In today’s time, a best Chromebook under 300 is, without doubt, a budget-friendly yet the best alternative to the Windows laptop or the MacBook, which honestly cost one arm and a leg. That’s the reason we have come up with some of the best Chromebooks for you.
On a quick run The Samsung Chromebook 4 is the best chromebook under 300 dollars in 2021.
List of Best Chromebook Under 300
Here is the list of some of the best Chromebooks under $300 or £300, from Acer, Samsung, HP, Asus, and Lenovo available to buy in 2021.
- Acer Chromebook 314 (Best Acer Chromebook Under 300)
- SAMSUNG XE310XBA-K02US Chromebook 4 Chrome OS (Best Samsung Chromebook Under 300)
- HP 14a-na0020nr 14-Inch Chromebook (Best HP Chromebook Under £300)
- Samsung Chromebook 3 11.6″ (Best Samsung Chromebook Laptop Under $300)
- Asus Chromebook C223 Laptop- 11.6″ (Best Asus Chromebook Under 300)
1. Acer Chromebook 314 (Best Acer Chromebook Under 300)
The Acer Chromebook 314 comes with an approximate weight of 1.7kgs. That’s it! The lightweight of the Chromebook lets you carry it anywhere. Coupled with its portability, the Chromebook comes with a proper screen size of 14 inches with LCD screen display technology.
In addition to that, its HD screen mode will allow you to have an intense viewing experience of watching videos and will protect your eyes. Not to mention the Chromebook uses LED backlight technology that makes more brightness and saves power. The cherry on top!
Acer Chromebook 314 comes with a standard memory of 4 GB and flash memory of 32 GB, which is sufficient for computing essentials that include web browsing, entertainment and online work.
However, a memory of 4 GB might not allow you to run heavy games and maybe a bit of a headache for students. However, the Chromebook lets you insert a memory card- microSD. Yes that’s right!
A built-in microphone and its 2 speakers with stereo sound mode fairly allow you watch your favorite movies or make video calls. Not to mention the Chromebook comes with both A and C USB ports, two of each.
One of the two C USB ports is used to charge the Chromebook. The Wi-Fi connection and its overall connectivity is passable, so is the processor speed of 1.10 GHz. The battery life of 12 hours, on the other hand, is impressive.
All in all, this is one of the best chromebooks in the market. If you are looking for a device for everyday use, this might be the one for you.
2. SAMSUNG XE310XBA-K02US Chromebook 4 Chrome OS (Best Samsung Chromebook Under 300)
This Samsung Chromebook 4 comes with a weight of approximately 1.18 kg along with a screen display of 11.6 inches. The screen display uses the technology of HD LED. Moreover, the screen display uses an anti-reflective technology which certainly helps in reducing eyestrain and makes viewing easier.
However, the Chromebook does not come with the facility of touchscreen which, most definitely, is one small snag. Secondly, the display is not on the bright but the dim side.
4 GB memory of the Chromebook is fairly enough for day to day web browsing, surfing the internet and fulfilling your online work assignments. Although, it is not enough to run a heavy software or, as a matter of fact, heavy gaming.
The hard drive of Samsung Chromebook has 32 GB storage. So the capacity is good enough and will cooperate just fine with basic computing essentials but it is not up to the mark since many of the competing brands offer more storage than that. To cater with this problem, the Samsung Chromebook supports a MicroSD multimedia card.
In addition, the Chromebook comes with 2 USB ports in total, one A and one C port. If you connect a mouse and a keyboard to the Chromebook, you will certainly be out of space. The two 1.5W speakers produce satisfactory audio. However, the touchpad comes with a spill resistant technology. Yes, Samsung hit the nail on the head!
It would be a shame to say nothing of the excellent battery life that the Samsung Chromebook offers. It offers a battery time of 12.5 hours which most certainly makes a lot of tasks easier, and you do not have to worry about charging your Chromebook that often.
3. HP 14a-na0020nr 14-Inch Chromebook (Best HP Chromebook Under 300)
The HP Chromebook comes with a weight of 1.46 kg. The 14 inch screen display further uses the technology of anti-glare that protects our eyes and reduces eye strain. So if you are someone who needs to be before the screen for long periods of time, HP Chromebook might be the one for you.
Furthermore, the display screen is WLED backlit which ensures increased readability in low light conditions.
