Today, Google announced new Chromebooks specifically designed for gaming, featuring an RGB keyboard, higher refresh rates, better speakers, and some spec bumps. However, cloud gaming is still available on all Chromebooks, so you don't need to break the bank for a $650 gaming one.
Starting with the Acer Chromebook 516 GE , it features a 16" display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, which is great for gamers that want a buttery smooth and immersive gaming experience. The brains behind it, the Intel 12th Generation Core i5, is ranked "medium" by Best Buy in terms of processing power. It comes with 8GB of RAM, which is plenty for mid-range gamers who aren't playing very graphically intense games. However, it lacks in graphics performance, with Intel Iris Xe Graphics. It is said to be budget-friendly and for basic gaming, but hey, it's a Chromebook. It also has up to 9 hours of battery life, which isn't ideal for long gaming sessions but is pretty good for casual gamers. And the price? It comes at a pretty good $649.00, which is a pretty good value for what you're getting.
Up next, we have the ASUS Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip, which has the same performance specs as the Acer Chromebook 516 GE, but it has a touchscreen display and a smaller, 15.6-inch size. Finally, it comes at a higher, $699 price tag. (It also doesn't have a backlit keyboard, so if you care about that, don't get it.) This should be great if you don't care for the cosmetics of gaming, as it comes in a sleeker, less gamer-ish look.
Finally, we have the IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook from Lenovo. At a starting point of $679, it is the second most expensive but has the best performance. It has 8GB of RAM and a battery life of 12 hours. Also, it features a 6 core CPU, the processing power is about the same as the A16 chip in the iPhone 14 Pro. It also has a backlit keyboard, a 16" display, and a 120hz refresh rate. Even though it comes at a steep price, it is still the best for a gamer that cares about looking like a gamer.
