4 Best Chromebooks in the UK for Under £300

By Prateek Pandey Published March 10, 2023

Chromebooks are a godsend for buyers on a tight budget. The reason is, ChromeOS — which powers a Chromebook — is less resource-hungry than a full-fledged operating system like Windows. As such, a Chromebook’s performance is seldom marred by sub-par hardware. That’s partly why a lot of buyers have started lining up to get a Chromebook too. And, if you’re looking for the best Chromebooks in the UK for 2023, then you’re at the right place.

We’ve done the research for you and have come up with four enticing options priced well under £400.

So, if you’re on a tight budget and want a machine to jot down notes, surf the web, or watch videos online, let’s check out some of the best Chromebooks in the UK for 2023. We are pretty sure that the options listed below will suffice your needs!

But, before we get into that, you might fancy reading about-

The best RTX gaming laptops under £1,000 in the UK.
The best ANC headphones to pair with your Chromebook in the UK.

Now, let’s look at the best Chromebooks in the UK for 2023.

1. ASUS CR1 Chromebook

Weight: 1.4 KG | Display Size: 11.6-inch
Display resolution: 1,366 x 768 | Processor: Intel Celeron N4500
Touch Screen: Yes | Storage: 64GB eMMC
RAM: 4GB LPDDR4X | Auto Update Expiration: 2030

ASUS CR1 Chromebook

Buy

If you routinely drop expensive pieces of tech, then you’ll feel right at home with the ASUS Chromebook CR1. We say this, as the laptop has surpassed rigorous testing and comes with a military-grade, MIL-STD-810H rating. As such, the brand claims that the laptop will come out unscathed from occasional drops of around four feet. Further, ASUS has tested the laptop’s hinge and its ports thoroughly too.

So, the connectors shouldn’t show any sign of wear and tear even after you’ve used the machine for a bit. More notably, the laptop is powered by Intel’s Celeron N4500 CPU. Now, the dual-core chipset isn’t the fastest processor on the market, but it should suffice for everyday use.

So, you’ll find the laptop more than adept for browsing the web or using e-Learning applications like Microsoft Teams. In fact, a lot of customers have lauded the Chromebook’s performance in their reviews too.

Moving on though, the CR1 Chromebook also ships with an 11.6-inch display. Now, the panel is of the HD variety and correspondingly, isn’t as crisp as some other devices on the list that feature Full HD screens. However, ASUS has somewhat cushioned the blow by furnishing the CR1 with a touch-screen display. You’ll also be able to leverage Wi-Fi 6 tech for enhanced network speeds. All in all, the ASUS CR1 is among the best Chromebooks in the UK for 2023.

2. Acer Chromebook Spin 511

Weight: 1.2 KG | Display Size: 11.6-inch
Display resolution: 1,366 x 768 | Processor: Intel Celeron N4020
Touch Screen: Yes | Storage: 32GB eMMC
RAM: 4GB LPDDR4X | Auto Update Expiration: 2027

Acer Chromebook Spin 511

Buy

Acer has a plethora of affordable Windows machines under its banner and the company is showing its mettle in the Chromebook space too. To wit, the brand’s Spin 511 is a versatile Chromebook that can double up as a tablet as well. As you might’ve guessed by now, the Chromebook does in fact, come with a touchscreen display. The panel measures 11.6 inches and touts an HD resolution, making it reasonably sharp for everyday use.

Speaking of which, the device makes use of Intel’s Celeron N4020 dual-core CPU. Now, the chipset isn’t all that fast. In fact, you might be better off with a newer N4500 CPU. However, if you are on the lookout for a versatile notebook that can get the basics done – including web-browsing, or note-taking – then you’ll find little to complain about the Spin 511’s performance chops. If anything, we wish the brand had furnished the machine with at least 64GB of eMMC storage.

Currently, you can pick up the device with 32GB of flash storage only. On the upside, the device does ship with a microSD card slot, so you can upgrade the storage down the line.

Moreover, unlike some competing models, the device also comes with two USB Type-A connectors. Therefore, you can plug in a mouse to navigate the device’s interface better. As for memory, the notebook comes with 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM, which should suffice for basic multitasking.

