Seven out of ten Chromebooks tested performed well at Stiftung Warentest. The best device costs less than 400 euros, the cheapest good only 300 euros. This makes them an interesting alternative to more expensive Windows and Mac computers – if you can get along with ChromeOS, say the testers.
One can sometimes have the impression that with notebooks one only has the choice between Windows and Mac computers. But there is not only Linux, but also Google’s ChromeOS as an alternative operating system. Devices that run on it are called Chromebooks. Stiftung Warentest tested ten of them, the test winner costs just 370 euros.
You can hardly get a good Windows laptop that cheap, Apple’s MacBooks cost many times as much. Before you buy a Chromebook, you should consider whether you can handle the special features of ChromeOS. Above all, you shouldn’t have any problems with Google, because without an account from the Internet giant, almost nothing works with the operating system. In addition, you have to like cloud services and demanding, performance-hungry programs for image or video editing do not run on Chromebooks.
The test winner was the HP Chromebook 14b-nb0335ng with an overall grade of 2.2. Its average online price is only 370 euros. Nevertheless, it offers a good display, and the testers also found endurance, functionality and versatility to be good. The notebook only did not get more than a satisfactory rating in terms of handling. However, no other test candidate performed better in this category.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Chromebook 14ITL6 took second place with a quality rating of 2.3. With a price of around 460 euros, it is the most expensive normal Chromebook. It’s not as versatile as the test winner, but is otherwise just as good
The price-performance winner is the Asus Chromebook C425TA-AJ0293, which you can get for around 300 euros. Because its functionality is only satisfactory, it only just received a good overall rating (2.5). Display and battery performance are good.
If you want a good convertible with ChromeOS, you have to dig deeper into your pocket. In return, you get a device with a foldable display whose touchscreen can also be operated with a stylus. The Asus Chromebook Flip CX3400FMA-E10026 was the test winner with an overall grade of 2.3. Display, functionality, battery and versatility are good. Despite the optional stylus, no convertible was rated better than satisfactory in terms of handling.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook 13ITL6 is significantly cheaper with an average online price of 660 euros, but was also the test winner with a quality rating of 2.3. The convertible falls a bit short of the Asus competitor in terms of functionality and versatility, but it is slightly better in all other categories.
The cheapest good convertible Chromebook is the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 360 LTE. It costs about 600 euros and got an overall rating of 2.5. The only difference to the test winners are satisfactory ratings for functionality and versatility.