The best Chromebooks for students in 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

If that five-year-old laptop that keeps freezing during class is killing your back-to-school mood, it's time for an upgrade. Students have many options for laptops that are great for studying, but lightweight and speedy Chromebooks are some of the best. They typically cost far less than Windows PCs or Apple MacBooks, and are streamlined with ChromeOS, a lightweight operating system. ChromeOS makes it easy to navigate to popular apps like Google Docs, Google Drive, and Gmail so you can stay on task and in touch with teachers and classmates. They're also perfect for submitting work online. What is the best Chromebook for students right now? ZDNET staff have extensive hands-on experience with PC hardware, including our top laptop choices and a variety of Chromebooks. While deciding on the best Chromebooks for students, I took into account this experience as well as customer feedback and pricing. My favorite Chromebook for students is the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE. This mid-range Chr ... Read full article.