Preface: Depending on when you are reading this some of the information on this post may or may not be as accurate/relevant as it once was (the prices are constantly changing, even while writing this blog post!), so check the last updated, and take the post with a little pinch of salt. I also use the term "Clamshell" quite a few times which basically just means that the laptop hinge does not allow the laptop to bend 360 degrees (and "2 in 1" means it does allow).
Hey guys! Now at the time of writing, buying a new laptop probably isn't too high on your to-do list with the Covid-19 situation around the world. So why write this post now? Because in all honesty, this blog will probably be one of my ways of passing time during this quarantine and quite frankly I can't think about what else to write about.
Now, I know that many countries have their own dedicated Amazon marketplaces, and I won't be able to cover all of them, so for the time being I will cover Amazon.com (based in the U.S.), and I might go over Amazon.ca (their Canadian counterpart) in another blog post. If your one is not being covered, feel free to still skim through and see if you find anything useful, and if you have any specific questions, you can email me (mithran.roy790@gmail.com).
Best Sellers List on Amazon.com:
If you visit the "Best Sellers in Laptop Computers" page on Amazon you'll see a list of laptops arranged from the most best selling to the least best selling (of the top 100). It may be a surprise to some but most of the laptops listed are actually Chromebooks. So basically, their are three main types of laptops if you will: Chromebooks, Windows laptops, and Macbooks (Laptops can also have Linux installed, but I'm trying to keep things simple for now). The main difference between the three are the operating system or OS for short.
What are Chromebooks?
Chromebooks run on Chrome OS, an OS designed by none other than Google, but are - in most cases - weaker than the other two types of aforementioned laptops, due to software and usually hardware limitations (some Chromebooks, such as the newer Google-branded Chromebooks / Pixelbooks are actually pretty powerful though). Chromebooks usually tend to be the budget option for most buyers and could be a good option for some students or consumers who are not looking to drop half a grand or more than one grand on a laptop and appreciate a long battery life.
Chromebooks will generally suffice for normal web browsing, YouTube, Facebook, Google apps etc. but might throttle with gaming and productivity tasks. I'm getting a little off track so I won't go into too much more detail, but one last, important thing about Chromebooks: Among some other things, on Chromebooks you cannot install the traditional (normal PC) versions of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote etc.) so if that is a feature you need from your future slab of plastic, semiconductors, and/or metal, stay away from Chromebooks. Otherwise, Chromebooks can be a great option for those who are looking for a relatively nice user interface (UI), long battery life (compared to most other laptops), and fairly light and small machine.
The List:
1. Samsung 11.6" Chromebook (208.00 USD) - https://amzn.to/2WWYCmS (4.2/5 ⭐)
As of when this was written, the best selling laptop on Amazon.com is this Samsung Chromebook and claims to be 58% off. This is by no means a blazing fast laptop, but rather an entry level one with a respectable (considering it is almost sub 200 dollars) 4 GB of RAM (put simply, the more RAM, the easier it is to have multiple things open, and to do some somewhat demanding tasks) and somewhat limited 16 GB of eMMC storage. Also it is fairly light at only 2.4 lbs and has a claimed average battery life of 11 hours.
I would not recommend this to someone who plans on downloading many things or storing/backing up photos/videos to their laptop, because this would run out of internal storage very quickly (Chrome OS itself takes up around 7 GB and Google Drive is another option). This laptop would ideal if the user has some sort of external memory USB stick or micro SD card on which he/she can store such things and only needs the features Chromebooks offer (as mentioned earlier). This is because this Chromebook has plenty of such ports including two USB A ports and one micro SD card slot. For sub 200 dollars the laptop is a decent buy, but if it goes above, I'd recommend taking a look other Chromebooks that are "better bang for the buck" (for example this newer version - https://amzn.to/2Jn1d1s - is only 50 dollars more).
2. Acer Chromebook R 11 (284.99 USD) - https://amzn.to/2QXgWbX (4.3/5 ⭐)
If you'd like to get a little more "touchy" with your new Chromebook, this might be a better bet. The main upgrade for the extra price is clearly the 10-point touchscreen, a better display (I'm assuming as it claims to be IPS) and twice as much internal storage (32 GB eMMC). It also charges via USB Type-C which is becoming the norm for many phones. At the time of writing, it was 3rd on the list.
