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PCMag Middle East Computers & Electronics Laptops

The Best Chromebooks for

2023 in the UAE and Saudi
Arabia
Mostly under $500, web-centric Chromebooks are
competent computers that can save you money.
Here's how to buy the right Chromebook, backed by
deep reviews of today's top models.

by Brian Westover, Tom Brant

Mar 08, 2023

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RELATED:

Buying Guide: The Best

Chromebooks for 2023 in
the UAE and Saudi Arabia

Plenty of laptops, from budget to deluxe, are

available in all shapes and sizes. But what if you

spend most of your computing time online,

surfing the web or answering emails or creating

documents in Google Workspace or Microsoft

Office Online? What if you'd rather spend a few
hundred dollars than $1,000 or more? A

Chromebook could be right for you.

Chromebooks don't offer libraries of powerful

programs like Windows laptops or MacBooks,

but their web-centric operation—most of what

they do happens in the Google Chrome browser

—and low prices make them ideal for streaming

and social media and online productivity (though

they do let you work on documents offline). Wildly

popular in K-12 classrooms, they've also made

inroads in corporate offices for their easy

manageability. We've listed some of our favorite

Chromebooks for 2023 in different categories

below. Check them out, then keep reading for

guidance on choosing the right model for you.

Acer Chromebook Spin

713 (2022)

Pros Cons

+ Tall, high-res touch - Rather costly for a

screen Chromebook

- Half a pound
+ Snappy performance
overweight

+ HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, - No stylus or fingerprint

and USBA ports reader

+ Roomy 256GB SSD

instead of eMMC flash

storage

Acer Chromebook Spin 713

(2022)
It's pricey for a Chromebook, but Acer's
Chromebook Spin 713 remains a world-class
alternative to Windows convertibles.

4,027.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬

Buy Now ↗

Why We Picked It

The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 is a top-

performing and well-built Chromebook with a

sleek and sturdy convertible 2-in-1 design. It has a

13.5-inch touch screen with a high resolution and

a 3:2 aspect ratio, making it an excellent choice

for productivity, creativity, and media enjoyment.

The device comes with a roomy 256GB solid-

state drive—an upgrade from the smaller eMMC

flash storage used in budget models—and it has

multiple ports, including HDMI, Thunderbolt 4,

and USB-A. The Spin 713 features an 11th

Generation Intel Core i5 CPU, enhancing its

overall performance, making it a world-class

alternative to Windows convertibles.

Who It's For

Acer's Chromebook Spin 713 is a premium

Chromebook that's suitable if you require a high-

performing and versatile device for your daily

work or leisure activities. Although the Spin 713 is

expensive, it's an excellent choice if you value

high-quality performance and a sleek design in a

Chromebook.

Acer Chromebook 514

(2022, Kompanio 828)

Pros Cons

- Slower than Intel

+ Solid construction Core-based

Chromebooks

+ Better performance

than most inexpensive

Chromebooks

+ Great battery life

+ Padded carrying

sleeve included

Acer Chromebook 514 (2022,

Kompanio 828)
The Acer Chromebook 514 with an ARM
Kompanio processor offers stylish design and
above-average battery life at an affordable price.

1,804.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬

Buy Now ↗

Why We Picked It

The Acer Chromebook 514 (2022, Kompanio 828)

stands out for its balance between style,

performance, and affordability, making it the best

Chromebook for budget shoppers. Unlike many

inexpensive Chromebooks, this model has a solid

and elegant construction that can compete with

premium laptops. Additionally, the laptop's

powerful ARM Kompanio processor performs

better than most budget Chromebooks, and it

extends battery life that can last all day. The

package also includes a padded carrying sleeve,

making it convenient for commuting or traveling.

While it may not be the best Chromebook on the

market, the Acer Chromebook 514 is an excellent

choice for those who are looking for a laptop that

offers a lot of value for its price.

Who It's For

This ARM-based Acer Chromebook is ideal if you

want an affordable laptop that delivers both style

and performance. It's particularly suited for

students, professionals, and casual users who

need a device for internet browsing, emailing,

and running everyday apps. The padded carrying

sleeve is a bonus if you travel with your laptop

frequently. Overall, the Acer Chromebook 514 is

an excellent midrange option for anyone who

wants a quality laptop without a significant

investment.

Asus Chromebook Flip

CM3

Pros Cons

+ Includes a stylus - Clumsy touchpad

+ Includes multiple - Glossy display is prone

USB-C ports to glare

- Disappointing battery
+ Lightweight
life

+ Excellent

performance

Asus Chromebook Flip CM3

The Asus Chromebook Flip CM3 is an excellent 2-
in-1 convertible Chrome OS laptop with speedy
performance, a reliable touchscreen, and an
included stylus.

1,276.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬

Buy Now ↗

Why We Picked It

Can't decide between a laptop and tablet for your

everyday surfing and email sorting? Wallet not

exactly overflowing? The Asus Chromebook Flip

CM3 will make your friends think you spent a lot

more than $429. This convertible has a

handsome 12-inch touch screen with a squarish

3:2 aspect ratio and is exceptionally trim at 2.5

pounds, a pound or more lighter than 2-in-1's that

can be no fun to hold in tablet mode. We've noted

that Chromebooks with ARM processors, though

adequate, tend to be slower than systems with

Intel or AMD x86 chips, but the Asus is one of the

peppier ARM systems we've tested.

