Best Chromebooks Android Central 2020
While last year's C330 skimped on ports, the Lenovo Chromebook C340 (also known as the C340-11) features a USB-A and USB-C port on each side of the machine, larger volume and power buttons, and swaps the full-size SD slot for a more compact and widely-used microSD. This new model is also slated for almost seven years of Chrome OS updates.
This Chromebook has proven very, very popular over the short months it's been available: Amazon can rarely keep 64GB models in stock - especially the alluring Sand Pink version - and most other retailers sell out just as quickly with the 32GB models. If you can find a C340-11, especially a 64GB model, don't wait too long: blink and they'll be gone.
The C340-11 has been out for almost six months now, and it's worked like a champ so far, lasting over nine hours on a single charge and holding up with over a dozen tabs open. The bezels around the screen are large, but they come in handy when you flip it over into tablet mode, and the keyboard is easy to type on for hours at a time.
Auto Update Expiration date: Jun 2026
While the 3:2 form factor of the original Pixelbook certainly had its fans, I'm pleased as punch that the Go uses a far more sensible 16:9 aspect ratio, which is better for split-screening and better for in-flight movies. The Pixelbook Go can't fold back into tablet mode like the Pixelbook - and most other Chromebooks on the market - but that also means it didn't need huge grippable bezels around the screen, allowing it to squeeze down into a slimmer footprint.
Another marked improvement for the Go is a more functional design that's still luxurious. While the Pixelbook was all sharp corners and flat rectangles, the Go has rounded edges and a wavy ridged bottom that increases grip and stability. The Pixelbook Go also has two colors - pink and black - quiet Husk Keys, and a lightweight magnesium body similar to that used by the Microsoft Surface line.
If you live for having the latest features, the Pixelbook Go is for you because, as Google's branded Chromebook, this shiny baby gets all the new toys before anyone else does, especially once you hope onto the Beta or Dev channels. You'll also want to invest in some USB-C hubs, as the Pixelbook Go only has three ports: a USB-C port on either side of the laptop and a headphone jack.
Auto Update Expiration date: June 2026
If you remember from the top of our list, the Lenovo C330 is a dependable, affordable workhorse that I love, and Lenovo brought the same affordable workhorse experience to a larger form factor with the 15.6-inch Lenovo C340, also known as the C340-15.
This may not have a 4K screen like the Lenovo C630, but it's significantly less expensive and has a more durable, pleasant-in-the-hand design. The C340-15 may only have up to 64GB of storage - please, please, do yourself a favor and get the i3/64GB model - but it also has a microSD card slot so you can load up on movies for that cross-country flight. Its 56kWh battery can last 10 hours, long enough to watch the three Lord of the Rings films (theatrical, not Extended Edition) before needing to find a USB-C charger.
Another beautiful addition to the C340-15 is the addition of a number pad to the keyboard, which is a wonderful addition for those of us who prefer to lock a Chromebook via PIN or need to input a lot of numbers and grade scores. It's a small improvement, but it has a huge impact.
Auto Update Expiration date: June 2025
Chromebooks might get pegged as only being for students and salarymen. Still, there truly is a Chromebook for everybody these days, whether you're just browsing email and social media or getting down and dirty with Linux apps and coding IDEs. With Stadia on the horizon, gaming on a Chromebook will be here soon, too. While there are a lot of great Chromebook manufacturers out there, Lenovo and ASUS's models seem to go harder and last longer than the competition, though Samsung, Dell, and HP can make some pretty premium Chromebooks when they put their minds to it.
Choosing your Chromebook is slightly different than picking a Windows or Mac laptop due to the standardized, cloud-centric nature of Chrome OS. Because Google controls the software look and update schedule for every Chromebook model, a Chromebook built by Lenovo should act the same as a Chromebook from Dell or Samsung. So what does that mean?
It means you can focus a little less on those core specs and focus more on what you want to do with the machine you choose. This process may seem slightly out of order, but trust me on this one:
1. Get one with a touchscreen - a 2-in-1 if you canTouchscreens may be a luxury for other laptop systems, but on Chromebooks, I consider it a requirement. Chrome OS's touch optimization is getting better every month, and since most of the Android apps Chromebooks can install via Google Play are optimized for touch, treat yourself to a touchscreen model!
Touchscreen models usually aren't that much more expensive for Chromebooks in 2019 - many Chromebook models don't even bother with non-touchscreen versions these days - but if you see a Chromebook that says it's non-touch, walk away and don't look back. It's a beautiful thing to be able to tap on the screen when scrolling through Amazon, and after playing Solitaire on a touchscreen, you'll never go back to using a mouse.
That touchscreen comes in even handier on 2-in-1s, the best form factor I've seen for Chromebooks yet. Being able to prop up your Chromebook in Tent mode for a movie, or fold it flat into Tablet mode for some in-bed browsing while down with the flu is amazing, but having a 360-degree hinge is excellent for everyday productivity, too. You can bend your Chromebook back to more angles when working in awkwardly-lit offices with weird light glare or propped in your lap at a ballgame because you didn't forget those quarterly expense reports that were due tomorrow and refuse to skip the game for that.