3. HP Chromebook 14a

Weight: 1.34 KG | Display Size: 14-inch
Display resolution: 1,366 x 768 | Processor: AMD 3015CE
Touch Screen: No| Storage: 64GB eMMC
RAM: 4GB LPDDR4X | Auto Update Expiration: 2029

HP Chromebook 14a

Buy

HP is a household name in the notebook biz and for good reason. Take the company’s Chromebook 14, for instance, which is backed by AMD’s 3015CE CPU. The processor comes with two cores, however, unlike some Intel counterparts, can deploy up to four threads for multi-threaded workloads.

As for the rest of the specs, the Chromebook gets an HD camera up front, which should come in handy for when you’re on a Teams call. Moreover, the laptop also comes with a 14-inch HD display. Although the display resolution is nothing to write home about, the panel gets adequately bright at 250nits. Furthermore, the display comes with an anti-glare coating, which should keep unwarranted glares and reflections at bay too.

Rounding off the spec sheet, the Chromebook 14 comes with 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of built-in, eMMC flash storage. The laptop comes with a range of connectors, including two Type-C ports and a Type-A port as well.

So, you should be able to connect a bunch of peripherals to the Chromebook. Lastly, the device gets a 10-hour battery backup, so you will be able to get a good amount of work done off a single charge. All said and done, the HP Chromebook 14a is among the best Chromebooks in the UK for 2023.

4. Lenovo IdeaPad 3i

Weight: 1.5 KG | Display Size: 15.6-inch
Display resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 | Processor: Intel Celeron N6000
Touch Screen: Yes | Storage: 128GB eMMC
RAM: 4GB LPDDR4X | Auto Update Expiration: 2030

Lenovo IdeaPad 3i

Buy

If your usage comprises dabbling between a handful of apps, then you should check out the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook. We say this, as the device is backed by a faster quad-core CPU. To that end, the unit comes with Intel’s Pentium Silver N6000 chipset, which offers four Tremont cores. Do note that the SoC’s architecture is in line with the N4500 CPU on the ASUS Chromebook CR1.

That said, the N6000 processor gets two additional cores. Moreover, the cores can turbo higher and can reach clock speeds of up to 3.3GHz as well. Unsurprisingly, the laptop overturned a higher median score in the CineBench R23 benchmarking app. For the uninitiated, CineBench tests a laptop’s CPU prowess by running a series of tests to gauge the machine’s single-core and multi-core performance. That’s not all, as the laptop gets a bigger and more pixel-dense display too.

To wit, the machine comes with a 15.6-inch, Full HD panel and offers a peak brightness of 300nits. Correspondingly, you will revel in watching movies and TV shows on the device. And, with a battery backup of almost 10 hours, the device should outlast your longest binge sessions too.

We should also add that the notebook gets 128GB of eMMC storage out of the box. As such, the device has oodles of memory to download your favourite apps, and then some. Pool everything together and the IdeaPad 3i is shaping up to be one of the best Chromebooks in the UK for 2023.

FAQs About Chromebooks

1- Is 4GB of RAM enough for Chromebooks?

Yes, 4GB of RAM should suffice for basic use, including browsing the web or using a handful of apps. However, if you plan on using the device for hefty multitasking, then we’d recommend you opt for a model with 8GB of RAM.

2 – How many years will a Chromebook last?

For the most part, a Chromebook is designed to work for five years at a stretch. However, you can check the AUE or Auto Update Expiration date for the model you’re eyeing, as it will give you an indication of how long the laptop will be supported down the line.

3 – Can I watch Netflix on a Chromebook?

Yes, you can download the Netflix app on a Chromebook and binge your favourite shows seamlessly.

Some Good Things Do Come Cheap

These were some of the best Chromebooks in the UK for 2023. It goes without saying that Chromebooks are revolutionizing the way students interact over the interwebs. While they aren’t the fastest or the most versatile machines, they can work wonders for buyers on a tight budget. And with these devices finding love among students and teachers, Google has also launched a repairability program for Chromebooks.

From where we stand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is a stellar buy, as it brings a lot of compelling features to the mix. However, buyers looking for a more robust machine will find the ASUS Chromebook CR1 right up their alley too.

Last updated on 10 March, 2023

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Written By

Prateek Pandey

Prateek is an avid gamer and he has a heap of consoles, both old and new. He has been writing about technology and shooting consumer tech videos for almost six years. When he's not hyper-focusing on a new RPG or talking about tech, he likes to hit the gym to stay on top of his fitness game.