The Chromebook comes with 2 C USB ports and 1 A USB port. Secondly, it also supports MicroSD media cards facilitating the 16/32 GB ROM storage which otherwise might have been fairly less.
At the same time, the HP Chromebook comes with 4 GB RAM which is ample for basic computing essentials that include surfing the internet, entertainment, reading online books and attending your online conferences.
However, the 4 GB RAM will not be enough to run more complicated programs that include graphic designing, gaming and programming. That’s why HP rates this beast as one of the best chromebooks available.
At the same time the Chromebook supports Bluetooth which makes data transferring from your mobile phone to your Chromebook very fast, and wireless. Not to mention the outstanding battery life of 13.5 hours that is promised by HP. True, the real life battery may vary a bit, but it is exceptional nonetheless.
Equally important, the Web Cam uses a wide vision HD camera with dual array digital microphone, perfect to produce a clear image for you while you make video calls. However, this HP Chromebook does not provide a touchscreen facility. A Chromebook may not be as flexible as a Laptop or a MacBook, but it certainly costs a smaller fortune.
4. Samsung Chromebook 3 (Best Samsung Chromebook Laptop Under 300)
Samsung Chromebook 3 weighs approximately 1.15 kg. As feather like as it is, the Samsung Chromebook has a display screen size of 11.6 inches with a HD LED display. The screen also uses the anti-reflective technology that reduces glare on the laptop screen, reduces eyestrain and makes the viewing easier and pleasant to the eyes.
Moving on, the 4 GB RAM of the Chromebook is sufficient for running basic computing essentials and is ample for daily casual use. However, as stated earlier, 4 GB RAM is not enough for running big and heavy programs.
The Chromebook provides its users with a choice of 16 and 32 GB ROM. 16 GB ROM is, without doubt, not too much. To run basic computing programs smoothly, 32 GB of internal storage should be enough. But to further help the situation, the Samsung Chromebook supports MicroSD memory cards.
Equally important, the Chromebook comes with a HDMI port, which is very useful yet rarely seen in competing Chromebooks. Along with the HDMI, it comes with a headphone/ mic-in combo and one port each of USB 3.0 and USB 2.0.
The two stereo speakers of 1.5W each should provide a passable audio for when you are watching your favorite shows and the 720p HD camera installed provides crisp video. The Chromebook supports Bluetooth and impressively, has the feature of a spill resistant touchpad; as right as rain.
Not to mention the good battery life of Samsung Chromebook 3 that is 11 hours. 11 hours of battery life is an average figure that should be enough for entertainment or college, and even casual use.
5. ASUS Chromebook c223 (Best Asus Chromebook Under 300)
The ASUS Chromebook c223 comes with the unbelievable weight of approximately 1 kg only! So easy to carry anywhere and everywhere.
The display screen size of 11.6 inches comes with LCD and HD technology that produces a clear and vivid display. Furthermore, it uses anti-glare technology that helps in reducing eye strain and makes the experience of being in front of the screen a whole lot easier and satisfying.
Moving on, the memory this ASUS Chromebook offers is 4 GB. 4 GB RAM is enough for running basic computing essentials like social media, entertainment, light gaming and work assignments. It is, however, not enough for heavy based programs like graphic designing, heavy video editing and computer programming.
Furthermore, the Chromebook offers to choose between a ROM storage of 16 GB and 32 GB. It is an ideal situation as you can choose for yourself what you want, according to how you plan to use the Chromebook. 32 GB is, however, recommended since it helps the computer programs run smoothly without buffering.
Then, the ASUS Chromebook comes with a combo audio jack, one USB 3.2 type A port and two USB 3.2 type C ports. It further supports a MicroSD memory card too. Impressively, the camera uses 720p HD technology to produce a crisp image but the Web Cam comes without a privacy shutter, which surely is a letdown.
Along with a wired optical mouse that comes in the box with ASUS Chromebook, the 38 WHrs battery with 2 cell li-ion is super great, but passable indeed. If you need longer hours between each battery charge, ASUS Chromebook c223 is not for you.
Best Chromebooks Under 300 Buyer’s Guide
If you buy a Chromebook, wouldn’t you want to buy the best Chromebook you can get, and one that is according to your needs? Most definitely! We have provided you with a list of some Chromebooks’ product summaries. The intent is to give you an idea of what to look for while buying a Chromebook. Here are some features that should not be overlooked.
