Looking for the best Chromebooks for travel? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
ASUS Chromebook Flip C434
Specifications:
- 14″ FHD
- Intel Core m3-8100Y
- 8 GB RAM
- 64 GB Hard Disk
For travelers, we recommend the ASUS Chromebook Flip C434. Asus has produced a number of great laptops, and we can vouch for this one.
Traveling is great and you don’t always have to carry a full-fledged laptop with you all time. Sometimes, you just want to check something on the web and have some fun and for that, Chromebooks are perfect.
Finding the right Chromebook for travel might be more difficult than you think. There are many models available and if you don’t know what you want, then you’re going to spend a lot of time researching.
Luckily for you, we’ve already done that research. From over 50 models, we’ve come with a handful of Chromebooks that are great for travel.
Without wasting any time, here is the list of the best Chromebooks for travelers.
Content Overview
Best Chromebooks For Travel In 2022
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | SPECIFICATIONS | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
EDITOR’S CHOICE
| ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 |
| View On AmazonRead Reviews |
TOP RATED
 | Google Pixelbook i5 |
| View on AmazonRead Reviews |
BEST BUDGET
 | Acer Chromebook R 13 |
| View on AmazonRead Reviews |
1. ASUS Chromebook Flip C434 – 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 travel. This ChromeOS device comes with excellent hardware and backs it up with good software performance.
For travel, there are a few criteria a laptop has to fulfill and the ASUS Chromebook Flip does well in that area.
The first and foremost quality we need to see in a travel laptop is its portability. The ASUS Chromebook Flip is super portable as it weighs around 3lbs. The good news here is that they’ve achieved this weight with an aluminum body. The design of the Chromebook is also very premium. The aluminum body construction gives you a nice weight, though portable. It can take a few falls without any permanent damages.
Being a 2-in-1 laptop, the hinges on this one are pretty smooth. The transition from one mode to another is seamless and you’ll feel really nice doing it.
The next most important thing to look for in a travel laptop is its battery performance. The ASUS Chromebook Flip excels here as well as it gives you a battery life of 8 to 10 hours depending on your usage habits. Whether you’re on a vacation or on a business trip, this battery life should be very useful.
The display we have here is a 4-way NanoEdge display that comes with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. One of the best things about this display is the fact that it has super thin bezels at around 5mm. It makes for a much more uninterrupted viewing experience. The display does well when it comes to picture quality. The colors are on the display have a punch to them and you’ll enjoy watching movies and tv shows on this Chromebook. Thanks to the IPS panel, you get excellent viewing angles as well.
The touchscreen side of things is also pretty good. The display is very responsive and you can totally use this device like an Android tablet if you wish to. The ASUS Chromebook Flip comes equipped with an Intel Core M3 8100Y processor. This is a dual-core processor that comes with a starting clock frequency of 1.1GHz and it can go up to a maximum of 3.4GHz. It also has a smart cache memory of 4MB that should be useful when dealing with everyday applications.
The memory management on this laptop is decent. You have 4 gigs of LPDDR3 RAM and you will be able to run multiple applications at the same time without any considerable performance issues. ChromeOS is optimized to work with low memory so this amount does a pretty good job overall. The ASUS Chromebook Flip comes with local storage of 64GB eMMC. This should come in handy if you have to transfer some data locally and if you can’t access the internet.
Another impressive thing about the ASUS Chromebook Flip is its keyboard. We have a nice keyboard that comes with a good layout and has excellent feedback. Even if typing is your main thing, you will enjoy this keyboard. The keys are backlit which means you will be able to use this laptop even in dimly lit rooms or in completely dark environments. The trackpad is decent and it works as advertised. Since we have a touchscreen here, not many are going to actively use the trackpad.
Overall, the ASUS Chromebook Flip comes with all the stuff you’d love as a traveler which is why it is the best Chromebook for travel in 2020. You will enjoy this Chromebook as your companion to both your vacations and your business trips.
- Lightweight
- Durable build
- Excellent performance
- None
2. Google Pixelbook – Runner Up
- 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...
If you’re looking for a high-performance travel Chromebook, then the Google Pixel is the best choice for you.
The Google Pixel ticks every box when it comes to choosing a travel laptop. What separates this Google Chromebook is the fact that it comes with high-performance hardware. Usually, you don’t see this hardware in Chromebook as they are marketed as cheap laptop alternatives. The build quality of the Google Pixel is probably the best you’ll see in a Chromebook. It comes with an aluminum chassis that has a nice weight to it. You know that this is a premium device the moment you pick it up.