Who It's For

Consumers and students seeking convertible

versatility on a budget will find the Flip CM3 easy

to like. Its battery life could be better (we saw just

under six and a half hours of video playback), but

it's a capable choice for online productivity and

entertainment.

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3

Chromebook

Pros Cons

+ Compact, totable
- No headphone jack
design

+ Keyboard cover offers

- Pen sold separately
good typing feel

+ Handy kickstand - Short battery life

+ Great flexibility for

Chrome and Android

apps

+ Solid performance

from Qualcomm CPU

The Bottom Line:

Shedding the stigma of small, cheap

Chromebooks, the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 is a

compact 2-in-1 detachable Chromebook that

offers both laptop and tablet functions, though its

battery life is disappointing.

Why We Picked It

Small and cheap Chromebooks aren't as popular

as they once were, but the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3

may revitalize the compact and affordable niche.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 is one of the most

versatile and totable Chromebooks we've seen,

combining a Qualcomm-powered ChromeOS

tablet with a slick, magnetically attached

kickstand and keyboard cover for laptop use. A

touch screen and optional pen also make it

exceptional for taking notes in class or meetings

or enjoying Google's huge library of Android

games during downtime. Despite being an 11-inch

model, the Duet 3 puts up speedy performance

while including some of our favorite features

from other Chromebooks. We just wish it had

longer battery life.

Who It's For

The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 3 Chromebook is ideal

if you're in the market for a 2-in-1 detachable

Chromebook. Its compact design is excellent if

you're on the go or prefer a smaller device while

still having both laptop and tablet functions. The

peppy performance and versatility of the Duet 3

Chromebook make it ideal for students,

professionals, and anyone who needs a reliable

and affordable device for basic computing tasks.

Acer Chromebook Spin

714

Pros Cons

+ Roomy 14", 16:10 - Latest model drops the

display microSD card reader

+ Durable all-metal
- Still a bit heavy
chassis

+ 1080p webcam with

physical cover

+ Garaged pen included

Acer Chromebook Spin 714

With a new display and a garaged stylus, Acer's
latest Chromebook Spin remains our absolute top
Chromebook pick—despite losing the microSD
slot and still being a little hefty.

2,649.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬

Buy Now ↗

Why We Picked It

Plenty of shoppers wonder about a Chromebook

with a high-end price ($729), but the Acer

Chromebook Spin 714 is a fine example of why

you'd want to pay a premium for a high-end

Chromebook. This may be a Chromebook, but the

2-in-1 design is as appealing as almost any

Windows machine, with an all-aluminum

enclosure, an included stylus (with a storage slot

on board), and a better-than-average 1080p

webcam (complete with a privacy shutter). The

714 gets a new 14-inch display with a 16:10 aspect

ratio, and under the hood is an Intel Core i5 CPU

and 256GB SSD providing fast performance and

efficiency for long battery life. Acer has dropped

the microSD slot, but with Thunderbolt 4, HDMI

output and a USB Type-A port, we don't think it

will be missed.

Who It's For

This may be overkill for the elementary school

student or the Facebook addict, but the Spin 714 is

well-suited for productivity, making it a top choice

for small business or college students, or just the

discriminating home user.

HP Elite Dragonfly
Chromebook

Pros Cons

- High price only makes

+ Thin and light
sense for business use

- Windows users will

+ Beautiful 3:2 aspect
have to learn new
ration touch screen
keyboard shortcuts

+ Snappy backlit

keyboard with haptic

touchpad

+ Great performance,

connectivity, webcam

and sound

+ Fingerprint reader

and magnetic pen

HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook

Its price will scare off casual consumers, but HP's
flagship Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is a brilliant
argument for Chrome OS in business.

13,767.00 ‫إ‬.‫د‬

Buy Now ↗

Why We Picked It

If any Chromebook makes the case for

ChromeOS in the workplace, the HP Elite

Dragonfly Chromebook is it. The price alone

($1,149) will keep it from showing up in

classrooms, but it backs up the expense with

impressive features, like a haptic touchpad, a

built-in fingerprint reader, a magnetic pen, and a

gorgeous 3:2 touch screen that's made to get

things done. With an Intel Core i5-1245U CPU and

256GB SSD under the hood, it's exceptionally

powerful, and Intel's vPro IT management and

security is baked in (a Chromebook first). Pack all

of that into a sleek 2-in-1 design, it's arguably the

most advanced Chrome-based laptop we've ever

seen.

Who It's For

If your daily work already relies on Google's

productivity suite and a handful of Android apps,

then this is a no-brainer for your next office

machine. Additional privacy features, like a

fingerprint reader and integrated camera

shutter, will appeal to the security wonks out

there. You even get a free year of Parallels

Desktop, opening up the entire world of Windows

programs, so you can transition to ChromeOS

without missing a beat. With that, even the

Windows faithful may want to give it a second

look, as the collected features and functionality

are superb, and IT managers might just thank

you for making the switch.

Lenovo 5i Chromebook
(16-Inch)