Mashable staff and contributors have tested nearly a dozen popular Chromebooks over the course of the past two years, and as of March 2026, there are four I recommend in particular. My top pick for most people is the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, a high-end Chromebook with a speedy processor, a fanless aluminum build, a clacky backlit keyboard, great battery life, and a beautiful OLED display. It starts at $649.99 (or $749.99 as tested), which is pricey for a Chromebook, but it’s super future-proofed and worth the hassle of hunting down on sale.
My complete guide to the best Chromebooks includes other picks for budget shoppers and kids, so keep scrolling. (And if you aren’t sure whether a Chromebook is right for you, check out my explainer on how they’re different from regular Windows laptops and MacBooks.)
What’s new
I made a couple changes to this guide in March 2026. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is now our No. 1 pick overall, replacing the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, which has been out of stock for several weeks. Additionally, I’ve decided to crown the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 the best option for gaming. It’s dethroned the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE, which is no longer available in new condition.
What’s on deck
Acer, Asus, HP, and Lenovo all announced new Chromebooks for 2026 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in early January. None of them have set pricing or release dates for their devices yet, but we plan on testing them as soon as they’re available. Here’s the full lineup:
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The 15-inch Acer Chromebook 315 will be powered by MediaTek’s new Kompanio 540 chip, a lesser version of its powerful Kompanio Ultra 910 chip (as seen in the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 and the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14).
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The Asus Chromebook CM14 and CM15 are clamshell-style models that will come in six color options, though not all of them will be available in the U.S. They’ll run on the Kompanio 540 chip, too.
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The Asus Chromebook CM32 Detachable has a 2.5K 120Hz display, a removable keyboard, and that same Kompanio 540 processor. I saw this one in person at CES and thought it looked a lot like an iPad.
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The HP Chromebook 14 and Chromebook Plus 14 are entry-level options with 2K displays and basic Intel processors. The HP Chromebook x360 14 and Chromebook Plus x360 14 are their convertible counterparts. These will probably be some of the cheapest options available.
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Lenovo Chromebook Plus 15 i is a 15-incher with an Intel Core i3 processor (hence the “15 i” in its name). It will have a 2K display, a 5MP webcam, and a fingerprint reader, making it a higher-end variant.
