Are you looking for a dedicated device for streaming your favorite shows and movies on Netflix, Hulu, and Prime video? Chromebooks are a great choice when you’re looking for an exclusive streaming machine.
However, finding the best Chromebook for streaming might be a bit more challenging than you had imagined. There are a lot of models on the market to choose from, and if you’re not sure what you need, then it might take you forever to come to a decision.
We have spent hours in research to find the best laptop for watching online content on your streaming platform of choice.
Without wasting any more time, let’s take a look at the best Chromebooks for streaming Disney plus, Netflix, and other platforms.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | SPECIFICATIONS | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
EDITOR’S CHOICE
 | ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 |
| View On AmazonRead Reviews |
RUNNER UP
 | Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 |
| View On AmazonRead Reviews |
TOP RATED
 | Google Pixelbook i5 |
| View on AmazonRead Reviews |
Best Chromebooks For Streaming
Here are our top Chromebooks.
Best Chromebook For Streaming Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, & Prime Video
1. ASUS Chromebook Flip – Editor’s Choice
- 14 inch Touchscreen FHD 1920x1080 4-way NanoEdge display featuring ultra-narrow bezels (5mm thin) around each side of the display that allows for a 14 inch screen to fit in the body of a 13inch laptop...
- The FHD display has a durable 360 degree hinge that can be used to flip the touchscreen display to tent, stand, and tablet mode.
- Powered by the Intel Core m3-8100Y Processor (up to 3.4 GHz) for super-fast and snappy performance. If you use a ton of tabs or run lots of apps, this has the power to get it all done with ease.
The ASUS Chromebook Flip is our Editor’s Choice for the best Chromebook for streaming Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, and Prime Video.
This ASUS Chromebook Flip ticks all the checkboxes and offers an excellent viewing experience when it comes to streaming. It has impressive hardware but the price tag will not put a hole in your pocket.
Let’s talk about the display. We have a 14″ display with full HD resolution. This resolution leads up to a good pixel density and you get good sharpness with the images.
The color quality of the images is excellent, thanks to the IPS panel underneath. It comes with a very good contrast ratio that presents us with deep blacks and bright whites. The grayscale performance of the display is also very nice.
Another important thing we consider in media consumption devices is the viewing angle. The ASUS Chromebook Flip comes with brilliant viewing angles, thanks to the IPS panel and you’ll enjoy the same content from any corner of your room.
How good are the speakers on the ASUS Chromebook Flip? These might be the best speakers you’ll find on a Chromebook. It can get very loud and can surely fill a mid-size room without any issues. The bass is not very deep but that is to be expected.
Being a convertible device, the ASUS Chromebook Flip gives you the form factor advantage as well. If you’re traveling, you can quickly change this into a tablet and enjoy watching your movies. You can also use the tent mode if you don’t have a lot of space like when you’re in an airplane.
The ASUS Chromebook Flip comes with enough processing power to handle your streaming needs. The Intel Core M3 processor is a dual-core one and it does when it comes to streaming Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime Video. You do not get any hiccups or lag when streaming which is something you will observe in cheaper Chromebooks.
The device comes with 802.11ac WiFi that allows you to have high-speed internet access. This means you will not have any buffering issues if you have a good data plan in place. The laptop also has Bluetooth built-in if you need to connect with any external devices.
Overall, the ASUS Chromebook Flip is an excellent media consumption device. It comes with impressive performance and doesn’t cost you an arm or leg which is why this is the best Chromebook for streaming Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, and Prime Video.
- Nice build quality
- Excellent display
- Impressive multimedia experience
- None
2. Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 – RUNNER UP
- TWEIGHT 2-in-1 DESIGN At just under 3 pounds, the Chromebook Plus is incredibly lightweight. You can easily fold it into tablet mode for comfortable viewing and browsing
- BUILT-IN PEN Experience the power of the incredibly precise built-in pen that never needs charging. It's always ready to write, sketch, edit, magnify and even take screenshots
- DUAL CAMERA Fold your laptop into tablet mode to capture clear shots and even zoom in for a closer look with the revolutionary 13MP world-facing camera with autofocus
The Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 is an excellent Chromebook in many ways and only falls short of Editor’s Choice.
It is much smaller in comparison as it comes with a 12.2″ screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The smaller screen means better pixel density and you will have crisper images for viewing. This size is also perfect for reading magazines and eBooks as well.
When it comes to picture quality, the Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 knocks it out of the park. The colors are vibrant and you get an excellent image when viewing your favorite shows. Thanks to the IPS panel, you can view the same colors on the screen from any corner of your room without losing any color quality.
The touchscreen does come in handy when it comes to handling the operating system. There is a pen that is included and it is useful for making illustrations. Even if you’re not much of an illustrator, you can still use it to browse the contents on your screen.
