium’ edition, or (as my son JeeHo likes to say) the “Pro Level.” You’ll learn about Pixelbooks and many other Chromebooks on this page.


II. Why Choose a Chromebook over a Laptop?

Most people who are NOT familiar with Chromebooks think they are more like glorified tablets than laptops and/or that Chromebooks can’t perform up to the standards of a traditional laptop therefore they feel that Chromebooks aren’t functional enough to make realistic options for students, bloggers, or professionals. While it’s true that a Chromebook can’t compete with a top of the line desktop (hey size DOES matter in this case) and while it’s also true that there are a select number of users (big time gamers, video editors, etc.) who may need high powered (read: high end, expensive) laptops, the fact is that for the majority of users Chromebooks CAN function as your everyday laptop of choice. Here’s why…

I’ve been using Chromebooks as my laptop of choice for years. Here are 10 reasons why I love Chromebooks instead of traditional laptops that run Windows or MacOS.

1-Chromebooks are lightning fast when it comes to turning on – open the lid and you’re up and running in SECONDS. From a productivity standpoint this is huge. Need to take a quick note? You can do that much faster on a Chromebook because you don’t have to wait for the traditional laptop boot-up process.

2-Chromebooks are lightweight– the average laptop weighs about 5 lbs, while the majority of Chromebook is less than 3 lbs. That makes them easy to carry around for students, kids, and professionals on the go.

3-Chromebooks are NOT bogged down with a bunch of bloatware. That’s another reason why they start up so fast and don’t have a lot of background processes hogging memory.

3-Chromebooks are NOT bogged down with a bunch of bloatware. That’s another reason why they start up so fast and don’t have a lot of background processes hogging memory.

4-Chromebooks have free, built-in malware and virus protection that is continually updated by Google. With many other traditional laptops you have to pay extra for virus protection that is outdated by the time you manually install and then have to constantly download new updates and patches. Chromebooks get those updates automatically and seamlessly – what could be easier?

5-Chromebooks use the power of the Cloud from an app and storage standpoint – this keeps them lean and quick. And BTW you do NOT need to be continually connected to the internet for a Chromebook to work – see the ‘common objection” below for more.

6-Chromebooks use Google Drive Apps such as Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides which are all compatible with Microsoft Office and Mac Systems so you can edit/print/share/update docs you created with other programs and vice versa. Best of all these apps are FREE and you get updates automatically.

7-Chromebooks always have the most up to date OS – you don’t have to pay for updates and the update process is quick and easy.

8-Chromebooks are inexpensive. Compare the cost of a Chromebook to a laptop and you’ll find time and again that Chromebooks win for 90% or more users.

9-Chromebooks provide you what you need and eliminate what you don’t – this goes beyond just the freedom from bloatware, it’s related to the inherent nature of the operating system on a Chromebook being so ‘lightweight’ from a functional standpoint, the ability to use mobile apps (see below) and the focus on speed. The result is the elimination of all the extra (read: not really necessary) programs, etc that fill up the traditional laptop’s memory banks.

10-Many Chromebooks can now run Android apps – which gives you an experience similar to mobile devices. My Pixelbook for example is basically another extension of my Google Fi phones (Nexus 6P and Pixel XL) when it comes to using most of my apps and this allows me to flip back and forth between devices depending on my needs. This is super convenient.

Common Objection – “But don’t I have to be connected to the internet to use a Chromebook?” This is actually FALSE. Chromebooks do NOT need to be connected to the internet to function. While it’s true that having internet/cloud access allows Chromebooks to perform at their best and is a requirement for certain apps, there are plenty of apps that work offline – these include Gmail, Google Keep, Google Drive apps (Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides), Google Calendar, Google Photos, and the Media Player (music/movies), among others.

Now that we know WHY you should want to choose a Chromebook, let’s look at my picks for the best Chromebook for each category.


III. Best Chromebooks for Kids & Families

In order to qualify as the best Chromebook for kids, the device needs to be easy to use, inexpensive, durable, and ideally have a touchscreen (because let’s face it, our kids have been conditioned that all screens are touchscreens and when they’re not, they get confused, right?). With this in mind, my recommendations are as follows…

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Any of these would make a good choice for families with children, and since they are all under $250, parents will like the value. Of these three, my son Jax (currently in 4th grade) has been using the Acer R11 for a couple years now and loves it – the touchscreen makes a nice feature at this price point and it’s powerful enough to play games like Roblox and Minecraft as well as YouTube Gaming.


IV. Best Chromebooks for High School and College Students

If you’re looking for a Chromebook suitable for High School and College Students you’re going to want something that can handle multiple programs/apps at the same time, is fast and efficient with social media, and is powerful enough to take on the increased workloads of students at this level. For this category I’d suggest the following:

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[amazon box = “B07GD4CMDH”]

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In this price range, all of these are fine choices. If the budget allows, I’d go for the Pixelbook since the added horsepower under the hood would make it a usable option for years to come.


