Top 5 Best Plus Chromebooks: Powerful Chromebooks that packs a punch

Samuel TanBest Laptops, Best Of..., Chromebooks, Laptops 0

Performance and value does not always go hand-in-hand, but Plus Chromebooks aim to deliver fast performance, best streaming experience and smooth video calls without the premium price tag. Here are 10 of the best Plus Chromebooks and what makes them good.

Table of Contents

Powerful Processors for Chromebooks

We are going to cut through the noise and come up straight to tell you that the best processors for Chromebooks are Intel Pentium Gold and above. Intel Core-i series being the best choice, even if they are a few generations behind. Forget the super-efficient MediaTek offerings (MT8197C or MT8183) and the confusing Intel Celeron N series. And since we are moving up from Intel Celeron, you might want to avoid the entry level AMD A-series processors as well. Devices based on these processors are targeting the ultra budget end.

What are Plus Chromebooks

Back to our choice of powerful Chromebooks, in recognition of their quick boot-up, fast application switching amazing number crunching and video rendering abilities, Google has introduced a couple of indicators. These are marked Plus and Premium. The latter simply means high-end premium Chromebooks with an insanely high price tag. For those who value performance over aesthetics, the natural choice has to be from the Plus range.

Chromebooks from the Plus range are not only fast but is able to deliver smooth video conference calls and come with large on board storage for all your files and media. In technical terms, what the Plus series misses out on are the fast Solid State Drive (SSD) based storage and in some cases extra memory (16GB). They rely instead on up to 8GB memory and up to slower 128GB eMMC storage. To summarise, the advantages of Plus Chromebooks are as follows:

Fast web browsing, fast tab switching and fast boot up
Smooth video conference calls
Plenty of local storage for files and media

Top 5 Best Plus Chromebooks both Convertibles and Laptops

A combination of convertibles and conventional laptops, here are five of the best Plus Chromebooks you can find right now:

1. HP Chromebook x360 14c – CONVERTIBLE

On the top of our list is this mid-size convertible. With a healthy choice of processors from Intel Pentium N6000 to 10th generation Intel Core i3 and Core i5 processors, the x360 is a beautifully designed laptop with a 360-degree hinge that also delivers. Apart from is processor, its main appeals are its Gorilla Glass NBT wrapped narrow bezel displays, upward firing sound tuned by B&O, fingerprint reader, wide vision HD web cam with privacy switch and generous storage and memory. If only it weighs less, it would pass for a good tablet replacement too. The only downside is its reliance on the slightly slower eMMC storage.

Search HP x360 14 on Amazon

14-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080p IPS touchscreen 250nits
Intel® Pentium® Silver N6000 processor
RAM: 8 GB / Storage: 128 GB eMMC
Full HD touchscreen
Battery life: Up to 11 hours
18.5 x 326.3 x 219.6 mm (H x W x D), 1.65kg

Other more powerful processor choices

Intel® Core™ i3-10110U Processor
Intel® Core™ i5-10210U Processor [Editor’s Favourite]

2. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook 13.3-inch – CONVERTIBLE

Up next with almost as a big a choice of processors for a Chromebook is this IdeaPad Flex 5i from Lenovo. It has a slightly smaller display at 13.3-inch and an ugly bottom bezel that is twice as big as its top bezel. Still, it earns a place here thanks it is amazingly good value price tags, fast processors and storage. The version based on Core i3-10110U processor comes with only half the memory at 4GB but the fast 128GB SSD makes up for everything. Elsewhere, battery life is good, convertible profile and lightweight design makes it great as both an ultraportable laptop and a tablet and the backlit keyboard offers a good typing experience.

Search LENOVO IdeaPad Flex 5i on Amazon

13.3-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080p IPS touchscreen
Intel® Core™ i5-10210U Processor
RAM: 8 GB / Storage: 128 GB SSD
Battery life: Up to 10 hours
17 x 310 x 214 mm (H x W x D), 1.35kg

Other processor choice

Intel® Core™ i3-10110U Processor

3. Acer Chromebook 714 14-inch – LAPTOP

This may be based on previous generation Intel Core i3, but the number don’t lie. It is still 32% faster across the board based on Average Score by UserBenchmark compared to Pentium 4417U. Chrome OS is super quick to boot up and run and with the Intel Core i3, it just fly through all the apps. The initial set up was very easy. Good quality Full HD screen and the keyboard and touchpad makes it a great device to use. Thanks to the generous memory and storage, you can launch as many tabs as you want and save your files locally without worry about them slowing down. Plus, there are plenty of ports to connect or expand the device.