The speakers on this device are pretty good. You get higher volumes and surprisingly, there is not a lot of distortion. You can easily fill a medium-sized room without any issues. The bass is decent and you will enjoy using this speaker setup.
When it comes to processing power, the Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 is powered by an Intel Celeron processor. This is a dual-core processor and it does well when it comes to handling streaming. Sometimes, laptops will have a problem with handling HD quality streaming but that’s not the problem here.
The processor gets ample support from the 4GB RAM in the memory department. You can multitask without any issues. The local storage of 64GB eMMC storage should also come in handy.
The battery life is another excellent selling point of the Samsung Chromebook Plus V2. You can last for about 8 hours without any issue with simple streaming. This is, of course, when you’re using a headphone. If you’re using the speakers on the device, then you should see a much lesser time.
Overall, the Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 is an amazing Chromebook for media consumption. It is compact but yet it packs a good punch when it comes to power.
- Compact and lightweight
- Good performance
- Excellent battery life
- None
Best High-Performance Chromebook For Streaming
3. Google Pixelbook i5 – TOP CHOICE
- Meet google pixel book, the high performance chromebook; it’s the first laptop with the google assistant built in; press the google assistant key on your keyboard or say "Ok google" to get started;...
- Features 7th gen intel core i5 processor, 8gb ram and 128gb for storage; the long lasting battery delivers up to 10 hours of use and it’s fast charging so you can get 2 hours of use in 15 minutes
- The 4 in 1 design adapts to whatever you’re doing with laptop, tablet, tent and entertainment modes; ACcess to favorite apps including google drive, Gmail, YouTube, Evernote, slACk, infinite...
The Google Pixelbook comes with all bells and whistles when you compare it with other Chromebooks. It comes with excellent specs and that’s why it is our best high-performance Chromebook for streaming Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.
Google Pixelbook comes with an excellent design. The aluminum chassis has a nice feel to it when you lift the laptop. It also makes this laptop much more durable when compared with other Chrome OS devices on the market.
The display we have here is a 12.3″ display that comes with a resolution of 2400 x 1600 pixels. This is as good as a QHD display and is much more impressive than a full HD display. It packs the display with millions of pixels and ends up with an awesome pixel density.
The display gives you excellent colors that are true to life. They are vibrant, natural, and have good detail. The contrast ratio is neat and that gives you the blacks, whites, and grays that are near perfect. The viewing angles are also quite good considering this is a high-performance Chromebook.
When it comes to streaming, you get an excellent experience when it comes to platforms like Netflix and Disney Plus. You will enjoy watching your favorite shows and movies and the Google Pixelbook will give you the full-on experience.
The speakers on the Google Pixelbook is probably the best we can see on Chromebooks. The sound quality is excellent and you get excellent details on the audio output. The bass performance is nice and you can reach high volumes without any distortion. This Chromebook can entertain people in a medium-size room without any issues.
The touchscreen is excellent and is very responsive. You can swipe your way into streaming which is always a nice option to have.
The processor that we have here is an Intel Core i5 processor. This is a dual-core processor from the 7th generation of Intel chips. The processor is powerful enough to run laptops with traditional operating systems. Without doubt, the processor handles this Chromebook very well.
There are no issues when streaming. Usually, if your processor is not good, you will see a lot of hiccups when you are streaming. But luckily, that’s not the case here. The 8GB RAM in the memory department also does its part in keeping the performance of this device on point.
This Google Pixelbook model comes with excellent battery life. With just streaming, you should be able to get around 8 hours of battery life. If you’re planning to do something heavy, then expect this number to dwindle.
Google Pixelbook also comes with 802.11ac WiFi so that you can have excellent speeds when streaming your shows on Netflix and other platforms. With the lack of an Ethernet port, the Chromebook needed something like this to help achieve excellent internet speeds.
Overall, Google Pixelbook is the best high-performance Chromebook there is out there. It goes all out on specs when you compare it with other Chromebooks. It also gives you the best viewing experience which makes it one of the best Chromebooks for streaming Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, and other OTT platforms.
- Excellent design
- Brilliant performance
- Great battery life
- A tad expensive
What To Look For In The Best Chromebook For Streaming?
When looking for a streaming laptop, there are a few things you should consider. You might be wondering, can’t any Chromebook stream videos online? The answer is technically a yes, but there is a lot more to it.
You don’t want to simply stream videos on your Chromebook but want an excellent experience doing so. When you’re getting a dedicated streaming machine, you shouldn’t make a lot of compromises.
Here are some things you should consider before you get a Chromebook purely for streaming purposes.
Display
The display is the most important component of a streaming Chromebook.