V. Best Chromebook for Bloggers and Online Marketers

I fall into this category personally so I know my colleagues and I in this group need a laptop that can handle programs and apps like WordPress, Youtube, Pinterest, Hoosuite, Canva, etc, etc, etc. and keep them all running at the same time. I’m currently typing this on my Pixelbook and that’s where I do most of my blogging activities.

Given my knowledge of the space, here are the best Chromebooks I’d recommend for bloggers and online marketers.

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The Samsung Chromebook Pro would be the minimal you could probably get by with here. The Acer is another quality machine and I think most would be happy with it, but there is no comparison with the top line Pixelbook in this category – purchase this and don’t look back if you’re budget allows.


VI. Best Chromebooks for Working Professionals

Here’s another category where I have personal experience. As a working professional I am frequently “out in the field.” Working pro’s like me need a laptop we can rely on to power up fast, have a long battery life, be lightweight, travel friendly, and have enough processing power to get the job done.

Here’s my top 3 Chromebooks for Working Professionals:

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[amazon box = “B07JWB7QB2”]

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Why these 3? Each offers a key benefit. The Asus offers a 360-degree hinge and a 10+ hour battery. The Pixel Slate is a very strong competitor to the Microsoft Surface Pro’s that are uber-popular with sales & business execs on the go. And again we find the Pixelbook as the do-it-all workhorse in this class. Depending on your needs and budget, any of these would be great choices as the best Chromebook for a working professional.


VII. Best Chromebooks to Replace Traditional Laptops

This category is going to have a wide variation because people use their laptops in different ways. Some only use it for light processing (writing emails and documents) and surfing the web; others want to be able to do a bit of gaming and watch videos in HD; and still others want the top of the line Chromebook that can serve as a workplace laptop. I’ll handle each of these segments by making a different recommendation…

If you mainly plan to use your Chromebook for surfing the web, doing emails, and watching cat videos, you don’t need to spend a lot of money. Here’s a great option:

[amazon box = “B01J42JPJG”]

If you want your Chromebook to be capable of online gaming and watching HD Videos, get an entry level Pixelbook.

[amazon box = “B075JSK7TR”]

If you want the top of the line, best available Chromebook, get the top of the line Pixelbook.

[amazon box = “B079P94MY3”]


VIII. Best Chromebook Under $250

The best Chromebook for under $250 is the ASUS Chromebook C202 – we’ve already discussed this one above. 1500+ reviews on Amazon, and “Amazon Choice” rating, 4+star average user rating, and so many great features make this one an easy choice for this category. If this is your budget, jump on the ASUS Chromebook today…


IX. Best Chromebook Under $500

There are a LOT of choices in this category and we’ve discussed a number of strong candidates for this group on this page above. To boil it down to the bottom line, my recommendation for the best Chromebook under $500 is the Samsung Chromebook Pro (my wife rolls with this one and loves it). It’s usually on sale for under $500.


X. Best Chromebook under $1000

If you’ve actually read this article in full, it should come as no surprise then when you hear that my recommendation for the best Chromebook for under $1000 is the Google Pixelbook. It’s really a no brainer. Google knocked it out of the parked when they spawned this device and I see no reason why the Pixelbook won’t continue to rule the day not just in the Chromebook world, but eventually in the overall laptop market in the future too.

The Pixelbook is the Chromebook I use every day to manage 4 blogs, my numerous YouTube channels, and run my sales business. Here’s the specific model I’ve been using for over a year now…


XI. Best Chromebook ANY Price

I’ll bet you’re thinking I’ll just recommend the most expensive Chromebook for this category right? That would be the Google Pixelbook i7 with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB memory. If I did make that call, I don’t think anyone could fault me because this Pixelbook is a beast. I’d love to have it and if you can afford it, go for it.

HOWEVER, the Pixelbook i7 doesn’t win my vote as the Best Chromebook at ANY Price because I’m trying to make a fair recommendation that will benefit the majority of my readers and the fact is that for most people money IS an issue AND it’s also a fact that most people just don’t need this powerful of a Chromebook.

Therefore I’m giving the award for Best Chromebook at ANY Price to a different Pixelbook – the Google Pixelbook i5 which has 8GB RAM and 256GB memory – this is enough to serve as the best everyday laptop for the majority of people. It’s basically the machine I have but with twice the memory – it was just a lot more expensive when it first came out so I went with the 128GB version. Since the 256GB is now only $100 more than the 128GB version is a great value and it’s the Pixelbook I would buy myself if I needed a new one today. That said, I’ll be honest with you, I haven’t run into a memory issue yet with my 128GB version so it’s really up to you as to which Pixelbook i5 you get – either one is a winner.


If you follow my site, you know my goal is to help save you time when you’re trying to solve a problem or make a buying decision. One of the ways I do that is by providing you with links to some of the websites I used to conduct my research. In this case, I’d recommend all of the following sites:


Which Chromebook is best for YOU?

That’s a question only YOU can decide – drop me a line in the comments and let me know which Chromebook YOU think is best. Thanks for reading and have a great day!


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