When it comes to portability, you will hard-pressed to find a Chromebook better than the Google Pixel. It comes with a weight of 2.45lbs and is probably the lightest Chromebook in its size category. You can easily slide this into your backpack and take it along with you. For a travel laptop, battery life has to be excellent. With the Google Pixel, you get around 10 hours of battery life with light use. Even with some heavy work, the laptop can get your around 7 hours which is pretty good.
Another nice touch here is that this laptop comes with support for fast charging. This means with just 15 mins of charging you will get around 2 hours of battery life. The display we have here is a 12.3″ display that comes with a resolution of 2400 x 1600 pixels. This resolution fills the display with millions of pixels and presents you with an excellent pixel density. The color quality is top stuff and you get a nice vibrancy to it.
The touchscreen comes with good responsiveness and you will have a good time in the tablet mode. The display here is made of Corning Gorilla glass which is probably the toughest glass you’ll get on a commercial display like this one. You can be assured that this glass can handle some abuse without any issues.
The keyboard on the Google Pixel is one of the best ones you’ll see on a Chromebook. You get nice feedback when you glide your fingers across the keyboard which is neat. You will enjoy typing on this laptop as it doesn’t mess with your accuracy or typing speed. The keyboard also comes with backlighting and that means you can use this laptop even in dark rooms without sufficient lighting. The trackpad comes with a smooth surface and you will enjoy working with it.
The processor that powers this Google Pixel model is an Intel Core i5 processor from the 7th generation. This processor is good enough to power a full-fledged laptop with a traditional operating system. Without a doubt, this chip does a brilliant job when it comes to handling everyday tasks.
With a maximum clock speed of 3.5GHz, you should get all the power you need for an amazing performance. The memory department comes loaded with 8 gigs of RAM and this should take your Chromebook multitasking to the next level. This RAM also allows you to keep more tabs open on your browser which is an advantage many would enjoy.
Overall, Google Pixel is the best choice for those who are seeking a powerful device that is great for traveling. It might be a bit more expensive than the other options, but it is worth it.
- Excellent Design
- Solid performance
- Stunning battery life
- Slightly expensive
3. Acer Chromebook R 13 – Budget Pick
- Chromebook runs on Chrome OS - an operating system by Google that is built for the way we live today. It comes with built-in virus protection, updates automatically*, boots up in seconds and continues...
- All the Google apps you know and love come standard on every Chromebook, which means you can edit, download, and convert Microsoft Office files in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides
- With the Google Play Store, you can access a rich library of apps, games, music, movies, TV, books, magazines, and more, all from your Chromebook
If you’re looking for a Chromebook under $300, then the Acer Chromebook R 13 is the best choice for your travel needs.
There are a ton of cheap Chromebooks out there. How do you know which one is the right one for you? We’ve filtered so many Chromebooks and the Acer Chromebook R 13 has qualified as the best budget Chromebook for travel after some meticulous research.
The first thing that gets our attention is the 13.3″ display. This is a Full HD LED-backlit display that is also a touchscreen. With respect to color quality, you really can’t say that this is a budget device. The colors are nice and you get a punch when it comes to the contrast ratio.
The viewing angles on this display are pretty impressive making it a good choice for streaming content on Netflix and Hulu, browsing the web, and even working on your office stuff. The speakers on this Acer Chromebook R 13 model are decent and can fill a small room comfortably.
The touchscreen is very responsive and you will enjoy using this device in the tablet mode. There are other modes that are quite useful. For example, the tent mode gives you a nice position to consume media in tight spaces like while traveling on an airplane.
Probably the best selling point of the Acer Chromebook R 13 model is its battery life. With regular use, you should get around 12 hours of battery life which is just nuts. You can get out of your room in the morning and check back into your room at night with some juice left on your laptop a is and that’s awesome.
The Acer Chromebook R 13 is powered by a MediaTek processor. This MediaTek processor comes with 4 cores and has a maximum clock frequency of 2.4GHz. This processor is the main reason this Chromebook is priced this low. This processor is not as expensive as the Intel ones and that helps in reducing the overall cost of the Acer Chromebook R 13 model.
When it comes to performance, you will not notice that you’re using a non-Intel processor. This quad-core processor does exceptionally well when it comes to handling your everyday tasks. This MediaTek chip even runs some high-end applications without any issues.
The Chromebook comes with 4GB of onboard memory that should be more than enough for most travelers. You will be able to multitask and run several apps at the same time without any lag. You also get 32 gigs of local storage which should come in handy at times. There are a lot of connectivity options in the Acer Chromebook R 13 model. You get a USB 3.1 Type-C, a USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port, a DisplayPort, and also an audio jack. The device also comes with 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity.
