For those who are shopping for laptops for mostly casual use and find Windows and Apple laptops way too pricey, the Chromebook may just be the right one for them. There are more Chrome OS-based laptops available in the market today than the last couple of years, and many are priced like mid-range phones.
Acer Chromebook 15
The Acer Chromebook 15 offers the largest display screen of the several Chromebook laptops. It's a 15.6-inch, to be exact, and offers several screen resolutions in its series, from a 1366 x 768 pixels up to 1920 x 1080 pixel (FullHD) screen resolution. Processors also come in different speeds, from 2.16 GHz Celeron dual-core up to 2.20 Ghz Intel Core i5 processors. An Intel HD graphics comes in many variants but there is also an HD 5500 GPU available. Memory starts at 2GB and max is at 4GB, while the internal storage are 16GB and 32GB.
The Intel Celeron model starts at US$198 while the Intel Core i5 model goes for US$500.
Asus Chromebook C300
The Asus Chromebook C300 is a smaller Chromebook model. It offers a 13.3-inch display screen that shows a 1366 x 768 pixel screen resolution. It is powered by Intel Bay Trail-M Dual Core Celeron and comes with a 2GB RAM, upgradable up to 4GB. It also contains a webcam, card reader, a dual-band Wi-Fi adaptor (AC), Bluetooth 4.0 and USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports. A single charge can be used up to 10 hours of batter life.
It is available in red, light blue and yellow, and a 4GB RAM model is available in Amazon for US$219.
A sub-model of the Asus Chromebook C300 has an option to insert a micro SIM card, for 4G/LTE data use.
Asus Chromebook Flip
For those looking for 2-in-1 with Chrome OS, the Asus Chromebook Flip is the prefect one. It is a convertible, folds into a tablet, and can work like a standard laptop. It also available in Amazon for US$239, but a little bit on the slow side. It contains a 1.8Ghz Rockchip processor and 2GB of RAM. It also smaller with a 10.1-inch screen that offers 1280 x 800 pixel resolution on its LED-backlit display.
Toshiba Chromebook 2
Amazon is also offering a Toshiba Chromebook 2 for US$312, which has a 13.3-inch FullHD IPS display. It is powered by a Intel Celeron 3215U 1.7 GHz processor that comes with 4GB of RAM and 16GB SSD internal storage. It has an LED-Backlit keyboard and features an Ice Silver finish. An Intel Core i3-5015U 2.1 GHz processor is also available for US$400.
It weighs in at 2.9 lbs. and measures 8.4 x 12.6 x 0.76 inches. USB 2.0 and 3.0 are also included, although only one each, plus an HDMI port, an SD card reader for expansion, and a webcam.
Chromebook Pixel
Last but not the least is the Chromebook Pixel, by none other than Google. It is powered by a fitth-gen 2.4 GHz Intel Core i7 and paired with 16GB of RAM. It comes with a 12.85-inch display screen that offers a 2560 x 1700 pixel resolution at 239 ppi pixel density. Plus, it offers up to 12 hours of battery life and is fast-charging capable -- a 15-minute charge can give up to 2-hours of use.
The anodized aluminum alloy frame gives the Chromebook Pixel a premium look. It also offers two USB Type-C ports and two USB 3.0 ports, plus an SD slot. It is available for US$999 and max at US$1,299.
