Exploring today's technology for tomorrow's possibilities
Copied link!
Best 5 Affordable Chromebooks for Back-to-School or Distance Learning
Linsey Knerl
|
August 1, 2022
Reading time: 7 minutes
The past few years have introduced new educational trends into our schools and homes, from remote learning to homeschooling. And for schools that continue with in-person classes, the one-laptop-one-child model has become very popular. It’s now more common for kids of all ages, even the youngest ones, to have their own device tucked securely into a backpack or bag.
For parents, this means finding an affordable laptop for back-to-school season. The Chromebook is a leading option and it’s designed with education in mind. Here’s why this laptop is an ideal pick for back-to-school lists, and the products you should look for the next time you shop.
Benefits of the Chromebook
Not all parents get to pick their child’s laptop, and your school may require you to rent or purchase one through them. However, many schools use Chromebooks, because they’re affordable. This allows administrators to purchase and deploy them at scale with less fuss than other options.
If you are free to choose a laptop or notebook for your kid, you’ll be pleased to know there are benefits to the Chromebook family:
Chromebooks are durable, with sturdy cases and screens made to handle the wear and tear of a typical student.
The operating system is based on the same technology as the Chrome browser and integrates with tools your student likely already uses, such as Gmail, Google Classrooms, YouTube, and popular Android apps.
The hardware is streamlined to do more work on the cloud, so you can avoid overpaying for unnecessary RAM, processing speed, and storage.
They offer hours of battery life to get through the school day.
Chromebooks have evolved over the years to become more performance-based. While there are many budget-friendly devices for distance learning, you can find Chromebooks aimed at business professionals, creatives, and those with more robust computing needs.
The name “Chromebook” is no longer associated with just students or kids. In fact, business Chromebooks are a growing category in tech, and they offer enterprise-level specifications.
Best affordable Chromebooks for back-to-school
The latest generation of Chromebooks has pulled out all the stops and includes far more features than when remote schooling was first expanding. With a Chromebook for just about any use case, you can likely find something just for your student or even for yourself! Here are the best affordable Chromebooks for back-to-school season, along with the user most likely to benefit.
1. HP Chromebook x2 11
The HP Chromebook x2 11 balances productivity and price, offering a full-sized keyboard and an 11-inch diagonal touch screen 110% sRGB display. It’s big enough for streaming videos but won’t take up too much room on a desk. This device doesn’t have a headphone jack, but the Bang & Olufsen speakers offer superior sound for those times when your student isn’t using wireless headphones.
This laptop doesn’t contain a traditional hard drive with moving parts, so it’s less likely to become damaged from regular use. It also features an aluminum case and a detachable keyboard, making it a true 2-in-1 Chromebook.
Key features:
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 7c processor
5MP front-facing and 8MP rear-facing cameras, both with dual array digital microphones
Qualcomm Adreno™ 618 GPU
8GB of RAM
128GB eMMC storage
Battery life of up to 11 hours and 15 minutes
A fast battery charge of approximately 50% in 45 minutes
Ports: 2 SuperSpeed USB Type-C® and 1 microSD media card reader
Weighs 1.23 lbs without keyboard and stand
Who it’s best for: Students and teachers at any stage who use the same computer for school and life. Also great for homeschool families who may share a device.
2. HP Chromebook 11
The HP Chromebook 11 is one of the most affordable Chromebooks available. It has just the right amount of productivity features to support classroom learning but doesn’t break the bank.
The 11.6-inch High Definition (HD) display isn’t a touch screen, but it delivers 1 million pixels of detail in full, amazing color. It also boasts a full-sized keyboard, Chrome OS, and standout security features, making it easy for any user to hop on and use with little to no computer background.
Key features:
MediaTek processor with Octo-core CPU and Integrated Graphics
720p HD front-facing web camera with microphone
4GB memory
32GB eMMC storage
Battery life of up to 15 hours and 45 minutes
11.6" diagonal HD display
Ports: 1 USB 2.0 Type-C, 1 USB 2.0 Type-A, 1 headphone microphone jack, and 1 microSD media card reader
Weighs 2.36 lbs
Who it’s best for: Elementary students and those shopping on a budget.
3. HP Chromebook 14a
If a super-affordable laptop with a larger screen is more your style, the HP Chromebook 14a may be your best choice. It uses Intel® hardware for processing and graphics with enough memory to browse, learn, and chat with others, too.
You can also customize this laptop at checkout, so you can upgrade the components that matter most while still sticking to your budget. Choose between HD and Full High Definition (FHD) screen resolutions, and upgrade to a touch screen if your budget allows. This is the best Chromebook for students who like to get hands-on with their work.
Key features:
Intel Celeron® N4500 processor, customizable up to 2.8 GHz, 4MB L3 cache
HP Wide Vision 720p HD camera
Intel UHD Graphics
4GB of RAM
32GB eMMC, customizable up to 64GB
Ports: 2 SuperSpeed USB Type-C, 1 SuperSpeed USB Type-A, 1 headphone microphone combo, and 1 microSD media card reader
WiFi 5 or 6 available
Full-sized keyboard (backlit optional)
Comes in three colors: Mineral Silver, Ceramic White, or Forest Teal
Weighs 3.24 lbs
Who it’s best for: Junior high and high school students wanting computing perks on a small budget.
4. HP Chromebook 14b
The HP Chromebook 14b boasts an HD touch display and Intel UHD graphics, with options to increase both the memory and storage. This makes this Chromebook ideal for working both offline and in synchronous classroom settings.