Overall, the Acer Chromebook R 13 is an excellent Chromebook that comes at a budget and delivers a solid performance. If you’re looking for a cheap laptop for traveling, then this one here is an excellent option.
- So Cheap
- Good performance
- Extraordinary battery life
- None at this Price
What To Look For In The Best Chromebook For Travel?
Before we take a look into what to consider when looking for a Travel Chromebook, we need to make sure if a Chromebook is right for you.
A Chromebook comes with ChromeOS which is quite different from the other operating systems you have used. You won’t be able to install standalone apps and there won’t much storage as well. If you do most of your work on the cloud with the help of web-based apps, then getting a Chromebook is a good idea. But if you need dedicated applications to get things done, then you still have a chance to take a step back and reconsider your decision to get a Chromebook.
Portability
Note: Portability is the most important aspect of a travel notebook.
When you’re on the move, you need something that is light and easy to carry around. Anything that is around 3lbs will fit into this category and won’t give you a lot of weight to deal with. A simple way of getting a portable Chromebook is to go for one with a 13.3″ display or smaller. These Chromebooks will weigh around 3lbs and won’t be a lot to handle.
Durability
Chromebooks are usually pretty cheap and with that, you also get cheap builds.
If you’re passionate about traveling, you need to get a Chromebook that will do well outdoors. Make sure that the device comes with good build quality and has enough durability to survive the sun and the sand. Most laptops that come with an aluminum body do very well when it comes to durability. Some laptops come with good quality plastic and do well as when it comes to handling physical loads.
Battery Life
Battery life is also very important when it comes to traveling.
When you go out on a trip, you have no idea when you’re going to come back to your hotel room. Whether you’re on a vacation or on a business trip, this remains true.
Your Chromebook needs to stay alive for the entire day before you can recharge it again.
We suggest going with a device that gives you at least 8 to 10 hours of battery life. Most Chromebooks from reputable brands will be able to deliver this battery life with a light load from the user’s end.
If you’re planning to do something heavy, say you’re on a business trip, then make sure you get all-day battery life. You can’t make any compromises here.
Display
Having a good display is always handy.
If you’re going to spend most of your time out in the sun, then a good display with excellent brightness will serve you well. Make sure you get a display with a maximum brightness of at least 400 nits to do the trick.
When it comes to resolution, we recommend going for a display with full HD resolution. This resolution will give you a good picture quality and you will be able to see more on the display without having to squint.
An IPS panel is also recommended as you can get excellent image quality when compared with TN and VA panels. As an additional benefit, you also get brilliant viewing angles.
Whether you need a touchscreen or not depends on your needs. If you need one, make sure you get a convertible Chromebook and not a laptop with a touchscreen. The former is a lot easier to use while you are stuck with a wobbly laptop with the latter.
Storage
Chromebooks do not come with a lot of local storage.
But if you’re on a vacation and if you’re shooting pictures left and right, then you need to go back to your room and load them on to your computer to free up space on your phone or camera. In such a case, you need enough storage on your Chromebook. Most Chromebooks come with 32 gigs of local storage. If you need more space, upgrade to a 64GB eMMC flash storage.
Another nice way to increase your local storage is by adding an SD card to your Chromebook. If you’re interested in increasing your local storage this way, make sure your Chromebook comes with an SD card slot or you may have to live with adapters.
Processing Power
The amount of power you need also depends on your work and personal requirements.
Most Chromebooks come with an entry-level processor as they are optimized for ChromeOS and do a good job overall.
If Intel Celeron chips are good enough for your Chromebooks, we recommend going with Intel Core M series chips as they also do a good job. You can also get an Intel Core i5 processor but that would be overkill in most cases. Chromebooks usually come with a minimum RAM of 4GB. This is what you’ll see as a default option in most models. In ChromeOS, you will be able to do a lot with 4GB but if you want more, you can upgrade the memory later.
Connectivity
Having good connectivity options on your Chromebook is always a good thing.
Make sure your Chromebook comes with all the essential ports like the USB type C port, USB 3.1 gen 1 Type-A port, HDMI port, SD card slot, and also an audio jack. The device must have 802.11ac WiFi for faster internet speeds. The availability of Bluetooth will also come in handy at a later date.
Conclusion
That’s all there is to this post.
We’ve given everything you need to find your next Chromebook for travel and the ball is in your court.
If you have any queries or doubts, do get in touch with us and we’ll help you out.
Keep visiting our website for more useful buying guides like this one and other informational content.