In the day and age we live in today, Chromebooks come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and form factors. There is the regular cut of 14-inch Chromebooks, devices whose screen sizes measure up to 15.6 inches, and even a marvel of a unit — the Acer Chromebook 317 — that comes with a massive 17-inch display panel.
However, apart from this level of diversity, those looking to buy portable Chromebooks to accommodate their on-the-fly lifestyle can look into these lightweight and reliable devices we’ve gathered today. These devices push out appreciable performance levels and come from various budgets, both pocket-friendly and relatively premium-end.
With no further ado, let’s dive into these units in more detail in the section below. In the meantime, feel free to check out our compilation of these top 10 Chromebooks for coding and programming in 2023 if you are a codaholic.
10 of the best portable Chromebooks you can buy
The following is our cherry-picked list of the most portable Chromebooks out there that don’t offer a lightweight feel but carry a specific performance standard with them as well. If you’d like to learn more about the forthcoming units, check out their respective reviews on the site.
1. Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook
Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook
Specs at a glance
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon SC7180 processor
- Display: 13.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080p) OLED, 100% DCI-P3, 400 nits, touch-enabled display
- Hard drive size: 64 GB eMMC hard drive storage
- RAM: 4 GB
- Weight: 700 g (without keyboard), 1.5 lbs (with keyboard)
- Price: $469
The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook takes great pride in being one of the most, if not the most, portable Chromebooks in the ChromeOS business. It’s a detachable device whose keyboard comes off the screen, allowing you to use the unit as a Chromebook tablet. And weighing just about 1.5 lbs with the keyboard and 700 grams without, this one’s worth looking into.
Apart from its unrivaled flexibility, one of our favorite parts about the Chromebook is its mesmerizing display quality. Thanks to a 13.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080p) screen with a maximum 400 nits brightness capacity, colors genuinely pop on the Duet 5, and the viewing angles are excellent.
2. Acer Chromebook Spin 513
Acer Chromebook Spin 513
Specs at a glance
- CPU: MediaTek Kompanio 1380 octa-core processor
- Display: 13.5″ 2K (2256 x 1504p), IPS panel, Gorilla Glass protection, touch-enabled
- Hard drive size: 128GB eMMC flash memory
- RAM: 8 GB
- Weight: 2.82 lbs (1.3 kg)
- Price: $614
The second spot on this list goes to the highly capable Acer Chromebook Spin 513, sporting a convertible form factor and an impressive hardware setup that lets you put the unit through its paces and let it come out on top to boot. The Spin 513 employs a MediaTek Kompanio 1380 CPU with an 8 GB RAM and 128 GB hard drive storage combo.
In practical terms, the unit in question is a tireless workhorse that will get you through a whole day of work or school at full flight and then leave some room for entertainment on apps like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, thanks to its 10-hour battery runtime. It’s a premium machine through and through that blends portability and performance impressively.
3. Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3
Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3
Specs at a glance
- CPU: MediaTek Kompanio 500 (8183) 2.0 GHz processor
- Display: 10.5″ WUXGA (1920 x 1200p), 16:10, wide view glossy LCD
- Hard drive size: 64 GB eMMC flash drive
- RAM: 4 GB
- Weight: 1.12 lbs (0.51 kg)
- Price: $342.95
Another advocate of high-class portability in the ChromeOS space is the reasonably popular Asus Chromebook Detachable CM3, which comes with a garaged stylus to provide users with another form of input and weighs just a tad above 1 pound. Although the unit’s screen isn’t as flashy as the Duet 5, it’s undoubtedly pleasurable to look at daily.
Moreover, one of the Detachable CM3 most stand-out features of the CM3 is its overall build. The kickstand cover in the box is sturdy and holds the Chromebook tablet well when you want to use it in regular laptop mode. The only issue is the device has a single USB-C port, but this can be mitigated with the help of a USB-C hub.
4. Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
Specs at a glance
- CPU: Intel Core i3 (10th Gen) i3-10110U processor, 2.10 GHz speed
- Display: 13.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080p) QLED panel, touchscreen
- Hard drive size: 128 GB
- RAM: 8 GB
- Weight: 2.7 lbs (1.2 kg)
- Price: $659
Coming up as one of the most premium Chromebooks you can treat yourself to, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is an attractive piece of tech-fueled by its willingness to perform consistently and deliver a genuine ChromeOS experience that’s second to none. The device comes in a brilliantly finished Fiesta Red color scheme that will get heads turning for you.
Moreover, one of the upgraded configurations of the Galaxy Chromebook 2 comes with an Intel Core i3 processor, 128 GB storage, and 8 GB RAM to offer you worry-free freedom when working with top-tier apps, such as Microsoft Visual Studio Code, Lightworks, or something like OpenShot Video Editor.
5. Asus Chromebook CM14 Flip
Asus Chromebook CM14 Flip
Specs at a glance
- CPU: MediaTek Kompanio 520 (2.05 GHz speed)
- Display: 14″ touchscreen FHD (1920 x 1080p), 16:9 aspect ratio, anti-glare display, 250 nits brightness
- Hard drive size: 64 GB
- RAM: 4 GB
- Weight: 3.44 lbs (1.3 kg)
- Price: $279
The following device on the list is yet another one from Asus, which, by now, should give you an idea that we’re dealing with no second fiddle manufacturer here. The CM14 Flip is a relatively new Chromebook with an Auto Update Expiration (AUE) date of June 2023, meaning that you get to spend ten years with the unit, more or less.
It costs less than $300 and comes with a 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080p) touchscreen with smooth responsiveness and fluid controls. The durability of the Chromebook is military-grade as well, and the value proposition is simply great to work with. You even get a great keyboard with the CM14 Flip, perfect for typists and professional writers.
6. Lenovo Flex 3i Chromebook
Lenovo Flex 3i Chromebook
Specs at a glance
- CPU: Intel N100 4-core processor (3.4 GHz speed)
- Display: 12.2″, WUXGA (1920 x 1200p) touchscreen, IPS panel, 16:10 aspect ratio, 300 nits brightness
- Hard drive size: 64 GB
- RAM: 4 GB LPDDR5
- Weight: 2.75 lbs (1.25 kg)
- Price: $269
Another Chromebook of a feathery stature weight-wise that you can check out is the Lenovo Flex 3i Chromebook, praised highly for its fantastic display quality that features an IPS (In-Plane Switching) panel and a maximum brightness capacity of 300 nits. It’s a convertible Chromebook with a touchscreen, providing users with an extra input method.
The Flex 3i is a part of this list because of its cost-effectiveness; it comes for just about $269 at the time of writing. The specs for this unit are pretty remarkable for the price, and the added 2-in-1 functionality is something you can never go wrong with. The icing on the cake is the 2.75 lbs weight of the machine that lends it nothing but ultra-portability.
7. Asus Chromebook Flip CM3
Asus Chromebook Flip CM3
Specs at a glance
- CPU: MediaTek 8183 processor
- Display: 12″ HD (1366 x 912p), 3:2 aspect ratio, glossy display, touch-enabled,
- Hard drive size: 32 GB storage
- RAM: 4 GB
- Weight: 2.51 lbs (1.13 kg)
- Price: $283.99
The Asus Chromebook Flip CM3 is somewhat of a budget Chromebook that sets users back less than $300 at the time of writing. For the money, it’s highly portable and offers the added expanse of being 2-in-1 in terms of functionality, right alongside USI pen support. You will need to purchase the aforementioned stylus separately, though.
Regarding the hardware, the Flip CM3 employs a humble MediaTek 8183 processor that will sail through your browser-based tasks and even run a couple of Android apps simultaneously. The 4 GB RAM and 32 GB storage setup are admittedly nothing to write home about. Still, they will get you by in an exemplary fashion, also considering the fantastic 12-hour battery runtime of the device.
8. Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition
Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition
Specs at a glance
- CPU: 12th generation Intel Core i5-1240P (Up to 4.4 GHz, 4+8 cores)
- Display: 13.5 diagonal, 3:2 aspect ratio, QHD panel, 400+ nits brightness
- Hard drive size: 256 GB SSD
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4-3200
- Weight: 2.86 lbs (1.3 kg)
- Price: $999
Let us tell you this right here and now—the Framework Laptop Chromebook Edition is unlike any other Chromebook out there. This modular device can be taken apart for effortless repairability and to introduce upgrades yourself. Everything from the bezels and the keyboard frame to the I/O and the mainboard can be swapped out on this device.
Head over to the Framework Marketplace to find out more about all of the latter. Aside from the modular components, the base hardware of the unit is pretty formidable as well, coming with one of the latest 12th-generation Intel Core i5 processors, 8 GB DDR4 RAM, and a 256 GB SSD. It’s also pretty lightweight but comes with a $1000 price tag.
9. Asus Chromebook C424
Asus Chromebook C424
Specs at a glance
- CPU: Intel Celeron N4020 dual-core processor (4M cache, up to 2.8 GHz speed)
- Display: 14.0″, FHD (1920 x 1080p), nano-edge bezels, 180-degrees hinge, non-touchscreen
- Hard drive size: 128 GB eMMC flash memory
- RAM: 4 GB DDR4
- Weight: 3.3 lbs (1.49 kg)
- Price: $230
If you’re tight on budget right now but are still looking to fix yourself a good-quality Chromebook with decent hardware for the job, perhaps you should turn your head to the pocket-friendliness of the Asus Chromebook C424. While this one isn’t convertible, nor does it comprise a touchscreen, it’s a solid, sturdy unit with a quality screen and appreciable peripherals.
That’s right; the Asus Chromebook C424 has a keyboard and trackpad combo that we can certainly get behind, not to mention the above-average performance that allows it to get tasks done on the go without slowing users down. Lastly, it’s also reasonably lightweight at one and a half kg, meaning that you can take it everywhere without a hassle.
10. Lenovo Duet 3 Chromebook
Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3
Specs at a glance
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 Compute Platform
- Display: 11” 2K (2000 x 1200p), IPS, 16:10 aspect ratio, touch-enabled, 400 nits display
- Hard drive size: 64 GB
- RAM: 4 GB
- Weight: 516.5 g without the keyboard, 1.14 lbs with the keyboard attached
- Price: $339
The final spot on the list goes out to the ever-capable Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3, serving as the direct successor to the original Chromebook Duet, which made headlines when it came out for blending cost-effectiveness with high quality. The Duet 3 follows in the same footsteps, more or less, but comes with even refined hardware for about $339.
Sporting an excellent design quality that’s as sturdy as any, along with a superb combination of keyboard and trackpad, where both the peripherals are just a breeze to work with, the Duet 3 is one of the best Chromebooks out in the market when you factor the price tag of the unit into account.
Moreover, it’s one of the most lightweight Chromebooks in the world, boasting a 516.5 g body weight without the keyboard attached while weighing 1.14 lbs when the keyboard is added to it. There’s just no beating the versatility of the Duet 3, not to mention its admirable performance and fantastic 2K resolution screen for perfect daily usage month in and month out.
Conclusion
The ChromeOS space has been making steady headway for a while now, given how the best PC manufacturers have begun paying heed to the potential on display here. You’ll find Chromebooks with the best displays, performance levels, backlit keyboards, excellent battery runtimes, and whatnot.
Similarly, you’ve got portable, lightweight Chromebooks running around, too, with some coming in without breaking the bank while others sporting a fairly costly price tag. This guide has comprised the best portable Chromebooks you can get now, instilling more convenience in your fast-lane lifestyle.
Do let us know in the comments below whether you found the article helpful. Chrome Ready wishes you good luck!