The built-in camera privacy shutter provides a bit of protection against prying eyes, and the high-quality B&O speakers deliver excellent sound. Plus, the 720p graphics mean your student can game without an additional graphics card, making this the best Chromebook for high school students.
Key features:
11th Generation Intel Core™ i3 processor
HP Wide Vision 720p HD camera dual microphones
Intel UHD Graphics
8GB of RAM
128GB SSD storage
Ports: 2 SuperSpeed USB Type-C, 2 SuperSpeed USB Type-A, 1 HDMI, 1 headphone microphone combo, and 1 microSD media card reader
Fingerprint reader
WiFi 6
Up to 11 hours and 30 minutes battery life
Supports fast battery charge of approximately 90% in 90 minutes
Weighs 3.31 lbs
Who it’s best for: Older teens and college students who will use their device for work and play.
5. HP Chromebook Enterprise
For a truly professional experience, consider the HP Chromebook Enterprise. The 14-inch HD display is ideal for movies, class webinars, video chatting, and more, and it’s powered by an AMD processor and graphics. It’s full of business-class features for peak productivity anywhere your student travels.
The aluminum exterior and 180-degree lay-flat hinge take the design to another level. Plus, it’s tested to withstand wear and tear, spills, and more, so you can feel confident knowing it can withstand just about anything in the classroom.
Key features:
AMD Athlon™ Silver processor
AMD Radeon™ Graphics
720p HD privacy camera
8GB of RAM
64GB eMMC storage
B&O speakers
Ports: 2 USB Super Speed Type-C, 2 Super Speed USB Type-A, 1 headphone microphone combo, 1 HDMI, and 1 microSD
Full-sized keyboard resists minor spills and key removal
Chrome Enterprise Upgrade includes enterprise mobility management support
Weight starts at 3.38 lbs
Who it’s best for: Teachers and administrators who need more security, storage, and processing power. This is also a contender for the best Chromebook for college students.
Additional tips for picking the right Chromebook
With more families needing a device for every adult and child, the Chromebook line can help you manage even on a dwindling budget. You no longer have to decide who gets a device, because there’s a price point just right for every need.
With lower-priced options for younger kids, you can feel good about their back-to-school list. Plus, even the enterprise models represent significant savings over other business-class laptops with similar features.
One of the best aspects about purchasing a Chromebook for school is that they come with everything you need to get your student started on the right foot. And if you have a specialized tech need, like more RAM or touch screen capabilities, you can upgrade many models before completing your purchase. Just look for the “customize” option when shopping, and pick your tech specs for the learning experience that’s right for your family.
If you choose wisely, you can expect to use your student Chromebook for many wonderful years – stretching this affordable PC beyond distance learning and school.
About the Author
Linsey Knerl is a contributing writer for HP® Tech Takes. Linsey is a Midwest-based author and public speaker. She has a passion for helping consumers and small business owners do more with their resources via the latest tech solutions.
We are working to meet the current extraordinary customer demand for our products. Our website reflects current product availability but circumstances are dynamic. You may check your order status via our Track My Order page (Click Here to log in). We will send updates by email as soon as they are available. We greatly value your business and appreciate your ongoing patience as we work to get your order to you.
Prices, specifications, availability and terms of offers may change without notice. Price protection, price matching or price guarantees do not apply to Intra-day, Daily Deals or limited-time promotions. Quantity limits may apply to orders, including orders for discounted and promotional items. Despite our best efforts, a small number of items may contain pricing, typography, or photography errors. Correct prices and promotions are validated at the time your order is placed. These terms apply only to products sold by HP.com; reseller offers may vary. Items sold by HP.com are not for immediate resale. Orders that do not comply with HP.com terms, conditions, and limitations may be cancelled. Contract and volume customers not eligible.
HP’s MSRP is subject to discount. HP’s MSRP price is shown as either a stand-alone price or as a strike-through price with a discounted or promotional price also listed. Discounted or promotional pricing is indicated by the presence of an additional higher MSRP strike-through price.
The following applies to HP systems with Intel 6th Gen and other future-generation processors on systems shipping with Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 Pro systems downgraded to Windows 7 Professional, Windows 8 Pro, or Windows 8.1: This version of Windows running with the processor or chipsets used in this system has limited support from Microsoft. For more information about Microsoft’s support, please see Microsoft’s Support Lifecycle FAQ at https://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle
In-home warranty is available only on select customizable HP desktop PCs. Need for in-home service is determined by HP support representative. Customer may be required to run system self-test programs or correct reported faults by following advice given over phone. On-site services provided only if issue can't be corrected remotely. Service not available holidays and weekends.
HP will transfer your name and address information, IP address, products ordered and associated costs and other personal information related to processing your application to Bill Me Later®. Bill Me Later will use that data under its privacy policy.
Not all features are available in all editions or versions of Windows. Systems may require upgraded and/or separately purchased hardware, drivers, software or BIOS update to take full advantage of Windows functionality. Windows is automatically updated and enabled. High speed internet and Microsoft account required. ISP fees may apply and additional requirements may apply over time for updates. See http://www.windows.com.
HP Rewards qualifying and eligible products/purchases are defined as those from the following categories: Printers, Business PCs (Elite, Pro and Workstation brands), select Business Accessories and select Ink, Toner & Paper.My HP Rewards
Help protect your printer and your data with Original HP cartridges: HP office-class printing systems are select Enterprise and Managed devices with FutureSmart firmware 4.5 and up, Pro devices, LaserJet models
The personal information you provide will be used according to the HP Privacy Statement