2. Decide on the other features you wantChrome OS is almost entirely the same on every device from a software perspective, which means that standout hardware features become paramount, and figuring out which of those features you want or need in a machine can help narrow the field and steer you to your perfect Chromebook.
As mentioned before, you want a touchscreen Chromebook - a 2-in-1 if you can swing it - but if you tend to do a lot of movie-watching, you may want a high-quality screen, or loud, front-facing speakers.
If you're looking to be more productive with a multitude of open tabs and multi-window screens, you might want a 3:2 display that's more suited to split-screening and a more powerful processor/memory configuration. Productivity-minded users should also pay special mind to the port configurations on their prospective Chromebooks, as USB-C starts to replace most other ports on more premium Chromebooks like the Pixelbook while more grounded models keep USB-A ports around alongside new USB-C charging ports.
Families with younger kids - or travelers that are prone to slips, spills, and accidents - might want to look to the growing number of Chromebooks with military-grade MIL-STD 810G durability or spill-resistant keyboards.
3. Pick your sizeChromebooks come in a variety of sizes, but they tend to gravitate to four sizes in general:
In general, the bigger the size of your Chromebook, the more you can potentially fit on the screen, but it will also be less portable and shorter in battery life. The smaller it is, the less heavy and (usually) less expensive it will be. Still, smaller models can also suffer from lower resolution screens, though Chrome OS's display zoom and font adjustments can somewhat offset it.
4. Memory and storage - what do you really need?RAM - Random Access Memory - is a critical spec for computers of all sizes and shapes, from phones and tablets to desktops and laptops. It's used by your computer's processor(s) to hold your current tabs, apps, and execute the commands, clicks, and operations that make your Chromebook work.
So how much RAM do I need? 4 GB of RAM in a Chromebook is fine today. 8 GB is better, and high-end Chromebooks can come with 16 GB or more, but 4 GB of RAM is more than enough to run Chrome OS with a couple of apps and a dozen Chrome tabs.
If you're a long-time Windows user - or a long-time computer user of any kind - looking at the storage on most Chromebooks will seem confusing at first because it's not going to sound like enough. Chrome OS is based around cloud storage - Google Drive is integrated directly into the Files app - but local storage is still essential for things like Android apps from Google Play, offline documents and downloaded music/movies for those horrible Wi-Fi-less flights.
You can also expand the storage on many Chromebooks with an SD or microSD card, but there's no beating proper local storage to start with. 32 GB of storage is workable, but I'd recommend going with a model with at least 64 GB of storage. Finding 128 GB or more is usually reserved for premium Chromebooks with heftier price tags, but 64 GB Chromebooks are pretty widely available and offer more than enough storage for some Drive offline syncing and some emergency entertainment.
5. Always check the expiration date!Chrome OS is developed, managed and updated by Google for all Chromebooks, but Google doesn't want to be stuck supporting every random budget chipset and driver set forever, so each Chromebook has a shelf life and an expiration date, just like the milk in your fridge! This is the Auto Update Expiration date, and it can be found for every single model on this handy dandy support page, which I have bookmarked because I am a freak and you should check often while you're shopping for Chromebooks.
Now, a Chromebook doesn't turn into a pumpkin on its AUE date - assuming your Chromebook lasts three to six years until that date - but it does stop receiving those system updates every Chromebook gets every four to six weeks that contain bug fixes, security patches, and new features. If your Chromebook is still running decently at that time, you're a champ, and with a teeny bit of know-how, you can reformat it to run one of a dozen Linux distros instead.
That said, four to six years is a long time for any laptop and chances are yours will be getting long in the tooth by then, but right now, when shopping, always check the AUE to see how long your Chromebook will get updates. Some Chromebooks have shorter lifetimes than others if they're built on the same platform as a previous Chromebook - AUE is based on hardware platform, not individual model, which is also why many Chromebooks have the same AUE dates - so it's something you'll always want to check before buying, even if the model itself is brand-new.
Chromebooks run Chrome OS, the Google-managed version of Chromium OS, a free Linux distribution that is open-source, lightweight, and web-centric. Chrome OS does not allow you to install regular applications and programs the way you would on Windows PCs; instead, Chromebooks rely on web-based applications, Android applications installed and managed via Google Play, and Linux apps, which are slowly rolling out to more and more Chromebook models.
Chrome OS's biggest strength lies in its lightweight stability and reliability. On computers with specs that barely support other operating systems, Chrome OS runs adequately and often excellently, meaning that for lower-end laptops, Chromebooks rule! That said, Chrome can take advantage of the most potent components available - from latest-gen multi-core processors to 4K displays - to create a super-smooth, super-powered premium experience.
Chrome OS is designed in large part for education and enterprise, which means the system is hard-to-break, easy-to-manage - all updates are handled in the background by the system itself - and wonderfully secure, with a lucrative bounty program, including a huge standing bounty for anyone who finds ways to compromise Chrome OS in its extra-locked-down Guest mode.
In short, Chrome OS is a lightweight, high-security system that's great for users with any level of technical know-how. Chromebooks are easy enough for school children to use and powerful enough for bigshot businesspeople, which means that they're great for everyone that doesn't need system-specific high-intensity programs like video editors, CAD rendering, and PC gaming - and even that's coming to Chromebooks soon with Stadia.
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