You are going to be spending a lot of time in front of the display and you need a good display if not the best in the business. Having a good display will only give you good pictures but also will help you protect your eye health.
First, let’s talk about the resolution of your display. Most streaming platforms come with both SD and HD streaming options. If you don’t have a lot of data on your internet plan and want to go SD, then you will be fine with a simple HD resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.
If you want to go HD, then you need to get a display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. This is full HD resolution but it gives you more quality and clarity about the things on the screen. If possible, go with a QHD resolution as you’ll have more pixels on the screen.
Next, the size of the display. If you’re a fan of big-size displays, you can go for a 15.6″ Chromebook as this is the biggest size they come in. Most Chromebook displays will be 13.3″ or smaller. If this is not enough for you, you can hook this up to an external display and enjoy streaming on a much bigger display.
In addition to these criteria, you must get a display with an IPS panel. An IPS panel is superior to a TN or a VA panel and delivers high-quality images on the screen.
The IPS panel comes with a good contrast ratio and gives you more colors on the screen. You also get excellent viewing angles on the screen which means you can watch the same content on the screen from anywhere in your room without losing any color accuracy.
Whether you need a touchscreen or not is up to you. This is more of personal preference and there is nothing that will make or break your streaming experience with a Chromebook. If you do get a touchscreen device, you can interact directly with the on-screen elements which add to the overall user experience.
Portability
Having a portable device is very important when you’re streaming videos.
If you’re someone who commutes for hours to work, then you’re not going to fare well with a 15.6″ laptop. Whether you’re taking a bus or a train, you need a device that is slim and portable.
You can get this portability when you go for a 13.3″ laptop or smaller. Most laptops in this size range will weigh around 3 pounds which quite easy to carry around.
Also, just because you are looking for a lightweight laptop doesn’t mean you shouldn’t compromise on the build quality. Plastic laptops will weigh less but they are not durable and will create problems for you soon enough.
Go for an aluminum build Chromebook as it can handle some physical falls and will stand the test of time better than then plastic models.
Battery Life
If you’re a student who likes to stream when you’re free or if you like to stream when you’re traveling to work, then having a good battery life is paramount.
What is good battery life? When you start your day, you want to start with a full charge and come back home with some juice left. This would be a good battery life in our book as you didn’t have to charge your laptop again during the day,
If you’re on a vacation and would like to binge-watch your favorite show, then having a laptop that lasts long hours is a must. The laptop will usually last longer when you’re using a headphone and will run out of battery when you’re using the speakers on the device.
Take these factors into consideration before you judge the battery performance of the laptop.
Speakers
If you worry about audio quality, then you’re going to get yourself a good pair of headphones to go along with your Chromebook.
But if you’re not an audiophile, then having good speakers on your laptop is a necessity. The in-built speakers must have a solid sound quality and should be able to fill at least a small room with good audio.
The Chromebook should be able to reach high volumes without much distortion. Expecting good bass is not a great idea with Chromebooks as most of them are budget devices. But if you can find a good range in the audio output, you will be fine with those speakers.
Connectivity
When it comes to streaming, you’re going to download a ton of data to stream your favorite shows.
To have an uninterrupted viewing experience, you need to have good internet speeds. Most Chromebooks do not come with an Ethernet port. So you need to have at least 80211ac WiFi on your Chromebook to stream your shows without any hiccups.
Most recent devices come with WiFi 6 which is the latest and the greatest when it comes to WiFi. Having Bluetooth connectivity will also come in handy.
Also, make sure your device comes with all the essential ports to handle your everyday needs. Having an SD card slow will help in increasing the local storage on your device which is not that much to start with.
Processing Power
You don’t need a lot of processing power when it comes to streaming content online.
Most Chromebooks come with an Intel Celeron or Pentium processors. These are inexpensive and comes with a decent performance. They are entry-level but they do a fine job when it comes to streaming.
If you’re looking for a slightly more powerful option, then you can go with an Intel Core M3 or an M5 processor. These processors are not entry-level and they can do much more in comparison with the Celeron and Pentium chips.
If you need the absolute best, then you should go for an Intel Core i5 or an i7 processor. These processors are perfect to run regular laptops and they’ll make your Chromebooks fly when it comes to streaming.
Budget
This is probably the most important factor of them all.
If you have a good budget of around $500 to $600, then you can get a solid Chromebook for streaming Netflix, Disney Plus, and Hulu. It will have the best specs on the device and your experience will be pretty good.
If you’re on a budget and can’t spend more than $350, then you may have to make some compromises. The Chromebook will not be as good as the expensive ones. But you can get one which will be good enough for what you pay.
Well, that’s it for this post.
We hope you enjoyed and we able to find the right ChromeOS device for your streaming needs.
If you have any queries, let us know and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.