Display
If you need to sit in front of the screen for long hours, it is better that you look for a Chromebook which uses the anti-glare display to protect your eyes. The anti-glare display also reduces the chances of eyestrain. Secondly, you need to look into the screen display size of the Chromebook, and choose the size according to your liking.
Internal Memory
To look into internal memory before buying a Chromebook is absolutely necessary. You don’t want to run heavy programs like graphic designing and computer programming in your Chromebook and end up with a Chromebook with 4 GB internal memory. However, if you need to buy the Chromebook for light everyday use like web browsing and entertainment, 4 GB memory should do for you.
Storage
You will need to consider the storage capacity that a Chromebook offers before buying one. This is important, you need to analyze how much space would you approximately need- or how much storage should be enough for you, depending on your usage. You do not want to end up with a Chromebook that is always running low on storage. Do you? 32 GB storage capacity is ample for basic computing essentials. But if you need to do more, you have options like 64 GB and 128 GB internal storage capacity.
External ports available
When you buy a Chromebook, you need to keep in check the number and types of external ports that are available. If you are someone who needs to connect their mobile phones to the Chromebook along with a mouse and a keyboard, you will need to make sure such external ports are available in the Chromebook you buy so that you don’t regret buying it later- because there is no point in crying over spilled milk.
Camera and Audio
Before buying a Chromebook, you will need to check the quality of the camera along with the quality and number of speakers in the Chromebook. In order to enjoy the audio and the video quality of the Chromebook later, you will need to select the right ones. A 720p HD camera produces a clear and crisp image, and stereo speakers produce a pretty amazing audio.
Weight and Portability
If you are someone who travels a lot, you need to look out for the weight of the Chromebook that you intend to buy. If you need to carry the Chromebook with you to different places a lot, a lightweight and portable Chromebook of around 1 to 1.5 kg will be a better option since it will be a whole lot easier to carry than a Chromebook that weighs 2 kg.
Battery life
To consider the battery life of a Chromebook before buying one is probably one of the most important things to look out for. A good battery life saves one a lot of hassle since the Chromebook does not need to be charged every other hour or so. A durable battery with long battery life hours is very important. Battery life of 12 to 13 hours is considered good and above average.
If you have some extra bucks, why not go for $400 or $500 variant.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between a Laptop and a Chromebook?
A Chromebook is an alternative to the Windows Laptops and MacBooks. A Chromebook is an inexpensive and low cost alternative to a regular Laptop. It is mostly used for basic computing essentials rather than running heavy programs. Secondly, Chromebooks use the Chrome OS operating system that does not support any Mac OS or Windows programs.
What should I buy, a Chromebook or a Laptop?
A Chromebook is a device that uses Chrome OS operating system and is designed to do almost everything a Laptop or a MacBook can do. Chromebooks can now run Android apps as well as some Linux applications. They provide large screens and a rather portable and light experience. However Chromebooks are not that great for high profile PC gaming. They are not great for heavy programs like heavy based editing etc. Hence if you need something more powerful, you should get a laptop.
What is the best Chromebook to buy in 2021?
Here is a list for the best Chromebooks to buy in 2021:
- Acer Chromebook 314
- Samsung xe520qab-k02us Chromebook Plus V2
- Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 13
- Samsung xe310xba-k02us Chromebook 4
- HP 14a-na0020nr Chromebook
- HP 14b-ca0010nr Chromebook x360
- Acer Chromebook Spin 11 cp311-1h-c5pn Convertible Laptop
- Samsung Chromebook 3
- ASUS Chromebook Flip c434
- ASUS Chromebook c223
What are the disadvantages of a Chromebook?
Chromebooks are rather built for light use and hence do not support high profile PC games. Secondly Chromebooks are short on storage. Most of the Chromebooks provide storage of 32 GB maximum which is quite limited. Furthermore, you cannot run heavy software on Chromebooks like graphic designing and heavy video editing.
What are the pros of a Chromebook?
Chromebooks, in comparison to Windows Laptops and MacBook, are unbelievably cheap. The Chrome OS operating system that the Chromebooks use is very rapid, steady and secure. Battery life of Chromebooks is also pretty amazing given their low costs. They often come with touchscreens and pen supports.
Can I run Word on Chromebook?
Yes. To run Microsoft Word on a Chromebook all you need to do is launch the Google play store, search for Microsoft Word and download the app.
Do I need antivirus for Chromebooks?
Some Chromebooks come with built-in protection from malwares and viruses hence the need for antivirus for Chromebooks depends.