Search Acer Chromebook 714 on Amazon

14-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080p IPS Display
Intel® Core™ i3-8130U Processor
RAM: 8 GB / Storage: 128 GB eMMC
Battery life: Up to 12 hours
18 x 323 x 239 mm (H x W x D), 1.5kg

4. Acer Chromebook 715 15.6-inch – LAPTOP

Like the Chromebook 714 only bigger, the Acer Chromebook 715 comes with a choice of Intel Pentium Gold 4417U or the faster Intel Core i3-8130U. The latter comes with twice the memory at 8GB albeit a previous 8th generation Core i3-8130U, the same processor found above. With the benefit of a full size 15.6-inch display, you are going to have to pay in terms of bulk and weight. So, we would only recommend this if you intend to plant it on the desk pretty much all the time. At 1.8kg, it is going to weigh you down if you are thinking of travelling with it.

Search Acer Chromebook 715 on Amazon

15.6-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080p IPS Display
Intel® Pentium® Gold 4417U Processor
RAM: 4 GB / Storage: 128 GB eMMC
Battery life: Up to 12 hours
17.9 x 366 x 248 mm (H x W x D), 1.8kg

Other processor choice

Intel® Core™ i3-8130U Processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB eMMC Storage

5. Google Pixelbook GO – LAPTOP

We are not going to lie, this is not a cheap Chromebook by any stretch. Even the Core m3 version is going to set you back by more than 500 dollars. But, it is still a Plus Chromebook nonetheless. If you are considering the Core m3 version, look up the ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 and C433, both have the advantage of being a convertible laptop while the Pixelbook go is just a conventional laptop. If you like the design and would consider the Pixelbook Go anyway, know that it is a well designed laptop with all day battery life and lightweight and thin 13mm body covered in none-slip finish.

Search Google Pixelbook Go on Amazon

15.6-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080p IPS Display
Intel® Core m3-8100Y Processor
RAM: 8 GB / Storage: 64 GB eMMC
Battery life: Up to 12 hours
2 pounds, 13mm thin

Other processor choice

Intel® Core™ i5 Processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB eMMC Storage
Intel® Core™ i7 Processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB eMMC Storage

BONUS: HP Chromebook 15 – LAPTOP

A full size laptop with 15.6-inch screen, this is another Chromebook based on dual core Intel Pentium Gold 4417U processor. The lacklustre display, small memory and storage lets the device down but it is still a fast Chromebook nonetheless, with an amazing 13 hours battery life, the longest in our list. And, while it may not have 360 degree hinges like the HP Chromebook x360 14c on the top of our list, the laptop still comes with narrow micro-edge bezels, upward firing speakers tuned by B&O and choice of faster processors

Search HP Chromebook 15 on Amazon

15.6-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080p IPS 250nits Anti-clare
Intel® Pentium® Gold 4417U Processor
RAM: 4GB / Storage: 64GB eMMC
Battery life: Up to 13 hours

Other processor choice

Intel® Core™ i3-8130U Processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB eMMC Storage

OTHER PLUS CHROMEBOOKS

ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 14-inch – CONVERTIBLE

This 2-in-1 Chromebook comes with a choice of processor. Pick the powerful Core i5-8200Y or the cheaper Core m3-8100Y (shared with the other ASUS Chromebook in our list below). Unfortunately, while this is a Core i5-8200Y, its performance is still no closer to the Intel Core i3-8130U found in some of the other laptops here. See PassMark score comparing Intel Core i5-8200Y to Intel Core i3-8130U. If you can overlook the use of old CPU part and slower performance, this is still an amazing convertible laptop with touchscreen interface, lightweight and elegant design.

14-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080p touchscreen
Intel® Core™ i5-8200Y Processor
RAM: 8 GB / Storage: 128 GB eMMC
Battery life: Up to 10 hours
15.7 x 321 x 202 mm (H x W x D), 1.5kg

Lenovo Chromebook C340-15 15.6-inch – CONVERTIBLE

Another full-size 15.6-inch laptop, this time from Lenovo. The Chromebook C340 is a highly rated and best value Chromebook. It boots up quickly and runs smoothly with sufficient memory to take on the task at hand. If you want even more power, opt for the Intel Core i3 version with double the storage. It works well as a desktop replacement for all the household basic computing needs. Login and access different Google accounts and associated apps and services if you are looking for a laptop for the family. It is a well constructed convertible laptop with good build quality so you can feel confident using it in either laptop or tablet mode although we don’t recommend the latter due to its bulk.

15.6-inch Full HD 1920 x 1080p IPS 250nits Anti-clare touchscreen
Intel® Pentium® Gold 4417U Processor
RAM: 4GB / Storage: 64GB eMMC
Battery life: Up to 10 hours

ASUS Chromebook Flip C433 14-inch – CONVERTIBLE

The other offering from ASUS, the Flip C433 convertible Chromebook has been around for a while hence its lowered price tag. But it is still a capable Chrome OS device. Powered by Intel Core m3-8100Y processor with 4GB memory and 64GB eMMC storage, it is more than sufficient for the average users. Also, it is one of the slimmest 2-in-1 laptop around measuring only 15.7 mm thin. On top of that, with that premium aluminium alloy finish and elegant design, it is worth the compromise on the processor.