The trade-offs would be slightly worse battery life, a higher price tag, and a slightly heavier (2.76 lbs - but still lighter than most Windows laptops, but that's mostly because of the small form factor) machine.
"Clamshell" version (199.99 USD) - https://amzn.to/3atuYcQ (5/5 ⭐)
If you don't want to spend the extra money for the 2-in-1 version but still want the extra features (32 GB of storage, IPS display, and Type-C charging, not 2 in 1), you can still get the regular "clamshell" version which is not only cheaper, but also has a longer battery life (14 hours claimed opposed to 10). This version is also slightly heaver (2.98 lbs) and Acer claims it has "Military Grade Durability". It is also the only laptop in this list with an average of 5/5 stars from reviews (only 6 reviews though) on Amazon. If it weren't for the slightly large screen bezels, I'd say this is the best "Clamshell" Chromebook on Amazon for the price (if you don't mind the bezels, I still think it's a pretty good buy for the price).
3. Dell Inspiron 11 Convertible 2 in 1 Chromebook (269.00 USD) - https://amzn.to/3dJfK5t (4.3/5 ⭐)
This Chromebook places 14th on the Amazon best sellers list (rankings are updated hourly), and has many similar specs to the Acer mentioned before, but is slightly heavier (3.16 lbs) and lacks the USB Type C port. This is a good one to consider because Dell has one of the best customer service out there, so if any problem arises they should be able to help out (I might be a little biased because I'm typing this from a Dell Inspiron, but their service really is impeccable).
4. Asus Chromebook C202SA-YSO4 (268.00 USD) - https://amzn.to/2QWReEk (4.2/5 ⭐)
This one was 23rd on the list and I'd recommend it for two types of people: those looking for a unique-looking, slightly blue-accented Chromebook and/or those looking for a rugged and spill resistant Chromebook. Now of course this doesn't mean your going to welcome your new Chromebook with a splash of bleach when you first get it, but rather, you'll have the peace of mind knowing that it is much more durable than the average Chromebook.
Unlike the Acer and Dell, this particular model does not have a touchscreen variant (at least not on the seller page I linked), and is more comparable to the first, Samsung Chromebook. For the extra 60 bucks, you'll get a slightly heavier 2.65 lb body, a similar claimed battery life (10 hours), twice the internal storage (32 GB eMMC) and a much more rugged device with a rubber bumper frame. It also has a light-blue accented keyboard which I think adds to the "cool-factor".
5. Lenovo Chromebook C330 (389.99 USD) - https://amzn.to/39ykQOK (4.4/5 ⭐)
Last, but not least (well, maybe least, if you think it's too expensive from a Chromebook) is this beast. It without a doubt is the sleekest and cleanest looking Chromebook out of this bunch (and by far, the most expensive), but only places 38th on the Best Sellers list on Amazon. At this price point, you are creeping your way into "budget" Windows laptops territory, but you'll still get the benefits of a Chromebook (the weight, battery life, user-friendliness).
This Lenovo has 64 GB of eMMC storage, 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, a 10-point IPS touchscreen, USB Type-C charging, and weighs 2.64 lbs. So, this laptop should be able store many more photos and videos in its internal storage (compared to the other Chromebooks mentioned) for the extra price as well. Lenovo laptops are also known to have really good build quality so that's an extra plus.
If you like the design and specs of this Chromebook, but are looking to spend a little less, you could opt for the 32 GB eMMC variant (which has all the other specs), and usually sells for 90 dollars cheaper (299.00 USD) - https://amzn.to/39sdVXu
If you're looking for another, more budget-friendly Lenovo Chromebook there is this one with 16 GB of eMMC internal storage (still fine if you plan to store most pictures and videos on Google Drive or external storage) which is supposedly 472 dollars off right now (188.00 USD) - https://amzn.to/3447uZC (pictured below)
Can't Wait to Get Your New Chromebook?
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