Best Chromebooks for Students

Between greatly simplified device management, Google App integration and much more affordable hardware, Google’s Chromebooks for students have been a huge success in classrooms the world over. So successful in fact, that Chromebooks were actually the best selling K-12 device in the U.S. in 2014.

According to IDC’s latest report on tablets and laptops in K-12 education, Chromebooks are the best-selling device in the U.S. this year. And they’re continuing to grow in popularity—in districts like Montgomery County, MD (more than 50,000 devices), Charlotte-Mecklenberg, NC (32,000 devices) and Cherry Creek, CO (26,000 devices), who have all begun using Chromebooks in 2014. – Google Official Blog

So what makes one Chromebook better than another for students? Well, that really depends on the students and their needs. Here are seven of the best Chromebooks for students to help you pick out the right device for your school!

Chromebooks for Students

Samsung Chromebook 2
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ASUS Chromebook
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LG ChromeBase
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1. Samsung Chromebook 2

Samsung - Chromebooks for Students

Highlight: Most popular

The Samsung Chromebook 2 is currently the best-selling Chromebook on the market. With just the right balance between power, price and battery, it’s easy to see why it’s the first choice for many schools and students. At 11.6 inches, the screen is the perfect size for portability and with nine hours of battery life this little Chromebook can last a full day on a single charge.

Tech Specs

Screen Size 11.6 inches
Max Screen Resolution 1366 x 768 pixels
Processor 2.16 GHz Intel Celeron
RAM 2 GB
Hard Drive 16 GB
Average Battery Life 9 hours
Weight 2.6 pounds / 1.2 kg
Full specifications

 

2. Acer Chromebook

Acer Chromebook

Highlight: Big screen

The Acer Chromebook is the big boy of the Chromebook for students list. With a huge hi-res 15.6 inch screen this is the ultimate choice if your students are planning on spending a lot of time in front of the display. While sacrificing a little portability with a weight of 4.8 pounds, the Acer will fit comfortably in any backpack and is a better option for students who will be multi-tasking and requiring a lot of screen real estate.

Big screen

Screen Size 15.6 inches
Max Screen Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels
Processor 1.5 GHz Celeron 3205U
RAM 4 GB
Hard Drive 32 GB
Average Battery Life 9 hours
Weight 4.8 pounds / 2.2 kg
Full specifications

 

3. ASUS Chromebook

Asus Chromebook

Highlight: Value for money

If you’re looking for quality at a reduced price, the the Asus Chromebook cannot be beat. With an amazing 11 hours of battery life and weighing only 2.5 pounds this is the ultimate portable Chromebook. While the 11.6 inch screen could be a little small for some students, it is absolutely fine for the vast majority of classroom tasks and activites.

Screen Size 11.6 inches
Max Screen Resolution 1366×768
Processor 2.1 GHz Intel Celeron
RAM 2 GB
Hard Drive 16 GB
Average Battery Life 11 hours
Weight 2.5 pounds / 1.1 kg
Full specifications

 

4. Toshiba Chromebook 2

Toshiba Chromebook

Highlight: All rounder

The Toshiba Chromebook 2 is my personal pick of the list. With a very impressive tech spec, a full HD screen and a very stylish and sleek design, the Toshiba can rival any laptop on the market (Chromebook or any other). Recently released, this is the Chromebook for students who require a good all round device that will last them for years to come.

Screen Size 13.3 inches
Max Screen Resolution 1920×1080 pixels
Processor 2.16 GHz Intel Celeron
RAM 4 GB
Hard Drive 16 GB
Average Battery Life 9 hours
Weight 3 pounds / 1.4 kg
Full specifications

 

5. Chromebook Pixel

Chromebook Pixel

Highlight: Top spec

The Chromebook Pixel is powerful! That’s nearly all that needs to be said. The only Chromebook on the list coming in at near $1000, the Pixel has some of the best specs of any Chromebook on the market. Created by Google themselves, the Pixel is the ultimate choice for students who need a powerful machine that can handle multiple heavy tasks.

Screen Size 12.85 inches
Max Screen Resolution 2560 x 1700 pixels
Processor 2.2GHz Intel i5 Processor
RAM 8 GB
Hard Drive 32 GB
Average Battery Life 12 hours
Weight 3.3 pounds / 1.5 kg
Full specifications

 

6. ASUS Chromebox Desktop

ASUS Chromebox

Highlight: Portable desktop

The ASUS Chromebox Desktop is a popular alternative to the laptop style Chromebooks for students we are all familiar with. The smallest Chrome device in existence and also the cheapest on the list, it’s certainly worth considering if students don’t need a fully portable device. Do keep in mind that peripherals such as mouse, keyboard and display do need to be purchased separately though.

Processor 1.4 GHz Celeron 2955U
RAM 2 GB
Hard Drive 16 GB
Weight 1.3 pounds / 0.6 kg
Full specifications

 

7. LG ChromeBase

LG Chromebase

Highlight: Desktop alternative

It may not be portable, but the LG ChromeBase is the world’s first all-in-one Chrome device. This means that it is a fully functional Chrome OS desktop machine! While this may not suit many students (as one of the main attractions to Chromebooks is portability) for some who are looking for a cheap desktop alternative, it is definitely worth investigating.

Screen Size 21.5 inches
Screen Resolution 1920 x 1080
Processor 1.4 GHz Celeron 2955U
RAM 2 GB
Weight 14.8 pounds / 6.7 kg
Full specifications

 

What Chromebooks for students would you recommend? Let us know your recommendations in the comments below.

 

Feature image adapted fro image courtesy of Flickr, TGTestLab.

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